After the shocking defeat at the hands of Ireland in the first T20 match, the Indian bowlers made a strong comeback in the second match. This time Team India stopped Ireland from making a big score. Not only did the team’s leading fast bowlers contribute but the most important role was played by all-rounder Shivam Dubey. Dubey, who failed to lead Team India to victory on his birthday, destroyed two explosive batsmen in two consecutive balls, one of whom was Gareth Delaney, who played a big role in Team India’s defeat in the first match.
India and Ireland were once again face to face at the Civil Service Cricket Club ground in Belfast. This time too, Team India bowled first and for the second consecutive match, gave a big shock to Ireland in the power play itself. After this, when there was a strong partnership between Harry Tector and Ben Calitz, Team India again seemed to be in the same condition as in the first match. But this is where captain Shreyas Iyer introduced Shivam Dubey and he changed the story.
Shivam Dubey returned to bowling in the 15th over and took the wicket of Ben Calitz on the fourth ball. This left-handed batsman was continuously batting hard and putting Team India under pressure. With this wicket, Dubey broke a strong partnership of 65 runs. Calitz played a strong inning of 37 runs in just 23 balls. This was the second consecutive match in which Dubey had dismissed Calitz. In the last match also, he was the one who sent the Irish batsman back to the pavilion.
Dubey gave the real blow on the very next ball. As soon as Calitz was out, experienced batsman Gareth Delaney entered the crease. In the last match, his explosive inning of 49 runs had turned the match in favor of Ireland and then he made an important contribution to the victory by taking one wicket from bowling. This time too he could have become a similar threat but Dubey clean bowled him on the very first ball. After falling on the pitch, Dubey’s ball came inside through the seam and the bails flew. It seemed as if Bhuvneshwar Kumar was bowling and not Shivam Dubey.
Shivam Dubey could not complete his hat-trick but his two blows put a brake on Ireland’s pace and dashed Ireland’s hopes of reaching a big score. Ultimately the Irish team could score only 154 runs in the entire 20 overs. While Dubey took 2 wickets, young fast bowler Prince Yadav, who was making his debut, took 3 wickets. Apart from him, Harshit Rana (1) and Arshdeep Singh (2) also got wickets. Harry Tector scored 53 runs for Ireland.
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