END OF OVER:49 | 11 Runs | IRE: 260/6 | RR: 5.30
- Andy Balbirnie145 (136b)
- Andy McBrine9 (15b)
- Dawlat Zadran10-1-52-2
- Rashid Khan9-0-44-1
8:33pm And that is all from our live coverage. Stick around for the report in a bit. Good night!
Andy Balbirnie: There was pressure. Just for a morale booster, to get that win against these guys, it's great for the team. I was in control. There was a couple of scary moments, but you have to take risks The last few days we've been watching videos of their main threats. You go and bat and dream of having that kind of a knock. We're a very close team at the moment, so just to be able to win that will be great for us.
Andy Balbirnie is the Man of the Match.
William Porterfield: Obviously didn't start great. I can't speak high enough about his knock. Not just getting a hundred but getting us over the line. Doing everything he speaks about doing. It's been a very tightly contested series. In Sharjah we beat them 2-1, in Ireland they beat us 2-1. We would love to take the lead.
Asghar Afghan: Our top order batsmen played some poor shots. That's why we were 74 for 5. I think 256 was good on this pitch. We dropped some catches and Balrbirinie played very well. We lost mainly because of our fielding.
Ashutosh Solse: "Balbirnine hit 8 sixes from his entire career of 52 matches.. now. 8 sixes from single game... Truly career setting innings for him"
Ahmad Sohrab Sa: "In cricket matches a single mistake can change the result, in today match Afghanistan did a very big mistake by given 10 overs bowling to Samiullah Shenwari. In 1st match Gulbadin bowled 7.2 for 20 runs today Sami bowled 10 overs for 60 runs."
Isaac Marshall: "Maybe Afghanistan should pay their respects to Balbirnie by inviting him to next year's Afghanistan Premier League?"
JackT: "A career defining knock, well played Balbirnie!!!"
Abhijato: "We take a bow, Mr Balbirnie! You have played like a sensation tonight, and proven that the Irish cricket team is far from done. The fightback this team has produced despite being against the wall and not in the favour of the critics throughout this tour so far would have crumbled lesser teams, but they've turned up more impressively every time they come out on the field. Here's to hoping this inspires the reignition of the Ireland Cricket Team!"
8:17pm Anyone who saw the early stages of this innings would not have believed either Balbirnie or Ireland themselves would make it to 8:17pm in the night, leave along as winners by four wickets. Balbirnie has got 55.7% of the runs, in the face of a collapse, in the face of a quality spin attack, and despite his own shakiness at the start. Just kept on batting, taking it long, building the pressure on Afghanistan with every over. And Afghanistan have buckled under the pressure. An indiivudal knock of 145, and a partnership of 143 that involved an invaluable knock from Dockrell has helped Ireland draw level.
Saoirse : "That six off Rashid Khan has surely sealed the match, though my Irish pessimism still has me worried!"
Does Dawlat have some magic left tonight?
Dawlat around the wicket
END OF OVER:48 | 9 Runs | IRE: 249/6 (8 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 5.18, RRR: 4.00)
- Andy McBrine7 (13b)
- Andy Balbirnie136 (132b)
- Rashid Khan9-0-44-1
- Dawlat Zadran9-1-41-2
Eight runs off 12 balls. Will they be tempted to go after it this over and give Rashid not even an outside chance?
Jon : "If Balbirnie can find some consistency, he will go some way towards filling the void left by the retirement of Ed Joyce and that would play a big role in bringing Ireland back up to their best."
END OF OVER:47 | 10 Runs | IRE: 240/6 (17 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.10, RRR: 5.66)
- Andy McBrine5 (9b)
- Andy Balbirnie129 (130b)
- Dawlat Zadran9-1-41-2
- Rashid Khan8-0-35-1
Isaac Marshall: "I've just been popping in and out but I fell bad for Dawlat being the only pacer, they'll get used to him easily now and he's done remarkably well considering this."
Anton: "Cameron-Dow can hold a bat. Scored a 70 against Sri Lanka A 2 months ago on the Irish A tour. Probably be he who's in next"
END OF OVER:46 | 4 Runs | IRE: 230/6 (27 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.00, RRR: 6.75)
- Andy McBrine4 (8b)
- Andy Balbirnie120 (125b)
- Rashid Khan8-0-35-1
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman10-0-55-1
JackT: "Wow! this has got tight! so much so I've broken away more from Nagpur"