When Was The Last Time An ICC Full Member Failed To Win A T20I Series Vs Ireland?

India are on the brink of a series defeat vs Ireland [Source: BCCI, Cricket Ireland]

India had a disastrous start to their Ireland tour, with the hosts thrashing them by 34 runs in the first T20I of the two-match series. 

The series opener, hosted in Belfast, witnessed Ireland's complete dominance, as they secured their first-ever victory against the Indian team. 

While the Irishmen achieved a historic feat, the defeat in Belfast pushed India to the brink of an embarrassing series loss. 

In fact, the defending T20 World Cup champions won't be winning a T20I series against Ireland for the very first time. As it's a two-match series, the best India can do is to draw the series, provided they win the decider at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast. 

As India gear up for the do-or-die clash in Belfast, here's a throwback to the time when an ICC full member nation failed to win a T20I series against Ireland. 

List of ICC full member teams

ICC full member teams are the sides which have been granted the prestigious Test status by the apex cricketing body. 

Currently, there are twelve ICC full members- Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe. 

So, barring Ireland, there are 11 teams that play all three formats of cricket, including Tests. 

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While India became the latest full member nation to lose an international match to Ireland, only three teams- Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand- have maintained an unbeaten record against the European nation. 

When was the last time an ICC full member team failed to win a T20I series vs Ireland?

Now, coming to our core topic, South Africa was the ICC full member team that failed to win a T20I series against Ireland. Led by Aiden Markram, South Africa faced Ireland in a two-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates back in September 2024. 

The two-match T20I series between South Africa and Ireland commenced on 27th September 2024, with the Proteas comfortably winning the opening encounter by eight wickets. However, Ireland avenged the defeat in the subsequent encounter, defeating South Africa by 10 runs. 

Batting first, the Irish team posted a challenging total of 195 runs in 20 overs. Ross Adair emerged as their wrecker-in-chief with the bat, scoring 100 runs off just 58 balls with the help of five boundaries and nine sixes. 

In response, South Africa's middle order collapsed against Ireland's spirited bowling unit, as the Proteas finished their innings on 185 for nine in 20 overs. 

Mark Adair bagged four wickets, and Graham Hume registered impressive bowling figures of 3 for 25, as the Irish side levelled the series with a thrilling victory. Interestingly, this is the only time Ireland have defeated South Africa in T20Is. 

India on the brink of an embarrassing record

Talking about India, the Shreyas Iyer-led team is on the cusp of a humiliating T20I series defeat against Ireland. India had a forgettable time in the first T20I, as the Irish clobbered 182 runs in 20 overs, riding on valiant knocks from Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany. 

Chasing 183, India crumbled like a pack of cards, with Matt Hollard and Jai Moondra scripting Ireland's historic win. So, if India fail to win the decider, they will lose a T20I series against Ireland for the very first time in history. 

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