IRE vs AFG Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! b Rashid Khan.

No run.

OUT! c Mohammad Saleem b Rashid Khan.

No run.

1 run.

1 run.

No run, just a mere push. But no space for a run.

No run, just a mere push. But no space for a run.

Short and outside off, Moondra cuts it to deep point for a single.

No run, that is punched off the back foot but straight to the fielder.

1 run.

OUT! b Rashid Khan.

No run.

No run.

2 runs.

No run.

Full and outside off, Gavin Hoey drives it straight to cover. A WICKET MAIDEN for Farooqi! His bowling figures now read 6-1-29-1.

No run, a gentle push by the batter but cannot pierce the gap.

OUT! STRAIGHT TO MID OFF! The run chase is disintegrating now. On a length, around off, angling away, Mark Adair looks to go over the top but does not connect it well at all. The ball hits the toe end of the bat and lobs towards mid off where Rahmat Shah makes no mistake. From 198/5, IRELAND ARE NOW 201/7! 99 more needed from 98 balls.

No run.

No run, played towards covers.

Full and straight, pushed towards mid on.

1 run, that is just a mere push for a run.

2 runs.

No run, just a mere push. But no space for a run.

OUT! Dragged on! The batter has played that onto the stumps.

No run.

No run.

5 Wides!

1 run, this is worked away for a run.

FOUR! Make that a hat-trick of boundaries! Mohammad Saleem's day keeps getting worse. He lands this short again, on middle. Ben Calitz expects that length and moves across to get inside the line of it before hooking it to the deep backward square leg fence for four more runs.

FOUR MORE! Nothing streaky about this one. On a length, around off, Ben Calitz backs away, then gets in line and punches it to the right of point for consecutive boundaries!

FOUR! Streaky but they all count! Good length and just around off, Ben Calitz looks to play away from his body but gets an outside edge. It races to the deep third fence and beats Fazalhaq Farooqi to his right for a boundary.

Outside off, worked through mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length and around off, Ben Calitz punches it through covers for a single.

On a length, around middle and leg, Calitz tucks it through mid-wicket for a single. 16 from the over, 26 in the last 2!

SIX! Makes full use of the Free Hit! Short of a length and on middle, but not short enough to trouble the batter. Ben Calitz clears his front leg away and whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen more.

No ball.

On a good length, outside off, Campher defends it towards cover.

SIX! Goes all the way! Azmatullah Omarzai bangs this into the pitch, around middle. Curtis Campher goes for the pull shot but gets rushed on it. The ball takes the top edge and flies over the keeper's head for a biggie.

On a length, outside off, Curtis Campher guides it towards backward point.

1 run, that is just a mere push for a run.

Short, outside off, Ben Calitz punches it through point for a single, to make it a 10-run over.

FOUR! Second of the over! Mohammad Saleem hits the deck hard and just around off. Ben Calitz opens the bat face and uses the pace of the ball to steer it past point. He timed it so well that it races away to the fence for a boundary. Ireland need 139 runs in 121 balls.

Ooohh... if the fielder has picked that up... Full, on middle, Campher pushed it straight to mid on and called for the run. The fielder came chaging in, but at the point of picking the ball, looked up at the batters and fumbled the ball.

FOUR! Cut away! Short of a length and outside off. Curtis Campher gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it past the diving point fielder for a boundary.

Dropped short, outside off, Campher pulls it straight to mid-wicket.

Fuller and on off, Curtis Campher drives it to mid off.

On a length, around middle and off, Ben Calitz defends it down the pitch. 7 runs from the over, but a wicket as well. 6-1-26-2 are the bowling figures of Azmatullah Omarzai.

OUT! CAUGHT! Azmatullah Omarzai gets the set batter and Ireland are in big trouble now. He bangs this into the pitch, outside off. Cade Carmichael backs a bit too far away and slashes his bat at it, trying to reach out. He cannot handle the bounce and gets a top edge that flies towards deep third. AM Ghazanfar moves to his left and takes a fine running catch. It almost popped out but he managed to hold on to it. It's the end of Carmichael's fine knock, and Ireland lose half their side now.

1 run, played towards mid on.

Four! Played towards covers.

Full, outside off, Curtis Campher drives this towards mid off.

Short of a length and outside off, Curtis Campher cuts it wide of point, but the fielder dives to his right to get a good hand on it. It still rolls behind, but Fazalhaq Farooqi in the deep runs to his left to cut it out. Two taken.

On a length, outside off, Carmichael opens the face of his bat and guides it towards point.

