AFG v IRE, 3rd T20I, Review: Afghanistan prevail in a run feast to enforce a clean sweep

Having already gained an assailable lead of 2-0 in the 3-T20 series, Afghanistan won the last game too and enforced a whitewash. Ireland won the toss and invited Afghanistan to bat first. Mohammad Shahzad gave his side an explosive start by scoring 14 runs off the first over in which he hit a six and 2 fours. His opening partner Najeeb Tarakai didn’t last too long and was picked up by Kevin O’Brien in the 3rd over for just 3 runs.

Shahzad though was unperturbed by the wicket and kept going after the bowling. He kept smashing boundaries and the score was boosted to 63/1 at the end of the powerplay. In only the 7th over, he brought up his 11th T20I fifty off just 27 balls. Usman Ghani at the other end was playing second fiddle to him up to that point but just when he started opening his arms with a couple of fours, he was castled by Kevin O’Brien who bagged his second wicket for 23.

Stankizai came in with an explosive mindset and the score went past hundred in only the 11th over. But his innings was cut short by Andy McBrine for 12 off 5 deliveries. Soon after, Shahzad departed after a magnificent 72 off just 43 deliveries in the 13th over, Jacob Mulder accounted for his wicket. Two balls later, he sent back Najibullah too for just one run as the score read 122/5 after 13 overs.

It was like the silence before the storm, as post that, Mohammad Nabi came in at number 7 and literally tore apart the Irish bowling line-up. He got to his half-century off just 21 balls and took the score close to 200 after 18 overs. O’Briedn than grabbed his third and fourth wicket of Shenwari and Karim Janat respectively in the same over to take his tally to 45/4 in 4 overs.

But there was absolutely no stopping Nabi as he hit 3 consecutive sixes followed by a four in the last over that took the score to a massive 233 at the end of the 20 overs. Nabi was run out off the last over after powering his way to 89 off mere 30 balls with 6 fours and 9 sixes as the carnage came to an end at Greater Noida.

Ireland’s innings began in the similar fashion as they stole 15 runs off the first over. Paul Stirling gave them the perfect start to chase down the humungous score. Within no time, the score crossed fifty and Ireland looked well on course to get close to the total. But Stirling was dismissed by Shapoor Zadran in the 5th over for 49 off 20 balls.

The outburst did not stop there as the other opener Stuart Thompson took charge and smashed 3 sixes and a four within a space of 9 balls. Ireland had jumped to 91/1 at the end of 6 overs. In the very next over, Amir Hamza scalped the prized wicket of Thompson when he bowled him for 43 off 18 balls. Kevin O’Brien walked in at number 4 but didn’t last too long and made his way back to the pavilion at a score of 3 courtesy Karim Janat.

The score was well past hundred after 8 overs and the run rate was always on the higher side but the problem was the wickets falling at regular intervals. The skipper William Porterfield contributed just 15 runs before he was picked up by Amir Hamza. Gary Wilson kept them in the hunt with a few lusty blows but lost another partner in the form of Andy McBrine in the 14th over as Karim Janat got his second.

Wilson kept the Irish hopes alive but the equation kept getting tougher with each passing over. In the pursuit, he brought up his fifty off 29 balls and fought until the 19th over. Rashid Khan got him out caught for 59 runs off 34 balls and put an end to Ireland’s chances. He picked two more wickets in the same over, first by castling Lorcan Tucker for 16 and then doing the same to Greg Thompson for a duck. Ireland required 30 off the last over which they failed to score and lost the remaining two wickets off the first 2 deliveries and fell short by 28 runs.

Brief Scores

Afghanistan 233/8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 89, Mohammad Shahzad 72, Kevin O’Brien 4/45)

Ireland 205/10 in 20 overs (Gary Wilson 59, Rashid Khan 3/28)

Afghanistan won by 28 runs