Ireland vs India 2nd T20I Tips - 28 June 2026
Ireland vs India 2nd T20I at Stormont, 28 June 2026. India lead 1-0 against a depleted Irish side missing six key players. Tips and picks inside.
- Ireland host India in the 2nd T20I at Stormont, Belfast on Sunday 28 June, kicking off at 16:00 SAST.
- Six Ireland regulars are unavailable through injury, including Paul Stirling, Mark Adair, Jordan Neill, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy and Curtis Campher.
- India have won all eight T20Is against Ireland and arrive in Belfast under new captain Shreyas Iyer with a squad full of power hitters.
India arrive at Stormont for the series decider having already taken the 1st T20I, and the news coming out of the Ireland camp is grim. Six frontline players are sidelined through injury, including Paul Stirling, Mark Adair and Jordan Neill, stripping Ireland of their batting experience and pace bowling depth. Shreyas Iyer's India are unbeaten in all eight T20Is against Ireland and we see no reason that changes on Sunday. India to win is the standout call, and we are backing over runs and a comfortable margin on top.
The Pick Card
Prices from Hollywoodbets, Betway and Easybet. 18+. T&Cs apply.
| Selection | Bookmaker | Odds | Stake | Operator CTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India to win | Hollywoodbets | @1.22 | 2 Units | Bet here |
| India to win by 30 or more runs / 5 or more wickets | Betway | @1.80 | 2 Units | Bet here |
| Total match sixes: over 10.5 | Easybet | @1.75 | 2 Units | Bet here |
The Form Line
India come into this series having won the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil, and their squad for Ireland reflects both a transition and a statement of intent. Shreyas Iyer takes over as T20I captain from Suryakumar Yadav, who has been dropped entirely. The batting line-up bristles with attacking options: Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson can score at pace at the top, while 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is on standby to announce himself on the international stage. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj lead a seam attack that is well equipped for Belfast conditions.
Ireland come into this series missing six senior players through injury and with a first-time permanent T20I captain in Lorcan Tucker. Harry Tector is the most experienced batting name available and Gareth Delany brings some all-round bite, but the batting order below them is thin on international caps. The bowling attack is also weakened without Josh Little, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy and Jordan Neill, four of the five most experienced Irish seamers. New faces Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra are making their Ireland debuts and will be learning on the job against a full-strength Indian batting order.
Head to Head
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | T20I series, Dublin | India won by 7 wickets |
| 2022 | T20I series, Dublin | India won by 4 runs |
| 2023 | T20I series, Malahide | India won by 2 runs |
| 2024 | T20 World Cup, New York | India won by 8 wickets |
India have won all eight T20Is they have played against Ireland, a record that spans tournament cricket and bilateral series across multiple formats. Even the two-run win in 2022 and a two-run win in 2023 at Malahide showed India finding a way when pushed, underlining how difficult Ireland have found it to close out games against the big nations. With Ireland's current injury situation, the gap between the sides looks wider than at any point in the head-to-head history.
Team News
Ireland are without six of their most experienced players. Paul Stirling misses out with a torn calf muscle, Mark Adair has a rectus muscle tear, Jordan Neill is sidelined with a shoulder and foot injury, Josh Little has a stress fracture, Barry McCarthy suffered a complete ACL tear and Curtis Campher is out with a hand fracture. Lorcan Tucker leads the side for the first time as permanent T20I captain. Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra are uncapped and feature in the squad. Nitish Kumar Reddy is absent from India's touring party with injury, though the rest of the squad is expected to be available. India are likely to field a settled XI and may use the second match to hand Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a debut if conditions allow.
Verdict
This is as one-sided as a T20I series gets. Ireland are missing half their best players and facing a settled, world-champion Indian side that has never lost a T20I against them. India to win is a near certainty, so the value sits in the margin and the scoring markets. We back India to win comfortably, the contest to feature plenty of big hitting from Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Iyer's top order, and the total sixes market to go over as India bat freely against an under-strength Irish attack at a compact Stormont ground.
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