Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube gave himself the ultimate birthday present during India’s opening T20I against Ireland at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast. Turning 33 on Friday, June 26, 2026, Dube etched his name into a unique chapter of Indian cricket history by becoming only the fourth Indian player to claim a T20I wicket on his birthday.
Brought into the attack by captain Shreyas Iyer in the eighth over to serve as the fourth seam-bowling option, Dube struck on his very first delivery. He bowled a well-directed, short-pitched ball that rushed Irish batter Benjamin Calitz into a mistimed pull shot. The top edge looped comfortably toward fine leg, where Prasidh Krishna safely secured the catch.
Joining The Elite Birthday Club
Taking a wicket on one’s birthday in international cricket is an incredibly rare feat. With this dismissal, Dube has joined a highly exclusive group of Indian players.
Indian cricketers to pick a T20I wicket on their birthday:
Yuvraj Singh (2009): The pioneer, who took 3/23 against Sri Lanka in Mohali on his 28th birthday and smashed an unbeaten 60 off 25 balls to win the match and Player of the Match award.
Ravindra Jadeja (2019): Claimed 1/30 against West Indies in Hyderabad on his 31st birthday.
Kuldeep Yadav (2023 & 2025): The only player to achieve it twice – a stunning 5/17 against South Africa in Johannesburg (2023) and 2/12 in Dharamsala (2025).
A Bittersweet Night In Belfast
While it was a historic personal milestone for Dube, the evening ended on a bittersweet note for Team India. Dube bowled a tidy spell, finishing with figures of 1 for 18 across his 3 overs, helping restrict Ireland to 182 for 9 in 20 overs.
In response, despite a roaring 49 from opener Abhishek Sharma – who during the match became the fastest Indian to reach 1,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced – and a gritty 25 from Dube himself, India’s lower order collapsed. The visitors were bowled out for 148, giving an injury-hit Ireland side a memorable 34-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Even though the team couldn’t cross the finish line, Dube’s continuous development into a reliable, ice-cool all-rounder remains a massive positive for India as they navigate the post-World Cup transition.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.
