Bismillah Jan Shinwari (Afghanistan), Izatullah Safi (Afghanistan), Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afghanistan, TV)
Referee
David Boon (Australia)
Toss
Afghanistan elected to bat
OVS
Bowler :
No summary available yet!
011101
Over 17
Runs: 4
660064
Over 18
Runs: 22
011144
Over 19
Runs: 11
01060W
Over 20
Runs: 7
All Overs
Player of the Match
Rashid Khan
4/14
Player of the Series
Lucky Winner
Analysis
Weather Update
Sharjah,United Arab Emirates
Updated: 18 Mar 01:00
24.5°CClouds
74%
Clouds
0%
Rain %
3 kmph
Wind
Commentary
COMMENTARY NOT AVAILABLE
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That brings us to the end of the 2nd T20I between Ireland and Afghanistan. We will be back for the decider tomorrow but for now this is me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) signing off also on behalf of my fellow mate Rajarshi Das.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan captain and Player of the Match): There were brief moments but they believed that one man can turn the game and Nabi did it for them. Looking forward to the decider.
Paul Stirling (Ireland captain): We seems to cop up these games. I am really happy with how he performed. List of positives to work on. Hoping to win the series decider. It's something we naturally have. It feels like a family belt and hopefully we can put up a performance. Seems to be the tail which mattered. The way they bowled was enough to bring them back in the game. It seems to be the norm here. Something for us to work on. Afghanistan is one of the best bowling attack going around. We know how hard Delany can hit the ball. It's good for someone like him to do what he did today. Ofcourse we can win the series tomorrow. Just hoping the things going our way.
Time for the post match presentation ceremony
Afghanistan won by 10 runs
Mohammad Nabi 59 (38) | Rashid Khan 4/14(4) Andy Balbirnie 45(44) | Mark Adair 3/27(4)
Afghanistan managed to hold their nerves and managed to win the 2nd T20I against Ireland by 10 runs to level the series 1-1 to take the series to the decider. Andy Balbirnie got ans Paul Stirling got off to a flying start as both batters made light work of the powerplay. Stirling smashed 24 off 15 deliveries which included 5 fours before Nangeliya Kharote bagges the important wicket which turned the game upside down.
It was the magician Rashid Khan who put Afghanistan in the ascendancy with two quick wickets of Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector. Back to back wickets brought Afghanistan back into the game as the spinners continued to spin their web. Mohammad Nabi then picked the wicket of Curtis Campher while George Dockrell could only muster 5 runs off 11 deliveries. However Ireland was not done yet.
With the score reading 95/7, it was Gareth Delany who turned it on with his sublime strokeplay. He smashed 39 off 18 deliveries which included 3 fours and 4 sixes and got his side within touching distance of the victory target. He smashed a six with 17 required off 3 deliveries but couldn't quite repeat it in the next two deliveries as Afghanistan ended up winning by 10 runs. Rashid Khan was the pick of the bowlers finishing with figures of 4/14 while Kharote picked up a couple.
Mohammad Nabi: It was a little bit pressure in the first few overs. When we realised it was a good wicket I asked my partner to play according to the situation and that worked for us. Wicket is not easy for the batters. But when the spinner is bowling it gets difficult as the ball was gripping. Kharote has bowled well. It was a match changing wicket. They had a good opening partnership so that was a great partnership. Hopefully we manage to win the decider.
Afghanistan is elated here. What a strong comeback. They were 14/4 at one stage but have managed to somehow turn the game around and win it and takes it to the decider. Another brilliant game of cricket but for the neutrals this series is set up beautifully. We will be back for the decider tomorrow but Afghanistan take a bow. Rashid Khan came and spun his web of magic to put Ireland on the backfoot and in the end, it was way too much in the end.
20
overs
142/8score
0
1
0
6
0
W
runs
Gareth Delany*
39(18)
Barry McCarthy
6(9)
Fazalhaq Farooqi
1/48
19.6 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Gareth Delany, HOLES OUT! Afghanistan take the series to a decider - they claim this contest by 10 runs! Farooqi misses the wide yorker by a bit, dishes out a low full toss. Delany tries slashing it over the off side, doesn't have enough behind it to clear the ropes. Atal at sweeper cover runs to his left and takes it comfortably.
19.5 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Gareth Delany, Farooqi might just have won it for Afghanistan! Farooqi changes angle, goes hard length on off stump, angling this one across. Delany can only flat-bat this one down to long on, refuses the single
The game is still on here. A low full toss and that has been slammed over the long on fence. He has just about kept Ireland alive.
19.4 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Gareth Delany, SIX! The tide turns! Farooqi misses his yorker - dishes out a full toss outside off stump. Delany absolutely muscles this one having had room to swing, connects well, and clears the man and ropes at long on!
19.3 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Gareth Delany, low full toss outside off, Delany had a swing at it, could only manage to miscue this one to the right of the bowler
19.2 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Barry McCarthy, McCarthy is early with his shimmy down the deck, takes this wide one on the full and carves this towards Rashid at cover. Delany has the strike now...
19.1 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Barry McCarthy, the yorker, just outside off stump, McCarthy tries jamming his bat on it but misses. Dot ball....
Two boundaries to end the over and Ireland still very much in the game here. Delany is putting on a show here. A couple of exceptional shots there. Ireland still need 18 off the final over. Long chat between Delany and McCarthy. Does the latter tries to go for a big shot ??
19
overs
135/7score
0
1
1
1
4
4
runs
Gareth Delany*
33(14)
Barry McCarthy
5(7)
Naveen ul Haq
0/23
18.6 Naveen-ul-Haq to Gareth Delany, FOUR MORE! 18 needed off the final over! Naveen goes full at pace, offers Delany ample width to throw his hands at it. Delany does so, finds the gap at point, and the ball screeches onto the ropes!
18.5 Naveen-ul-Haq to Gareth Delany, FOUR! Slow, back of length just outside off, Delany waits for it having cleared his front leg, swats this one over a straight-ish long on, and finds the boundary on the bounce!
18.4 Naveen-ul-Haq to Barry McCarthy, on a length outside off, chopped behind point for a single as the fielder there fumbles
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Gareth Delany
*
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Video
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