More than 4,000 fans flocked to Stormont on Friday hoping to witness a piece of cricket history under the Belfast sun.
In the end, that’s exactly what they got.
But it wasn’t the “I was there” moment they had anticipated.
The build-up to Ireland and India’s first T20 was dominated by the prospect of the world champions giving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a record debut.
At 15 years and 91 days, he looked set to become India’s youngest international after an impossible-to-miss promotion to the national team following his impressive exploits in the Indian Premier League.
But the batting sensation’s surprising absence from the lineup ultimately proved to be a footnote on a day that belonged to Ireland as the hosts sealed a memorable 34-run victory.
Despite losing six players to injury, Ireland produced a brave display of bowling to claim a first outright international victory over the tourists in all competitions, joining a list of famous scalps that includes Pakistan and England at the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.
One of the key players in Ireland’s stirring display was Indian-born pacer Jai Moondra, who took 2-26 in an eye-catching international debut that included removing Sanju Samson with his first delivery.
“It was a great stage for me, for my family and my team members, everyone supported me, so all I can do is stay calm and keep doing what I’ve been doing because it’s kept me leveling up,” Moondra said, adding that she will “cherish” her debut for “the rest of my life.”
“I was feeling excitement at the same time. Testing myself against India and getting a first-ball wicket, I was trying not to feel overwhelmed because we still had nine wickets left.
“It’s a dream come true to step onto an international platform and play against India. It’s something special, a feeling of class.”
