World Cup warm up – Afghanistan Tour of Ireland August 2018
T20I Results
*Overall Result Afghanistan beat Ireland 2-0
20th August 2018
1st T20I, Bready Cricket Club Ground, Magheramason, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Afghanistan won by 16 runs
22nd August 2018
2nd T20I, Bready Cricket Club Ground, Magheramason, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Afghanistan won by 81 runs
24th August 2018
3rd T20I, Bready Cricket Club Ground, Magheramason, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Match abandoned without a ball bowled
ODI Results
*Overall Result Afghanistan beat Ireland 2-1
27th August 2018
1st ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ireland 198 for 10
Afghanistan 227 for 9
Afghanistan won by 29 runs
29th August 2018
2nd ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ireland 183 for 7
Afghanistan 182 for 9
Ireland won by 3 wickets (37 balls left)
31st August 2018
3rd ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ireland 124 for 10
Afghanistan 127 for 2
Afghanistan won by 8 wickets
ODI in depth analysis
Afghanistan ODI squad:
Hazratullah Zazai [Batsman], Ihsanullah Janat [Batsman], Rahmat Shah Zurmatai [All-rounder], Asghar Afghan [Captain & Batsman], Hashmatullah Shahidi [Batsman], Mohammad Nabi [All-rounder], Gulbadin Naib [All-rounder], Shafiqullah Shafiq [Wicket-Keeper & Batsman], Rashid Khan [Bowler], Mujeeb Ur Rahman [Bowler], Aftab Alam [Bowler], Javed Ahmadi [Batsman], Wafadar Momand [Bowler], Mohammad Shahzad [Wicket-Keeper & Batsman], Syed Shirzad [Bowler], Samiullah Shenwari [All-rounder], Dawlat Zadran [Bowler], Najibullah Zadran [Batsman].
Ireland ODI Squad:
Paul Stirling [Batsman], William Porterfield [Captain & Batsman], Gary Wilson[Wicket-Keeper & Batsman], Andrew Balbirnie [Batsman], Simi Singh [All-rounder], Kevin O’Brien [All-rounder], Niall O’Brien [Wicket-Keeper & Batsman] , Andy McBrine [All-rounder], Peter Chase [Bowler], Tim Murtagh [Bowler], Boyd Rankin [Bowler], David Delaney [Bowler], Gary Dockrell [Bowler], James Shannon [Batsman], Tyrone Kane [Bowler], Joshua Little [Bowler – Replaced David Delaney 3rd ODI]
Firstly, let us analyse the specialist personnel balance between the two squads.
Afghanistan selection: The overall depth of the 18-member ODI squad was impressive, ‘Be Prepared’ as the old boy scouting motto goes, however Ireland is a long way from home and conditions generally testing. No doubt underpinned by a strategy to get as many likely or potential Afghanistan one-day squad players exposed to similar conditions and pitches to those they will encounter in England and Wales as possible, as part of a sensible build up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Interestingly only 4 all-rounders made the squad. However, the inclusion of 6 specialist batsmen plus two wicket-keeper/batsmen indicated a view that quality batting right down the order wins matches. Add 6 specialist bowlers into the mix and it becomes very much a squad for all seasons in terms of climatic and track variations.
Ireland selection: Meanwhile, Ireland assembled a 16-member squad: In their case just 3 all-rounders, 4 specialist batsmen and two wicket-keeper batsmen plus a slew of 7 specialist bowlers. A composition, which on first impression did not appear to enjoy the same sense of balance as the opposition, and so it proved to be over both format series, where the Irish bowling seemed to deliver more than the batting order.
Match by match ODI Analysis
27th August 2018
1st ODI Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ireland 198 – 10
Afghanistan 227 for 9
Afghanistan won by 29 runs
Ireland won the toss and decided to field. The hosts, already beaten 2-0 in the recent T20 series and seeking to recapture some momentum, saw their bowling attack restrict Afghanistan to a relatively achievable run chase of 227 for 9. Gulbadin Naib top scored with 64, sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 77 with Hashmatullah Shahidi out caught on 54, Rahmat Shah hit a lively 29 while Asghar Afghan went for 25 with no other scores worthy of mention. Pace bowlers Tim Murtagh and the 6 foot 8 inch Boyd Rankin did the damage with excellent spells, taking 4 for 31 and 3 for 44 respectively.
Unfortunately the Irish batting order did not live up to the feats of their seamers. Having slipped to a fragile 93 for four, Ireland were relying heavily on Andy Balbirnie, but when he fell for what was a hard-fought 55, when a big total looked on the cards, their hopes evaporated. Despite a spirited 38 from Gary Wilson, the home side were eventually bowled out for 198 in 48.3 overs and lost by 29 runs. Aftab Alam, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, each took two wickets for just over 40 runs apiece.
