Ananya Lohia , Ireland - Shreyas Iyer's tenure as India's T20I captain began on a disappointing note as the Men in Blue suffered a 34-run defeat against Ireland in the opening T20I in Belfast on Friday night. Following the loss, Iyer admitted his side failed to execute the basics and warned against taking any opponent lightly.

Chasing 183, India were bowled out for 148 despite a stunning 19-ball half-century from Abhishek Sharma. Once the left-hander departed, the visitors lost wickets in clusters and failed to recover, handing Ireland a memorable victory and a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Iyer, who managed just three runs, did not shy away from criticism after the match. Stressing the importance of staying focused, the skipper said teams cannot simply turn up and expect to win.

Earlier, Ireland posted 182/9 after captain Lorcan Tucker struck a fine half-century, while Gareth Delany contributed 49. For India, Harshit Rana impressed with figures of 3/24. Despite the defeat, Iyer said the match provided valuable lessons about the conditions and the nature of the surface. He felt India had done well with the ball early on but lost control in the middle overs, allowing Ireland to build a match-winning total. However, the Indian captain also said it was a great start for him as a captain and he will surely learn from this experience.

The visitors will have an opportunity to bounce back in the second T20I. With the series on the line, Iyer and his men will need a much-improved all-round performance to avoid an unexpected series defeat against Ireland.