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Afghanistan tour of Ireland (2022)

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MenInG

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Afghanistan have named a 16-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I assignment against Ireland, starting 9 August.

All the five T20Is are slated to be played in Belfast which will form a vital part of their preparation for the Asia Cup and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. Star spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman is awaiting his visa and has been named on the reserve list.

"We have had good results in our recent tours, the squad has done well recently and we are looking forward to having good results again in our next series against Ireland," said ACB Chief Selector Noor Malikza, "Mujeeb’s visa is not yet issued and thus he has been added to reserve players. Once the problem is resolved, he will be included back in the main squad," he added.

Players making a return to the T20I mix are Fareed Ahmad, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ibrahim Zadran, and Naveen-ul-Haq. Ibrahim is making a return to the shortest format after last representing the side in 2019 while the others made their last T20I appearances in 2021.

Noor Ahmad, the 17-year-old left-arm wrist spinner, who represented Afghanistan at this year's ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup, has retained his spot after an impressive performance in his debut match for the senior side. In his only T20I match, against Zimbabwe in Harare in June, the spinner returned a sensational 4/10.

Squad: Mohammad Nabi (c), Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf.

Reserves: Mujeeb ur Rahman, Nijat Masoud, Qais Ahmad, and Usman Ghani.

Fixtures:
09 August – 1st T20I, Belfast
11 August – 2nd T20I, Belfast
12 August – 3rd T20I, Belfast
15 August – 4th T20I, Belfast
17 August – 5th T20I, Belfast

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2706801
 
Ireland vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I

Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to bat

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
 
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0Gu4n2o.png
 
sweep_shot said:
Definitely. I think they have the best spinners among Asian teams.
Click to expand...

OK I was wrong!

IRE 53/0 (6) CRR: 8.83 REQ: 8.29
Ireland need 116 runs in 84 balls

Good start by Ireland but here comes Rashid Khan...
 
Ireland - 100/1 (12 overs; target: 169).

69 runs are needed from 8 overs. Game is on balance. Rashid still has 2 overs left.
 
Wicket. Mujeeb gets Balbirnie.

Ireland - 123/2 (14.5 overs).

Ireland need 46 runs from 31 balls.
 
33 runs are needed from 3 overs.

Ireland have many wickets in hand (8 wickets). They should start slogging.
 
23 off 12 needed - need some boundaries now
 
AFG 168/7 (20)

IRE 171/3 (19.5)

Ireland won by 7 wkts

==

Fought to the last - well done to both teams!
 
Ireland held on for a thrilling seven-wicket victory in the first T20I against Afghanistan, securing the result with a ball to spare.

Chasing 169, Lorcan Tucker and Andrew Balbirnie hit quickfire half-centuries before Harry Tector (25 off 15*) and George Dockrell (10 off 5*) took Ireland over the finishing line.

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz hitting three boundaries off the fourth over of the innings – bowled by Andrew McBrine – to get the visitors moving. Gurbaz perished in the very next over though, swatting a Barry McCarthy delivery to Harry Tector at mid-off to depart for 26.

Usman Ghani and Hashmatullah Shahidi put aside that setback to keep the scoreboard ticking along, building a partnership that took Afghanistan to 75-1 after nine overs. But Dockrell’s entry into the attack proved pivotal; the left-armer got Shahidi to top-edge a delivery safely into the hands of Paul Stirling at short fine leg for 11.

Ghani advanced to his fourth T20I half-century, helping Afghanistan past 100, but spin brought another breakthrough – Gareth Delany struck with the last ball of the 14th over, with Najibullah Zadran top-edging the leg-spinner to McBrine at backward point.

The wicket prompted a tumble in the Afghanistan middle order, with four wickets falling in four overs to leave the visitors 134-6 after 17 overs. McCarthy accounted for Rashid Khan in the penultimate over for 2, but Mark Adair took some punishment from Ibrahim Zadran in the final over of the innings, conceding 16 runs off three consecutive deliveries as Afghanistan finished on 168-7.

