Toss & Team News

Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah won the toss and elected to bowl first, opting to exploit early moisture and overhead conditions on a fresh Belfast surface.[reference:6] Afghanistan made one change, bringing in Ziaur Rahman for Fazalhaq Farooqi.[reference:7] Ireland, desperate to avoid a whitewash, stuck with their strongest XI.

Ireland Innings – Campher’s Rescue Act

Ireland’s top order once again found themselves in familiar trouble. Early breakthroughs by the Afghan seamers left the home side stuttering at 99/4 in the 19th over.[reference:8]

Then came the rescue act. Curtis Campher strode to the crease and played with a perfect blend of caution and aggression. He anchored the innings with a brilliant counter-attacking 96 off just 84 balls, smashing 7 fours and 4 sixes.[reference:9] He found an able ally in Harry Tector, who played the anchor role with a vital 53 off 80 balls.[reference:10] The pair added 55 runs for the fifth wicket, steadying the ship.[reference:11]

After Tector’s dismissal, Campher managed a solid 72-run stand with George Dockrell and another powerful 64-run partnership alongside Jordan Neill.[reference:12] Dockrell chipped in with a brisk 31 off 25 balls.[reference:13]

Campher was robbed of his century in the final over, but his knock propelled Ireland to a commanding total of 298/7 in 50 overs – their best batting performance of the series.[reference:14][reference:15]

Afghanistan Chase – A Record-Breaking Partnership

Afghanistan’s chase began shakily. Liam McCarthy struck early in the powerplay, dismissing Ibrahim Zadran with a short ball in the fourth over.[reference:16] McCarthy then removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz cheaply, leaving Afghanistan at 14/2 inside the first six overs.[reference:17]

From there, Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal took control. The duo rebuilt steadily before raising the tempo through sharp strike rotation and timely boundaries.[reference:18] Their 201-run partnership was Afghanistan’s highest ODI stand for the third wicket, breaking the previous record of 184.[reference:19]

Atal looked set for his second century of the series but fell agonizingly short, caught at deep square leg for 98.[reference:20] Rahmat Shah, however, anchored the chase with immense composure. He reached his third ODI century and finished unbeaten on 143 off 133 balls, with 13 fours and 2 sixes.[reference:21][reference:22]

Azmatullah Omarzai provided the late power-hitting boost with a quickfire 24 off 14 balls before falling in the 47th over.[reference:23] The skipper stayed through to the end, sealing the victory with three balls to spare.[reference:24]

Rahmat Shah played the innings of his life when it mattered most. Walking in at 21/2, the captain watched the early wickets tumble before taking control. His unbeaten 143 was a masterclass in pacing a chase – he started cautiously, rotated strike brilliantly, and accelerated when needed.[reference:26]

This was his third ODI century and the highest individual score by an Afghan captain in a successful run-chase. He shared a 201-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal – Afghanistan’s highest ODI stand for the third wicket.[reference:27]

Campher produced his second successive fifty of the series, following his 84 in the 4th ODI.[reference:28] His 96 was a counter-attacking masterclass – he walked in at 99/4 and completely changed the momentum of the innings.[reference:29]

He smashed 7 fours and 4 sixes and added crucial partnerships with Harry Tector, George Dockrell, and Jordan Neill.[reference:30] He fell agonizingly short of a well-deserved century in the final over, but his knock propelled Ireland to their highest total of the series.[reference:31]

This was his 10th ODI half-century (1 hundred). In 9 home matches, he now has 334 runs at an average of 41.75.[reference:32]

The teenage spin prodigy continued his sensational form this series, returning highly economical figures of 2 for 34 in his 8 overs.[reference:33] He was the most economical bowler on either side, bowling with remarkable control and variations on a surface that offered little assistance to spinners.

Ghazanfar ended the series as one of Afghanistan’s most impressive performers, consistently strangling Ireland’s scoring in the middle overs.

The five-match ODI series between Ireland and Afghanistan was a one-sided affair. After the first match in Dublin was washed out due to rain, Afghanistan won the remaining four ODIs with clinical performances.

Key Performers of the Series:

• Sediqullah Atal: 215 runs, including a century (143) in the 4th ODI and 98 in the 5th.[reference:40]
• Ibrahim Zadran: 203 runs, including a century (107) in the 4th ODI.[reference:41]
• Rashid Khan: 12 wickets across the series, consistently troubling Ireland’s batters.[reference:42]
• Curtis Campher: 180+ runs for Ireland, including two successive fifties.[reference:43]
• Andy Balbirnie: 109 in the 4th ODI – a lone bright spot for Ireland.[reference:44]

Afghanistan’s batting depth, spin prowess, and fielding standards proved too much for Ireland, who managed just one win across the entire tour – a T20I victory in the preceding series. The 4-0 result cements Afghanistan’s status as one of the most dangerous ODI sides in world cricket.