England kicked off their T20I series with a dominant performance, successfully chasing down a target of 197 in Malahide to take a 1-0 lead against Ireland with 14 balls remaining. Phil Salt continued his blistering form, having previously scored his fourth T20I century against South Africa. He played a spectacular innings of 89 off just 46 balls.
Youngster Jacob Bethell, at 21, led England as their youngest T20 captain, replacing Harry Brook, and contributed a swift 24 runs, featuring a massive six over midwicket. Ireland, batting first on a green pitch, managed to score 196, primarily due to a strong 123-run partnership between Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector. Paul Stirling set the pace with early boundaries, but the main scoring came from the middle order, with both batsmen scoring half-centuries and putting pressure on England’s death bowlers.
Ireland missed the services of injured bowlers Mark Adair and Josh Little, and their absence was noticeable. Salt and Jos Buttler quickly scored 74 in five overs. Buttler played a quick cameo, while Salt, after reaching his half-century in 20 balls, stabilized the innings before being dismissed. England experienced a brief slump, losing three wickets in quick succession, but Jamie Overton finished the job with a clean strike over mid-on. For Ireland, it was their second-highest T20I score at Malahide, but the margin of defeat showed their lack of bowling firepower. Stirling admitted the team was underprepared, and England’s easy chase demonstrated the difference between the two sides on the day.