In response, Balbirnie looked in fine touch from the get-go, swivel-pulling Fazalhaq Farooqi from the final ball of the third over to move 19 off just 10.

Paul Stirling, playing his 300th T20, was watchful to begin with, seeing off a Naveen-ul-Haq maiden in the powerplay. But he eventually found his feet, smashing Azmatullah and Naveen for sixes as Ireland motored to fifty inside six overs.

Stirling eventually departed for 31 to Mohammad Nabi, but Ireland remained in control: Tucker and Balbirnie motored along, with the latter reaching his half-century from 34 balls at the end of the 14th over.

But Player of the Match Balbirnie then swept Mujeeb Ur Rahman straight to Najibullah in the deep to depart for 51 and, and a couple more tight overs followed to leave Ireland requiring 41 from the final four overs.

Tucker advanced to a half century from just 31 balls, but Naveen accounted for him at the end of the 18th over, leaving Ireland in serious trouble.

But Harry Tector, having started slowly, delivered a timely six off Farooqi in the penultimate over, launching the ball over deep midwicket, leaving 13 needed from the final over.

A boundary from Tector eased the pressure, and Dockrell was the man to finish the job, hitting consecutive boundaries to seal a thrilling victory.


MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland v Afghanistan, 1st T20I, Stormont, 9 August 2022

South Africa 168-7 (20 overs; U Ghani 59, I Zadran 29*; B McCarthy 3-24)
Ireland 171-3 (19.5 overs; A Balbirnie 51, L Tucker 50; M Ur Rahman 1-22)

Ireland won by seven wickets
 
A few years back most teams were not comfortable playing Afghan spinners.It seems teams have worked out how to play against them.
 
Fenrir said:
A few years back most teams were not comfortable playing Afghan spinners.It seems teams have worked out how to play against them.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is that.

Irish pitches aren't exactly spin-friendly. These are great conditions for seamers. Also, this ground is small.
 
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Ireland vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I

Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to bat

Andrew Balbirnie: It was an obvious decision (on what he would have done at the toss - to bat first) with the used pitch. To actually get over the line and start the series with a win feels great. We have no changes, going with the same team.

Mohammad Nabi: We will bat first. The wicket is the same one we played the first one, so want to make best use of it. Need good partnerships in the middle today. We were 15-20 short in the last game and we want to put a good score today. Same team.

ICYMI: Both teams are unchanged.

Teams:
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Usman Ghani, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little
 
AFG - 28/2 (4.1 overs).

Slow start. They need 175 minimum. Irish grounds tend to be small.
 
Another wicket.

Afghanistan - 103/7 (16.3 overs).

Rashid Khan needs to hit a few sixes. This is way below par.
 
Afghanistan - 122/8 (20 0vers).

Ireland need 123 runs to win.

Ireland should comfortably chase this down. Poor performance from the Afghans.
 
Afghans are starting off with pacers. Pace is too easy for Ireland. They should try spinners.
 
AFG 122/8 (20)

IRE 125/5 (19)

Ireland won by 5 wkts

PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Joshua Little

==

Easy win in the end - Ireland go 2-0 up in the five match series with this win
 
2-0 to Ireland. Wow!

These losses are very bad for Afghanistan as far as ranking is concerned. They have now fallen behind BD.
 
A fine bowling performance set Ireland up for a five-wicket win over Afghanistan to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.

The hosts limited to the visitors to 122-8 after 20 overs, with four bowlers taking two wickets apiece to ensure Afghanistan’s batting effort never gathered any serious momentum.

While Ireland briefly tumbled in the middle overs of their chase, falling from 72-1 to 86-4, George Dockrell held his nerve with an unbeaten 19-ball 25 to secure victory.

