Match Details

AFG vs IRE 2nd T20, AFG vs IRE 2024

team important image
IRE
142-820.0
Afghanistan won by 10 runs 🏆
AFG
20.0152-9
team image
G Delany Logo
G Delany Jersy

39

(18)

G Delany
39(18)
4s: 3
6s: 4
SR:216.67
+
B McCarthy Logo
B McCarthy Jersy
4s: 0
6s: 0
SR:66.67
F Farooqi Logo
F Farooqi Jersy

1-48

(4.0)

F Farooqi

1-48(4.0)
Econ: 12.00
18th Over:
6
6
0
0
6
4
 
= 22
Last Over:
0
1
1
1
4
4
 
= 11
This Over:
0
1
0
6
0
W
 
= 7
IREIRE - 2nd Innings
SessionOpenPASS
6 Over 4251
10 Over 7773
15 Over 10795
AFGAFG - 1st Innings
SessionOpenPASS
6 Over 4632
10 Over 5968
15 Over 107109
20 Over 149152
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Commentary

All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
So that's all from the second T20I match of the 3-match series between Afghanistan and Ireland. For now, this is Saptak Sanyal signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Ayan Chatterjee and our scorer/analyst Zeeshan Naiyer. Good night. Do join us tomorrow for the decider of this series.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan Captain and Player of the Match)- "There were brief nervous moments but we have a few players who can step up in the crucial times. Nabi did a wonderful job for us after a few wicket loss in the powerplay. We are happy to square up the series and I am looking forward for the decider tomorrow."
Player of the Match- Rashid Khan
Paul Stirling (Ireland Captain): "It was a brilliant game. Great to be a part of. We did well and lots of positives to work on and let's see how it goes tomorrow. I think it's good. We have a good bonding and camaraderie and working well. Absolutely. They bowled well at the top and Afghanistan were good in the end to get past 150. Yes, that is the norm losing wickets to spin. Something to work on for us and batting against the best spinners is a challenge and a lot to work on for us. Gareth was good and he did well for us in the backend. That was crucial for us. Yes, we can win the series tomorrow. We have to play better tomorrow in the crucial phases and if we do well, then we can win the match and the series. Looking forward to series finale."  
Biggest Six Hitter of the Day: Gareth Delany (4 sixes).  
Stylish Player of the Match: Mohammad Nabi.  
Time for the presentations.  
Mohammad Nabi: "Yes, it was pressure out there first few overs. Then we realised the pitch was good. Told my partner to play ball by ball and stitch the partnership. Wicket is not that easy for the batter. No dew and ball was gripping. Variations will work here on this pitch. Yes, that wicket of Stirling was important and their opening partnership was good. That was a crucial wicket. Yes, we will try our best. The series is level at 1-1 and it's all to play for tomorrow in the decider."  
01:00 IST and 23:30 Local Time | Despite Gareth Delany's valiant effort in the later stages of the game, the Irish side fell flat by 10 runs. Afghanistan are the deserving winners of this game and all the appreciation goes to the Afghan spin trio.

Coming to bat first, Afghanistan lost their four top order batters in just 14 runs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz(3), Ibrahim Zadran(5), Mohammad Ishaq(0) and Azmatullah Omarzai(0) got out cheaply and after that Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Nabi started to put some fight back. They registered a 79 run partnership between them off 57 balls before Atal getting run out scoring 35 runs off 32 balls. But Mohammad Nabi continued to hit hard on the loose deliveries and got to his 6th fifty and departed putting up 59 runs on board facing just 38 balls with 6 fours and 3 maximums. Ijaz Ahmadzai and Nangeyalia Kharote got out cheaply but Rashid Khan's fiery cameo of 25 runs off 12 balls with 3 fours and a maximum has helped his team to reach 152 run at the end of 20 overs.

Mark Adair was the star of the bowling for Ireland picking up 3 wickets. Joshua Little and Barry McCarthy took a couple of wickets each and Ben White took a wicket for the visitors.

Visitors started the chase nicely getting a few boundaries at the start and the opening duo of Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie added 49 runs in just 32 legal deliveries before Stirling got out for 24. Lorcan Tucker and Balbirnie showed some resistance in the middle but when Tucker(10) got out, the Irish middle order fell like a pack of card. Harry Tector(0), Curtis Campher(6) and George Dockrell(5) got out cheaply and just after a few balls, Andrew Balbirnie also got out. Balbirnie was the top scorer for his side in his 100th T20I as he scored 45 runs off 44 balls with 3 fours and 2 maximums. When 51 was needed off the final 3 overs. Gareth Delany took 22 runs from the 18th over bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi. Naveen-ul-Haq bowled the penultimate over and gave 11 runs away. Later Farooqi did well to restrict Delany from chasing the run in the final over by giving just 7 from that over. Delany added 39 runs facing just 18 balls with 3 fours and 4 maximums.

Rashid Khan was the star of the bowling show with his 4 wickets for 14 runs. Nangeyalia Kharote took 2 wickets for 23 runs while Mr. President, Mohammad Nabi took a wicket for 14 runs in his 3 over spell. 
OVER 20
Ireland
142/8
Barry McCarthy
6(9)
Fazalhaq Farooqi
1-48(4.0)
19.6 F Farooqi to G Delany
W WICKET! Full toss outside off, Delany goes for the big one and gets the height and not the distance. The catch is taken in the deep. The deep point fielder takes the catch. Atal takes it as Delany's valiant effort comes to an end. Ireland ends with 142/8 in 20 overs as Afghanistan wins the contest by 10 runs and level the series at 1-1. 
THAT'S WHAT THE AFGHAN SIDE WAS LOOKING FOR!!! A dot ball- GOLD DUST!
19.5 F Farooqi to G Delany
0 DOT BALL! This is surely the game for Afghanistan. Slower ball angling in, Delany drills it hard down the ground to long-on. 
Here's the first maximum from Delany!! Farooqi will be keen to bowl a dot ball only after this. At least he will look to not concede a boundary from here on.
19.4 F Farooqi to G Delany
6 SIX! A low full toss and in the slot, Delany takes it on and slams it over long-on as the ball sails into the stands for the maximum. Ireland still in the game and only just. 
Ireland needs 3 maximums now!!!! 2 sixes and a boundary will lead the game to a super over.
Commentary