Harry Tector's counter-attacking 64 not out off 33 balls took Ireland to 108 for four in the rain-hit first T20I against India here on Sunday.
India opted to bowl in overcast conditions but soon after the rain arrived, delaying the start of play by more two hours and 20 minutes. The break reduced the game to 12 overs a side.
The conditions were ripe for Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make the ball talk and he did just that in the opening over of the match.
The wily operator got the ball to swing both ways before an inswinger breached the defence of Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie.
Skipper Hardik Pandya got himself into the attack in the second over and took two balls to dismiss the dangerous Paul Stirling.
After hitting the first ball over cover, Stirling went for the same shot but mistimed to be caught at mid off.
Avesh Khan then had Gareth Delany caught behind in his first over to leave Ireland at 22 for three.
India were expected to run through the opposition but Ireland staged a spirited recovery through Tector, who went for the offensive against the Indian pacers, including debutant Umran Malik.
All eyes were on the Indian pace sensation but he had a rather nervous start to his international career.
He dragged his third ball down the leg side and it raced to the boundary off Lorcan Tucker's (18 off 16) pads. Two balls, later Tector played a beautiful straight drive off a full delivery. Malik dragged the next one short but Hector was ready to pull it for a six.
Tucker smashed two successive sixes off Hardik to give further impetus to the innings.
The last over of the innings yielded 17 runs and pushed the total past 100 with Tector collecting a boundary from a reverse hit off Avesh before smashing a full toss for six over deep cover.
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