Match Details

AFG vs IRE 1st Match, IRE vs AFG 2022

team important image
IRE
171-319.5
Ireland won by 7 wickets ๐Ÿ†
AFG
20.0168-7
team image
17th Over:
2
1
1
1lb
2
1
 
= 8
18th Over:
4
1
2
2
1
W
 
= 10
Last Over:
1
6
1
0
1
1
 
= 10
This Over:
2
4
1
4
4
 
= 15
IREIRE - 2nd Innings
SessionOpenPASS
6 Over 4753
10 Over 8180
15 Over 119124
AFGAFG - 1st Innings
SessionOpenPASS
6 Over 4947
10 Over 7878
15 Over 119118
20 Over 167168

Commentary

All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
That's it from our coverage of this first T20I between Ireland and Afghanistan. Ireland have drawn first blood and are 1-0 up with 4 matches to play. The second T20I will be played at the same venue on Thursday. Do join us for that game and stay tuned to our network for all the other cricketing action happening across the globe and across the formats. 

For now, this is me Ayan Chatterjee signing off on behalf of my esteemed co-commentator Ajay Ahire, alongside scorer/analyst Yogesh Kumar. Stay safe, happy, and cool. Goodnight and CHEERS!  
Mohammed Nabi, Afghanistan Skipper: "Yes, after a month and a half we played together and we were 15-20 runs short. It was a good game of cricket. We were short. Ghani played well and he was in good domestic form and so he was selected today. We have to improve our bowling lines and lengths and hope to come back stronger in the next game." 
Andy Balbirne Ireland Skipper and Player of the Match: "It's good to get a win and score some runs for the team. To get a win against a strong side is always good for the squad. When you are out in the form you analyze each and everything and that's what we did. Got to kick on from here and get a series win. We were 15-20 runs short after the first innings but happy to get a win in the end." 

"We are thrilled and played good cricket to get over the line. They have good players in their squad and we chased the target in a perfect manner. Tucker played well in the middle and Tector gave a good finish. We got a solid platform and navigated their spin in the middle. Everyone got up well today with the plan. Spinners are bowling really well and George also bowled really well recently that's good for us. We know they liked to play powerfully in the middle overs and we chocked them in the middle overs." 

Time for the post-match presentation. 
A victory at last for Ireland after 8 consecutive losses as they hold their nerves to beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets with a ball to spare in a thrilling encounter here in Belfast. The hosts were in control for most parts of the game, but the visitors almost stole it in the end. George Dockrell and Harry Tector guide them to a win. 

Chasing 169 for the win, Ireland got off to a terrific start with Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie putting on 61 runs in 7.3 overs before Stirling was dismissed for 31 off 29 balls. Andrew Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker shared a 63-run stand for the second wicket before the skipper Balbirnie fell for 51 off 38 balls. A welcome return to form for the Irish skipper as he got his 7th T20I fifty.

 Lorcan Tucker got his 4th T20I fifty as he contributed 50 off 32 balls as he got out towards the backend of the contest. In the end, it was Harry Tector's 25 off 15 balls and George Dockrell's 10 off 5 balls that took Ireland over the line in what turned out to be a thriller in the end. 

From Afghanistan's point of view,  Mujeeb ur Rahman picked up a wicket in his 3 overs 1 for 22. A wicket apiece for Naveen-ul-Haq, and skipper Mohammed Nabi but they went for runs. Rashid Khan was economical, but the Irish played him out as he gave away 25 runs in 4 overs. Omarzai, and Farooqi were wicketless and were ineffective as well. 

 It was Mohammed Nabi who won the toss and opted to bat first on a glorious day in Belfast. The openers got off to a decent start after playing themselves in as Gurbaz was the first one to go for 26 off 22 balls. Usman Ghani top-scored for the visitors scoring 59 off 42 balls. Shahidi could only contribute 11, and Najibullah Zadran scored 15 off 10 balls. The skipper missed out today. Azmatullah scored 11 off 5 balls.

