KABUL to an emphatic win over Ireland to level the One-Day International (ODI) series on Tuesday.
In the second match at Stormont, Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss and put the visitors into bat — a decision that apparently backfired as the Afghans went on a rampage tight from the word go,
Shahzad struck 101 from 88 balls and Rahmat Shah chipped in with 62, as they put on 150 runs for the second wicket, according to the Irish Times.
In the 32nd over, Andy McBrine dislodged both batsmen within a space of four deliveries. For a while, the hosts side managed to apply brakes on run-scoring.
However, Hashmatullah Shahidi smashed 47 and Najibullah Zadran 60 not out to forge a partnership of 86 runs for the 6th wicket to regain the momentum. .
Despite losing two wickets in the final over, the visitors raced to 305 for seven — Afghanistan’s third highest total in ODIs.
Mark Adair took 3-71 and McBrine finished with 2-43 for their side, which had won the first encounter on Sunday by 72 runs.
Paul Stirling smacked two boundaries in the first over, but the dismissal of James McCollum (3) and Andy Balbirnie (20) gave the tourists an edge.
Stirling hit four boundaries and two sixes in a run-a-ball fifty before being caught on the deep square-leg boundary. This was the fourth half century on the trot by Stirling.
Following his departure, Ireland’s run rate slowed down and wickets tumbled regularly. Gary Wilson (34) and Porterfield (19) put some resistance, but not enough.
Ireland were bundled out for 179 in the 42nd over, handing the visitors a 126-run triumph. The outcome left the two-match ODI series drawn.
Naib claimed career-best figures of 6-43, his first five-wicket haul in ODI. He helped the national side make short work of Ireland’s lower order.
Appointed as Afghanistan’s one-day captain last month, Naib took the crucial wicket of Stirling two overs after he had Andrew Balbirnie caught behind.
PAN Monitor/mud
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