Full and outside off, Cade Carmichael leans and drives it straight to cover.

Short, outside off, cut through point for a single.

Full and outside off, driven straight to cover.

OUT! MASSIVE SHOUT FOR LBW, NOT GIVEN, BUT TUCKER IS RUN OUT! You can either call it unlucky for the batter or exceptional alertness from the fielder. On a length, around off, angling down, Lorcan Tucker looks to flick it away but misses and is hit on the pads. Saleem roars an LBW appeal but the umpire moves away. Now, here comes the drama. Tucker does not know where the ball is and is wandering out of his crease. And the next thing he knows, the stumps are hit by a throw at his end and he has to walk back! Actually, the ball went off his pads towards point and Sediqullah Atal fielded and fired a direct hit at the striker's end. What a lucky break for Afghanistan. The 38-run stand is broken and IRELAND ARE 144/4 CHASING 300!

A short ball, outside off, Cade Carmichael pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Outside off, worked through mid-wicket for one.

NEARLY STRAIGHT TO THE MAN! Short and wide outside off, Tucker slashes hard and almost hits it straight down the throat of Fazalhaq Farooqi at deep cover. The ball lands just in front. A single taken.

More steep bounce. Short, outside off, Carmichael is taken aback by the extra bounce but manages to fend it awkwardly behind point, for one.

Just short of good, outside off, steep bounce, Lorcan Tucker rises with the bounce and dabs it to the off side for a run.

On a length again, outside off, Cade Carmichael eases this through the covers for a single.

On a length, around off, defended from the crease.

FOUR! Spoils a relatively good over. Banged in short, outside off, Lorcan Tucker picks the length in a trice and pulls it, albeit without much timing, to the mid-wicket fence. The stand moves to 32 (36).

Fuller, around off, Cade Carmichael works it towards mid on for a quick single.

Fuller, outside off, CC leans and drives it through cover-point but cannot get it through! Fourth dot ball on the trot.

On a good length, outside off, Cade defends it solidly.

On a length, outside off, Carmichael pushes it towards cover and Tucker charges through for the single but is stopped just in time by the striker. The fielder was charging in as well.

Full and outside off, Cade Carmichael drives it down the ground but the bowler gets down low to his left in his followthrough and stops the ball.

Around off, pushed through mid on for another single.

A long hop, outside off, LT cuts it through point for one.

Fuller, outside off, Cade Carmichael lunges and works it towards short fine leg for a run. 169 more needed from 152 balls.

Shorter, outside off, Lorcan cuts it through point for a single.

FOUR! PLUNDERED! A rare loose ball, a full toss, around middle, Tucker swings it wide of long on, to his right, getting the second boundary in the last 4 balls.

Full and around off, Lorcan Tucker defends.

Short, outside off, Lorcan goes back and cuts it through point for one more. A bit of a breathing space for Ireland from that over, earning 9 runs.

FOUR! A BOUNDARY AFTER 40 BALLS! On middle, Lorcan Tucker drills it straight back down the ground, past the bowler, to his right, beating long off to his right. 176 more needed from 157 balls.

Dropped short, around off, Carmichael rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for another single.

Full and down the leg side, Tucker clips it to deep mid-wicket for one.

On middle and off, flicked through mid-wicket for a run.

Full, outside off, driven through the covers for a single.

Full, outside off, Lorcan Tucker drills it towards long off for a run.

Short, outside off, CC punches it through point for a single.

A touch short, around off, punched towards long on, but this time Kharote comes in quickly and stops the ball to his left.

On middle and off, this time Cade does get the single, working the ball through mid-wicket. In fact, he will get more, as the fielder fumbles, the substitute, Nangeyalia Kharote, on for Azmatullah Omarzai. The ball goes behind and by the time he retrieves it, the batters return for the second.

Mixup between the batters. Carmichael works it to the right of mid-wicket and sets off for what should have been a comfortable single but Tucker is not sure and sends him back.

Full, outside off, Cade Carmichael lunges and pushes it towards cover.

Outside off, punched straight to cover.

Outside off, a quicker leggie, LT looks to cut but misses.

MAIDEN ODI 50 FOR CARMICHAEL! Has not been convincing against spin, but he becomes extremely important in this run chase now. A reasonably quick 50, in just 44 balls. Gets there with a punch through mid on for a run.

Down the leg side, Lorcan goes back and nudges it through square leg for a single. 189 more needed from 171 balls.

The googly, around off, Tucker works it towards mid-wicket.

Landed outside off, Lorcan Tucker pushes it towards cover.

