Batting holds the key for Ireland

A second series win in a year against Ireland will be on Afghanistan minds when the teams take the field in the second One-Day International in Sharjah on Thursday (December 7). Afghanistan, ranked 10th in the charts, had sealed a comprehensive 138-run win on Tuesday in the first game of the three-match series, courtesy an impressive bowling performance from Mujeeb Zadran, the debutant off-spinner.

Afghanistan had put up 238 for 9 in 50 overs with half-centuries from Rahmat Shah and Nasir Jamal, and a handy knock of 48 from Rashid Khan. The Irish batsmen, without the services of Ed Joyce, faltered against the wiles of Mujeeb and Rashid, who picked up seven wickets between them. Ireland was bowled out for 100, its fifth-lowest ODI total.

Mujeeb, 16, finished with 4 for 24, equalling the best effort by an Afghanistan bowler on debut -- Shapoor Zadran had returned like figures against Netherlands in 2009. The double threat of Mujeeb and Rashid, the leg-spinner, was so potent that only William Porterfield (35), Stuart Poynter (27) and George Dockrell (10) were able to reach double-digits.

It is how well the Irish batsmen cope with the two spinners that will decide if it is able to push the series to a decider. The onus will be on the experienced batsmen at the top, with Porterfield, the captain, and Paul Stirling in the forefront, and for the likes of Andrew Balbirnie and O'Brien brothers Kevin and Niall to follow suit.

The shining light of Ireland's crushing defeat was the performance of its bowlers, with Boyd Rankin picking up four wickets and Tim Murtagh three. Afghanistan will be quietly confident of its chances after its muscular display in the previous match, and Ireland will have to step up its game if it is to arrest a modest recent run across formats against its opponent.

Teams (from):

Afghanistan: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Javed Ahmadi, Ihsanullah Janat, Nasir Jamal, Rahmat Shah, Shafiqullah Shafiq (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Amir Hamza, Zahir Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Shapoor Zadran

Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, Niall O'Brien (wk), Simi Singh, Gary Wilson, Kevin O'Brien, Stuart Poynter, George Dockrell, Tim Murtagh, Boyd Rankin, John Anderson, Barry McCarthy, Peter Chase, Jacob Mulder