Team India edged past hosts Ireland by four runs in high-scoring thrilling second T20 match in Dublin on Tuesday (June 29). Hardik Pandya’s posted 225/7 batting first thanks to Deepak Hooda’s maiden century and Sanju Samson’s first international fifty. Hooda later revealed that the duo are ‘childhood friends’ and the pair posted the highest-ever partnership for India in T20 cricket.


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Samson, who replaced an injured Ruturaj Gaikwad in the match opened the batting alongside Ishan Kishan. With Kishan going early in the innings, Deepak Hooda came into bat at No. 3 and there was no looking back for Team India after that.


Hooda-Samson partnership smashed the Irish bowlers to all corners of the park as they put together a partnership of 176 runs off 85 deliveries. They broke Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul’s record of 165 runs they put on for the opening partnership against Sri Lanka at Indore in 2017 to register the highest partnership for any wicket by an Indian pair in T20Is.


Highest partnerships for India in T20Is:


176 - Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson (2nd wicket) vs Ireland at Dublin, 2022


165 - Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul (1st wicket) vs Sri Lanka at Indore, 2017


160 - Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (1st wicket) vs Ireland at Dublin, 2018


158 - Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (1st wicket) vs New Zealand at Delhi, 2017



Hooda and Samson also achieved another milestone as they surpassed Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan’s 167-run stand against South Africa at Cape Town in 2020 to register the highest-ever partnership by any pair for the second wicket in T20Is.


“To be honest, I was coming from a good IPL and wanted to follow the same performance. Happy with my intent. I like playing in that manner (aggressive) and these days I am batting up the order so getting some time,” Player of the series Hooda said after the match.


“Sanju is my childhood friend, always good to bat with him. Thank you to fans, the way they came and supported us,” he added.