Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
20 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | IRE: 142/8 (11 runs required, RR: 7.10)

  • Barry McCarthy6 (9b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi4-0-48-1
  • Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-23-0

That's it from us, as Afghanistan levelled the three-match series against Ireland. Nabi and Rashid led the way, with the decider taking place tomorrow evening. Until then, it is goodnight and goodbye from Vairavan, Harshith, and me, Himanshu!

Azweer: "Hope the fans saved some nails for the series decider" --- And I saved my fingers and some energy for it...

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's captain, is the Player of the Match. He said there were brief nervous moments, but there are players who can take it away, referring to Nabi's fifty from 14 for 4.

Paul Stirling, Ireland captain: "Great game. They all seem to be close. I am actually happy how we performed. We have another chance tomorrow. They bowled well up top. But the partnership brought them back in the game."

Time for the presentations

Mohammad Nabi: "There was a bit of pressure for the first few overs. But when I realised that the wicket is good for batting, I told my partner Sadiq that let us play it ball by ball. The ball was gripping, and if you bowled a variation, it was difficult. It was a match-changing wicket [of Stirling]. We'll try our best to play good cricket, and hopefully win [the series]."

11.31pm Afghanistan make it 1-1 despite Ireland starting the chase in command, and despite being 14 for 4 with the bat. And once again, it was their spinners who applied the brakes. Rashid took four after grabbing three in the first T20I, after Nabi bashed 59 in a counterattack with the bat. The Player-of-the-Match remains for one of these two. So hang around for the presentations.

19.6
W
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, OUT, taken at deep backward point! A full toss angling away and finishing around sixth stump, as he opened the face of the bat and sliced it away

GJ Delany c Sediqullah Atal b Fazalhaq Farooqi 39 (26m 18b 3x4 4x6) SR: 216.66

19.5
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, no run, short of a length, and angling across towards off. Pulled to long-on, and they don't get a boundary

Over the wicket

19.4
6
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, SIX, he keeps Ireland alive! A low full toss angling into off, and he almost flat-bats it over long-on for six
19.3
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, no run, another yorker, and this is wide of off, as he gets it off the bottom of the bat to long-on. They don't run, though
19.2
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to McCarthy, 1 run, gets across and comes down the pitch. He converts this into a low full toss and pushes to extra cover
19.1
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to McCarthy, no run, ahh, well bowled! Fires a yorker on sixth stump, which McCarthy cannot get a bat on as he jams it down

Ireland need 18 off 6

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | IRE: 135/7 (18 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.10, RRR: 18.00)

  • Gareth Delany33 (14b)
  • Barry McCarthy5 (7b)
  • Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-23-0
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-41-0
18.6
4
Naveen-ul-Haq to Delany, FOUR, drilled to deep backward point! He backs away, and crushes this fullish ball on sixth stump all along the ground to beat deep point to his left
18.5
4
Naveen-ul-Haq to Delany, FOUR, clubbed over the bowler's head! Another one at a change of pace from Naveen, but this is on a length on fifth stump, as Delany has a mow
18.4
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to McCarthy, 1 run, change of pace, and quite full just outside off. Pushed to point
18.3
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Delany, 1 run, just short deep point, which is the longer side of the boundary. Slower ball and short of a length outside off, as Delany hacked to go high
18.2
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to McCarthy, 1 run, bouncer outside off, and a tennis-batted swat to deep midwicket
18.1
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to McCarthy, no run, ahh, bottom edge hits the base of off stump! He made a bit of room and drove at this full ball on fifth stump, but the bails don't come off

Hefaz: "@Azweer, Clearly Nabi!"

END OF OVER:
18 | 22 Runs | IRE: 124/7 (29 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.88, RRR: 14.50)

  • Gareth Delany24 (11b)
  • Barry McCarthy3 (4b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-41-0
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-0-12-0
17.6
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, FOUR, full toss, and over point! Delany takes Farooqi for a ride. Angled in and finishing around off, as he played late to push it to deep backward point
17.5
6
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, SIX, that goes miles up in the air! Another slower ball, but this is in the arc, and on the stumps, as Delany has a golf swing to go over long-on
17.4
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, no run, slower ball again, and now he bowls on a short of a length on sixth stump. The ball turns away as Delany looks to pull but misses

Azweer : "Tug-of-war for POTM between Nabi and Rashid."

17.3
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, no run, change of pace, and on a fullish length just outside off. Dabbed towards point
17.2
6
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, SIX, smashed down the ground! He stands deep in the crease, and gets his front leg out of the way to launch at this length ball angling in to finish around sixth stump
17.1
6
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Delany, SIX, clears deep square leg! That went very high before landing beyond the boundary, as he pulled this length delivery angled into off, and got the distance

Farooqi back from around the wicket

END OF OVER:
17 | 4 Runs | IRE: 102/7 (51 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.00, RRR: 17.00)

  • Gareth Delany2 (5b)
  • Barry McCarthy3 (4b)
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-0-12-0
  • Rashid Khan4-0-14-4
16.6
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Delany, 1 run, slower ball, and full on off. Dragged to long-on
16.5
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Delany, no run, short of a length, and a bit wide of off, as he looked to ramp but missed
16.4
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to McCarthy, 1 run, yorker-length ball angled into off, and swiped to long-on after coming down the pitch

Ireland 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st49A BalbirniePR Stirling
2nd19A BalbirnieLJ Tucker
3rd0A BalbirnieHT Tector
4th13A BalbirnieC Campher
5th14A BalbirnieGH Dockrell
6th0GH DockrellGJ Delany
7th0MR AdairGJ Delany
8th47BJ McCarthyGJ Delany