Afghanistan Defeats Ireland: Afghanistan produced a memorable batting performance in Belfast to beat Ireland by six wickets in the fifth and final ODI and seal the five-match series 4-0. Chasing 299 runs at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Afghanistan reached the target in 48.5 overs after losing four wickets.
The biggest star of the chase was Rahmat Shah, who remained unbeaten on 143 runs and guided his team across the finish line. He received excellent support from Sediqullah Atal, who scored 98 runs. The pair added 201 runs for the third wicket, creating a new Afghanistan ODI record for the highest partnership for the third wicket.
The victory was also significant because Afghanistan recorded their highest successful run chase in ODI cricket. Before this match, their biggest successful chase was 295 runs. By chasing down Ireland’s 298-run total, Afghanistan moved to a new record and completed a dominant 4-0 series victory.
The opening ODI of the series had been abandoned because of rain, but Afghanistan controlled the remaining matches and finished the series without a defeat.
Afghanistan Stages Record 299-Run Chase
Afghanistan did not have an ideal start while chasing 299. The visitors lost their first two wickets for just 22 runs inside six overs, giving Ireland an early advantage.
Ireland’s fast bowler Liam McCarthy made the most of the conditions and dismissed both Afghanistan’s opening batters, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. With two important wickets down early, Afghanistan needed a steady partnership to rebuild the innings.
That responsibility was taken up by Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal. The two batters initially focused on rebuilding the innings before gradually increasing the scoring rate. Their partnership changed the momentum of the match and put Ireland’s bowlers under increasing pressure.
Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal Add 201 Runs
The partnership between Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal became the turning point of the match. The pair put together 201 runs for the third wicket, which is now Afghanistan’s biggest-ever partnership for that wicket in ODI cricket.
The previous record was also held by Rahmat Shah, who had partnered with Hashmatullah Shahidi for a 184-run stand against Ireland in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
Atal came extremely close to completing a well-deserved century. He scored 98 runs before being dismissed, falling just two runs short of three figures. Even after his departure, however, Rahmat Shah remained firmly in control at the other end.
Rahmat Shah Changes Gears Against Spin
When Afghanistan reached 49 for two, Ireland introduced leg-spinner Gavin Hoey into the attack. Instead of allowing the spinner to slow down the scoring, Rahmat Shah and Atal attacked the bowling and kept the scoreboard moving.
Hoey struggled to contain the Afghan batters. He completed his 10 overs without taking a wicket and conceded 73 runs.
Rahmat Shah continued to build his innings and reached his century from 109 balls. He finished unbeaten on 143, with his innings featuring nine fours and one six.
Atal’s dismissal left Afghanistan needing 76 more runs for victory, but Ireland could not find a way to remove Rahmat Shah. Azmatullah Omarzai joined him and played an important finishing role, scoring a quick 24 runs.
Afghanistan eventually completed the chase with seven balls remaining, securing a six-wicket victory.
Ireland Posts 298 Runs After Winning the Toss
Earlier in the match, Ireland won the toss and chose to bat first. The hosts finished their 50 overs at 298 for seven, setting Afghanistan a challenging target of 299.
Curtis Campher was Ireland’s leading scorer, producing an aggressive 96 from 84 deliveries. He came within just four runs of a century before losing his wicket.
Harry Tector also made a valuable contribution, scoring 53 runs and helping Ireland build a competitive total.
For Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai was the standout bowler. He claimed three wickets and played a key role in preventing Ireland from pushing the total beyond 300.
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Afghanistan Finishes the Series in Style
The 299-run chase not only gave Afghanistan a six-wicket win but also created several notable records. Rahmat Shah’s unbeaten 143 was the foundation of the successful chase, while his 201-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal rewrote Afghanistan’s ODI record books.
Most importantly, Afghanistan surpassed their previous best successful ODI chase of 295 runs. The result also completed a 4-0 series victory over Ireland after the first match was washed out.
For Ireland, the defeat was disappointing after putting 298 runs on the board, particularly with Campher’s near-century and Tector’s half-century. However, Afghanistan’s middle-order batting proved too strong, with Rahmat Shah producing a match-winning innings that took the visitors comfortably over the line.
With this performance, Afghanistan ended the ODI series on a high and showed their ability to chase a sizeable target under pressure. The combination of Rahmat Shah’s experience, Atal’s aggressive contribution and Omarzai’s finishing effort proved decisive as Afghanistan secured one of their most impressive ODI run chases.
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