Team India defeated hosts Ireland by four runs in the high-scoring thrilling second T20 match played in Dublin on Tuesday (June 29). Hardik Pandya scored 225/7 while batting first, thanks to Deepak Hooda’s maiden century and Sanju Samson’s first international fifty. Hooda later revealed that the two are ‘childhood friends’ and the pair shared the highest partnership for India in T20 cricket.
Samson, who replaced the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad in the match, opened the batting with Ishan Kishan. With the early start of Kishan’s innings, Deepak Hooda came to bat at number 3 and after that Team India did not look back.
The Hooda-Samson partnership lashed the Irish bowlers in all corners of the park as they shared a 176-run stand from 85 balls. They broke Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul’s record of 165 runs, in which they registered the highest partnership for any wicket by an Indian pair in T20Is for the opening partnership against Sri Lanka at Indore in 2017.
Highest partnership for India in T20Is:
176 – Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson (2nd wicket) vs Ireland, Dublin, 2022
165 – Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul (1st wicket) vs Sri Lanka, Indore, 2017
160 – Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (1st wicket) vs Ireland, Dublin, 2018
158 – Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (1st wicket) vs New Zealand, Delhi, 2017
2 matches
151 runs@hudaonfire Brilliant performance with the bat and won the Player of the Series award #teamindia Completed the cleansweep in the 2-match T20I series against Ireland. #IREvIND pic.twitter.com/UuBKCx1HNj— BCCI (@BCCI) June 28, 2022
Hooda and Samson also achieved another milestone as they surpassed the 167-run stand of Jos Buttler and David Malan against South Africa in Cape Town in 2020 by any pair for the second wicket in T20Is. Registered more partnerships.
“To be honest, I was coming from a good IPL and wanted to follow the same performance. happy with my intentions. I like to play that way (offensive) and these days I am batting down the order so I am getting some time. Player of the Series Hooda said after the match
“Sanju is my childhood friend, it is always good to bat with him. Thanks to the fans for the way they came and supported us,” he said.