England rode another blitzkrieg from Phil Salt to ease to a four-wicket win over Ireland in the opening T20I in Dublin, Malahide on Wednesday (September 17, 2025).
Salt hit a 46-ball 89, coming close to a record fifth T20 international hundred before getting dismissed by Graham Hume. However, his knock was enough to guide England past the hosts' 197-run target in 17.4 overs.
The Three Lions arrived with a slightly depleted squad, as Jacob Bethell became England’s youngest-ever captain, standing in for Harry Brook. But that did not come in the way of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against Ireland.
Follow the highlights and ball-by-ball commentary from the IRE vs ENG cricket match:
Though there’s a clear difference in squad depth and resources, the series holds significance for both sides. For England, it serves as an important warm-up ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. For Ireland, it’s a valuable opportunity to compete against a top-tier international side on their home turf.
Ireland Vs England Playing XIs
England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell (c), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Barry McCarthy, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Craig Young
