Ireland vs India 1st T20I Tips - 26 June 2026
India are strong favourites in the 1st T20I against an injury-hit Ireland at Stormont, Belfast. Our picks, form guide and H2H for 26 June.
- Ireland host India in the 1st T20I at Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, on Friday 26 June at 16:00 SAST.
- Ireland go into the match without six key players including Paul Stirling, Josh Little and Mark Adair, making an already difficult task near impossible.
- India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, have won all eight previous T20Is against Ireland and we back them to win convincingly once again.
India arrive in Belfast as reigning T20 World Cup champions and overwhelming favourites to sweep this two-match series. Ireland, meanwhile, are fielding a decimated squad that is missing six front-line players through injury, including their most destructive opener Paul Stirling and their best fast bowler Josh Little. The gulf in class is enormous and we see no realistic path to an Irish upset here. Back India to win and back them to win by a margin.
The Pick Card
Prices from Hollywoodbets, Betway and 10Bet. 18+. T&Cs apply.
| Selection | Bookmaker | Odds | Stake | Operator CTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India to Win | Hollywoodbets | @1.20 | 2 Units | Bet here |
| India Win by 30+ Runs / 6+ Wickets | Betway | @2.10 | 2 Units | Bet here |
| Total Match Sixes Over 12.5 | 10Bet | @1.80 | 2 Units | Bet here |
The Form Line
Ireland arrive at Stormont on mixed form. Their last five T20Is read W, W, L, L, W, with the two wins coming against UAE and Oman and the two losses coming against Sri Lanka and Australia at the 2026 T20 World Cup in February. The Oman game was particularly eye-catching, with Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany posting Ireland's second-highest T20I total of 235/5, but that big score came against a very weak opponent. They were well beaten by the top sides and never qualified beyond the group stage of the World Cup.
India, on the other hand, are the current T20 World Cup champions after winning the 2026 tournament on home soil. Their last five T20Is read W, W, W, W, L, with four victories at the World Cup including wins over Pakistan, Zimbabwe, West Indies and England before lifting the trophy by beating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final. They come into this series in dominant form, posting totals well above 200 in multiple recent matches. Under new captain Shreyas Iyer, the batting lineup still includes heavy hitters like Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while the attack is anchored by Arshdeep Singh and the wrist spin of Ravi Bishnoi.
Head to Head
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | T20 World Cup, New York | India won by 8 wickets (IRE 96 all out) |
| 2023 | India tour of Ireland, 2nd T20I | India won by 33 runs (IRE 152/8, IND 185/5) |
| 2023 | India tour of Ireland, 1st T20I | India won (DLS method) |
| 2022 | India tour of Ireland, 2nd T20I | India won by 4 runs (IRE 221/5, IND 225/7) |
| 2022 | India tour of Ireland, 1st T20I | India won by 7 wickets |
India have won all eight T20Is ever played between these two nations. The margin in 2024 was clinical: Ireland were rolled for just 96 and India knocked off the target inside 13 overs. The 2022 second T20I at Malahide was Ireland's closest effort, losing by just four runs after posting a 220-plus total, but India still found a way to win. There is simply no precedent for an Irish victory in this format against the Men in Blue.
Team News
Ireland are severely weakened for this series. Paul Stirling, their most prolific T20I batter and lynchpin at the top of the order, is out injured along with pace spearhead Josh Little, all-rounder Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Barry McCarthy and Jordan Neill. Lorcan Tucker will captain the side and may need to carry the batting attack largely on his own. Harry Tector is the one established name remaining in the batting unit, while George Dockrell offers experience in the spin department. Two uncapped players, Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra, have been called in, suggesting Ireland's bench depth is stretched to the limit.
India have named a strong 16-member squad with Shreyas Iyer taking over as T20I captain from Suryakumar Yadav. Tilak Varma is vice-captain. The squad features Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan as the two wicketkeeper options, with Abhishek Sharma, Sooryavanshi and Nitish Kumar Reddy adding batting depth. Note that Varun Chakravarthy was initially selected but was ruled out with a foot injury and Mohammed Siraj was replaced by Prasidh Krishna for workload management reasons. The full-strength attack of Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana, backed by the spin of Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi, is far too potent for an inexperienced Irish batting card.
Verdict
This match has the makings of a very one-sided affair. India's class, depth and form compared to an injury-ravaged Ireland side make the outcome as close to a certainty as cricket allows. We are confident in India winning comfortably and the margin pick offers the best value on the card. The sixes market is also worth including, given India's recent penchant for posting 200-plus totals and the likelihood that Stormont conditions will be used as a warm-up for the England series that follows.
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