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Afghanistan vs Ireland 5th ODI Full Commentary
Live · Aug 15 2026, Sat - 03:15 PM (IST)
AFG 24/2 (8.5)
IRE 298/7 (50.0)
Afghanistan need 275 runs in 247 balls at 6.68 rpo
CRR:2.72 | RR: 6.68
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Back in action - Are the stars aligned? Well, either team will have something good at the end of the game. If Ireland win, not only do they avoid a cleansweep, but they end their 9-match losing rut to Afghanistan in ODIs. On the other hand, the highest successful chase by the Afghans in ODIs is 283, in the 2023 World Cup against Pakistan, in Chennai. So if they gun these runs down, they create a new record for themselves. Let's see which will be the happier team by the end of the day. The players are back in the middle. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are the openers for Afghanistan. Jai Moondra has the first new ball in his hand. Gurbaz to face. 299 needed in 300 balls. Let's resume!
.. THE RUN CHASE ...
Hope for a positive end - The fireworks towards the end of the first innings have now given Ireland a lot of hope to avoid a whitewash. 299 won't be an easy target to chase down, given it is a used pitch, but Afghanistan do have a few in-form batters, and if their openers click, it could turn out to be an engrossing chase. Action resumes at 2.03 pm GMT, so stay tuned.
Pacers go the distance - Afghanistan made a decent start with the ball and Azmatullah Omarzai even sent back both the Irish openers in the same over, but there wasn't much control from the other end. AM Ghazanfar continued to impress as he bowled an economical spell whilst picking up two wickets as well. Nangeyalia Kharote was a bit expensive, but overall the spinners did a decent job in the absence of Rashid Khan. At the backend of the innings, we saw the seamers operate and Omarzai was taken to the cleaners at the death, which was a bit surprising given how good he is in that phase. Ziaur Rahman was the most economical of the three pacers as Mohammad Saleem picked up a wicket, giving away 62 runs in his 10 overs.
Middle order saves the day - The Irish openers got off to decent starts but fell in quick succession. Lorcan Tucker couldn't do much either, but Harry Tector piled on his 15th half-century in ODIs, which stabilized the Irish innings. Still, at 154/5 in 33.3 overs, Ireland needed a lot from that middle order. That's when George Dockrell and Curtis Campher stitched together a 72-run stand. In the final 10 overs, the hosts managed to score 101 runs, thanks to Campher, who did get out on an agonizing 96. Jordan Neill also showed positivity with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 23 (19), helping his team come close to breaching the 300-run mark.
Strong finish from the hosts - Ireland roar back in the final Powerplay to post a pretty challenging total of 298 on the board, largely thanks to Curtis Campher's stellar knock. Afghanistan will be a tad disappointed as they allowed the hosts to stay in the game and couldn't land the telling blow.
Ireland won't get to 300. A low full toss, on middle and leg, Gaving digs it out towards long on and Campher drags him back for the second. The throw is a weak one to the keeper and the run out chance is not capitalized. IRELAND FINISH ON 298/7!
FOUR! IMPERIOUS! Hoey can whack the ball too. A short ball again, outside off, Hoey pulls it powerfully and beats deep mid-wicket to his left. 4 runs needed for the 300-mark.
Dropped short, outside off, Jordan Neill pulls it powerfully but finds deep mid-wicket. Just a single. Just 2 runs off the first 4 deliveries.
A slower ball, on a length, outside off, Hoey swings but misses. Neill rightly calls him through for a bye. The batters nearly collide but the throw from the keeper is a slow one to the bowler and Hoey makes it to the other end.
Another dot ball. Yorker, outside off, Gavin Hoey cannot get bat on ball.
Gavin Hoey walks in next, at number 9, replacing Campher.
OUT! CAMPHER FALLS FOR 96! More importantly, a dot ball for Afghanistan. But a terrific knock nevertheless. Full and outside off, Curtis Campher gets underneath the ball and powers it through the covers, but cannot get full elevation. It goes flat towards cover where Rahmat Shah takes it with a leap. A quickfire 64-run stand has been broken and IRELAND ARE 290/7 WITH 5 BALLS LEFT.
Final over then. Ireland need 10 for 300. Campher needs 4 for a 100.
Excellent over from Omarzai.10 from the over but there was only one boundary. On a length, outside off, Campher mistimes his punch towards cover and gets a single. 10-0-74-3 for Azmatullah Omarzai.
A full toss, but unpunished. Neill swings it away, but finds deep mid-wicket on the bounce. Just another single.
Very full, outside off, just short of the yorker mark, but CC can only get a single through a drive towards sweeper cover.
Dropped short, around off, Jordan Neill pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a run.
Wide yorker, outside off, Curtis reaches out and squeezes it to sweeper cover. Takes the single, wants the second but is sent back. The stand moves to 60 (33).
FOUR! Into the 90s! Fuller, outside off, Campher looks to go over covers but ends up getting a thick outside edge. The ball flies over short third and gives him the desired result any which ways towards deep third.
WIDE. Omarzai goes get the wide yorker outside off, but it is too wide, beyond the guideline. Curtis Campher tries to reach out but misses. Number 17 of the innings.
Yorker, outside off, Campher squeezes it to short third for another single. 12 from the over, 44 in the last 3!
