Shikhar Dhawan could hurt Ireland bowlers

James Shannon could lead charge for the hosts

Shikhar Dhawan has been in excellent Twenty20 form this yearCredit: Gallo Images

Second Twenty20 international
Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 4pm Friday

Ireland had no answer to India’s opening batsmen and spinners in Wednesday’s Twenty20 defeat at Malahide and the hosts are 10-1 to reverse the form in the second and final match of the series.

India skipper Virat Kohli had the luxury of dropping himself down to number six, where he made a second-ball duck – one of four illustrious victims for Ireland’s Peter Chase, who also dismissed Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni.

That haul provided Chase with a tale to tell for the rest of his life but the damage had already been done thanks to a rollicking opening stand of 160 in 16 overs between Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

Kohli has indicated that India will tinker with their middle-order but if Dhawan retains his place at the top then the 11-4 about him top-scoring for his side will be worth a bet.

Sharma claimed top-runscorer honours on Wednesday, making 97 off 61 balls, but he was dropped at long-off on 66 and his opening partner Dhawan batted fluently for 71 off 45 balls.

He averages 46 in nine Twenty20 internationals in 2018, scoring at 150 runs per 100 balls faced, and raced to a century before lunch in the Test match against Afghanistan in his last innings before this tour.

Ireland opener James Shannon bashed 60 from 35 deliveries on Wednesday and is 9-2 to be the top Irish runscorer again.

However, India’s bowling attack has few weak links. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are a miserly new-ball pair while spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav shared seven wickets in the first game.

India are 11-10 to win the first Twenty20 against England at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

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