Match Details

AFG vs IRE 2nd Match, IRE vs AFG 2022

IRE

125-519.0

Ireland won by 5 wickets 🏆

AFG

20.0122-8

Match info

Live

Scorecard

Session	Open	PASS
6 Over	43	34
10 Over	60	65
15 Over	102	90

Session	Open	PASS
6 Over	48	41
10 Over	70	62
15 Over	99	96
20 Over	142	122

Commentary

That's all from the second T20I with Ireland going 2-0 up in this 5-match series. The teams are back tomorrow at the same ground to do battle in the 3rd T20I with Afghanistan hoping to keep the series alive. Join us once again for another fascinating encounter between the sides and for all other cricketing action happening across our globe across formats.

We also thank you for bearing with us as we had tremendous difficulties with the live stream from the venue. Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted in phases of this contest. On that note, this is me Ayan Chatterjee signing off on behalf of my esteemed co-commentator Ajay Ahire alongside our scorer/analyst Manish Bishnoi. Stay safe, happy, and cool as we will catch you soon on the next fixture. Goodnight and CHEERS!

Andrew Balbirnie, Ireland Skipper: "A complete team performance. Josh set the tone and the spinners complimented it to restrict them to 120 was great and then the batters finished things off for us. It was good to see such a complete performance for us.

Delany is getting better and better and George Dockrell is playing an important role as well. The fielding is getting better, we thrive on that. With the bat and ball, we are getting better as well.

Good to come back in form, and contribute to the team's total. Happy to be up 2-0 in the series in this 5-match series. A short turnaround now with us playing tomorrow. So, got to rest, come back stronger and win the series tomorrow fingers crossed."

Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan Skipper): "I think we didn't read the pitch well. The ball moved a lot till the end. We were 30 runs short after our innings. We haven't built the partnership and that costs us the game. The conditions were good for the pacers and They (Naveen and Farooqi) did well. And yes we will look to improve our fielding. We will take a lesson from our mistakes."

Joshua Little, Player of the Match: "I am in a nice bit of rhythm and that has helped me. Yes, that was what I was successful with. Wickets in the powerplay are important for the team and I am happy to take the wickets for the team."

Andrew Balbirnie (Multibagger of the match): "Chasing a low score didn't get you under the pump, to be honest. Tucker is playing nicely and nice to get some time with him in the middle. He is in great form and hopefully, we can continue this for long."

Time for the post-match presentation with Alan Lewis.

George Dockrell finishes things off in style as Ireland wins the contest by 5 wickets with an over to spare as the hosts go 2-0 up in the 5-match series with 3 games to go. A deserved win for the hosts.

Chasing a paltry target of 123 for a 2-0 win, the hosts lost Paul Stirling early for 4 runs off 12 balls. It was skipper Andrew Balbirnie's 46 off 36 balls alongside Lorcan Tucker's 27 off 28 balls that guided the chase through. They lost a flurry of wickets towards the end. But it was George Dockrell who finished things off in style with an unbeaten 25 off 19 balls for the second game in a row as the Irish romped home to the win. 8 extras were given by the Afghan bowlers.

From Afghanistan's bowling point of view, Rashid Khan went wicketless with his 4 overs going for 27 runs. Mohammed Nabi picked up a couple of wickets in an over as he finished with 2-15 in 2 overs. A wicket apiece for Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Mujeeb ur Rahman as they tried to keep things tight as well. But, at the end of the day, not enough runs to play with for the bowlers. Omarzai also went wicketless.

It was Mohammed Nabi who won the toss for the second game in a row earlier today and elected to bat first at Belfast. Afghanistan never got going after they lost their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Usman Ghani for one each. The innings never really recovered from there as the Irish bowlers kept a tight leash on the proceedings. Hashmatullah Shahidi top scored with 36 off 42 balls. Ibrahim Zadran (17), Azmatullah (11), and Naveen-ul-Haq (10) were the only other batters to get to double digits. 19 extras contributed to the total as the Afghans crawled their way to 122-8 in 20 overs.

All the Irish bowlers bowled well and kept it relatively tight. Joshua Little, Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, and Gareth Delany all picked up a couple of wickets apiece. Adair was the pick of the bowlers amongst the lot. Andy McBrine bowled two overs for 14 runs. Barry McCarthy was taken to the cleaners as he went for 35 runs in his 4 overs. In the end, it didn't matter as Ireland got the victory in the end.

A win for Ireland by 5 wickets with an over to spare to go 2-0 up. A win tomorrow for them will seal the series in their favor. Stay tuned as we will have the post-match presentation for you right now.

18.6 F Farooqi to G Dockrell

6 SIXX!!! Dockrell finishes the things off in style for the home side. He times that one over the fence for a maximum and with this they take the 2-0 lead in this 5-match T20I series...Farooqi from around the wicket misses the yorker and bowls the low full toss. Dockrell stands tall and times that one over the long-on for a maximum. Ireland beat Afghanistan by 5 wickets with an over to spare...

18.5 F Farooqi to G Dockrell

0 A dot ball now. Slower ball on a short of a length outside the off. The ball dies on Dockrell as he looks to play that one but misses it to the keeper.

18.4 F Farooqi to G Delany

1 Another single here for Delany. Yorker length on the woods. Delany digs it to the deep backward point for a single.

18.3 F Farooqi to G Dockrell

1 Again bangs in short into the batter. Dockrell pulls it to the deep square leg for a single.

18.2 F Farooqi to G Delany

1 Back of a length on the off. Delany heaves it to the deep midwicket for a single.

Farooqi has been hit in his fingers hard and he is hurt here. That was hit like a tracer bullet back to the bowler. Farooqi looks to get a hand to stop it and it has hit him hard. Third injury delay of the innings.

18.1 F Farooqi to G Dockrell

1 Farooqi to bowl the 19th over. Fuller length on the off. Dockrell drills that one back to the bowler who got his hand on that one but still it rolls away to the long-on for a single. Farooqi looks in trouble here and the physio is out there to check the bowler.

Ayan: Just 8 runs needed off 12 balls for Ireland to complete the formalities and take a 2-0 lead in the 5-match series.

OVER 18

Ireland

115/5

Gareth Delany

1(3)

George Dockrell

17(15)

Naveen ul Haq

1-12(3.0)

17.6 N ul to G Delany

0 A dot ball to end the over from Naveen. 8 runs are needed now from the last 12 balls. Back of a length outside the off. Delany mistimes that one to short cover.

17.5 N ul to G Dockrell

1 Slower ball into the pitch on the leg stump line. Dockrell clips it to the deep square leg for a single.

17.4 N ul to G Delany

1 Another single here for Delany. Back of a length now a tad outside the off. He pushes it to the deep point for a single.