India vs Ireland Live Score: India begin a new chapter in T20I cricket under captain Shreyas Iyer when they face injury-hit Ireland in the opener of the two-match series at the Civil Service Cricket Ground in Stormont on Friday.

While the reigning T20 World Cup champions start as favourites, much of the spotlight will be on young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who is on the verge of making his international debut.

Will Suryavanshi debut?

The 15-year-old has been the most talked about player in world cricket after a sensational IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals. After this, he played a stormy innings of 94 runs in just 29 balls for India A in the final of the tri-series against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla.

Suryavanshi will become India’s youngest male international cricketer when he makes his debut against Ireland. However, it is not easy to fit him in the playing eleven.

India already have a settled top order. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson formed a successful opening pair during the T20 World Cup, while Ishan Kishan impressed at No. 3. The team management will have to decide whether to alter the winning combination to accommodate the teenage talent.

A new era under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer

The series also marks Iyer’s return to India’s T20I squad for the first time since December 2023 and his first appointment as full-time captain after replacing Suryakumar Yadav.

Fresh from a successful IPL season as captain, Iyer will be looking to bring the same aggressive approach to the national team under head coach Gautam Gambhir. India are expected to field a strong middle order with Iyer, Kishan and vice-captain Tilak Verma.

Call for selection in bowling attack

India has to take decisions with the ball also.

The management will have to decide whether to bring Harshit Rana straight back into the eleven after his return to fitness or continue with fast bowler Arshdeep Singh along with Prince Yadav and Prasidh Krishna, who have been performing recently.

Ireland struggling with injury crisis

Ireland are entering the series with several key players unavailable.

The host team will be without experienced players like Paul Sterling, Mark Adair and Josh Little due to injuries. Newly appointed T20I captain Lorcan Tucker will lead a weakened side, with uncapped bowlers Matthew Hollard and Jay Mundhra earning call-ups for the first time.

India’s dominance record

History is strongly in India’s favor. The Men in Blue have won all eight T20 matches they have played against Ireland and last met them during the 2024 T20 World Cup.

India have also been performing brilliantly in this format and have won 12 of their 14 T20 matches this year. They will also play an international match at Stormont for the first time since 2007.

matching details

Match: India vs Ireland, 1st T20I

Date: Friday, June 26

Time: 6:00 PM IST

Venue: Civil Service Cricket Ground, Stormont, Belfast

Live broadcast: Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD

Live Streaming: SonyLiv Website and App