length, down the pads, and he works it off his pads towards deep square leg, and that's the series win for Afghanistan
Ireland vs Afghanistan, 2nd ODI at Abu Dhabi, AFG v IRE, Jan 24 2021 - Match Result
Afghanistan won by 7 wickets (with 28 balls remaining)
Hashmatullah and Rahmat Shah's 184-run partnership is AFG's highest for the 3rd wicket in ODIs, breaking the record of 144 between Hashmatullah and Rahmat Shah
Rahmat Shah has scored 21 fifty-plus scores in ODIs, the most for AFG breaking Shahzad's record
That's that from us at the Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi for today. We will catch you again in a couple of days' time. It's goodbye from Ranjith, Binoy and myself.
Asghar Afghan: "[On having wanted to bowl] It was important to win this second game. We know this wicket. Honestly, if I had won the toss, I would have chased. We have to get some practice in chasing. Nabi bowled brilliantly, and Rashid, Mujeeb and Naveen bowled really well in the end. That was the main point for us. [On the Rahmat-Hashmat partnership] Today they played really brilliantly. It's important for senior players to play well in a chase. The two of them took the responsibility, and that's great for upcoming matches as well. Every game is important now with the ODI League. All points are important. Today is gone, and we have to think about Tuesday, which is a new day. I took the attack on because Net Run Rate is important as well."
Andy Balbirnie: "We probably would have liked a few more. Paul batted beautifully to set us up. 260 was probably not enough on a wicket that went a bit more dead as it went on. We expected some more turn in the second innings, but I still think we can be a lot better with the bat. Barring Paul and Curtis for a bit, we weren't very good with the bat. We had set ourselves up for about 270, but we need more to challenge a team like Afghanistan. Paul has a fantastic tour when we go away. He was very close to the late Roy Torrens and Irish cricket has certainly lost a great man. Paul would love to have scored his hundred for him. [On 10 points at stake in the last match] It happened to us in Southampton, where we were beaten comprehensively and we came back to win the last one. 10 points is important in a competition like this. I think there are players in the wings ready to go. We picked the guys we thought could win us a game in the first two games. They are hard on themselves, but we are a squad. We have to rebound and be raring to go towards getting some points in the Super League."
Rahmat Shah is the player of the match for his unbeaten century: "The coach and captain gave me the plan, and to play my natural game. The wicket was really good for batting, even though it stopped a few times. Every team wants to qualify for the World Cup, and hopefully we have started well towards making it to the World Cup by winning more games."
5.12 pm Presentation in a short while from now
5.07 pm Rahmat Shah leads the way in a potentially tricky chase. When Afghanistan got off to a rapid start, Andy Balbirnie turned to seamers Barry McCarthy and Curtis Campher, and they responded by removing the two openers with some accurate bowling, and we felt we might be in for a contest at that stage. Rahmat was sublime, though, and importantly converted his start into a big one. Hashmatullah Shahidi, brought into the XI today at the expense of an allrounder, showed the value of having a left-hander in the middle order, with a controlled innings himself. Unfortunate himself to fall before pushing on for his first ODI hundred, but Asghar Afghan provided some good entertainment right at the end. The coaching staff of Lance Klusener and HD Ackerman sport wide grins as they welcome the two batsmen back into the dugout. It's been a professional couple of performances by Afghanistan. Ireland have fought gamely in both matches, but today their batting's overdependence on Paul Stirling stood exposed, one must confess.
length, driven towards short mid-wicket
yorker, jammed out and back towards the bowler
full, driven towards mid-on
fuller, around off, and he looks to flick this away. Hits it on to his leg, and it drops to the off side, and they pinch a single
six to finish? No, this time it drops just short of the deep backward square leg fence. Still short from McCarthy and these are easy pickings for Asghar
short again, and this is even bigger than the previous one! Just not enough pace either on this wicket or from McCarthy's action. Afghan goes back and smacks this a bit more fine this time. Almost ends up treading on to his stumps, but does well to keep himself away from them
short, and he gets into a good position early, moving across his crease and deep inside it. Swatted away through the mid-wicket region. No attempt to keep it down
works this towards short mid-wicket. They consider a single, but good that they don't follow through with that, as the fielder moves in swiftly
bowled from closer to the stumps, around off, and he sweeps from a length, but cannot beat short fine leg
length, driven down the ground towards long on
length, jabs down on it with a defensive prod
Azweer: "Few weeks apart, Another very good hundred going down for Paul Stirling..!!"
looks to sweep one from outside off. Struck on the pads, but impact would have been outside off
length, goes back to work it off his pads towards square leg
now Asghar gets dropped! Short ball, looks for the short-arm jab, and gets it up the air. McCarthy can only shake his head in disbelief as deep backward square leg moves in swiftly, but cannot latch on. Perhaps the setting sun getting into the fielder's eyes?
dropped at point! Back of a length again from McCarthy, and he looks to guide this over point, but cannot keep it down. It's a diving attempt from Tector there, away to his right, but he cannot hold on to it
drives a length ball, which has offered him some width outside off, towards deep point. Easy two
fifth ODI century for Rahmat Shah! It's a length ball, but just strays on to the pads. He hangs back and just gets a decent enough tickle down to fine leg. Takes his helmet off, and acknowledges the polite applause of his teammates. Dropped a bit of a dolly right at the death when Afghanistan were fielding, but he's been quite flawless in this second innings
short, pulled away in front of square to the sweeper in the deep
defends a length ball, angling into him, towards cover
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | |
Toss | Ireland, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2020/21 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | Afghanistan led the 3-match series 2-0 |
Match number | ODI no. 4273 |
Hours of play (local time) | 09:30 start, First Session 09.30-13.00, Interval 13.00-13.45, Second Session 13.45-17.15 |
Match days | 24 January 2021 - day (50-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Afghanistan 10, Ireland 0 |