Rampaging Afghanistan aim for clean sweep over Ireland

Overview

Afghanistan v Ireland3rd T20I
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun
Sunday, 24 February 2019, 1:00pm GMT, 6:30pm local time

Hazratullah Zazai's unbeaten 162 took Afghanistan to the highest-ever score in T20 history of 278/3, and although captain Paul Stirling led Ireland's riposte with a career-best 91 and an Ireland record partnership of 126 runs with Kevin O'Brien, the visitors fell 86 runs short in the second match.

Ireland need to make a quick recovery from that sixes barrage, with the teams returning to the field a day after the record-breaking game. Afghanistan have won the series 2-0, but Ireland, who gave a good account of themselves in parts in both matches so far, will be in search of a positive result to take away from the T20I series.

Zazai wasn't the only hero for Afghanistan, with Usman Ghani chipping in with a 48-ball 73 as the duo added 236 runs for the first wicket – the highest partnership for any wicket in T20s.

While the batting was dominant, Afghanistan will do well to fix some chinks in their bowling. All of Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari and Farid Malik went for more than 10 runs per over.

The spinners have been strong as ever, though, with Rashid Khan, the No.1 bowler on MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings, continuing to torment Ireland and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman giving him good support.

While they need to find more ways to score against the spinners, the Ireland batting has enjoyed some positives, with Stirling's shot-making particularly entertaining. He and O'Brien have continued their form at the top from Oman. However, the others are guilty of squandering a good start.

Andy Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker, Shane Getkate, George Dockrell need to step up as well and find a way to tackle Khan.

Key players

**Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan):**He now has the record for the joint-fastest fifty (off 12 balls), second-highest T20I score, and has made a century off 44 balls. He provides fireworks at the top with his fearless batting.

**Paul Stirling (Ireland):**The Ireland captain on Saturday made the highest T20I score by an Irish player. He will now have a hundred in sight. He is in form and the other batsmen will have to bat around him.

Conditions

The pitch in Dehradun is expected to assist batting. It will be cold evening in the north-Indian city with temperatures expected to range between 21 and 10°C. No rain is forecast.

Squads

**Afghanistan:**Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Ghani, Shafiqullah Shafiq, Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shenwari, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Malik, Najeeb Tarakai, Sayed Shirzad, Zahir Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Ziaur Rahman

**Ireland:**Paul Stirling (c), Kevin O Brien, Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker, Shane Getkate, George Dockrell, Simi Singh, Stuart Poynter, Joshua Little, Boyd Rankin, Peter Chase, Andy McBrine, James Shannon, Harry Tector, Stuart Thompson