Ireland vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I at Dehra Dun, AFG v IRE, Feb 21 2019 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st T20I, Dehradun, February 21, 2019, Afghanistan v Ireland
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132/6
(19.2/20 ov, T:133) 136/5

Afghanistan won by 5 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
49* (40) & 2/16
mohammad-nabi
Cricinfo's MVP
107.73 ptsImpact List
mohammad-nabi
New
AFG
Full commentary

That's all from our side for this game. Thanks for joining us. See you soon.

Asghar Afghan: The first game of the series is very important but good that we won. Our top order played some loose shots but I am happy the way Nabi and Najib batted. We want our young guys to get some exposure because our main plan is the World Cup."

Mohammad Nabi is the Man of the Match. "The batting side is always under pressure when you are 50 for 5," he says. "But we kept taking singles and doubles."

Paul Stirling: We didn't get much runs in the Powerplay but all credit to the bowlers the way they bowled in the first ten overs. But then we couldn't get any wickets. [On Thompson injury] It was a slight niggle at the start, but we will access it tomorrow.

Time for the presentation ceremony.

9.48pm A target of 133 was never going to be enough but credit to the Ireland bowlers who made a match out of it. They had Afghanistan 50 for 5 in the eighth over but Mohammad Nabi used his experience to steer the chase in the company of Najibullah Zadran. The two added 86 in 72 balls to take the side home with four balls to spare. Ireland have now lost eight T20Is in a row to Afghanistan.

19.2
4
Chase to M Nabi, FOUR runs

a low full toss this time and Nabi has lofted it over mid-off, bounces just inside, and goes over the rope

19.1
Chase to M Nabi, no run

a yorker on the off stump, Nabi jams his bat at it, gets an inside edge on to the pads

end of over 198 runs
AFG: 132/5CRR: 6.94 RRR: 1.00
Mohammad Nabi45 (38b 4x4 1x6)
Najibullah Zadran40 (36b 3x4 1x6)
Boyd Rankin 4-0-39-2
Josh Little 4-0-28-1
18.6
1
Rankin to M Nabi, 1 run

length, wide outside off, Nabi was looking to give himself some room, had to reach for it in the end, gets a single and levels the scores

18.5
Rankin to M Nabi, no run

bouncer this time, Nabi goes for the pull and misses

18.4
6
Rankin to M Nabi, SIX runs

what a shot! Almost seals the game there, Nabi. Rankin misses his length a bit and that's enough for Nabi to lean back and lofts it over extra cover, all the way for a six

18.3
Rankin to M Nabi, no run

another one in the blockhole but Nabi manages to hit it back towards the bowler who gets some hand to it, another dot

18.2
Rankin to M Nabi, no run

fuller, right in the blockhole outside off, Nabi jams his bat, gets an inside edge into the ground, the keeper cuts it off

18.1
1
Rankin to Zadran, 1 run

short of length on the pads, helped towards fine leg

Nine runs required from last two overs

end of over 187 runs
AFG: 124/5CRR: 6.88 RRR: 4.50
Mohammad Nabi38 (33b 4x4)
Najibullah Zadran39 (35b 3x4 1x6)
Josh Little 4-0-28-1
Boyd Rankin 3-0-31-2
17.6
Little to M Nabi, no run

slower length ball at the batsman who was looking to give himself some room, pushes it towards mid-off in the end

17.5
1
Little to Zadran, 1 run

length outside off, drags it towards deep midwicket for one

17.4
1
Little to M Nabi, 1 run

fuller around off, driven towards long-off for one

17.3
1
Little to Zadran, 1 run

length around off, was looking to work it on the leg side, gets a leading edge towards extra cover

17.2
4
Little to Zadran, FOUR runs

length on the stumps, clears his front leg and clubs it towards deep midwicket, not the best of the connections but still a one-bounce four

17.1
Little to Zadran, no run

length outside off, Najib pushes at it and gets beaten, was rooted to the crease

end of over 1710 runs
AFG: 117/5CRR: 6.88 RRR: 5.33
Mohammad Nabi37 (31b 4x4)
Najibullah Zadran33 (31b 2x4 1x6)
Boyd Rankin 3-0-31-2
Josh Little 3-0-21-1
16.6
2
Rankin to M Nabi, 2 runs

fuller around off, Nabi was looking to clip it on the leg side, gets an outside edge through short third man and point, Chase puts in the dive to keep it to two

16.5
Rankin to M Nabi, no run

short of length on the stumps, goes for the pull but toe-ends it towards covers

16.4
Rankin to M Nabi, no run

fuller again, backs away but hits it straight towards mid-off this time

16.3
4
Rankin to M Nabi, FOUR runs

smashed! Fuller on the stumps, Nabi backs away and drills it past the non-striker, a valiant effort by Getkate at long-on but cannot stop the boundary

16.2
2
Rankin to M Nabi, 2 runs

fuller on the stumps, flicked towards deep square leg for a couple

16.1
2
Rankin to M Nabi, 2 runs

length around off, Nabi looks to go over extra cover but ends up skying it towards deep backward point, lands safe

Win Probability
AFG 100%
IREAFG
100%50%100%IRE InningsAFG Innings

Over 20 • AFG 136/5

Afghanistan won by 5 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
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