The rain-related postponement of the second One-Day International (ODI) in the three-match series was unfortunate. The Afghans have an unstoppable 1-0 lead in the series after winning the opening game comfortably. The Irish team will now be under pressure to bounce back from their defeat and play well in the match.
When it comes to the Afghans, the Irish team has a dismal record. They must recover because they have dropped their last five games against them. Their poor bowling attack makes the team’s work difficult. The Afghans have a strong track record at this location and a top order that is in good form. This is going to be a close match.
AFG vs IRE Team Preview & Squads
Afghanistan
After winning the first match, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s side will try to win the series. In the first game, their bowlers put on a masterful display, ensuring that the Irish batting team could never recover. The Irish team won’t be taken lightly, and Shahidi will be looking to his guys to perform well.
In the previous match, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran put up a 150-run stand, and they aim to duplicate that effort. Experienced hitters Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, and Azmatullah Omarzai support the middle order. They anticipate Gulbadin Naib and Shahidi to score runs in the lower middle order.
The bowling attack is clicking, and the team is hoping to get early wickets from Azmatullah Omarzai and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who combined for six wickets in the opening game. In the middle overs, Naib and Allah Ghazanfar need to bowl tight spells. This attack gains further depth from Nabi and Noor Ahmed.
Afghanistan Squads
Afghanistan Squads
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Allah Ghazanfar.
Ireland
Pressure will be on Paul Stirling’s side. To win today, the bowling attack and top order need to get back on track after underperforming in the first encounter. In these circumstances, the Afghans will be difficult to defeat, and Stirling anticipates a powerful performance from his senior men.
Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie were not present in the previous match. They have to perform well because they are the team’s most seasoned batsmen. Harry Tector will feel more secure after hitting a century in the last match, but he still needs to perform well in the middle order with Lorcan Tucker and Curtis Campher. George Dockrell and Mark Adair need to perform well in the bottom middle order for the side to win.
The bowling attack struggled in the first match, so Mark Adair and Graham Hume must bowl them tight periods with the new ball. At this ground, the middle overs are quite important, therefore Craig Young and Theo van Woerkom will need to perform well for the side. Campher, Dockrell, and Andy McBrine all need to perform well in the supporting parts.
Ireland Squads
Ireland Squads
Paul Stirling (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Theo van Woerkom, Andy McBrine, Graham Hume, and Craig Young.
Match Details
Match
Afghanistan v Ireland, 3rd ODI | Ireland tour of Afghanistan 2024
We have witnessed huge scores on the scoreboard, and it is among the greatest batting surfaces in the world. In the second innings, the ball will turn, which will complicate matters for the batsmen. Therefore, we think the team that wins the toss will choose to bat first.
The players will be put to the test by the heat and humidity, despite the fantastic weather in Sharjah.
The track where the ball comes to bat will be an excellent one to bat on. To feel comfortable on this surface, the team batting first will aim for a score of roughly 300 runs.
AFG vs IRE Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches
Afghanistan has won four of their last five matches, and one match has been abandoned.
According to cricket analysts, Afghanistan has a 56.3% chance of winning.
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