Jai Moondra announced himself on the international stage in dream fashion, dismissing Sanju Samson with the very first ball of his T20I career during Ireland’s opening match against India in Belfast on Friday. The left-arm seamer needed just one delivery to make an instant impact, trapping one of India’s most experienced T20 batters and giving the hosts a dream start.
Who is Jai Moondra?The wicket marked a remarkable milestone in Moondra’s journey from Rajasthan to international cricket with Ireland. Born in India, the left-arm pacer moved to Ireland in 2021 on a student visa to pursue an M.Tech degree while continuing to play club cricket. His consistent performances in the domestic circuit earned him Irish citizenship in 2025 and, eventually, a maiden international call-up for the T20I series against India.Moondra was handed his first Ireland cap at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast, becoming one of the latest India-born cricketers to represent the another nation in international cricket.
Moondra is just the second Irish cricketer to take a wicket off the first ball of their T20I career for Ireland.