Hardik Pandya praised rival batter Harry Tector for his outstanding knock 

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The final T20 match will be played on Tuesday

Hardik Pandya lauded rival hitter Harry Tector for his splendid batting in the first T20 game while Deepak Hooda and Hardik Pandya directed the team India to a seven-wicket win over Ireland and lead by 1-0 in the two-match series.

After registering a pounding prevail upon Ireland in the first T20I, India captain Hardik Pandya lauded rival hitter Harry Tector for his splendid batting in the match. 

Rankling thumps by Deepak Hooda and Hardik Pandya directed team India to a seven-wicket win over Ireland, in a rain-curtailed the first T20I of the two-match series, at Malahide Cricket Club Ground in Dublin on Sunday. 

Earlier in the first innings, Harry Tector’s unbeaten 64 off 33 balls directed Ireland to 108/4 against India.

“He played some fantastic shots, and obviously, he’s 22, I’ve given him a bat as well, so maybe he can score some more sixes and maybe get an IPL contract, and I wish him luck. Just look after him well, give him the right guidance,”

said Hardik in a post-match press conference.

“It’s not always about cricket; it’s about understanding your whole lifestyle and what is at stake. If you can manage that, I’m sure he’s going to be around – not just in IPL, in all the leagues in the world,”

he added.

Team India went with Deepak Hooda instead of their regular opener Ruturaj Gaikwad in the first T20. Hardik said that the batter had trouble in his calf which forced him to send Hooda as the opener.

“Rutu had a niggle in his calf. We had the choice of taking a risk and sending him in [to open], but I was not okay with it. A player’s well-being is more important, and [I thought] we’ll be able to manage what happens in the match,”

said Hardik.

“It was quite simple after that, there wasn’t much of a decision to make; whatever our [batting-order] numbers were, we all went up one spot, and it wasn’t a big headache. We wanted to make sure we weren’t taking any chances with Rutu,”

he added.

Star pacer Umran Malik, who made his debut in the T20 format against Ireland, had a forgetful outing with the ball as he hand over 14 runs in the single over and couldn’t pick a single wicket.

“When you play for India for the first time, and the journey he has taken, it’s important to give such a bowler and such a talent time. Whether it was a good day or a bad day is irrelevant. For him, just to play for India is itself a very big thing, and that is something which I’m very happy for, [irrespective] of how the result went, good or bad, it’s okay,”

said Hardik.

Hooda scored 47 runs off 29 balls while Hardik Pandya smashed 24 runs off 12 balls, and stand the team India on the winning side by chasing the target in just 9.2 over. 

For Ireland, Craig Young took two wickets while Joshua Little settled with one. 

Harry Tector played an outstanding knock of 64 runs and guided Ireland to 108 runs against India. For Visitors, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Hardik Pandya, and Avesh Khan scalped one wicket each.

India won the first T20 game by seven wickets and lead by 1-0 in the two-match series. The final T20 game will be played on Tuesday.

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