India registered a thumping 76-run victory over Ireland in the first of the two T20Is at the Village, Dublin on Wednesday (June 27). Despite the resounding win, the fans and experts are not pleased with the way skipper Virat Kohli and the team management went about their business.
Considering the fact that Dinesh Karthik had single-handedly sealed the Nidahas T20I tri-series for India in March, he was considered as the certainty in the playing XI. Surprisingly, Manish Pandey, who had a very poor outing in the recently concluded India Premier League, was preferred ahead of him. No wonder, the Twitterati were left baffled by that decision.
Here are some of the tweets questioning Karthik's exclusion:
Surprising call. Dinesh Karthik dropped by India. He won the Nidahas Trophy with a last-ball six, has been striking at 183.69 and not out in 7 out of 9 inns since his comeback for India last year. Also scored 498 runs at SR 147.77 in the IPL. #IrevInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) June 27, 2018
The last time Dinesh Karthik played a T20 international for India..........
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 27, 2018
Dinesh Karthik gets dropped after winning the Nidahas tri-series.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) June 27, 2018
And Manish Pandey's name on the team sheet ahead of Dinesh Karthik is unexplainable by the way. Beyond senseless call.
— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) June 27, 2018
It's ridiculous that India are playing Manish Pandey ahead of KL Rahul and Dinesh Karthik! #INDvsIRE
— DeadPhool (@deadphool2) June 27, 2018
I am not able to understand team tactics of team India , keeping @DineshKarthik out after playing blinder of innings in his last t20i @BCCI #ENGvIND
— Anil Varma Jampana (@anilvarma3005) June 27, 2018
Drops Rahane (also the vc) from the test team on the basis of current form.
— Peeyush Sharma (@peeyushsharmaa) June 27, 2018
And then picks Manish Pandey ahead of KL Rahul & Dinesh Karthik who are in the form of their life.
Indian Cricket Team for you.#INDvIRE #IREvIND
As far as the match is concerned – India got off to a spectacular start with the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan adding 160 runs in 16 overs. Throughout their partnership, Rohit and Dhawan were competing with each other shot after shot. It was carnage from both ends as most of the Irish bowlers conceded runs with an economy of over 10.
Kevin O’Brien got rid of Dhawan but not before the southpaw hit a glorious 74 off 45 balls (5 fours and 5 sixes). Dhawan’s dismissal though didn’t stop Rohit’s dominance as the right-hander carried on the carnage in the company of Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni.
Sharma was all looking all set for his third hundred in the shortest format of the game before Peter Chase removed him in the final over of the innings. Rohit scored a breathtaking 97 off 61 balls (8 fours and 5 sixes) as India ended up with a daunting total of 208/5 in 20 overs.
Defending the total, India’s wrist spinners weaved the magic to restrict Ireland at 132/9 in 20 overs. Kuldeep Yadav, who was eventually adjudged Man of the Match, claimed 4 wickets for 21 runs in his 4 overs whereas Yuzvendra Chahal scalped 3 for 38 in his quota of overs.
India will play the second T20I against Ireland on Friday (June 29) at the Village, Dublin.
