Records tumble as Afghanistan humiliate Ireland

KABUL have inflicted an 84-run defeat on Ireland in the second Twenty20 international at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun.

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat. Hazratullah Zazai scored a record unbeaten 162 to power his side to the biggest total in a Twenty20 international and an 84-run win on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Zazai, playing only his fifth T20 for Afghanistan, smashed 16 sixes and 11 fours in a 62-ball innings as Afghanistan piled up 278 for the loss of three wickets.

Openers Zazai and Usman Ghani (73) shared a record 236-run partnership — for any T20 wicket — off 105 balls.

Ireland got a chance to dismiss Zazai on 72 in the 10th over, but George Dockrell missed a sitter at point boundary. Stirling used eight bowlers, including his one over of off-spin, which went for 24 runs.

Zazai reached his half-century off 25 balls and then completed his hundred off 42 balls by smashing Stirling for a six over long-on.

His 16 sixes in an innings were two more than Finch’s previous record of 14 against England at Southampton in 2013.

Records broken by Afghanistan

• 3-278 – Highest T20 total
• 236 – Highest T20 partnership
• 16 – Most sixes in an individual T20 innings
• 162 – Second highest individual T20 score
• 24 balls – Third-fastest men’s T20 century

It eclipsed the previous highest T20I score of 3-263 by Australia against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2016.

Lefthander Zazai’s score was the second-highest individual innings in T20 internationals.

Australian Aaron Finch holds the record with 172 against Zimbabwe in Harare last year, and the Australian was one of the first to pay credit to the 20-year-old.

Ireland captain Paul Stirling made a fighting 91 off 50 balls in his team’s reply of 194-6 but Ireland fell well short of the target to trail 2-0 in the three-match series.

Stirling and Kevin O’Brien (37) shared a 126-run opening wicket stand but both fell in successive overs before prolific leg-spinner Rashid Khan ran through the batting by claiming 4-25.

Afghanistan will look for a series sweep when both teams meet again on Sunday.

The two sides will then play a five-match ODI series before locking horns in a Test match.

sa/mud

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