Expectations rising as Afghanistan clinch Ireland ODI series

Afghanistan produced another strong performance to clinch their ODI series against Ireland with a 42-run victory in the fourth-match of their series in Belfast.

Sediqullah Atal (143) and Ibrahim Zadran (107) each made centuries to help propel Afghanistan to a big score of 343/9 at the Civil Service Cricket Club, with Yamin Ahmadzai (4/71) and Rashid Khan (3/49) combining for seven wickets in reply to ensure Ireland were bowled out for 301 with two overs remaining.

It was a clinical performance from Afghanistan as they clinched the five-game series, with Sediqullah and Zadran in particular impressive as they put on 231 for the second wicket in good time to ensure the visitors posted a good score.

For Sediqullah it was just his second international century and the 25-year-old paid tribute to his more senior partner in the role he had in their match-winning partnership.

"Everyone knows that Ibrahim had more experience," Sediqullah said after collecting his Player of the Match award.

"He has played a lot of cricket, so he told me that the ball would seam and swing a lot, but I should just stay positive and focus on the present. 

"Don't think about the previous ball or the next ball. Just focus on the ball which is coming towards you. It helped me a lot."

Sediqullah admitted that expectations for his team remain high ahead of next year's ICC Men' Cricket World Cup, especially after the side performed so well at the most recent 50-over World Cup in 2023 when they won four matches and narrowly missed out on reaching the knockout stages.

"We have practiced and worked so hard over the last couple of years because we had a very good World Cup in 2023," he added.

"Now the expectations from all the fans and our team management are so high. So we work according to that, and we work so hard to beat big teams as well in the big events. We just focus on the day before and on becoming more professional and that's it."

While Ireland captain Paul Stirling was disappointed his side failed to win the contest, the veteran said there were plenty of positives from the performance as opener Andy Balbirnie contributed a century, Curtis Campher chipped in with 84 and Byron McDonough collected three wickets.

“We did a lot of good stuff but not quite often enough,” Stirling said.

“You can be chasing 200, or you can be chasing 350. You have to adapt. At one point I thought they were on for 370 or 380, and we clawed it back quite well at the end of their innings.

“That second-wicket partnership really took the game away from us, though. They had the opportunity to bat us out of it, which you don’t often get in one-day cricket, and they effectively did that — almost.”

Series schedule:

First ODI: Match Abandoned
Second ODI: Afghanistan won by 92 runs
Third ODI: Afghanistan won by three wickets
Fourth ODI: Afghanistan won by 42 runs
Fifth ODI: August 15, Stormont