Leading the side on his return after an 11-month injury layoff, Bumrah claimed 2 for 24 with nine dot balls and formed a formidable pair with T20I debutant Prasidh Krishna (2/32) to restrict Ireland to 139 for 7 after opting to bowl.
As it happened: India vs Ireland
“Felt very good, so many sessions I did at the NCA, didn’t feel I missed out a lot or was doing something new. Credit to the staff, they kept me in good spirits. You are not thinking about yourself, you are thinking about others out there. Not really nervous but very happy,” Bumrah said in the post-match presentation.
For his effort Bumrah was awarded ‘player of the match’ too.
“There was some swing upfront so we wanted to use it. Luckily we won the toss and it was coming out fine. There was some help due to the weather, so I was very happy. In every game, you would want more,” Bumrah said about the playing condition which was overcast from the start.
India skipper also praised Ireland’s fight back after a top-order collapse, saying, “They played well, after a crisis, they played well. Credit where it is due.”
“Even when you win, there are areas to improve on. Everybody is very confident, they are very well prepared. I think the IPL also helps. It is always good, wherever we go, they support us, that helps us to keep the spirit high,” Bumrah added.
Things looked bleak for the hosts after they were down 59 for 6 in the 11th over but their No. 8 Barry McCarthy produced an amazing recovery, blazing his way to a 33-ball 51 not out (4×4, 4×6) to lift their total to a respectable 139 for 7.
“It is always good to contribute to the team, disappointed that we didn’t get a win. We knew we had to get a good score on the board. We were enforcing ourselves and playing strong shots. In the second innings there was a little bit in the wicket. It’s important to take the game to the opposition. It’s always nice to contribute to the team,” Barry McCarthy said after the match.
The second T20I is slated on Sunday.