5.28pm A spirited fight is what Ireland have almost always provided. Today was no different. They showed spark and scrap to get past 200, but in the end, they had conceded just too many. Afghanistan, in truth, were appalling in the Powerplay, but fought back nicely thereafter to whitewash Ireland 3-0 in the T20 series.
Presentation time.
William Porterfield: "Anytime over 200 in both innings, credit to the groundstaff. They've come hard at us and deserved the win. As much as you want to set it up in the first six, you have to finish it in the last."
Asghar Stanikzai: "We thought 180-plus was good enough. We know our strengths, in the end we have good spinners."
Mohammad Nabi is the Man of the Match
Nabi is also the best batsman of the series, Rashid Khan is the best bowler of the series
Rashid Khan is the Man of the Series
Laiqkhan Rafeh: "What a game of cricket about 450 runs"
GH Dockrell c Usman Ghani b Mohammad Nabi 2 (7m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66
BJ McCarthy run out 0 (1m 0b 0x4 0x6) SR: -
Five sixes will do nicely for Ireland. Nabi to finish
END OF OVER:19 | 5 Runs 3 Wkts | IRE: 204/8 (30 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 10.73, RRR: 30.00)
- George Dockrell1 (1b)
- Rashid Khan4-0-28-3
- Shapoor Zadran4-0-60-1
GJ Thompson b Rashid Khan 0 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
LJ Tucker b Rashid Khan 16 (25m 14b 0x4 1x6) SR: 114.28
GC Wilson c Samiullah Shinwari b Rashid Khan 59 (47m 34b 5x4 2x6) SR: 173.52
35 off 12
END OF OVER:18 | 13 Runs | IRE: 199/5 (35 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 11.05, RRR: 17.50)
- Lorcan Tucker14 (12b)
- Gary Wilson57 (32b)
- Shapoor Zadran4-0-60-1
- Rashid Khan3-0-23-0
Ireland need a boundary here
Mark: "However this ends, it's been a spirited chase by Ireland of what looked like an impossible target, although they look likely to fall just short."
16 an over needed. Shapoor to finish
END OF OVER:17 | 10 Runs | IRE: 186/5 (48 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 10.94, RRR: 16.00)
- Gary Wilson49 (28b)
- Lorcan Tucker11 (9b)
- Rashid Khan3-0-23-0
- Mohammad Nabi3-0-42-0