Shivam Dube on Friday became the third fastest Indian batter to complete 1000 runs in T20Is. He surpassed the likes of Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya, who had taken 679 balls each to reach this feat. Dube scored a 14-ball 25 against Ireland in Belfast, after which India lost the 1st T20I by 35 runs.
Fastest to 1000 T20I runs for India (by balls)
| Player Name | Balls Taken To 1000 T20I Runs |
|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | 528 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 573 |
| Shivam Dube | 648 |
| Sanju Samson/Hardik Pandya | 679 |
Abhishek Sharma made a stunning return to T20Is, registering his 11th half-century in the format. His knock, against Ireland in the first T20I, was laced with two sixes and seven boundaries, striking at 250. He stands atop as the fastest Indian batter to 1000 T20I runs.
Ireland’s disciplined pace attack exposed India’s impatience on a lively surface to secure a historic 34-run win in the opening T20I on Friday.
The victory marked Ireland’s first-ever triumph over reigning T20 world champions India in any format, handing them a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Chasing 183 on a pitch offering seam and bounce was always going to test India’s approach, but the visitors failed to adapt after a brisk start. They were eventually bowled out for 148, despite Abhishek Sharma producing a counter-attacking 20-ball fifty.
Debutant Jai Moondra made an immediate impact, removing Sanju Samson early, while Ireland’s bowlers stuck to hard lengths to build sustained pressure. Matt Hollard led the charge with three wickets, including key scalps of Ishan Kishan and skipper Shreyas Iyer, both undone by pace-off deliveries.
India raced to 68/3 in the powerplay, but regular wickets halted momentum. Abhishek briefly revived hopes with an aggressive burst against Liam McCarthy, only to fall soon after. With Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube failing to convert starts, Ireland tightened their grip.
The chase ended when Arshdeep Singh was dismissed by Matthew Humphreys, sparking jubilant scenes for the hosts.
(With PTI Inputs)










