So Ireland have breathed some life into a one-sided series and kept their chances alive. What it means is that there is plenty to look forward to when the two teams clash again on Wednesday. Is this where things begin to turn around for Ireland? We will find out in the fourth ODI. Until then, it is goodbye from all of us here. Hope you enjoyed our coverage and thank you for joining us.
William Porterfield, the winning captain for the first time - We did a lot of things right. I think we have continued to do things right, we did them in the first two games as well but we had to get across the line which is important. We have seen how good a scoring ground it is and how quick the outfield is, all credit to the boys for getting the job done. Stirling has been fantastic so far, two nineties and a 70. All credit to Balbirnie as well. It was a must-win game for us, as it will be in the next game. We are happy to get the win today and look forward to doing well on Wednesday.
Asghar Stanikzai - Ireland played very well, Stirling especially. We started poorly with the bat. It's a part of the game, sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. On this wicket, I think 265 is good, it is good for spin as well. Unfortunately, today our spinners were also poor and we gave away too many boundaries. Ireland played very well today.
Stirling - Absolutely, the main thing was to get the first win under the belt. It was nice to get a personal score, but the win was important. I think we would have taken 260 at the start of the game. Had we not lost the toss and batted first, we would have taken 260. Great knock from Bal (Balbirne) tonight, coming in and scoring 80-odd not out is a good achievement.
Paul Stirling is the Man of the Match for his 99
Presentation time.
4.52pm For the first time on the tour, Ireland's players are a happy bunch. Smiles all around and they have every reason to be thrilled. This has been a long, hard, fruitless tour and finally, they have found a way to beat Afghanistan. And it was a win well-earned. Paul Stirling their hero again with a well-paced one-day innings. He was willing to grind it out after the loss of Ed Joyce and his captain William Porterfield. His innings once again highlights the importance of strike rotation, especially on a slow pitch like this, where scoring big isn't always easy. It is something Afghanistan do not do very well, and there is probably something to learn for them from this defeat. Stirling played time, pinched the singles, tried to build a partnership before going for his shots. He was very unfortunate to miss out on a century, but he will not mid that one bit as his effort has come in a match-winning cause. Not to forget Balbirnie, who was steady and never lost courage and hope even when the equation was tough. In the end, he has made this chase look easier than it actually was, but that only reinforces the quality of his innings.
Akseli: "The last 3 international cricket matches have all been won by the visitors. Also in all these matches visitors have bowled first. First SA won NZ in Wellington. Then BD won SL in Colombo. The last win being an Irish win against Afg in Greater Noida."
Mujtaba: "This is what you get when you become predictable and reluctant to change. Playing the same team 3 times in a row and expecting your opponents to commit the same mistakes." It is not good to be predictable, agreed. But I'm not sure I agree with making team changes. Afghanistan were playing so well, their XI was clicking and they had been so dominant heading into this game. Why chop and change something that is working for you?
Jon: "Congrats Ireland. So unlucky until today against an solid Afg side - the difference between these sides is small."
Hamid: "Well done Ireland... Rashid wicket-less here, this is probably the best they have achieved here for the remaining two games also... Afghanistan will have a lot to learn here..."
Just five required now. Two full overs to get them off. Here comes Dawlat
END OF OVER:48 | 7 Runs | IRE: 260/4 (5 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 5.41, RRR: 2.50)
- Andy Balbirnie84 (72b)
- Gary Wilson24 (27b)
- Rashid Khan10-1-44-0
- Dawlat Zadran9-1-47-2
Ireland have brought it down to 12 off the last three overs now. Can Rashid pull off something here?
END OF OVER:47 | 12 Runs | IRE: 253/4 (12 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.38, RRR: 4.00)
- Gary Wilson23 (25b)
- Andy Balbirnie78 (68b)
- Dawlat Zadran9-1-47-2
- Rashid Khan9-1-37-0
Third man comes up.
Equation down to a run a ball now.
Laiqkhan Rafeh: "@Akbar Iqbal, agree on Shazad fitness, but not on Shafaq for his replacement, I think in ODI Afsar Zazai would be the best option."
END OF OVER:46 | 9 Runs | IRE: 241/4 (24 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.23, RRR: 6.00)
- Andy Balbirnie71 (65b)
- Gary Wilson18 (22b)
- Rashid Khan9-1-37-0
- Dawlat Zadran8-1-35-2