Indian cricket team in Ireland in 2018

{{short description|International cricket tour}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox cricket tour

| series_name = Indian cricket team in Ireland in 2018

| team1_image = Cricket Ireland flag.svg

| team1_name = Ireland

| team2_image = Flag of India.svg

| team2_name = India

| from_date = 27

| to_date = 29 June 2018

| team1_captain = Gary Wilson

| team2_captain = Virat Kohli

| no_of_twenty20s = 2

| team1_twenty20s_won = 0

| team2_twenty20s_won = 2

| team1_twenty20s_most_runs = James Shannon (62)

| team2_twenty20s_most_runs = Rohit Sharma (97)

| team1_twenty20s_most_wickets = Peter Chase (5)

| team2_twenty20s_most_wickets = Kuldeep Yadav (7)

| player_of_twenty20_series = Yuzvendra Chahal (Ind)

}}

The India cricket team toured Ireland in June 2018 to play two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), with both matches played in Malahide.{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/590138 |title=India to tour Ireland in June |access-date=10 January 2018 |work=International Cricket Council}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/ireland-announce-india-t20is-for-june-2018 |title=Ireland Announce India T20Is for June 2018 |access-date=10 January 2018 |work=Cricket Ireland |archive-date=10 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174833/http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/ireland-announce-india-t20is-for-june-2018 |url-status=dead }} Before the second men's match was played, Ireland women played against Bangladesh women on the same day at the same venue.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/inaugural-international-t20-double-header-increased-investment-announced-fo |title=Inaugural international T20 double-header, increased investment announced for women’s cricket |access-date=28 March 2018 |work=Cricket Ireland |archive-date=29 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329121054/http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/inaugural-international-t20-double-header-increased-investment-announced-fo |url-status=dead }} Prior to the series, Ireland played a tri-series against Netherlands and Scotland as preparation for these matches.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/43626931 |title=T20 Tri-series: Ireland to face Scotland and Netherlands in new tournament |access-date=3 April 2018|work=BBC Sport}}

India last visited Ireland in 2007, playing a One Day International (ODI) match, with India winning by nine wickets.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22022275/india-play-two-t20is-ireland |title=India to play two T20Is in Ireland |access-date=10 January 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} The teams have only played one T20I match previously, in the group stage of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 tournament, with India winning the fixture by eight wickets. The first of the two matches of the series was India's 100th T20I match.{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/india-look-to-make-100th-t20-international-special-against-ireland-1270981-2018-06-27 |title=India look to make 100th T20 International special against Ireland |access-date=27 June 2018 |work=India Today}}

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's squad for the trip to Ireland on 8 May 2018, naming Virat Kohli as the captain.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23440121/iyer,-rayudu-picked-odis-england |title=Rahul, Rayudu picked for ODIs in England |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=8 May 2018}} However, Kohli was initially signed by the English side Surrey County Cricket Club to play in the 2018 County Championship. Surrey's website stated that he would be playing for them throughout June, including their final fixture against Yorkshire, scheduled to be played from 25 to 28 June 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23442133/kohli-needs-two-places-once-june-27|title=Kohli needs to be in two places at once on June 27 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=8 May 2018}} The BCCI were in discussions with Surrey to reach an amicable solution for both sides over the fixture clash.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1146078.html |title=Virat Kohli likely to pick India T20Is over Surrey game |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=10 May 2018}} However, during the match in the 2018 Indian Premier League on 17 May, Kohli suffered an injury and his spell with Surrey was cancelled.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1147508.html |title=Kohli ruled out of Surrey stint with neck injury |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=24 May 2018}} The BCCI went on to state that they were confident that Kohli would be fit enough to play in the tours to Ireland and England.

India won the series 2–0.{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/cricket/290618/ireland-india-cricket-team-twenty20-cricket-virat-kohli-gary-wilson-ms.html |title=Ireland vs India, 2nd T20: Virat Kohli's Men in Blue seal series in ruthless fashion |access-date=29 June 2018|work=Deccan Chronicle}} India scored more than 200 runs in both matches, the first time they had done so in consecutive games.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/18018/report/1140993/ireland-vs-india-2nd-t20i-ind-eng-2018 |title=Rahul, Raina set up India's biggest T20I win |access-date=29 June 2018|work=ESPNcricinfo}} Their victory in the second match was their biggest winning margin, in terms of runs, in T20Is, and the joint-second biggest winning margin in T20Is by any team.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/44659517 |title=India crush Ireland in record victory to seal T20 series success in Dublin |access-date=29 June 2018|work=BBC Sport}} Ireland were bowled out for 70 runs in 12.3 overs, which was the third-shortest innings in T20Is.