'If after scoring 225, you are winning by just 4 runs...': Former cricketers react as India avoid huge Ireland scare

Reactions pouring in as India survived a major Ireland scare in the second T20I and won the match by 4 runs to take the series.

There was no shortage of reactions pouring in as India survived a major Ireland scare in the second T20I and won the match by 4 runs to take the series. After India posted 225/7 batting first, not many gave Ireland the chance of chasing it down. But Ireland believed and they nearly pulled off a huge upset over India as the match boiled down to the final over. In the end, India survived by the barest of margins, but Ireland were ridiculously close to registering what could have been arguably their most special victory in international cricket.

India players celebrate after winning the 2nd T20I against Ireland.  (Getty)

Deepak Hooda’s 104 and a handsome knock of 77 from Sanju Samson set India up for a huge total. But the rest of the batting couldn’t do much with Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan falling cheaply and there being three first-ball ducks in the innings. In reply, Ireland did not hold back and went after the Indian bowling, with captain Andrew Balbirnie leading from the front with a half-century and wonderful cameos from Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Geroge Dockrell and Mark Adair. Ireland eventually finished on 221/5 with India pacer Umran Malik defending 12 off the last four balls.

Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar said this performance from Ireland is a sign of bigger and greater things to come from them. "After that partnership between Hooda and Samson, Ireland picked 6 wickets in the last four overs. They pulled back momentum with the ball and then this sublime batting. It was a good pitch; the stadium was not big enough. But this is a good Indian team, and to perform like this against them will give Ireland a lot of confidence. Brilliant show," he said on the Extra Innings show after the match.

Agarkar's thoughts were echoed by Mohammad Kaif, who said: "If after scoring 225, you are winning by just 4 runs, it means credit should be given to the chasing team. They may not be among ICC’s top teams, play fewer matches but they stretched it till the last game. They batted well in the previous game too. It was because of their bowling that they lost the match. The team is good no doubt."

Ajay Jadeja, the former India all-rounder, felt that India were lucky to get away with the win as Ireland dished out a memorably hitting exhibition with the bat. "It was closer than I would have liked it to be. I think India got away today. They are really lucky to have got away with a win," he said.

"Scoring the number of runs that you did, the opposition that you were playing against. And to let them come this close, you really got away today. When you are playing a side like Ireland, you should have scored more. Did not think Ireland was going to get this close to the total."

Ex-England spinner Graeme Swann credited Ireland for fighting till the end and not giving up looking at the target. "India won the game but Ireland played brilliantly today. They could have thrown in the towel, believing that 225 was way too much. They could have thought 'it can be embarrassing if we go for it', but they didn't. They said 'no, we're going for it. We're going all the way.' And they pushed India and nearly won the game," he mentioned.