Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 92 runs in the second One-Day International (ODI) at Bready Cricket Club, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The match, reduced to 47 overs per side due to inclement weather, saw a dominant performance from Afghanistan, particularly from their star spinner Rashid Khan.
The series opener had been washed out, making this victory crucial for Afghanistan. After being asked to bat first, Afghanistan posted a total of 299 for 8. Ibrahim Zadran was the top scorer for Afghanistan, contributing 84 runs to their formidable total. He anchored the innings after an initial struggle against Ireland’s new-ball bowlers.
Afghanistan’s Batting Performance
Afghanistan’s innings began facing challenging overcast conditions, with Mark Adair opening with a maiden over. However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz quickly found his rhythm against Jai Moondra, hitting four boundaries in Moondra’s first two overs. Gurbaz continued his aggressive play, smashing a six and a four in the left-arm seamer’s third over before eventually being dismissed while attempting another big shot.
Following Gurbaz’s departure, Sediqullah Atal maintained the scoring momentum, while Ibrahim Zadran adopted a more measured approach. The pair built a significant 116-run partnership after Afghanistan reached 65 for 1. Ibrahim accelerated his scoring, reaching his half-century from 52 balls. Although Atal’s dismissal in the 25th over ended their stand, Ibrahim continued to lead the charge for his team.
Ibrahim Zadran then formed another partnership, adding 43 runs with Rahmat Shah before both batsmen fell within two overs. Later in the innings, Azmatullah Omarzai and Darwish Rasooli contributed with another 43-run partnership, keeping Afghanistan on course for a high total. Hashmatullah Shahidi provided a late surge, scoring 36 runs from 21 balls, including four boundaries in the final two overs. Despite losing three wickets for 21 runs towards the end, Afghanistan concluded their innings with a strong total of 299 for 8.
Rashid Khan’s Dominance with the Ball
In response, Ireland started their chase confidently, reaching 65 for 1 despite losing Paul Stirling early. Andy Balbirnie played fluently, and Cade Carmichael, in only his fourth ODI appearance, launched an aggressive counterattack. Carmichael notably smashed 21 runs off Saleem Safi in the 14th over and went on to achieve his maiden ODI fifty from 44 balls.
However, Afghanistan’s spinners, particularly Rashid Khan, turned the tide of the match. Rashid struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Balbirnie and Harry Tector, which left Ireland needing a substantial partnership to recover. Carmichael and Lorcan Tucker attempted to rebuild the innings, forming a 38-run stand. This partnership ended when Tucker was run out after losing track of the ball during an LBW appeal by Mohammed Saleem. Sediqullah Atal, positioned at point, executed a direct hit to run out Tucker.
Carmichael followed in the next over after scoring 62 runs, leaving Ireland at 152 for 5. Ben Calitz and Curtis Campher briefly threatened to revive the chase, accumulating 41 runs in three overs, which included five fours and two sixes. Rashid Khan ended this assault by dismissing Calitz, initiating a significant collapse for Ireland. Ireland lost their final four wickets for just nine runs, with Rashid claiming three of these wickets. He finished with impressive figures of 6-34, marking his third ‘six-for’ in ODI cricket. Ireland was eventually bowled out for 207 runs in 33.4 overs, chasing a target of 300.
The series is set to continue in Belfast on Monday, August 10, with the third ODI scheduled to be played at the Civil Service Cricket Club.
Source: aljazeera.com
