Afghanistan vs Ireland: Mohammad Shahzad pulls off an MS Dhoni-like stumping in Dehradun

The Afghanistan cricket team are currently embroiled in a five-match ODI series against Ireland at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Dehradun, Uttrakhand. The two sides recently played in a three-match T20I series, which Afghanistan won 3-0 including a record-breaking match, where Hazratullah Zazai slammed a record breaking 162*.

The match in a glance

After trailing 1-0 in the ODI series, Ireland finally managed to win a game in the third ODI match. On the back of 104* by Najibullah Zadran and 75 from captain Asghar Afghan, Afghanistan team had put up a fighting total of 256/8 in 50 overs. Apart from these two, Hazratullah Zazai made 34 as the other batsmen failed to give a fight to Irish bowlers with Boyd Rankin picking 2/56 and Tim Murtagh picking 2/60.

Afghanistan bowlers kept the team in the game picking wickets in heap and at regular intervals. But Andy Balbirnie kept his cool and with help of George Dockrell’s 54, took Ireland to a 4-wicket win and tie the series 1-1. Balbirnie slammed an unbeaten 145 with 8 sixes and 8 fours.

Mohammad Shahzad shows his class behind the wickets

Afghanistan wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad might be portly and definitely doesn’t fit in today’s scene of players having bulging biceps and washboard abs, but when it comes to tonking the ball, Shahzad gives it a mighty heave, an example of which he gave against Indian team in last year’s Asia Cup, when he slammed a brilliant century.

More so, Mohammad Shahzad has been brilliant behind the stumps despite his bodily figure and has shown amazing reflexes behind the wickets, especially off spinners. During the match, Balbirnie and George Dockrell were taking the game away from Afghans. Mohammad Nabi bowled one ball flat outside off stump, as the latter charged at him.

Dockrell tried to defend the ball, which whizzed past his defense and made its way towards Shahzad. Shahzad channeled his inner MS Dhoni and showed amazing reflexes with the gloves, to collect the ball and whip the bails off before Dockrell could regain his ground.

Here is the video of Shahzad’s amazing stumping:

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