Belfast, June 26: The Indian cricket team faced a setback in their first T20 match against Ireland on Friday. This defeat marks India’s first loss to Ireland. The match was significant for Shreyas Iyer as it was his debut as captain, but he had to start his leadership journey with a loss. The standout performer was Matthew Hollard, who was playing his debut match and was named Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling.
Hollard took three wickets for just 28 runs in four overs. The right-arm fast bowler claimed crucial wickets, including those of Ishan Kishan, captain Shreyas Iyer, and all-rounder Washington Sundar.
After receiving the Player of the Match award, Hollard expressed his disbelief, saying, “Honestly, I never expected this. I always knew I had it in me, but I never thought I would debut against India. It feels like a dream come true. My family came from Johannesburg to support me. This is truly surreal.”
He added, “I wanted to come to Ireland since 2019, but then COVID hit, causing delays. My brother came here first and insisted that I had to come. Cricket Ireland has taken amazing care of me.”
Regarding his family, Hollard mentioned, “I hadn’t seen them for a while, and there’s nothing better than having them here for such a moment. Seeing them as I received my debut cap and their encouragement was incredible.”
In the match, Ireland batted first after winning the toss, scoring 182 runs for the loss of nine wickets. The Indian team was bowled out for 148 runs in 18.5 overs, losing the match by 34 runs.
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