NEW YORK: India captain Rohit Sharma allayed fears about an arm injury after making 52 before retiring hurt as his side thrashed Ireland by eight wickets in the teams’ T20 World Cup opener in New York on Wednesday.
India only required 97 to win after a dominant display by their bowling attack, with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh striking twice in the third over to reduce Ireland to 9-2 after Rohit won the toss.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya took two wickets in two balls on his way to 3-27 and Jasprit Bumrah, the player of the match, 2-6.
“Just a little sore,” said Rohit at the presentation ceremony. “New ground, new venue, wanted to see what’s it like to play on. I don’t think the pitch settled down, there was enough there for the bowlers.”
Ireland, all out for just 96, needed to hold every chance to have any hope of a shock upset.
But Rohit had made just two when, off the last ball of the first over of India’s chase, he edged Mark Adair through the hands of Andrew Balbirnie at second slip.
Adair dismissed Virat Kohli for just one, when the star batsman sliced to deep third man, but the damage had been done as India launched their bid to win a first major title since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph with a commanding Group A victory.
Rohit punished Ireland with a 37-ball innings, including four fours and three well-struck sixes as he shared a stand of 54 with Rishabh Pant.
The wicketkeeper, returning to international cricket after a horror car crash in December 2022, finished on 36 not out and ended the match with a typically flamboyant reverse-scooped six off Barry McCarthy as India won with nearly eight overs left.
Rohit was not there alongside him, however, having been previously struck on the arm by Josh Little, although he struck the next two balls from the paceman for resounding sixes.
Victory was all but secured for India, the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup champions, when they dismissed Ireland cheaply as a drop-in pitch of variable bounce at a Long Island ground built specially for the tournament again proved tough to bat on.
India’s joy, however, would have been tempered by the thought they too could be batting first on a similar surface when they return to the ground on Sunday to play arch-rivals Pakistan in the showpiece match of the group phase.
“I don’t know what to expect against Pakistan, we will prepare like the conditions are going to be like that,” said Rohit.
Bumrah, however, had few qualms, with the fast bowler saying: “Coming from India, when you see the ball seaming around (here), I would never complain when there’s help for the bowlers.”
Only four Ireland batsmen reached double figures, Gareth Delany top-scoring with 26 before he was run out as the innings ended in the 16th over.
“A tough one,” said Ireland captain Paul Stirling. “The toss played a really important part in overcast conditions and then the pitch offered all sorts.
“We weren’t quite up to that challenge and India bowled really well to put us under pressure.”
Rohit plays down injury scare after India rout Ireland in T20 World Cup
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Rohit plays down injury scare after India rout Ireland in T20 World Cup
- India only required 97 to win after a dominant display by their bowling attack, with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh striking twice in the third over
- Rohit punished Ireland with a 37-ball innings, including four fours and three well-struck sixes as he shared a stand of 54 with Rishabh Pant
FIA confirms path for World Rally Championship’s return to US
- Success of candidate event, with stages assessed in Kentucky and Tennessee, would open the door to a WRC round in the US from 2027
- Mohammed Ben Sulayem: It is a nation where motor sport is part of the cultural DNA
DUBAI: The International Automobile Federation is stepping up plans for the FIA World Rally Championship to return to the US, with the announcement of a WRC candidate event for mid-2026.
The event will run from June 11-17 and has been organized in collaboration with the US Automobile Competition Committee. FIA delegates at the event will assess every aspect of rally organization, from sporting operations to safety protocols.
The goal is to evaluate the potential for hosting a full WRC round, and a successful event will pave the way for the US to rejoin the WRC calendar in 2027, marking a milestone for both the championship and rallying in the country.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that the US represents one of the most important growth opportunities for the FIA World Rally Championship.
“It is a nation where motor sport is part of the cultural DNA, with world-class domestic championships and a rapidly growing appetite for global competition. I am deeply committed to strengthening the FIA’s presence in the US and ensuring that rallying becomes a defining pillar of that future,” he said.
“With five FIA-sanctioned events already established across three FIA World Championships across the nation, the foundations are firmly in place. Now is the time to build on that momentum.
“Expanding the WRC into North America would not only enhance the championship’s global reach, but connect rallying with a knowledgeable, passionate, and expanding fanbase in a market where participation and engagement continue to accelerate and grow.”
FIA delegates will inspect the candidate event’s stages and infrastructure in Kentucky and Tennessee, gaining first-hand insight into the terrain and facilities.
The program will also include a visit to a round of the American Rally Association National Championship, offering the FIA team a chance to engage directly with the US rally community, including organizers, volunteers, and fans.
Delegates will meet with the proposed event promoter and organizer, Podium Event Partners, which has long-established experience across multiple motor sport disciplines, including NASCAR.
With a deep-rooted history in the US, rallying has seen a renewed momentum in recent years driven by grassroots participation and the strength of the ARA National Championship.
The potential return of the WRC to the US reflects the joint ambition of FIA and WRC Promoter to expand its global footprint in a country with a rich motor sport heritage and a growing appetite for rallying, opening a thrilling new chapter in the world’s premier rally series.
FIA Deputy President for Sport Malcolm Wilson said that confirmation of a FIA World Rally Championship candidate event in the US is a first step toward bringing the championship to the country, offering a valuable opportunity to assess the proposed stages and service park concept.
“ACCUS plays a central role in this process, bringing significant experience and leadership within American motor sport, and the FIA will work closely with ACCUS and the event organizers to evaluate the event and support its continued development to ensure it meets FIA World Rally Championship standards.”
