AFG v IRE, 2nd T20, Review: Tarakai and Rashid Khan help Afghanistan to pull off a 17 Run D/L victory over Ireland

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Afganistan Rashid Khan
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Rashid Khan produced his best T20I bowling figures. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The Afghan Tigers were on a sumptuous form following their 7-wicket victory over Ireland in the 1st T20 at the Greater Noida Sports Complex ground. The Tigers, elected to bat first after winning the toss on a good deck with conditions slightly overcast. Afghanistan, got off to a poor start after their key player Mohammed Shahzad was dismissed by Barry McCarthy playing a poor shot. Shahzad was caught at mid-off after he tried to scoop the ball over mid-off’s head for a boundary in the 4th ball of the crucial game.

Najeeb Taraki relieved the pressure with a boundary following Shahzad’s dismissal. McCarthy followed his first wicket with another crucial wicket of the Tigers captain Asghar Stanikzai. Stanikzai skied his shot towards the rushing long-on in the 3rd over of the match to get dismissed on 4. Samiullah Shenwari and Tarakai steadied the Tigers’ innings with a 54-run partnership for the men in blue.

Stuart Thompson, the right arm fast bowler broke the partnership when the score read 66 dismissing Shenwari for a well-played 17 runs. Wickets fell in tandem for the Tigers as Jacob Mulder dismissed Shafiqullah for a 1st ball duck in the 9th over of this clash.

Taraki kept on going with his innings as he brought up a well-deserved maiden half-century in the 11th over of this crucial encounter. Karim Jannat supported Taraki with some crucial blows in the 13th over the game. Jannat was dismissed at 20 by an amazing direct hit by the captain, who led the team on the field with an example.

Former captain Mohammed Nabi joined Taraki and the duo put on a 57-run partnership to help Afghanistan sail past the 150 runs. Taraki was soon dismissed 10 runs less to a fantastic maiden T20 century in the last over of the encounter.

Nabi followed Taraki with an ill-timed shot straight to the hands of Tucker; the wicket also brought up McCarthy’s fourth wicket of the match. Najibullah Zadran ended the Tigers’ innings in some style with a six over cow corner.

In reply, Ireland got off to a poor start with Thompson getting dismissed for five runs in the 2nd over the match. Paul Stirling and captain William Porterfield fired all guns blazing with a 53-run partnership in just 21 balls.

The pair played for the D/L rather than the chase of 185 runs. Rain interrupted play in the 7th over of the game with Ireland well ahead of the D/L score.

Ireland got a revised target of 111 runs in 11 overs, and the panic was seen in their batting that followed the break. Porterfield was dismissed for 22 runs following a miss-scooped to the hands of Rashid Khan.

Rashid Khan was the difference between victory and a defeat for the Tigers. The leg-spinner was on a high after the IPL auction, and his golden form continued. Rashid Khan grabbed two wickets in succession to reduce Ireland to 71 for 5.

Ireland required 40 runs in the last three overs of the game, and the required rate rattled the Irish batsmen. Janat leaked 11 runs in the next over to keep the series and the game alive. Rashid’s next over and the penultimate over of the match saw the young leggie pick up a triple wicket maiden against a modest Irish batting display.

Rashid’s bowling figures of 5-3 were more than enough to lead the Tigers to a victory. Nabi, ended the innings with ten runs and the Irish team were 18 runs short of their target of 111.

Najeeb Taraki and Rashid Khan were declared Players of the match for the 90 runs and five wickets respectively.

Breif Score:

Afghanistan 184/8 in 20 overs (Najeeb Taraki 90, Barry McCarthy 4-33)
Ireland 93/9 in 11 overs, target 111 runs in 11 overs (Stirling 34, Rashid Khan 5-3)

Afghanistan won by 17 runs (D/L method)

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