29th August 2018
2nd ODI Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ireland 183 – 7 Afghanistan 182 for 9 Ireland win by 3 wickets (37 balls remaining)
On this occasion Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat, but were pinned back by an extraordinary exhibition of precision pace bowling from Tim Murtagh who collected career-best figures of 4 – 30, leaving the visitors on a relatively modest total of 182 for 9. Four top order batsmen were dispatched for a total of 10 runs, which saw the visitors reduced to 16 for 4 inside ten overs. Only Rahmat Shah – stumped on 32, Captain Asghar Afghan brilliantly run out for 39 by Paul Stirling and a crisp 42 from Najibullah Zadran, who really made the bowlers work, offered any real resistance to the Irish bowling attack.
The Irish innings was driven onward and upward by a fine 60 from Andrew Balbirnie finally dismissed by the outstanding Rashid Khan [3 for 37], but ably supported by opener Paul Stirling who was eventually stumped on 39. Then a second flurry of quick wickets might have turned the game, but coolheaded Simi Singh, unbeaten on 36, saw Ireland across the line to level the series 1-1 with victory by three wickets.
31st August 2018
3rd ODI Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ireland 124 for 10
Afghanistan 127 for 2
Afghanistan won by 8 wickets
Ireland won the toss but this time out decided to bat in what was expected to be a tight encounter. However, Afghanistan were in no mood to let the final ODI slip away. Ireland reached 34 for 1 and then their troubles began. Three quick wickets: Captain – William Porterfield, who elected to bat first, Niall O’Brien and the normally run-bountiful Andrew Balbirnie fell for 5 runs, a calamity that saw the Irish slip to 39 for 4. Kevin O’Brien with 16 and top scorer Gary Wilson on 23 carved out a 32-run partnership before further wickets began to tumble, but it was never going to be enough as the hosts were all out for a mere 124.
The sun was shining brightly in Belfast and most definitely on Afghanistan. Prolific teenager Rashid Khan took 3 for 18 with his stylish leg breaks, capably supported by: Aftab Alam with 2 for 22, Mohammed Nabi on 2 for 26 and Gulbadin Naib 2 for 34.
Taking his turn at the crease captain Mohammad Shahzad was quickly dismissed by Boyd Rankin, leaving the Afghans on 3 for 1. Nevertheless, despite this setback, opener Ihsanullah Janat went on to hit a confident unbeaten 57, launching two sixes in the process. Rahmat Shah Zurmatai added 33, then Hashmatullah Shahidi joined Janat at the wicket producing a robust knock of 34 not out as the tourists cruised to 127 for 2. An eight-wicket win over Ireland that clinched a 2-1 victory in the ODI series.
Post match comments.
Irish captain William Porterfield commenting on the 2nd ODI:
“We were pretty good in the field today, and if we had the same application as today with the bat in the first game then we would likely be standing here two-nil up.
“I’m really happy with how we went about it today, especially with the ball, and if we can bring that into Friday and get a few more partnerships then it will make things a little bit easier.
“It was always going to be a scrappy game, but it was really nice for Simi to see it through at the end.”
Captain Porterfield, commenting on the Irish team’s performance in the 3rd and final game of the ODI series:
“We didn’t do ourselves any justice with the bat today, and once you’re sitting at half time with that kind of total, you’re always up against it.”
Porterfield talking in terms of the ODI series with Afghanistan as a whole, said:
“Our bowling has been fantastic, first two games we put ourselves in winning positions. If we’d have played the way we did in the second game in the first game, we’d have won it with the bat and we could have quite easily been two nil up after two games. I think our bowling has been great, we’ve show glimpses in the field but I think we came up short, the majority of us, with the bat. But Afghanistan played really well throughout the series.”
Summary and conclusions
The ODI decider was expected to be a tight encounter, but all credit to the determination and attitude of the Afghanistan team, as it became a one-sided affair with Ireland struggling once again with the bat despite their bowling quality.
Make no mistake; this tour has been an important stage of preparation for Afghanistan leading up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. They have beaten a useful side, several of whom play for English counties, including at least two members of the team who have also played for England, as well as gained good experience playing in typical conditions, both pitches and weather.
Right now the core of essential Afghanistan World Cup players emerging, assuming they’re all fit, looks like:
Batters: Asghar Afghan Ihsanullah Janat, Rahmat Shah Zurmatai, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Gulbadin Naib.
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Mohammed Nabi and Gulbadin Naib.
Wicket-Keepers: Shafiqullah Shafiq and Mohammad Shahzad.
Expat Sport’s Mac McTiernan examines the performance of the Afghanistan squad in the recent ODI series against Ireland played in Belfast, Northern Ireland; as the side warms up toward the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and next stop the Asia Cricket Cup 2018 in the United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan had a prime opportunity for a pre-ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 work out in the right conditions on their recent tour of Ireland, from August 20th to August 31st, 2018. The tour encompassed two 3-match series of T20I and ODI played on typical British Isles pitches in equally representative weather conditions. While Expat Sport’s correspondent has included the results of both series, the underlying intention behind these analyses is to focus on the performance progress made by individual qualifiers in their build up to next year’s World Cup. Therefore we’ve restricted our more detailed analytical breakdowns to the one-day matches. However, if any of our readers would be keen to enjoy similar coverage of the Twenty20 element in the future, then please let us know.
