Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Usman Ghani
Usman Ghani
59(42) 6x4 - 2x6
Control %66%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 14 runs
  • 1x4 - 1x6
12 4 13 9 4 8 2 7
A Balbirnie
A Balbirnie
51(38) 5x4 - 1x6
Control %89%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 14 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
0 8 8 8 14 0 1 12

Best performances - Bowlers

BJ McCarthy
BJ McCarthy
O4
M0
R34
W3
Eco8.50
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
GH Dockrell
GH Dockrell
O2
M0
R7
W2
Eco3.50
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W

Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: Ekanth and Ashish Pant

These two teams look to be matching up well, so this could be a closely contested series. The ebby-flowiness of this game was enjoyable. Let's hope there's more coming. On that note, it's goodbye from me, Ekanth, my co-commentator Ashish Pant, and our scorer, Ranjith P.

Andy Balbirnie, Ireland Captain and POTM: It's a lot more fun when you are scoring runs. We have been hurting after recent losses, but this win is great. (On his batting) When you're out of form, you can over-analyse, but I kept it simple. I watched the ball closely and did well, I hope my form will continue. (From the team's pov) We have played well this summer so far without getting over the line. We bowled well, we had wickets in hand with the bat. That meant we could go harder. We need to learn to balance aggression and caution early on. Not losing wickets in the first six is important, we navigated through that well. We had defined roles and stuck to them. Our bowlers did well. Gareth is in good rhythm, we have good options. (On the score) The target was chaseable, we bowled to good plans. We ask our bowlers to be clear mentally and they did it well today.

Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan Captain: We haven't played a game since a month. It was a good game, we were 10-15 runs short. It was a good pitch. Ireland batted well. Usman played really well, he's scored a lot in the domestic games and thus got a chance today. We need to work on our lines and lengths, we missed it in the first six and at the death too.

Dave: "Been following this Afghan team right from the beginning. The only problem that seem to me with this team is except Nabi as soon as players get good experience they are dropped for young blood. Shahzad, Afghan, Shinwari, Dawlat, Shapoor, Hamid, Naib and the list goes on. All the momentum for achieving greater feat is killed. I mean why?"

Dipanjan Show: "Finally, I can sleep well tonight. Also this ends the 11 match losing streak for Ireland across formats that began on 24 February."

6:56 pm: Ireland finally make it over the line. They started well in the chase, Balbirnie and Stirling were great. But Nabi and Rashid were good in drying up the runs after the powerplay. There were a few quiet overs towards the end, particularly from Fazal Farooqi, who seemed to have an on-demand subscription to the ability to nail yorkers. After the settled batters were dismissed, Tector could not get going. In the end, that changed and he managed to pull through, Dockrell iced his bowling excellence by finishing on a high with the bat allowing Ireland a 1-0 lead.

Azweer : "Atlast.... Ireland crosses the line..!!"

Albert Mawonde: "Phew, tight ending, but, as l expected, the Irish crossed the line by a whisker"

19.5
4
Naveen-ul-Haq to Dockrell, FOUR, Pulled, it's in the gap and goes to the midwicket fence! Dockrell and Tector share a bear-hug mid-pitch. It was a full-paced shortish ball and he swung across. It dissected the fielders on its merry way to the fence.

Two needed off two. Archit Athani: "Surely, not gonna choke this one now!!"

19.4
4
Naveen-ul-Haq to Dockrell, FOUR, Long-on does well to get to it, Zadran dives but parries it and it meets to the cushion! It was a slow, length ball outside off. Driven into the ground, it went straight and somehow goes for four.
19.3
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Tector, 1 run, Makes room, gets followed by a pitch-perfect yorker, Tector opens his bat face just a bit and tries to jam it. But it goes off the edge to short fine.

Pugi: "Can Tector hold his nerve and cross the line for Ireland? "

19.2
4
Naveen-ul-Haq to Tector, FOUR, Makes room, gets a full slower one on the stumps. Tector waited and slapped it over cover, long-off cannot cut it off. Seven needed off four now.

Both Tector and Naveen look to have had picked up niggles on the way. Tector's seems to be a wrist issue. But both are okay.

19.1
2
Naveen-ul-Haq to Tector, 2 runs, Length ball follows Tector as he's on the move trying to make room. Goes for the pull, the bottom-hand loses the grip. It loses pace and goes to the gap behind square. Comes back with a dive and makes it.

13 needed, 12 for a super over

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs | IRE: 156/3 (13 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.21, RRR: 13.00)

  • Harry Tector18 (12b)
  • George Dockrell2 (3b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi4-0-32-0
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-1-24-1
18.6
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tector, 1 run, Yorker just outside off, tries to whack it but gets it off the bottom. Goes along the ground to long-on.

Ireland 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st61A BalbirniePR Stirling
2nd62A BalbirnieLJ Tucker
3rd23LJ TuckerHT Tector
4th25GH DockrellHT Tector