IRE vs AFG 4th ODI Results

6:19 PM IST Record total for Afghanistan - Earlier in the game, Afghanistan smashed their way to their highest ODI total, with twin tons from Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran taking centre stage. They stitched up a massive 231-run partnership, looking simply imperious as they toyed with the hosts. Atal top-scored with a stunning 143, but the lower order could not provide the desired finish, losing six wickets for just 33 runs. Ireland struggled for answers for much of the innings, though they did stage a mini fightback at the death. By then, however, the damage was already done, with Byron McDonough claiming a three-fer, while Mark Adair and Gavin Hoey picked up a couple each, and Liam McCarthy chipped in with one.

6:19 PM IST One more to go - That brings us to the end of this contest, with Afghanistan taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. They will now be eyeing a clean sweep in the final game, while Ireland will be playing for pride and looking to give their fans something to cheer about. The fifth ODI will be played right here in Belfast on Saturday, August 15, starting at 9.45 am GMT. As always, you can join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

6:19 PM IST Ireland fight not enough - Ireland needed a flying start but Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie opted for caution, reaching 47/0 in the first Powerplay before two quick wickets left them at 53/2. Balbirnie then dug in, adding 76 with Harry Tector and 73 with Curtis Campher, but Ireland were always playing catch-up with the asking rate. He brought up a superb hundred, shifting through the gears, only to fall soon after and trigger a mini-collapse. Campher refused to give up, launching a counter-attack with a brilliant 84 off 46, but with little support at the other end, Ireland’s chase eventually slipped beyond their reach.

6:18 PM IST Blue rules Green - Afghanistan have made it a hat-trick of wins in the series, sealing it in emphatic fashion. Ireland deserve credit for fighting despite being set such a daunting chase, but it has been that kind of series for the hosts - they have shown glimpses, yet in the last two games, the Afghans have consistently had that extra edge when it mattered most.

6:18 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Sediqullah Atal wins the award for his outstanding knock of 143 off 120 balls. On being asked whether he dreamt of scoring a century on his birthday, to which, Atal says he is simply happy with the way he performed, and feels delighted that Afghanistan have gone on to win the series. He mentions he had a feeling he would make a strong start across these two games, and says it happened on this particularly special day for him. He adds that it is a moment he will carry with him for a long, long time, a lifetime even, and admits he is thoroughly pleased with how things unfolded. On his partnership with Ibrahim Zadran, Atal shares that the two spoke through their approach together out in the middle. He notes that everyone knows the experience Zadran carries, having played plenty of cricket over the years, and that Zadran advised him the ball would seam and swing around quite a bit. The message from him (Ibrahim), he says, was simple - to stay positive, stay in the present, and not get caught up thinking about the previous ball or the next one. He credits that mindset for helping him enormously through the innings. When he is asked about Afghanistan's recent run of success in ODIs, Atal points to the hard work put in over the last couple of years, stemming from a strong 2023 World Cup campaign. He observes that expectations from fans and the team management alike have grown considerably since then, and the squad has been working to match those expectations, putting in the effort required to beat the bigger teams on the bigger stages. He finishes by saying the focus now is on staying sharper than before and continuing to grow more professional as a unit.

6:18 PM IST Not clinical, but got the job done - Afghanistan would have wanted a more clinical effort with the ball, while their fielding also left plenty to be desired, perhaps a touch complacent with such a healthy total on the board. Rashid Khan once again led the way with 3/49, with Azmatullah Omarzai adding two, while AM Ghazanfar chipped in with one. But it was Yamin Ahmadzai who stole the show, producing an excellent four-wicket haul to wrap up Ireland's innings.