Confident India eye series win, batters seek more time in middle


Buoyed by Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive return, fancied India will hope for better weather and a chance for the team’s young batters to show their mettle in the second T20 International against Ireland here on Sunday.

After the Jasprit Bumrah-led bowling attack impressed to restrict Ireland to 139 for seven in the series opener, incessant rain denied the middle-order batters an opportunity to prove their worth.

India were declared winners by two runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method and both the teams will hope that they get to play a full match in the second game. Expected to lead the Indian batting in the coming years, the likes of Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh will hope they get a chance to spend sufficient time in the middle.

Having got out after getting a good start in the first match, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will look for a big score and so will Tilak Varma, who was dismissed for a golden duck days after his stupendous performance in the West Indies.