World champions' curse strikes again as India suffer historic Ireland shock

AI Summary

India suffered a historic 34-run defeat to Ireland in Belfast, underlining a recurring pattern of defending T20 World Cup champions losing their first match after victory. Ireland's bowlers, including debutants, effectively restricted India's chase, leading to a surprising win for Ireland and a disappointing start for India's new captain Shreyas Iyer.

India's T20 World Cup reign began with a shock 34-run defeat to Ireland in Belfast, continuing a bizarre trend of recent champions losing their first T20I post-victory. Ireland's bowlers, including debutants, stifled India's chase after a competitive 182. This historic win for Ireland marks a disappointing start for new Indian captain Shreyas Iyer and extends an unusual statistic for T20 World Cup holders.