​Jai Moondra admitted he is still struggling to believe what just happened after Ireland’s stunning 2-0 T20I series win over India, a moment that sparked emotional celebrations and marked one of the greatest achievements in Irish cricket. The 29-year-old Tonk, Rajasthan, software engineer, who made his international debut in the series, earned both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors by tearing into India’s star-studded batting lineup again. Moondra finished with 3 for 32, dismissing Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and captain Shreyas Iyer as Ireland defended 154 to clinch a dramatic one-run victory at Stormont.
Post-match videos showed jubilant scenes as Ireland celebrated a landmark triumph that was their first-ever series win over India in any format and brought an end to India’s 16-series winning streak in T20Is. “Still trying to sink in the feeling. It’s hard to describe in one word. It’s an amazing feeling playing against the best, testing yourself,” he said. The left-arm pacer explained that his plan throughout the series was to keep things simple and stick to the basics, crediting the team and management for the support to stay calm and focused.
Moondra reflected on the setbacks he had overcome on his journey. “Everyone has ups and downs, so you just have to hang in there and keep going through that,” he remarked. He also praised Ireland’s dressing-room environment for helping him settle into international cricket, saying they made him feel like one of the team, with a positive and supportive atmosphere.
Asked about bowling to the experienced Sanju Samson, Moondra emphasized that he did not stray from his plan, maintaining that it would be tough with a small margin for error. His disciplined approach paid off as he dismissed Samson and Abhishek Sharma for first-ball ducks, before sending Iyer back to leave India reeling at 35 for 4.
Even after receiving the Player of the Series award after only two international appearances, Moondra admitted the fairy-tale achievement remains hard to grasp. For Ireland, the celebrations signified more than a bilateral series victory, underscoring the nation’s rising success and the inspiring performance that followed their opening win.