Mark Adair got the ball rolling after Afghanistan chose to bat first, taking a wicket with the first ball of the second over; Rahmanullah Gurbaz found the hands of Barry McCarthy to depart for 1. Josh Little then bowled Usman Ghani in the next over to leave Afghanistan 20-2.

Ibrahim Zadran was getting going in the powerplay, taking three boundaries off McCarthy’s first over, but Curtis Campher struck from the final ball of the sixth over – Zadran’s flick to the leg-side saw Andrew McBrine sprint in from deep midwicket to take an excellent catch.

Campher switched ends and struck from his next over, accounting for Najibullah Zadran, and Mohammad Nabi was the next man to go – attempting to go big off Gareth Delany’s leg-spin, the Afghanistan captain holed out to Dockrell at long-on for 9.

Afghanistan’s biggest partnership of the innings followed, when Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai put on 30, but Delany struck again – Shahidi’s reverse sweep found McBrine at backward point.

Afghanistan failed to find much firepower at the end of their innings – just 26 runs came off the last five overs as Little (2-18 off four overs), Adair (2-12 off three) and Delany (2-19 off four) put the finishing touches to a fine display.

Paul Stirling departed early in the chase for 4 to Naveen-ul-Haq, but Andrew Balbirnie – who found form in the first T20I of the series with a half-century – rattled along, driving Rashid Khan through the covers for to move to 18 in the fifth over of the innings. He later swept Mujeeb Ur Rahman for six, but the Afghanistan spinner eventually got his revenge, dismissing Balbirnie for 46 off 36 balls to leave Ireland 72-2.

Then came a bit of trouble for the Irish, with Mohammad Nabi striking twice in the 14th over, Harry Tector (5) and Lorcan Tucker (27) both sent on their way.

But Dockrell eased any nerves, keeping calm even as Campher was dismissed for 7 in the 17th over. Victory was sealed with the final ball of the 19th over, Fazalhaq Farooqi deposited for six to give Ireland their second win of the week.


MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland v Afghanistan, 2nd T20I, Stormont, 11 August 2022

Afghanistan 122-8 (20 overs; H Shahidi 36; M Adair 2-12, C Campher 2-13)
Ireland 125-5 (19 overs; A Balbirnie 46, G Dockrell 25*; M Nabi 2-15)

Ireland won by five wickets
 
Ireland vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I

Ireland have won the toss and have opted to field

Teams :

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Fionn Hand, Mark Adair, Graham Hume, Joshua Little

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
 
AFG 189/5 (20)

IRE 167/9 (20)

Afghanistan won by 22 runs

PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
 
Afghanistan beat Ireland by 22 runs, leaving the Irish leading their Twenty20 series 2-1 with two more matches to play at Stormont next week.

A half-century by Rahmanullah Gurbaz helped the tourists to 189-5.

Ireland struggled from the off in their reply as they lost openers Paul Stirling for a duck and Andrew Balbirnie for one to lie 19-2.

Wickets continued to fall steadily and despite a late unbeaten 58 from George Dockrell, they fell short with 167-9.

Ireland had won the first two matches at the Belfast venue and retain a slender lead going into the final two encounters on Monday and Wednesday.

Ireland won the toss and opted to field but they may have regretted that decision when Gurbaz (53 from 35 balls) and Hazratullah Zazai (39 off 40) put together an opening partnership of 90 in 11.2 overs.

Ibrahim Zadran (36) and Najibullah Zadran (42) built on the foundations laid by the openers as the Afghans ended with five wickets remaining.

Josh Little was the pick of the Ireland bowlers with 2-29.

Lorcan Tucker was the only one of the top five Ireland batters to reach double figures as he slammed 31 off 21 balls, including a six and four fours.

The Irish were struggling badly at 85-7 in the 13th over when Dockrell and debutant Fionn Hand (36) teamed up to put on 74 for the eighth wicket, the former hitting two sixes and six fours.

Ultimately, the home side never looked likely to reach their target and their opponents ran out deserved victors.

Naveen-ul-Haq shone with figures of 3-38 with the ball.

