Ire v Afg, 4th ODI Review: Rashid Khan's all-round show helps Afghanistan take lead

Afghanistan took an unbeatable lead of 2-1 in the 5-match ODI series with a huge win in final ODI against Ireland at Belfast. The final ODI of the series will be played on Tuesday at this very venue.

After electing to bat, Afghanistan got off to a decent start. At drinks break, they were looking towards a huge total placed at 78/2 in 19 overs. But Ireland bowlers pulled things back picking 4 wickets in space of 12 over giving away just 26 runs. Rahmat Shah played a crucial knock as he scored 48 in 70 balls with 4 fours and was looking towards a big knock.

Similar to the 3rd ODI, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Arman Khan shared a crucial fifty-run stand between them for the 7th wicket. Nabi brought up his fifty in 66 balls with 5 fours and a six but got out on the very next delivery as he was caught at short fine leg trying to flick. This brought an end to the 54-run stand in 62 balls for the 7th wicket. However, Rashid Khan continued to score runs despite Ashraf’s struggle at the start of his innings. Rashid scored boundaries regularly and took his side’s total past 200.

He struck 4, 6 and 6 in last 3 balls of Afghanistan inning to help them post a respectable total of 229/7. With the first of the two sixes, Rashid brought up his fifty in just 43 balls. He remained unbeaten on 60 off 44 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. Andy McBrine picked up 2 wickets conceding just 29 in his 10 overs.

Also Watch: Ed Joyce’s controversial run out in the 4th ODI v Afghanistan

In reply, Ireland looked good only till a controversial run out resulted in Ed Joyce’s wicket. Joyce hit one towards the cover region and assumed it to be a boundary. Nabi put on a valiant effort at the boundary to stop it from crossing over the line and returned the ball. Ahmadzai removed the bails at bowlers end when Joyce was short of his crease.

Umpires ruled Joyce out after Afghanistan didn’t want to turn down their appeal. Rahmat Shah picked a couple of wickets after that as Ireland collapsed to 67/4 in 18th over. Kevin O’Brien and Paul Stirling shared a 63-run stand at that point before Ahmadzai sent O’Brien back for 34. Rashid Khan’s heroics with the ball then began as he picked 4 scalps including Stirling. Dawlat Zadran picked the final wicket as Ireland were bowled out for 150 in 41 overs.

During the game, Rashid Arman Khan set quite a few records. Here are those:

3 – Rashid Khan became only the 3rd player to score a fifty plus in ODIs before turning 18 while coming to bat at No.5 or lower. Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Amir are the other two.

4 – Rashid Khan became the 4th youngest player to pick a 4-wicket haul in ODI cricket.

10 – Rashid Khan is now one of the 10 players to score a fifty plus in ODIs before turning 18. He is the 2nd Afghanistan player to do so after Usman Ghani.

39 – Wickets taken by Rashid Khan so far in International cricket. Only Mohammad Amir picked more wickets before turning 18.

17y 301d – Rashid Khan is now the youngest player to score 40 runs and pick 4-wicket haul in same ODI. Previously, no one achieved this feat before turning 18.

Brief Scores:

Afghanistan – 229/7 (R Khan 60*, M Nabi 50; AR McBrine 2/29)

Ireland – 150/10 (Kevin O’Brien 34; Rashid Khan 4/21)

Man of the match: Rashid Khan