T20 World Cup 2024, India vs Ireland: Fans excited to see Kohli-Rohit pair at opening despite Kohli leaves early - Cricket Winner
T20 World Cup 2024, India vs Ireland:
Virat Kohli returns as an opener.
| June 5, 2024 at 10:17 PM
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India’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign began with a strategic move as Captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl first against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. The dynamic duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opened the batting for India, a combination that promised excitement and power.
Team Selection and Key Players
India, having won all previous seven T20I games against Ireland, entered the match with confidence. The team featured four fast-bowling options, including vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Spin responsibilities were handed to left-armers Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, leaving no room for wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.
See Also: T20 World Cup 202, India vs Ireland: Hardik Pandya shines against Ireland after IPL struggles
Notably, wicket keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, returning to international cricket after 17 months due to injuries from a car accident, was slotted at number three. Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Pandya followed in the batting order.
Kohli’s Return as Opener
Virat Kohli’s return as an opener meant left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal was left out, while Shivam Dube secured a middle-order spot.
Kohli last opened in T20I during the 2022 Asia Cup against Afghanistan, where he scored an unbeaten 122, ending a three-year century drought. Kohli and Rohit’s last opening partnership in T20I was a 94-run stand against England in 2021, leading to a massive 224/2 total for India.
The last time Kohli and Rohit opened the batting for India in a T20I, the duo struck a 94-run partnership in just nine overs against England back in 2021. India scored a mammoth 224 for two in 20 overs in that game and beat England by 36 runs.
The former India skipper had a good outing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season while opening the batting for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He scored 741 runs at an impressive strike rate of 154.69 while smashing one hundred and five fifties.
Pitch Conditions and Bowling Performance
The pitch, already scrutinized after the South Africa-Sri Lanka game, favoured fast bowlers. India capitalized on these conditions effectively. Arshdeep Singh struck twice in his second over, reducing Ireland to 50/8 with the help of fellow pacers.
Despite a brief resistance from Gareth Delany and Joshua Little, who added 27 runs for the ninth wicket, Ireland was bowled out for 96. Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel wrapped up the innings efficiently.
India’s Chase
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli open India’s chase, with Mark Adair bowling the first over. However, Kohli’s stay was short-lived. Attempting to clear the in-field, he was caught by a third-man, scoring just 1 run off 5 balls.
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ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024ICC Men’s T20 World CupIndia vs IrelandKohli-RohitRohit SharmaT20 World Cup 2024Virat Kohli