Batting at No. 3 after India decided to send Virat Kohli in as captain Rohit Sharma’s new opening partner, Pant smashed unbeaten 36 off 26 balls on a difficult track at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
T20 WORLD CUP: Schedule | Points Table
After Hardik Pandya (3/27) led India’s bowling charts to dismiss Ireland for only 96 in 16 overs, India rode on Rohit Sharma’s half-century (52 off 37 balls) to achieve the target in 12.2 overs for an eight-wicket win.
Jasprit Bumrah was declared the ‘Player of the Match’ for his spell of 2 for 6. Arshdeep Singh took 2 for 35, while Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel claimed one wicket each.
Rohit had to retire hurt after a Joshua Little delivery struck his arm. Pant then took over from his skipper to take the team home. Kohli could score only 1 while Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for 2.
After India’s win, Pant thanked the almighty for his return to international cricket.
“Thanku God for giving me Faith and Belief,” India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Pant posted on social media with a few images from India’s victory over the Irish team.
Pant marked his return to India jersey with the warm-up game against Bangladesh, but India’s T20 World Cup opener against Ireland on Wednesday was his first international match after a long rehabiliation phase post surgery for his injuries in the car accident.
Pant, however, made a return to competitive cricket with the 2024 Indian Premier League season, where he led Delhi Capitals.
India will next take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their second Group A game of the T20 World Cup on June 9 at the same venue in New York.
Besides Ireland and Pakistan, co-hosts USA and Canada are the other two teams in India’s group.