BBC
 
Ireland vs Afghanistan, 4th T20I

Ireland have won the toss and have opted to field

Match has been reduced to 11 overs per side

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik
 
AFG 132/6 (11)
IRE 6/0 (0.4) CRR: 9 REQ: 12.29
Ireland need 127 runs in 62 balls - Match reduced to 11 overs per side due to rain
 
AFG 132/6 (11)

IRE 105 (11)

Afghanistan won by 27 runs (Match reduced to 11 overs per side due to rain)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Rashid Khan

==

Afghanistan triumphed in the rain-affected fourth T20I by 27 runs to set up a series-deciding match on Wednesday.

In an 11-overs-a-side contest, the tourists put up a monumental total of 132-6 after hard-hitting knocks from Najibullah Zadran (50 off 24) and Rashid Khan (31 off 10). In response Ireland lost regular wickets as Fareed Ahmad starred with figures of 3-14, with the hosts bowled out for 105 from the final ball of the innings.

Rain meant a delayed start, with the match beginning at 17:30 local time, two hours after the scheduled start.

Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl first but it was Afghanistan who took the early initiative; Rahmanullah Gurbaz hooked a six to make it 17 runs off the opening over, bowled by Josh Little. Gurbaz smashed 24 off 13, eventually perishing in the third over when he gifted Mark Adair with a catch at short fine-leg off the bowling of Barry McCarthy.

The dismissal prompted a stumble from Afghanistan’s top order; Gareth Delany then struck with his first two balls of the day as the batting side went from 37-0 to 38-3 in the space of five deliveries. Fionn Hand then accounted for Mohammad Nabi in the fifth over, with the Afghanistan captain finding Andrew Balbirnie at cover for 5.

But Afghanistan recovered well from 55-4, led by Najibullah, who followed up his 18-ball 42 from the previous T20I with another sparkling knock. His 24-ball stay saw him strike four fours and three sixes, and Rashid joined in on the fun too, smashing three sixes in an effective cameo.

For Ireland leg-spinner Delany finished with his career-best figures, his three overs resulting in a haul of 3-33.

Like Afghanistan, Ireland had a brief but blistering opening stand. A Paul Stirling cover drive got the innings moving from ball one, and Balbirnie went four, four, six in the second over as Ireland moved to 28-0 after nine deliveries.

But Balbirnie fell for 15 from the 10th ball of the innings, and the losses of Stirling and Lorcan Tucker a couple of overs later left Ireland in serious trouble.

Harry Tector got a start but was Fareed’s third of the day. Ireland, in the end, were in debt to the in-form George Dockrell in ensuring they reached three figures. Having hit his first T20I half-century in the previous T20I, Ireland’s No.5 smashed 41 off just 27 deliveries, his knock including four fours and two sixes.

He couldn’t find support from elsewhere, however, with no one in Ireland’s bottom six able to cross 3.

Rashid completed a Player-of-the-Match performance with figures of 2-21, helping level the series at 2-2. The two sides will now contest a decider in the fifth and final T20I on Wednesday.


MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland v Afghanistan, 4th T20I, Stormont, 15 August 2022

Afghanistan 132-6 (11 overs; N Zadran 50, R Khan 31*; G Delany 3-33)
Ireland 105 (11 overs; G Dockrell 41*; F Malik 3-14, R Khan 2-21)

Afghanistan won by 27 runs
 
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Ireland vs Afghanistan, 5th T20I

Ireland have won the toss and have opted to field

Teams:

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little
 
Afghanistan - 95/5 (15 overs).

But, it is raining heavily. Looks like this game may get washed out.

It has been a great series so far. Both sides are tied at 2-2.
 
Game has been resumed.

Ireland need 56 runs from 7 overs (revised target due to rain).

Ireland - 39/2 (4.5 overs; target: 56).

17 runs are needed from 13 balls.
 
Ireland - 43/2 (5 overs; target: 56).

