Indian skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bat first against Ireland in the second and final T20 in Malahide on Tuesday. The visitors changed three players, replacing Yuzvendra Chahal with legspinner Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan with medium-pacer Harshal Patel, and an injured Ruturaj Gaikwad with opening batsman Sanju Samson.

“We want to bat first. The wicket looks alright and the weather looks awesome and sunny as well. When we bowled first we expected the wicket to do much more than it did. But credit to the boys to keep them down to that total by realizing which balls to bowl. We have three changes: Ruturaj misses out because of a niggle, Sanju comes in. Harshal comes in place of Avesh and Bishnoi comes in for Chahal,” Hardik Pandya said after winning the toss.

Also Read: Leicestershire photographer humbled as Virat Kohli shares photos clicked by him

Ireland, on the other hand, are playing the same team.

“We were going to have a bowl. It is always nice in T20 to chase but we’re going to have to do well with the ball to keep these guys to a low total. If we put in a good performance, hopefully we’ll get a bit closer. It was Craig Young’s 50th T20I and we were happy to hand him a special cap. We’re playing the same team,” skipper Andrew Balbirnie said. 

Also Read: Can Hardik Pandya be the end to India’s captaincy problem? Check details

India opener Deepak Hooda’s unbeaten 47 off 29 balls guided India to a 7-wicket win against Ireland on Sunday. Hardik Pandya scored 24 runs from 12 balls, including three sixes, and Ishan Kishan 26 from 11 with three fours and two sixes in a convincing display.

Teams:

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker(w), George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Craig Young, Joshua Little, Conor Olphert

India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan(w), Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Umran Malik