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IRE vs IND Match Prediction: Pitch Report, Team News and Probable XI
India and Ireland will play the first T20I of the three-match series at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Friday, June 26. Both teams will be looking to get off to a winning start. Shreyas Iyer will lead the reigning T20 World Champions, while Lorcan Tucker will lead the injured Ireland team.
India will be playing their first T20I since winning the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Several senior players have been rested, paving the way for several youngsters to make an impression. With plenty of quality and depth in the squad, India will go into the series opener as strong favourites.
Ireland will be hoping to use home conditions to put pressure on the visitors in Belfast. However, Lorcan Tucker’s team is without several key players due to injuries and will have to rely on several young cricketers. To defeat the world champions, Ireland will need to perform well in every department.
IRE vs IND 1st T20I: Match Overview
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Series | India Tour of Ireland 2026 |
| Match | Ireland vs India, 1st T20I |
| Date | Friday, June 26, 2026 |
| Time | 1:30 PM BST (British Summer Time) / 6:00 PM IST |
| Venue | Civil Service Cricket Club (Stormont), Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Team News
India
Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the series ahead of the first T20I in Belfast. Shreyas Iyer has taken over the captaincy after Suryakumar Yadav resigned following India’s T20 World Cup triumph.
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are likely to add strength to the top order. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi could make his international debut during the second game of the series.
With Varun Chakravarthy out due to injury, Ravi Bishnoi is expected to play the role of India’s main spinner. The leg-spinner had a stellar performance in IPL 2026 and could prove to be a major threat to the Irish batting unit.
Harshit Rana, who has returned to the team, is almost certain to find a place in the playing XI. Arshdeep Singh is also expected to be included for the first T20I against Ireland. However, deciding on a third seamer for India could be difficult, as both Prince Yadav and Prasad Krishna are contenders. Both the fast bowlers impressed during the IPL, but Krishna has been the more consistent of the two. So India could start the series with him in the first T20I, and if the situation goes their way, Prince could get a chance in the second match.
Ireland
Ireland are also without several key players due to injuries. Paul Stirling, Josh Little, Mark Adair, Curtis Kaempfer, Barry McCarthy and Jordan Neil are all unavailable.
Captain Lorcan Tucker will have to rely on a young bowling unit. Gavin Hoy, Matthew Humphries, Liam McCarthy and Reuben Wilson are expected to take charge against India’s potent batting lineup.
Also Read: Richa Ghosh vs Shafali Verma: Batting Stats Comparison & Performance Record
IRE vs IND: Head-to-Head (T20I)
| Statistic | Ireland | India |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 8 | 8 |
| Won | 0 | 8 |
| Lost | 8 | 0 |
| No Result | 0 | 0 |
Pitch Report: Civil Service Cricket Club
The pitch at the Civil Services Cricket Club has improved a lot for batting in recent T20Is. Although the average first innings score on the ground has been around 127, the average has been 161 in the last six T20Is, with many teams crossing 170.
The new ball can help the seamers, especially if the weather is cloudy. However, once the batsmen calm down, it usually becomes easier to score, especially in the final overs. Chasing teams have also had a good record on the ground, winning 16 out of 26 completed T20Is.
Toss Prediction
Captains generally prefer to chase in the Civil Service Cricket Club. Teams batting second have won 15 of the 25 T20 matches completed at the ground.
With the conditions initially favourable to seam bowlers, the captain who wins the toss is likely to bowl first.
IRE vs IND 1st T20I: Match Prediction
India are expected to start the series with a comfortable win. Their 8-0 head-to-head record, the strength of their team and the form they have shown since the World Cup final all suggest only one outcome.
Ireland, however, have the advantage of playing at home. They are without many of their top players, but they have nothing to lose. The combination of independence, home support and a new captain can sometimes lead to unpredictable performances. They understand these situations well too.
But still, India will go into the opening T20I as clear favourites. Their strong batting lineup and quality bowling attack will give them a definite edge.
Cricbites Prediction: India will win this match
IRE vs IND 1st T20I: Predicted Playing XI
India Predicted Playing XI:
Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana.
Ireland Predicted Playing XI:
Lorcan Tucker (C & WK), Ross Adair, Stephen Doheny, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Matthew Humphreys, Liam McCarthy, Gavin Hoey, Reuben Wilson.
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