SIX! HAMMERED! Number 4 for Campher! Slower delivery again, on a length, outside off, Curtis Campher backs away to the leg side, waits for the ball and swings it cleanly over long off! The ball goes into the crowd but this time, it is not taken. 50-RUN STAND IS UP, IN 30 BALLS!
Priceless dot ball. Slower delivery, on a length, outside off, CC goes back and punches, but finds Rahmat Shah at cover.
A high full toss, around middle, Jordan Neill is unable to put it away, punching it down to long on for just one.
Another leg cutter, outside off, Curtis pushes this towards point for a run.
On a length, around middle and off, Campher slogs this over the non-striker down to long on for a couple. Moves to 81 (75).
WIDE. Number 16 of the innings, to go with a no ball. That's 17 nearly 3 extra overs already! Saleem goes for the leg cutter but executes it poorly, Floated outside leg, Curtis Campher looks to sweep but misses.
How the complexion has changed in the last 2 overs! All of a sudden, 300 seems on now. Mohammad Saleem returns. 8-1-43-0 so far.
Finally, Azmat nails the yorker. Outside off, Curtis digs it out towards point for a single. 18 from the over, 32 in the last 2!
Shah is finally off the mark.
Back of a length, angling across off, punched off the back foot but straight to point. 11 dots in a row for Afghanistan.
Good length, around the top of off, Shah confidently strides forward and pushes it to cover.
It has come to a standstill with the bat for Afghanistan right now. A bit fuller around leg, shaping back in. Rahmat Shah looks to work it away but wears it on the pads. Again, going down leg.
A length ball, angled across the off stump, slides right on. Shah makes a leave.
Neill starts with a maiden! Fuller than a good length, slanted well into the pads. Atal fails to flick it away, and the ball goes off the pads to the leg side. A muted appeal for LBW, but that's going well down leg.
Good-length delivery, naturally angling in from the fifth stump line. Atal leaves it alone.
Inviting the drive, and beats the bat. Fuller and outside off, seems to be holding its line but moves away late. Sediqullah Atal goes for the booming cover drive but gets beaten past the outside edge.
Shorter in length just outside off, Sediq rises with the bounce and taps it down to point.
Back of a length, in the channel, doesn't rise much. Sediqullah Atal blocks it off the back foot.
Jordan Neill comes into the attack. He starts on a nagging length, sliding it in towards off. Atal blocks it off.
Fuller one in the channel, looking for the inswing, but the ball goes straight on. Shah shoulders arms.
Flies off the outer half of the blade, but lands safely. Banged in short and outside off, angling away, Atal is tentative but goes after it and slashes it on the bounce to deep third for a run.
Moondra pulls the length back, bowling it straighter as well. Atal presses on the toes and blocks it just to the leg side.
Edged, but drops short! Good length, in the channel, just holding its line. Sediqullah Atal looks to defend with soft hands but gets an outside edge on the bounce to Andy Balbirnie at second slip.
Pitched on a fuller length again, outside off, Atal plays a flowy drive but hits it straight to cover-point.
A big appeal for LBW, turned down by the umpire. A full ball on middle and leg, darting back in. Sediqullah Atal leans on to flick but misses and gets pinged on the front pad. Seemed to be angling down leg. Also, there were two noises, but replays later show that the ball hit the pads and nothing else.
On a length, outside off, Rahmat feels for it but the ball moves away to beat the outside edge. WICKET MAIDEN from McCarthy, whose bowling figures read a stunning 3-1-5-2!
Landed outside off, solidly defended.
On a length, outside off, Rahmat Shah punches it towards cover.
Skipper Rahmat Shah walks in next, at number 4, replacing Gurbaz.
OUT! BY GEORGE, DOCKRELL STUNS! It is also his 50TH CATCH IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. What a catch. On a length, outside off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz swings for the hills but hits this a touch too early. As a result, he gets a lot of height, but not the distance. The ball just about clears mid on but Dockrell over there follows the trajectory, and runs back, back and back, covering nearly 30 yards. Turns out a bit as well but does not lose focus. Eventually, takes the catch and dives forward! That is an absolutely world-class catch. Double blow to Ireland as Gurbaz goes cheaply. AFGHANISTAN ARE 22/2, NEED 277 FROM 267!
A touch shorter, around middle, Gurbaz is behind the line to defend it down the pitch.
Aha... On a length, at the stumps, Rahmanullah Gurbaz charges down the track and swings hard, but misses the ball totally. The ball just about grazes the bails on its way to the keeper, travelling over middle.
After 5 overs. Afghanistan are 22/1. At the same stage, Ireland were 27/0.
Full and around off, SA works it towards short mid-wicket.
On a good length, around middle, Sediqullah gets right behind the line and defends it towards mid on.
WIDE. Total loss of radar. Moondra slips this way down the leg side, Atal does not even bother about the flick.
Landed on a good length, outside off, extra bounce, Rahmanullah dabs it behind point for a single.
EDGED, FOUR! Fuller length, outside off, angling away, Rahmanullah Gurbaz goes hard on the drive and gets a thick outside edge. The ball flies in the air, but luckily for him, it is in the gap between backward point and point, racing to the fence behind. 279 more needed from 273 balls.