KABUL outclassed Ireland in their first one-day international after being restricted to 227-9 in Belfast.
Batting first, Afghanistan set the hosts 228 runs target to win but they were bundled out for 198 in the first of the three matches series.
Gulbadin Naib and Hashmatullah Shahidi shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 77 runs and both made their half centuries. Naib’s 64 off 98 balls contained six boundaries while Shahidi struck 54.
The hosts, beaten 2-0 in the recent T20I series, slipped to 93-4, relying on Andy Balbirnie, but when he fell for a gritty 55 their hopes evaporated.
Tim Murtagh took 4-31 and Boyd Rankin finished with 3-44.
The two sides will meet for their second ODI at the same venue on Wednesday.
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