Yet another narrow defeat for Ireland in a big match at Malahide but this time it was the rain that got them closer than they probably deserved.

Another horrible top order collapse saw Ireland lose five wickets for 31 and only a maiden international 50 from Barry McCarthy got them up to a total of 139.

Craig Young took two wickets in two balls to take Ireland within a wicket of victory on DLS but before he could complete his first over the rain became too heavy and the umpires pulled out the stumps with India two runs ahead of the par score.

Yet it was Young who could have given Ireland their first wicket in only the second over, but with both opening batsmen at the same end, Young missed the stumps at his end and although Harry Tector then had another throw at the right end, that missed as well and Yashasvi Jaiswal made his ground.

McCarthy, in his first innings at number 8, came to the middle at 59 for six and shared a stand of 57 with Curtis Campher and and then charged to his half century, taking 21 of the last over from Arshdeep Singh. He still needed to hit the last ball for six to reach his personal landmark but he crashed the ball high into the packed stands at long-off to finish in the grand manner.

“I knew I had more responsibility coming in 11 overs into the game,” said McCarthy, “there was an opportunity to get a score and I played positively and we got up to a decent total but Curtis’ innings was also a stand out.

“You have to take the aggressive option against these teams and while it didn’’t come off today up front we will continue to play the aggressive brand of cricket.  One or two deliveries didn’t go our way today but we still believe we can put on a huge score against these guys and have a competitive game of cricket.

“To get ourselves so close to a win after our position 10 overs in is a credit to our spirit, we fought the whole way to the end and another wicket in those last two balls and it would have been a huge day in Irish cricket.”

Jasprit Bumrah, in his first match back after injury, and India captain on this tour, was named player of the match for his two wickets in the first over, bowling Andrew Balbirnie second ball and Tucker, caught at the wicket from an ambitious ramp shot, three balls later.

Harry Tector’s attempted upper cut lobbed tamely to backward point in the fifth over and in the next Paul Stirling was bowled by Ravi Bishnoi’s googly and George Dockrell drove straight to cover.

It could only get better and, thankfully, it did. The teams meet again, back at Malahide in another sell-out game tomorrow afternoon.