Stays on 49. The quicker ball, on middle, skids through, Cade gets across to flick but misses and is hit on the pads. Possibly spinning down the leg side.

Nicely done. The carrom ball, outside off, Lorcan picks it, lunges and pushes it towards cover for another single.

Fuller, on middle, Carmichael eases this down to long on for one, to move to 49.

Short, outside off, Tucker goes back and cuts it through point to get off the mark with a run.

Fuller, outside off, Lorcan Tucker lunges to block it to the off side.

Short, outside off, Cade Carmichael goes back and punches it down to long on for a single.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! The magician strikes again. Rashid Khan tosses up the leg break, full and on off, and gets it to grip and turn away just enough. Harry Tector is drawn forward into his defensive stroke but only manages to get a thin outside edge behind. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the keeper, reacts sharply, fumbles once but grabs it on the second attempt. Ireland are 106/3, still needing 194 runs in 180 balls.

Outside off, CC flicks it through mid-wicket for one.

Fuller, around off, Harry Tector pushes it through point for a run.

Full and straight, Cade comes forward and drives it towards long on for a single.

Quicker ball, short in length, the googly, outside off, Carmichael looks to cut but misses.

Landed outside off, Cade Carmichael defends it to the off side.

Full and outside off, driven straight back to the stumps at the other end. No appeal for a run out as Ghazanfar did not get any hand on that.

Landed outside off, spinning in, Tector looks to defend but gets a thick inside edge to short fine leg.

Dropped short, outside off, Harry punches it in front of point for a couple.

A touch short, outside off, Tector punches it towards short cover.

Outside off, Harry Tector pushes it back to the bowler.

Full, around off, Cade Carmichael flicks it through mid-wicket for a single. 199 more needed from 191 balls.

Outside off, worked through the leg side for one more. 100 UP FOR IRELAND. A wicket and 4 runs from the over, Rashid's bowling figures read 2-0-9-1 so far.

Overpitched, outside off, driven through mid off for one.

Outside off, punched to the right of the bowler who dives to make a wonderful stop.

Short, around off, punched down to long on for a run.

On middle and off, worked through mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! King Khan strikes. It is a short ball, but a quick one and a leg break at that, Andy Balbirnie probably did not pick it because his feet did not move. He tried a flat-footed punch and only succeeded in getting a thick outside edge to the keeper, Rahmanullah Gurbaz. A dramatic period of 3 overs at last results in a wicket for Afghanistan. The 72-run stand is broken and IRELAND ARE 96/2, CHASING 300.

FOUR! 21 FROM THE OVER! Wow. All the pressure built over the last couple of overs has been washed away. One more short ball, outside off, Cade Carmichael expects that length, gets into position early and pulls it all along the ground to the mid-wicket fence!

On a length, outside off, Cade pushes it towards point.

SIX MORE! Carmichael is loving this after the stern examination against spin. Another short ball, outside off, again Cade Carmichael picks the length and hooks it over the backward square leg fence! 208 more needed from 200 balls.

SIX! POWERFUL! Saleem is struggling with something here. Not an injury, but something in his runup or something else. He is just not able to get any rhythm. A short ball, outside off, Carmichael gets into position quickly and this time, controls the pull, sending the ball high over the square leg fence! 214 more needed from 201 balls.

WIDE. A wayward bouncer, well outside off, let through.

FOUR! JUST OUT OF REACH! A short ball, outside off, Cade Carmichael goes for the pull but cannot control his shot. It flies uppishly towards mid-wicket where the fielder dives to his left but the ball escapes through, to the fence behind.

On a length, around off, pushed to the leg side.

Brilliant running. Andy Balbirnie goes back and knocks it into the leg side with soft hands and charges back for the second. Rashid kicks the turf in frustration. 50-RUN STAND IS UP, IN 48 BALLS!

Outside off, flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

Another LBW appeal. Turned down again. The googly, outside off, fuller in length, Carmichael lunged to flick but missed and was hit on the pads. Maybe, spinning down the leg side.

Massive shout for LBW! Almost like a celebrappeal. But the umpire is firm and shakes his head. Rashid and Gurbaz share a smile. They feel it was close. Full, outside off, Cade Carmichael got a long way outside the line of the stumps and looked to defend but missed and was hit on the pads. From the replay, it seemed as if the impact was outside off. But the bowler is certainly not happy with the decision.

Fuller, around off, Andy Balbirnie pushes this through mid on for a run.

Short, outside off, Cade Carmichael rocks back and punches it towards long off for a single. 229 more needed from 209 balls.

