he's done it! Balbirnie backs away and slices this full ball over short third to clinch the most unlikely of wins for Ireland. What an absolute monster of a knock.
Afghanistan vs Ireland, 3rd ODI at Dehra Dun, AFG v IRE, Mar 05 2019 - Match Result
8:33pm And that is all from our live coverage. Stick around for the report in a bit. Good night!
Andy Balbirnie: There was pressure. Just for a morale booster, to get that win against these guys, it's great for the team. I was in control. There was a couple of scary moments, but you have to take risks The last few days we've been watching videos of their main threats. You go and bat and dream of having that kind of a knock. We're a very close team at the moment, so just to be able to win that will be great for us.
Andy Balbirnie is the Man of the Match.
William Porterfield: Obviously didn't start great. I can't speak high enough about his knock. Not just getting a hundred but getting us over the line. Doing everything he speaks about doing. It's been a very tightly contested series. In Sharjah we beat them 2-1, in Ireland they beat us 2-1. We would love to take the lead.
Asghar Afghan: Our top order batsmen played some poor shots. That's why we were 74 for 5. I think 256 was good on this pitch. We dropped some catches and Balrbirinie played very well. We lost mainly because of our fielding.
Ashutosh Solse: "Balbirnine hit 8 sixes from his entire career of 52 matches.. now. 8 sixes from single game... Truly career setting innings for him"
Ahmad Sohrab Sa: "In cricket matches a single mistake can change the result, in today match Afghanistan did a very big mistake by given 10 overs bowling to Samiullah Shenwari. In 1st match Gulbadin bowled 7.2 for 20 runs today Sami bowled 10 overs for 60 runs."
Isaac Marshall: "Maybe Afghanistan should pay their respects to Balbirnie by inviting him to next year's Afghanistan Premier League?"
JackT: "A career defining knock, well played Balbirnie!!!"
Abhijato: "We take a bow, Mr Balbirnie! You have played like a sensation tonight, and proven that the Irish cricket team is far from done. The fightback this team has produced despite being against the wall and not in the favour of the critics throughout this tour so far would have crumbled lesser teams, but they've turned up more impressively every time they come out on the field. Here's to hoping this inspires the reignition of the Ireland Cricket Team!"
8:17pm Anyone who saw the early stages of this innings would not have believed either Balbirnie or Ireland themselves would make it to 8:17pm in the night, leave along as winners by four wickets. Balbirnie has got 55.7% of the runs, in the face of a collapse, in the face of a quality spin attack, and despite his own shakiness at the start. Just kept on batting, taking it long, building the pressure on Afghanistan with every over. And Afghanistan have buckled under the pressure. An indiivudal knock of 145, and a partnership of 143 that involved an invaluable knock from Dockrell has helped Ireland draw level.
finds cover point! That was an exquisite square drive but he couldn't pierce the infield on the off side, with all fielders in the circle
past extra cover and past sweeper cover! Low full toss just outside off, backs away and drives into the gap. Zazai with the most laboured sprint at this. His despair is a picture of Afghanistan's despair. Run and run and run, but can't catch Balbirnie at the moment
Saoirse : "That six off Rashid Khan has surely sealed the match, though my Irish pessimism still has me worried!"
short of a length and in at off stump, runs the defence into his foot. They steal a single pitch side
dropped! Oh no no no no. That is poor from Afghanistan. Clearly feeling the pressure. Rahmat at short fine. Slower short all at the shoulder. Waits for it and lobs it straight to the fielder with the attempted hook. That was as simple as they'll come in the 49th over of a tight game
Does Dawlat have some magic left tonight?
full and in at middle stump, steps across and flicks to deep square
Dawlat around the wicket
Eight runs off 12 balls. Will they be tempted to go after it this over and give Rashid not even an outside chance?
googly outside off, gets low and sweeps straight to short fine...where Mujeeb misfields and gives them another
length on off stump, defended off the inside edge on the front foot
Jon : "If Balbirnie can find some consistency, he will go some way towards filling the void left by the retirement of Ed Joyce and that would play a big role in bringing Ireland back up to their best."
length on leg stump, nudged into the midwicket region off the back foot
see ya! Eighth six for Balbirnie and now he doesn't even care if it's Rashid bowling. Full and flat at middle stump, gets right under it and sweeps it over the square leg boundary. Tremendous
dropped. Big edge as he plays inside the line of another googly. On the back foot. Shahzad can only deflect this towards short third
googly beats him. Another length ball outside, beats the forward block
Isaac Marshall: "I've just been popping in and out but I fell bad for Dawlat being the only pacer, they'll get used to him easily now and he's done remarkably well considering this."
nice shot but won't pierce the field. Overpitched outside off, leans into the drive, won't beat mid-off to the right
short slower ball outside off, backs away and chops to sweeper's left
oh well bowled. Slower bouncer at an off stump line. Backs away for the upper cut but decides to let it pass
clears midwicket! Again. What a hit. Supremely clean. Length ball at middle stump. Drags it off the front foot and just gets it over the rope. Ireland below run a ball again
Anton: "Cameron-Dow can hold a bat. Scored a 70 against Sri Lanka A 2 months ago on the Irish A tour. Probably be he who's in next"
length on off stump, tapped to extra cover on the up
past the bowler and mid-off. Long-on cleans up to his left. Wants to loft this over the infield but it comes off the toe-end
beats outside edge and off stump! Gosh that was close. Googly on middle stump, makes him defend inside the line and nearly has him
googly that he hasn't picked. But the stride is big and he gets a thick inside edge into safety as he tries to push through cover
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W |
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun | |
Toss | Afghanistan, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2018/19 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | 5-match series level 1-1 |
Match number | ODI no. 4105 |
Hours of play (local time) | 13.00 start, First Session 13.00-16.30, Interval 16.30-17.15, Second Session 17.15-20.45 |
Match days | 05 March 2019 - daynight (50-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |