AFGH vs IRE: The change in format did not help Ireland’s cause as they slumped to another defeat against Afghanistan in the first ODI of the five-match series. Ireland will continue their search for the first elusive win on the tour of India in the second ODI on Saturday. However, they must come up with a more effective gameplan deal with rampant Afghanistan side.
Ireland only performer on the tour, Paul Stirling, was the only batsman who could read Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The spinner struck thrice to reduce Ireland to 14/3 after 8 overs. Ireland batting could not recover and were bowled out for a below-par 161, with Stirling scoring 89 of those.
Afghanistan vs Ireland Playing 11
AFGH Playing 11:
Wicket-keeper – Mohammad Shahzad
Batsmen – Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran
All-rounders – Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib
Bowlers – Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
IRE Playing 11:
Wicket-keeper – Stuart Poynter
Batsmen – William Porterfield, Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, James McCollum
All-rounders – Kevin O Brien, Simi Singh
Bowlers – George Dockrell, Tim Murtagh, Boyd Rankin, Barry McCarthy
Afghanistan vs Ireland Squads
Afghanistan squad: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Ali Khil, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Aftab Alam, Dawlat Zadran, Zahir Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Shapoor Zadran, Sayed Shirzad, Fareed Malik, Mohammad Shahzad, Noor Ali Zadran, Javed Ahmadi, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah and Samiullah Shenwari.
Ireland squad: William Porterfield (c), Barry McCarthy, Tim Murtagh, James McCollum, Kevin O Brien, Stuart Poynter, Boyd Rankin, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Lorcan Tucker, Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, James Cameron-Dow, George Dockrell and Andy McBrine.