13 runs are needed from 2 overs. Ireland are almost home.
 
Ireland Men sealed the T20I series against Afghanistan with a thrilling, rain-affected win in the decider at Stormont.

Ireland won the toss and elected to bowl first in the final game of the five-match series, making an excellent start thanks to an opening burst from Player of the Match Mark Adair.

After a quiet first over from Josh Little, Hazratullah Zazai looked to have got Afghanistan moving with two consecutive boundaries, the first streakily skewed past point, and the second smoked through the covers. However, Adair struck back, enticing the explosive opener to miscue high into the air, with Simi Singh taking the catch at mid-off. Three balls later, he claimed another, Rahmanullah Gurbaz poking outside off and edging through to the keeper.

Little snuck through a second quiet over before Adair struck again, once more hitting back after a first-ball boundary. This time he was cut through point by Ibrahim Zadran before bouncing out the No.3, a cue-end flying to short third man, where Barry McCarthy claimed an excellent diving catch.

Afghanistan found themselves 26-3 after four overs and took their time to rebuild. The ball only reached the fence once in the next five overs, and that came courtesy of an overthrow reaching the boundary. With nine overs gone, Afghanistan were 42-3, scoring at a tick over 4.5 runs per over.

The tourists changed tack as Simi Singh was introduced, with Usman Ghani, previously becalmed on eight off 21, smashing 20 runs off the 10th over of the innings, with a pair each of fours and sixes giving Afghanistan a much-needed boost.

Andrew Balbirnie turned to Little in pursuit of a breakthrough, and the left-armer obliged. Two short balls dismissed Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi in the space of two balls, with Lorcan Tucker completing the catches on both occasions. The second was a special effort, with the keeper running forward and taking a one-handed grab inches from the turf to see off the Afghanistan captain.

Once again Afghanistan rebuilt, putting on 29 in the next four overs to lay the platform for the last five overs. However, it was at this point that the rain fell, and with the score reading 95-5, a lengthy delay curtailed the first innings, also lopping off 13 overs from the reply.

That left Ireland needing 56 runs in seven overs for a series win, a last-lap sprint to the finish befitting a contest between two sides jockeying for supremacy. And even in the space of 42 balls there was space for a twist or two.

Afghanistan began strongly, a four and a six bookending the otherwise boundaryless first 12 balls, and after Mujeeb Ur Rahman claimed the wicket of Andrew Balbirnie, pinned lbw, and conceded just six runs from the third over, the required rate had ticked from seven an over to nine an over.

Rashid Khan was introduced and tempted Paul Stirling with a tossed-up delivery. The opener took the bait, but successfully so, smashing high over long-on. When Lorcan Tucker shuffled and smashed the first ball of Mujeeb’s next over up and over the leg-side, Ireland were well on top. But the dismissal of Stirling brought Afghanistan back into it. He holed out off Mujeeb, having become the fourth man in history to the milestone of 3,000 T20I runs during his innings.

Harry Tector punched his first ball, a low full toss, through the covers for four, to ease the Irish nerves but the dismissal of Tucker, mistiming a slog sweep off Rashid, put the game back in the balance.

But it was Ireland who held firm. Some scampered ones and twos brought the requirement down to five needed from four, with a sweetly timed George Dockrell pull shot finding the fence to all but confirm the result. One ball later, victory was sealed with two deliveries to spare, giving Ireland a 3-2 series win.

George Dockrell was named Player of the Series for his unbeaten batting exploits having scored 141 runs across five innings without being dismissed.


MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland v Afghanistan, 5th T20I, Stormont, Belfast, 17 August 2022

Afghanistan 95-5 (15 overs; U Ghani 44*, A Omarzai 15*; M Adair 3-16)
Ireland 56-3 (6.4 overs; P Stirling 16, L Tucker 14; M Rahman 2-17)

Ireland won by seven wickets with two balls remaining (DLS Method)
 
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