India’s men, the reigning T20 world champions, suffered a historic 2-0 series sweep in Belfast on Sunday, falling to Ireland for the first time in any format. The second T20I ended in a one-run defeat after a dramatic chase of 155 unravelled in the opening over. Software engineer-turned-cricketer Jai Moondra, born in Rajasthan and still holding an Indian passport, removed Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma for first-ball ducks before dismissing captain Shreyas Iyer to leave India at 35 for 4. Tilak Varma’s fighting 55 off 46 balls—the slowest T20I fifty by an Indian against Ireland—kept the visitors in contention, but his dismissal triggered a late collapse. Harshit Rana’s 21 off 10 balls revived hope, yet India finished on 153 for 9, ending a 16-series unbeaten streak dating back to 2023. Moondra, named player of the series, admitted he was “still trying to process” the achievement.

At Lord’s, the women’s team exited the T20 World Cup after a six-wicket loss to Australia, who chased down 171 with an over to spare. Harmanpreet Kaur’s 56 off 27 balls had lifted India to 170 for 4, but Ellyse Perry (56 off 38) and Ashleigh Gardner (53* off 29) added 100 runs in 59 balls to complete the highest successful chase in tournament history. India’s fielding frailties resurfaced—11 dropped catches across the campaign—and the captain later conceded the side “didn’t play to our standards” against top teams. The defeat, watched by Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri in the stands, confirmed South Africa’s semi-final berth alongside Australia.

Indian cricket observers noted the twin setbacks exposed structural tensions. The men’s decision to bench 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the IPL’s leading run-scorer, drew sharp criticism from former players like Sunil Gavaskar, who argued the Ireland series was the ideal opportunity to blood him. Head coach Gautam Gambhir faced online calls for his sacking, while Iyer became only the second Indian captain after Rishabh Pant to lose his first two T20Is in charge. Analysts in London pointed to a pattern of Indian batters struggling on seamer-friendly surfaces after dominating flat IPL pitches, a view echoed by Ravichandran Ashwin.

On the same day, India’s men’s hockey team beat England in a shootout in the FIH Pro League, a result that briefly lifted the mood. For cricket, the immediate consequence is a five-match T20I series in England starting 1 July, where Sooryavanshi’s debut is now widely anticipated. The women’s side, meanwhile, faces a period of introspection after another early exit from a global tournament.