IRE vs AFG 3rd T20I Highlights: Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran’s outstanding batting performances, combined with a comprehensive bowling effort, helped Afghanistan defeat Ireland in Belfast’s third Twenty20 international and avoid losing the series.
Gurbaz and Najibullah set up a total of 189 for 5, helping Afghanistan win the five-match series after suffering two straight losses. After Ireland’s pursuit team was down to 85 for 7, George Dockrell and debutant Fionn Hand brought them close with a record 74-run stand. However, the hosts ultimately lost by 22 runs.
Despite losing two wickets quickly, the Zadrans — Ibrahim and Najibullah — made sure they kept the momentum. Ibrahim, in particular, took advantage of the fact that Ireland’s quick bowlers had been bowling longer lengths on the day by pulling Hand’s short-of-length delivery around off for a boundary and Hume’s short-ish delivery through square leg for a six. Even though Ibrahim hit Little for two straight fours in the 18th over, Little continued to play shorter lengths.
He hit two sixes off Hume to end the 19th over and then a few more in the last over to raise Afghanistan’s total to 189. On the final ball, he was removed from the crease after attempting to flick a full toss fine, but Afghanistan had already secured the match-winning total of 189 on the board. .
It might have been a chase to remember. However, Ireland was only able to get close, which has been their tale for the majority of the summer. The two appeared to be persistent. Dockrell followed with two fours and a six off Rashid in the 15th over after Hand punished Nabi for three fours in the 14th over. They went for the fast bowlers as well, including Naveen, who was the day’s best bowler, in addition to the spinners.
In the 17th over, Dockrell hammered Naveen’s slower short ball mid-off, and Hand finished the over by smoking a short ball over extra cover to reduce the equation to 51 off 18 balls. With two fours off Rashid in the following over, Dockrell continued the devastation on his way to a 28-ball fifty. Rashid failed to pick up a wicket for the third game in a row; prior to this series, he has never failed to pick up a wicket in back-to-back T20Is.
Before Naveen finally made him his third victim of the evening, Hand hit another six in the next over. The equation proved too much for Ireland with 28 needed off the final over, even though Dockrell stayed until the very finish. As Afghanistan fought their way back into the series, Azmatullah Omarzai only gave up five runs off the over.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Afghanistan Beats Ireland in 3rd T20I by 22 Runs To Maintain Contention in T20I Series
