The Irish medium pacer gets his first international wicket after he dismissed Sanju Samson in the very first ball of his spell in the India vs Ireland first ODI at Belfast. This happened on June 26, as Moondra debuts for Ireland. He was summoned for the second over in the second innings when India were chasing.
And in the first ball of his over, he bowled out India's opener Sanju Samson. Moondra bowled on the length as it angled away. Sansom moved back to slap the ball. But it got a little edge off the bat as it hit the stumps, toppling the bails.
Notably, Moondra became the second Irish bowler to have a wicket on the very first ball of his career. Earlier, Matthew Humphreys achieved the same. In 2023 March 31, Matthew Humphreys dismissed Bangladesh's Rishad Hossain at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram. Humphreys took Taskin Ahmed as his second wicket of the day, finishing with an exceptional figure of 2 for 10.
Ireland Bowler to pick a wicket in his 1st ball of the T20I career:
| Bowler | Victim | Team | Venue | Date |
| Jai Moondra | Sanju Samson | India | Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast | June 26, 2023 |
| Matthew Humphreys | Rishad Hossain | Bangladesh | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram | March 31, 2023 |
Read also: Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is Not Playing India vs Ireland 1st T20I - Explained
The Indian roots of Jai Moondra
Before representing Ireland on the international stage, Jai Moondra's cricketing roots were firmly planted in Rajasthan, India. Born in Tonk near Jaipur, he developed his game in local academies and even played Under-14 cricket alongside future India pacer Khaleel Ahmed.
Initially a fast bowler, he evolved into a top-order batter and left-arm spinner before eventually returning to pace bowling. Despite his cricketing talent, Moondra prioritized academics after graduating in 2019, putting his professional ambitions on hold. He travelled to Ireland for pursuing higher studies when he started playing domestic cricket in Ireland.
He joined Dublin-based Leinster Cricket Club, playing a major role in helping them capture the prestigious Irish Senior Cup in 2023. And in June 2026, Moondra received his maiden call-up to Ireland’s T20I squad.
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