A dominant batting display from Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal carried Afghanistan to a six-wicket win in the series finale, capping off a commanding performance against Ireland.
Afghanistan’s national cricket team clinched the five-match One Day International series against Ireland on August 15, defeating their opponents by six wickets in the decisive fifth match.
Having won the toss and chosen to bowl first, Afghanistan watched Ireland post a competitive total of 299 for seven in their full 50 overs, setting a target of 300 for the win.
The chase belonged to Afghanistan’s top order. Rahmat Shah anchored the innings with a commanding 143 runs off just 133 balls, while Sediqullah Atal added a rapid 98 off 112 balls. Between them, the pair did the heavy lifting in a run chase that Afghanistan completed with more than an over to spare, reaching the target in 48.5 overs while losing only four wickets.
The result confirmed what had already looked like a foregone conclusion. Afghanistan had sealed the series before the final ball was bowled, having already won three of the previous four completed matches. The series’ opening fixture was washed out by rain and abandoned without a result.
With the fifth-match win, Afghanistan finished the series unbeaten across all matches that produced a result, underlining their dominance over Ireland across the format.
The series was broadcast live across Afghanistan by Ariana Television Network (ATN), giving cricket fans across the country the chance to follow the team’s run through the series in real time.