Ooohhh... full and around off, seemed like the carrom ball, Cade came forward to flick but the ball landed and straightened, taking the leading edge. The ball went towards point and while Balbirnie called for the single, Carmichael was a bit slow to react. Eventually he ran across but a direct hit at the bowler's end would have got him.

Fuller, outside off, Andy drives it through the covers for a run.

Short of full, outside off, Balbirnie pushes it towards cover.

Full and wide outside off, Andy Balbirnie reaches out and steers it behind point for a couple.

Full, around off, Carmicheal leans and works it through mid-wicket for a single.

AN LBW APPEAL FIRST UP! Not given. That was very close. Ghazanfar starts off on a length, just outside off, Cade Carmichael looks to work it off the pitch to the leg side but misses as the ball comes back in and hits the pads. The replays make it seem even more closer and maybe, the umpire denied it on height.

FOUR! MURDERED! Saleem decides to test Balbirnie with the short stuff again but this time, Balbirnie is ready. Picks the length early, gets on top of the bounce and pulls it to the mid-wicket fence.

A good, sharp bouncer, around middle, Andy Balbirnie initially thinks about hooking but then bails out.

On a length, at the stumps, AB defends it towards mid-wicket.

Full and straight, Andy pushes it towards mid on.

On a length, tighter to the off stump, Balbirnie defends.

FOUR LEG BYES! Err in line, on a length, down the leg side, Andy Balbirnie misses his tuck but the ball clips his pads on its way to the fine leg fence. 239 more needed from 221 balls.

FOUR! Two in two! Fazalhaq Farooqi goes fuller and way outside off. Cade Carmichael extends his arms to reach out for it and drills it through covers for four more runs.

FOUR! Put away! Short of a length and on middle, sits up nicely for the batter. Cade Carmichael swivels, rolls his wrists and pulls it away to the deep square leg fence for a boundary. 50 comes up for Ireland.

No run, the batter lets the ball go outside off stump.

No run, just a mere push. But no space for a run.

No run, a gentle push by the batter but cannot pierce the gap.

No run, the batter shoulders arms to let that one through.

No run, the batter has just watchfully blocked this out.

FOUR! Loose and punished! Short of a length but down the leg side, there to be put away. Andy Balbirnie clips it away through square leg to collect another boundary.

WIDE! A bouncer but way down the leg side, Andy Balbirnie ducks under it. Wided.

FOUR! Nicely done! Mohammad Saleem sticks to the fuller length but strays onto the pads of the batter. Andy Balbirnie brings his wrists into play and flicks it with superb timing through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Back of a length and angling in once more, Cade Carmichael makes no contact as the ball goes off his pads towards short fine. A leg bye is taken.

Good length and on middle, nips back in again, Cade Carmichael fails to work it away and gets hit high on the pads.

Appeal for LBW, but turned down! Fuller one and on middle, shaping in sharply. Cade Carmichael gets beaten by pace on his flick and gets hit on the pads. Probably just going down the leg side.

Just short! Fazalhaq Farooqi bangs this into the pitch, around off, and it takes off a bit. Cade Carmichael looks to pull it away but the ball gets big on him. He miscues it to the left of mid-wicket, where Azmatullah Omarzai dives but the ball just drops wide of him. They cross.

Almost dragged on! Just short of a length and around off, nips back in. Cade Carmichael looks to punch it away but gets a bottom edge. It just bounces over the stumps behind.

Hard length and around off, Cade Carmichael stabs it out towards short cover.

A bit fuller and on off, Cade Carmichael defends it on the front foot.

Back of a length and on off, Cade Carmichael gets behind the line of it and blocks it out.

FOUR! Just wide! Good length and angling down the leg side, Cade Carmichael tickles it but a bit too fine. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the keeper, dives to his left but the ball just evades his outstretched glove and races to the fence behind for a boundary.

Another dot! Short of a length and outside off, Andy Balbirnie lets it go.

Full again and on leg, Cade Carmichael glances it towards deep fine for a single.

FOUR! Gets it away! Fuller delivery and well outside off. Cade Carmichael goes chasing after it. The ball flies off the outside edge over backward point for a boundary.

Back of a length and on off, jags back in sharply. Cade Carmichael gets across to play at it but the ball zips past the inside edge and hits him on the midriff.

On a length and angling into the pads, Cade Carmichael clips it to short mid-wicket.

Good-length delivery, in the channel outside off, Cade Carmichael watches it through and leaves it alone.

WIDE. Omarzai errs in line and serves this full and down the leg side, Cade Carmichael fails to glance it away. Given as a wide.

