Hollard closes it out
Matt Hollard kept his composure at the death to defend the final over and seal a 1-run win for Ireland, with India falling short on 153/9 chasing 154. The chase repeatedly threatened to swing India’s way through Tilak Varma’s steady 55, but each time a wicket or a dot ball dragged the ask back up. When India needed 8 off the last over, Ireland’s execution under pressure proved just enough.
India’s powerplay damage
The match tilted in the first six overs of India’s chase, when they slipped to 41/4 and were forced into repair mode. Ireland’s new-ball burst meant the required rate never truly relaxed, even when Tilak and Axar Patel stitched together India’s best stand of 35. In a chase decided by a single run, those early losses turned the death overs into a high-wire act rather than a controlled finish.
Tector, Tilak, and key spells
Tector’s 53 off 47 anchored Ireland’s innings, while Calitz’s 38 off 23 injected the acceleration that lifted them to 154/8. For India, Tilak’s 55 off 46 was the chase’s spine, but he lacked a long partner as wickets fell around him. Hollard’s 3/26 and Jai Moondra’s 3/32 supplied the strikes Ireland needed, with Hollard’s closing over ultimately deciding the match.
Prince Yadav keeps it tight
India’s bowlers had given them a real chance, led by Prince Yadav’s 3/22 that repeatedly checked Ireland’s momentum. Ireland were 44/2 in the powerplay and 118/5 entering the last five, and while the death phase yielded 36, it never became a runaway. The key release valve was the 65-run partnership between Harry Tector and Benjamin Calitz, which rebuilt after early wickets and ensured Ireland had something to defend.

