Afghanistan vs Ireland, 4th ODI at Greater Noida, Mar 22 2017, Afghanistan tour of India

RESULT
4th ODI, Greater Noida, March 22, 2017, Afghanistan tour of India
(46.5/50 ov, T:221) 224/7

Ireland won by 3 wickets (with 19 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
72* (60) & 4/26
kevin-o-brien
Match centre 
Comms: Shashank Kishore
Scorecard summary
Afghanistan 220/10(49.5 overs)
42 (42)
4/26 (7)
41* (53)
3/57 (10)
Ireland 224/7(46.5 overs)
72* (60)
4/30 (9)
41 (67)
2/50 (9)

4.50pm Kevin O'Brien - take a bow. Wickets, then had to go off on 9 because of a hamstring injury. Came out to bat in a crisis and then led the way with a fine counter-attack to keep this series alive. Afghanistan's spinners switched off briefly and lost the plot in a 10-minute passage where O'Brien went berserk. Such was the ferocity of his onslaught that it more than made up for yet aother top order wobble. Credit also to Gary Wilson for playing the role of the accumulator.

Big question now is will Kevin O'Brien play the decider on Friday? Hamstring injuries can take a while to heal. He was clearly not comfortable running, and so decided maybe hitting out was the best strategy. Worked wonders today as it came at a time where it looked like Ireland were being schooled by the Afghanistan spinners. Two attacking hits forced them to alter their line and lengths. It went downhill from there on.

Time for the presentation

"It's all coming together now," says Ireland captain William Porterfield. "We knew today would be a low-scoring affair. Restricting them to 220 was a great effort. We'll assess who is fit. We've had a couple of forced chances. Hopefully we can pick from a full squad for the final game on Friday."

No surprises with the Player of the Match award. Kevin O'Brien . "It's the same hamstring injury, which doesn't look too good. We'll reassess in the next 12-24 hours to see how it goes. As a batting unit, we spoke of how we need one from the top six to be there till the end. That's how it worked out. Afghanistan are a good bowling team. We knew they weren't going to lie down when they scored just 219."

"Top order hasn't clicked, that's a concern for us," says Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai. "The good thing is our lower order is coming up with important contributions. I think 220 was a defendable total."

pradipto: "This is a commendable effort from the Irish on a slow and low turner, kind of pitch they are not accustomed too. Kevin O'brien still has it in him."

46.5
4
Zadran to K O'Brien, FOUR runs

as easy as they come. Full toss sliding into the pads and he's flicked that imperiously into the square leg boundary. The series is now level at 2-2.

46.4
4
Zadran to K O'Brien, FOUR runs

short on middle, pulled into the big gap between deep square and wide long-on. Scores level

46.3
1
Zadran to Dockrell, 1 run

gloves a steep bouncer behind square on the leg side

46.2
1
Zadran to K O'Brien, 1 run

nurdles a short ball wide of square leg

46.1
Zadran to K O'Brien, no run

slower delivery that cuts away from length, defended gently back down the pitch

end of over 468 runs
IRE: 214/7CRR: 4.65 RRR: 1.75
Kevin O'Brien63 (56b 6x4 2x6)
George Dockrell4 (9b)
Rashid Khan 9-1-50-2
Dawlat Zadran 8-1-41-0
45.6
1
Rashid Khan to K O'Brien, 1 run

looks to go over cover, thick inside edge to deep midwicket

45.5
Rashid Khan to K O'Brien, no run

appeal for lbw but the ball came back in a long way. He was also a long, long way forward

45.4
4
Rashid Khan to K O'Brien, FOUR runs

goes for an expansive drive, gets a thick inside edge that beats short fine leg. Fist pumps in the Ireland camp. They won't mind how these runs come

45.3
1
Rashid Khan to Dockrell, 1 run
45.2
1
Rashid Khan to K O'Brien, 1 run

opened the bat face late to steer the short ball to deep point, sensible stuff to bring the senior partner back on strike

45.1
1
Rashid Khan to Dockrell, 1 run

too full and down leg, tickled to deep fine leg

end of over 4510 runs
IRE: 206/7CRR: 4.57 RRR: 3.00
Kevin O'Brien57 (52b 5x4 2x6)
George Dockrell2 (7b)
Dawlat Zadran 8-1-41-0
Rashid Khan 8-1-42-2
44.6
4
Zadran to K O'Brien, FOUR runs

bursts through the hands of short third man. There was width, he looked to hit over point, but the ball flew off the edge. Usman Ghani was late to move but did well to cover ground and get to the ball but couldn't hold on

44.5
1
Zadran to Dockrell, 1 run

slower and fuller outside off, squeezed to the man at the edge of the ring at cover

44.4
1lb
Zadran to K O'Brien, 1 leg bye

appeal for lbw but the ball would've gone over. The length ball nipped back in to hit him high on the left pad.

44.3
1
Zadran to Dockrell, 1 run

punches the length ball to sweeper cover

44.2
1
Zadran to K O'Brien, 1 run

bunts the length ball to the right of point for a quick single

44.1
2
Zadran to K O'Brien, 2 runs

misfield at long-off concedes a second run when it should have been just a single

Dawlat Zadran

end of over 44Wicket maiden
IRE: 196/7CRR: 4.45 RRR: 4.16
George Dockrell0 (5b)
Kevin O'Brien50 (48b 4x4 2x6)
Rashid Khan 8-1-42-2
Dawlat Zadran 7-1-32-0
43.6
Rashid Khan to Dockrell, no run

gets well forward and defends to cover

43.5
Rashid Khan to Dockrell, no run

nearly chopped on. The ball skid back in to nearly sneak through off the inside-edge

43.4
Rashid Khan to Dockrell, no run

gets fully forward and defends the full ball on middle

Match details
Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, Greater Noida
TossAfghanistan, elected to bat first
Series
Season2016/17
Player Of The Match
Series result5-match series level 2-2
Match numberODI no. 3853
Hours of play (local time)09.30 start, First Session 09.30-13.00 Interval 13.00-13.45, Second Session 13.45-17.15
Match days22 March 2017 - day (50-over match)
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