Andy Balbirnie century guides Ireland to victory over Afghanistan

Andy Balbirnie anchored Ireland’s innings as they passed Afghanistan’s 256-8 with an over to spare to win by four wickets.

Andy Balbirnie gave Afghanistan a taste of their own medicine Tuesday, smashing a brilliant unbeaten 145 as Ireland claimed their first win of a punishing series.

The 28-year-old Dubliner anchored Ireland’s innings as they passed Afghanistan’s 256-8 with an over to spare to win by four wickets.

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Najibullah Zadran hit an unbeaten 104 as Afghanistan recovered from losing five cheap wickets to set a score that they must have thought was enough to preserve their unbeaten record in the series.

But Balbirnie hit eight sixes and eight fours to set up the morale-boosting win that levelled the five match 50 over series 1-1, with two matches to play.

Ireland were whitewashed in the earlier T20 games in which a series of world records fell.