Hooda’s century, Samson’s fifty power India to 225/7

MALAHIDE: Deepak Hooda produced a masterclass knock, becoming only the fourth Indian man to hit a T20 International century, as the visiting side posted a mammoth 227 for seven against Ireland in the second and final match here on Tuesday.

During his maiden T20I ton (104 off 57 balls), Hooda showed that he belonged to the big stage with his scintillating stroke play, both off the front and back foot.

While Hooda was elegant and at ease on the front foot, he was equally good on the back foot, dispatching the ball over the mid-wicket boundary for a few sixes.

Hooda decorated his knock with nine fours and six hits over the fence. He was ably supported by Sanju Samson, who, opening the batting in place of the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, played second fiddle but grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

Samson made 77 off 42 balls with the help of nine fours and four sixes. Both Hooda and Samson’s strokeplay down the ground were a treat for the eyes.

But India did not have the best of starts as it lost Ishan Kishan (3) early. The left-handed opener once again wasted an opportunity, nicking a Mark Adair (3/42) delivery to Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps in the third over. Hooda and Samson joined hands and the duo batted effortlessly, albeit handing two difficult chances, to share 176 runs off just 85 balls and lay the foundation for India’s huge total. It was a one-way traffic after Kishan’s dismissal as Hooda and Samson toyed with the Irish bowlers and did not let them settle down.

Except for a difficult chance which Paul Stirling dropped in the eighth over, Hooda played a perfect knock.

Samson too was handed a life in the ninth over when leg-spinner Gareth Delany dropped a difficult caughtand-bowled chance.

Samson played some delightful strokes, particularly off the back foot during his half-century knock. He, however, was cleaned up by Adair in the 17th over.

Hooda brought up his maiden T20I century off 55 balls with a single to join the likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Suresh Raina in the elite club of only four Indian men centurions in the format.

Once Hooda departed at the team score of 212, Suryakumar Yadav (15) and skipper Hardik Pandya (13 not out) tried to accelerate the scoring but failed as India lost three wickets for the addition of just 14 runs in the last two overs.

India 225/7 in 20 overs (D Hooda 104, S Samson 77, M Adair 3/42) vs Ireland