India beat Ireland on Wednesday (June 5) to kickstart their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in style. Playing the Irish side at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, India rode on Jasprit Bumrah’s 2 for 6 and Hardik Pandya’s 3 for 27 to bundle out the Irish camp for a paltry 96 and chased it down in 12.2 overs with eight wickets in hand. With this win, Rohit Sharma surpassed T20 WC-winning skipper MS Dhoni to become India’s most successful T20I captain.
Rohit, who became the T20I captain after the 2021 T20 WC, has led the Men in Blue in 42 wins in just 55 matches. He, thus, surpassed Dhoni’s tally, who led India in 41 wins in 72 games during his captaincy tenure.
Most T20I wins as captain (including Super Over victories)
46 wins in 81 matches – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
44 wins in 57 matches – Brian Masaba (Uganda)
44 wins in 71 matches – Eoin Morgan (England)
43 wins in 55 matches – Rohit Sharma (India)
42 wins in 52 matches – Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan)
41 wins in 72 matches – MS Dhoni (India)
41 wins in 76 matches – Aaron Finch (Australia)
Most wins as Indian captain in T20Is
43 Rohit Sharma
43 MS Dhoni
32 Virat Kohli
Talking about the India-Ireland clash, Paul Stirling & Co. were asked to bat first on a tricky pitch in New York. The Irish camp had no clue about the surface as Indian pacers made early inroads and created enough pressure to dismiss the opposition for 96 in 16 overs. In reply, India rode on captain Rohit’s 37-ball 52, who got retired hurt after suffering a blow to his right arm, and Rishabh Pant’s 36 not out to close the proceedings in a flash.
Rohit also became the first-ever player to hit 600, or more, international sixes during the Ireland clash. India will now face Pakistan, at the same venue in New York, in their upcoming clash on June 9 (Sunday).
