Afghanistan's tour of Ireland started with a seven-wicket defeat in the first T20 International in Belfast on Tuesday. The visitors will look to open their account in the five-match series with a win in the second T20I on Thursday (August 7). The IRE vs AFG match in Belfast will be telecast live. Also, follow live scores HERE, and ball-by-ball commentary HERE. (More Cricket News)
In the first IRE vs AFG T20I at Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, visiting captain Mohammad Nabi won the toss and opted to bat first. Afghanistan scored 168/7 with Usman Ghani top scoring with a 42-ball 59. Fellow opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 26 off 22, while Ibrahim Zadran remained unbeaten on 29 off 18. For the hosts, Barry McCarthy and George Dockrell registered figures of 3/34 in four overs and 2/7 in two, respectively.
Ireland then chased the target down in a penultimate ball finish with Dockrell hitting a four off Naveen-ul-Haq for the winning runs. Skipper Andrew Balbirnie (51 off 38) and Lorcan Tucker (50 off 32) hit half-centuries while Paul Stirling and Harry Tector scored 31 off 29 and 25 not out off 25 in 15, respectively. Balbirnie won the player of the match award.
This was Ireland's first win in nine matches, having suffered series sweeps against India, New Zealand and South Africa -- all at home. In contrast, this was Afghanistan's first defeat in five matches.
Ireland vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I match details
Match: Afghanistan's tour of Ireland 2022, second T20 International match;
Date: August 11 (Thursday), 2022;
Time: 8:00 PM IST/ 03:30 PM local;
Venue: Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Ireland.
How to watch Ireland vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I cricket match live?
Second Ireland vs Afghanistan T20I match will not be televised live in India. But fans can live stream the match on FanCode.
In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the second IRE vs AFG T20I match will be shown live on BT Sport. In Afghanistan, the match will be telecast live on RTA Sport.
Elsewhere...
Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport; Caribbean: Flow Sports; MENA (Middle East and North Africa): Etisalat; South East Asia: Eleven; US & Canada: Willow.
Ireland vs Afghanistan, T20I head-to-head record
The two teams have played 19 T20 Internationals so far with the head-to-head record (14-5) in the favour of Afghanistan. But Ireland have won the last two meetings.
Overall, Ireland have played 130 T20Is, and have a 54-68 head-to-head record with one tied and seven no results. Afghanistan have played 95 T20Is, winning 64 and losing 31.
Playing XIs in the first IRE vs AFG T20I cricket match
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Squads
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Fionn Hand, Stephen Doheny, Craig Young.
Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Afsar Zazai, Najibullah Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Nabi (c), Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Darwish Rasooli, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ibrahim Zadran, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