FOUR! Finds the gap this time! Fuller in length again and around off. Andy Balbirnie leans on to his drive nicely and creams it through covers for a boundary.

Farooqi follows up the bouncer with a very full delivery, on off, Andy Balbirnie drives it firmly but straight to mid off.

A slower bumper, on middle, Andy Balbirnie goes through the pull early and misses. It goes off his right shoulder onto his helmet.

Short of a length and around off, Andy Balbirnie dabs it down to point.

Back of a length and on middle, Andy Balbirnie pats it towards short mid-wicket.

Beaten! Good length and around off, angling away, Andy Balbirnie has a poke at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

OUT! TAKEN! Azmatullah Omarzai draws first blood and it is a WICKET MAIDEN. The pressure of the dot balls got to the Irish skipper here. This is on a nagging length, on middle, angling in a bit. Paul Stirling looks to force the flick but gets it from the toe end of the bat. He ends up chipping it towards mid-wicket, where Mohammad Saleem backtracks a bit and grabs it well above his head. Ireland are 24/1, chasing 300 runs.

Omazai hits the deck hard, on off, holds its line. Paul Stirling looks to play at it but takes his bottom hand off due to the extra bounce. It takes the shoulder of the bat and rolls towards point.

Back of a length and on off, Paul Stirling tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Hard length and around off, Paul Stirling looks to drive it on the up but gets an outside edge along the ground towards first slip. The fielder fumbles a bit but it does not cost anything.

Fuller and on middle, angling in, Paul Stirling looks to defend it with a straight bat but gets an inside edge towards short mid-wicket.

On a length and on off, Paul Stirling pushes it towards cover.

EDGED AND FOUR! Spoils the over a bit! Fazalhaq Farooqi goes fuller and around off, angling away. Andy Balbirnie throws his hands at it and gets an outside edge. It flies well wide of first slip and beats deep third to his left for a boundary.

Farooqi hits the deck hard, on middle, and shapes it back in, Andy Balbirnie gets hurried and stabs it out to the leg side. Five dots in a row!

A bouncer now, on middle and leg, Andy Balbirnie ducks under it.

Back of a length and around off, Andy Balbirnie looks to cut it away but this is too close to his body. He ends up chopping it off the bottom half of the bat towards short cover.

Landed short of a length and on middle and leg, jags back in sharply. Andy Balbirnie looks to play it from his crease but misses and gets hit high on his body.

Good-length delivery, on off, straightens a bit, Andy Balbirnie stays back and pats it down firmly towards short cover.

Nips back in from outside off again, AB looks to drive but gets it off the inner half of the bat through fine leg. A run taken.

Full and outside off, Andy drives it straight to cover.

On a good length, around middle and leg, Balbirnie tucks it straight to square leg.

On a length, outside off, left alone.

FOUR BYES! Bonus runs. On a good length, outside off, Andy Balbirnie stays back to defend but the ball seams back in a long way, stays a touch low and goes between bat and pad. Just goes above the off stump and the keeper. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, tries diving to his left to stop that. But he misses the ball and it races to the fence behind.

On a good length, around middle, Paul Stirling nudges it behind square leg for a single.

FOUR! Second boundary of the over. Short and wide outside off, Andy Balbirnie reaches out and punches it through cover-point. 286 more needed from 270 balls.

On a length, outside off, angling away, AB shoulders arms.

Farooqi shifts to over the wicket and bangs it short and down the leg side. Andy hops and nudges it towards mid-wicket.

FOUR! HANDSOME! Second bite of the apple. Similar ball to the previous one, full and outside off, this time Andy Balbirnie drives it to the right of cover and gets the gap and the boundary.

Full and wide outside off, Balbirnie leans and drives it straight to cover.

On a length, around off, Andy Balbirnie defends.

FOUR! The first boundary of the chase. Slightly short of a half volley, outside off, Paul Stirling comes half forward and just plays a half punch. But the pace on the ball takes it through the covers towards the ropes.

WIDE. Radar lost. Omarzai probably wants to go full and straight, for the inswinger, but drifts it way too down the leg side. The ball pitches and then moves even further. Paul lets it be and it is an excellent diving stop to his left by the keeper.

Similar line and length, this time Stirling pushes it towards point.

On a length, outside off, Paul Stirling punches it straight to cover.

A touch short, but a bit too straight. Balbirnie gets outside the line, hops and tucks it through mid-wicket for the first run of the chase.

On a good length, outside off, angling in, Andy Balbirnie pushes it towards cover.

On a good length, outside off, left alone.