IND vs IRE: Harshit Rana makes excellent comeback for India in T20Is, Ireland put decent total

Harshit Rana has done the heavy lifting by claiming two early wickets at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast, as Ireland is already four wickets down against India in the opening game of their two-match T20I series.

As India's newly appointed T20I captain, Shreyas Iyer, won the toss and opted to field first, all eyes were on the returning quick. Rana did not disappoint, delivering a blistering opening spell that completely derailed the Irish top order and set a dominant tone for the visitors.

Double Strike in the Powerplay

Operating alongside Arshdeep Singh, Rana showcased his trademark extra bounce and hard-length deliveries, making life miserable for the Irish batters who struggled to cope with his raw pace.

The First Breakthrough: Ross Adair, who had looked dangerous early on and was firing on all cylinders, was the first to fall into Rana's trap. Attempting a massive pull shot on the leg side, Adair was hurried by Rana's heavy ball and top-edged it high into the air, allowing wicketkeeper Sanju Samson to take a comfortable, swirling catch.

The Second Blow: Just as Ireland tried to rebuild, Rana struck again. Continuing to aggressively hit the deck, he forced Tim Tector into a poorly executed shot. Tector was undone by a hard-length delivery, managing only a thick edge that flew straight into the safe hands of skipper Shreyas Iyer.

Within the blink of an eye, Rana's fiery double-strike had broken the back of the hosts' top order. He ended up with an excellent figure of 3/24 in his four overs. Despite that, Ireland showcased a decent batting performance as Lorcan Tucker (50 off 36) and Gareth Delany (49 off 32) led their charge after the early wobble. The hosts compiled 182/9 in their full quota of overs.