 But it was Ibrahim Zadranโ€™s 29 off 18 balls which included 21 off the final over from Mark Adair that propelled Afghanistan to a competitive 168-7 in 20 overs.

Barry McCarthy was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland as he picked up 3 wickets for 34 runs in 4 overs. George Dockrell bowled two miserly overs for 7 runs and picked up a couple of wickets. Gareth Delany bowled an excellent spell of 4 overs 1 for 27 as the spinners choked out the runs in the middle overs. Joshua Little picked up a wicket as well as he finished with 1-33 off 4. Andy McBrine and Mark Adair went the distance with the latter going for 21 in his final over.  All in all, Ireland bowlers did a decent job as this was a 180 pitch and to restrict them to 168 was commendable. 

So, a win by 7 wickets for Ireland gives them a 1-0 series lead in this 5-match T20I series. Stay tuned for the post-match presentation ceremony that comes your way now.   

19.5 N ul to G Dockrell
4 FOUR!!! That's it that's the game for Ireland. Ohh man after 8 consecutive losses the Irish side tastes a win here...What a victory this is for the home side. Take a deep breath guys but what a game of cricket this has been here at Belfast, Naveen gave his all but couldn't seal the deal at the end. He hits the good length into the batter. Dockrell heaves it on the leg side and gets that one past the deep midwicket fielder for a four...And Ireland beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets and a ball to spare as they will take a 1-0 lead in this 5-match T20I series...
Oh, Dear! He does well to get there but parry it over the ropes. 4 it is. Now, just 2 needed off 2 balls. Ireland gets the rub of the green finally. 
19.4 N ul to G Dockrell
4 FOUR!!! Ireland believes and they are really close to that much-needed win as Dockrell collects a four here... He powers that one down the ground and the fielder there dives but he ended up pushing it to the fence. Naveen bowls the slower ball at a good length. Dockrell smashes that one past the bowler. The fielder at long-on dives to his left but fails to cut that one...
6 needed off 3 balls. Will George Dockrell finish this with a six? 
19.3 N ul to H Tector
1 Good comeback by Naveen. Yorker into the roots. Tector gets the inside edge to the short fine leg for a single. 
19.2 N ul to H Tector
4 FOUR!!! Huge four in the context of this game. Tector sends that one to the fence and only 7 runs are needed now. Naveen continues from over the wicket and he bowls that one on a fuller length outside the off. Naveen rolls his fingers on that one. Tector makes room and plays that one over the extra cover for a four...
Harry Tector has hurt himself here. This adds to the drama. Even Naveen is struggling as well. This is exciting, to say the least. 11 needed off 5 balls. We will pause for a while due to the injuries to both players. 
19.1 N ul to H Tector
2 Naveen with the last 6 balls. A couple of runs to begin the over. 11 needed now from the last 5 balls. Good length into the batter. Tector swivels it to the deep midwicket region for a brace. Good running by both the batters. 
Ayan: Good comeback by Farooqi after being hit for a six off the second ball of the over. 10 off that over. Now, the equation is 13 off 6 balls. Naveen-ul-Haq will bowl the final over. 12 are needed for a Super Over.
OVER 19
Ireland
156/3
George Dockrell
2(3)
Harry Tector
18(12)
Fazalhaq Farooqi
0-32(4.0)
18.6 F Farooqi to H Tector
1 Another single to end the over. So 13 runs are needed now from the last 6 balls. Fuller length on the off from Fazal. Tector drills it straight to long-on for a single. 
18.5 F Farooqi to G Dockrell
1 Only a single now from Dockrell. Good length on the off. He drills it to long-off for a single. 
18.4 F Farooqi to G Dockrell
0 Good comeback by Fazal. Wide yorker and he nails that to perfection. Dockrell fails to get bat on that one.
18.3 F Farooqi to H Tector
1 A single now after maximum. Good from Tector. Fuller a tad outside the off. Tector drives it to the deep cover for a single. 
Commentary