Ireland’s Jay Mundra, centre, celebrates with his teammates after beating Sanju Samson during the first T20I Test match at Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP)
India lost their opening T20I to Ireland by 34 runs in Belfast on Friday, but for people in Rajasthan’s Tonk district, the biggest moment was left-arm spinner Jay Mundra’s international debut for Ireland.
The 29-year-old took two wickets, including Sanju Samson with the first ball of his spell, as Ireland registered their first-ever international win over India.Jay finished with figures of 2 for 25 from four overs after Shivam Dube was also dismissed.
Back in Tonk, his family gathered to watch the match together. They cheered the Indian batsmen but celebrated whenever Jay took a wicket. While they were disappointed by India’s defeat, they said they were proud of Jay’s performance.His mother, Vidya Mundra, told news agency ANI: “I am sad that India lost, but my son performed very well and brought laurels to his family, Rajasthan and the country. I am proud of him. He picked up two wickets. Everyone who watched him play used to tell us to make him a cricketer. After class 10, he focused more on his studies because his father wanted him to do a college degree first and then focus on cricket. He completed his education and then pursued this.”
“He joined the academy.”
His uncle Kanhaiya Lal Mundra also spoke about the occasion.“I cannot describe my joy in words. The passion with which my son played is what made history. I receive many phone calls confirming that he played very well. We are sad about India’s loss, but we are proud of our son,” he said.Jai started playing cricket in Tonk under coach Imtiaz Ali at the same stadium where Indian fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed also trained, ANI reported.
He represented Tonk and Rajasthan at under-14 level before moving to Ireland in May 2021 to pursue an MTech degree.Read also: Who is Jay Mundra? The Rajasthan-born Irish player is making his T20I debut against IndiaDuring his studies, he continued to play club cricket and joined the Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin. He was part of the team that won the Irish Senior Cup in 2023 and worked his way into Ireland’s domestic system. After obtaining Irish citizenship in 2025, he earned his place in the national team.Jay made an immediate impact after coming into the attack in the second over of India’s innings. He bowled Sanju Samson with the first delivery of his spell and has lost only seven runs in that time. He came back in the fifth inning and gave up only four runs.His second wicket came in the 16th over when Shivam Dubey brought the ball back to him, and Jay completed the last ball catch of the over after giving away six runs.He almost finished with three wickets in his last over, but Harshit Rana was dropped off the final ball. Guy finished with figures of 2 for 25, playing a key role in Ireland’s victory.Ireland and India will meet again in the second T20I in Belfast on Sunday, as the hosts look to seal the series.