Irish cricket team against Afghanistan in India in 2019–20

The Ireland cricket team toured India in March 2020 to play three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches against Afghanistan.[1][2] On 11 January 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the fixtures for the three T20I matches.[3][4]

Ireland against Afghanistan in India in 2019–20
 
  Afghanistan Ireland
Dates 6 – 10 March 2020
Captains Asghar Afghan Andrew Balbirnie
Twenty20 International series
Results Afghanistan won the 3-match series 2–1
Most runs Rahmanullah Gurbaz (105) Harry Tector (97)
Most wickets Rashid Khan (5)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (5)		 Simi Singh (4)
Player of the series Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afg)

Originally, the tour had a one-off Test match on the itinerary.[5] However, due to financial constraints with Cricket Ireland, the Test was not included on the tour schedule.[6] Ireland previously toured India in February and March 2019 to play Afghanistan, a series that included the first Test match to be played between the two teams.[7] Afghanistan won the one-off Test match by seven wickets to record their first victory in Test cricket.[8] Prior to the tour, Asghar Afghan was reappointed as Afghanistan's captain across all three formats of international cricket.[9]

The first fixture of the tour was the 1,000th match played by Ireland across all formats, since they played a two-day match in September 1855.[10][11] Afghanistan won the rain-affected match, extending their record to eleven consecutive wins against Ireland.[12] Afghanistan won the second match by 21 runs, to take an unassailable lead in the series.[13] The third and final match of the series finished in a tie with Ireland winning the Super Over, with Afghanistan winning the series 2–1.[14] It was Ireland's first win against Afghanistan in a T20I match since they beat them in the final of the 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.[15]

Squads
T20Is
 Afghanistan[16]  Ireland[17]

Stephen Doheny was added to Ireland's squad as a replacement for Gary Wilson, after Wilson became ill ahead of the series.[18]

T20I series

1st T20I
6 March 2020
14:00
Scorecard
Ireland 
172/6 (20 overs)
v
 Afghanistan
133/5 (15 overs)
Paul Stirling 60 (41)
Rashid Khan 3/22 (4 overs)
Najibullah Zadran 42* (21)
Simi Singh 2/18 (3 overs)
Afghanistan won by 11 runs (DLS method)
Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, Greater Noida
Umpires: Ahmed Shah Durrani (Afg) and Bismillah Jan Shinwari (Afg)
Player of the match: Rashid Khan (Afg)
  • Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Rain during Afghanistan's innings prevented any further play.

2nd T20I
8 March 2020
14:00
Scorecard
Afghanistan 
184/4 (20 overs)
v
 Ireland
163/6 (20 overs)
Asghar Afghan 49 (28)
Craig Young 1/27 (4 overs)
Andrew Balbirnie 46 (35)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman 3/38 (4 overs)
Afghanistan won by 21 runs
Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, Greater Noida
Umpires: Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg) and Izatullah Safi (Afg)
Player of the match: Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afg)
  • Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat.

3rd T20I
10 March 2020
14:00
Scorecard
Ireland 
142/8 (20 overs)
v
 Afghanistan
142/7 (20 overs)
Gareth Delany 37 (29)
Naveen-ul-Haq 3/21 (4 overs)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz 42 (29)
Gareth Delany 2/21 (4 overs)
Match tied
(Ireland won the Super Over)
Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, Greater Noida
Umpires: Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg) and Bismillah Jan Shinwari (Afg)
Player of the match: Kevin O'Brien (Ire)
  • Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Qais Ahmad (Afg) made his T20I debut.

References
  1. "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  2. "Afghanistan next in line for Ireland". Cricket Europe. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. @ACBofficials (11 January 2020). "The three-T20I series between Afghanistan and @Irelandcricket is scheduled to be held from 6th-10th March at the Greater Noida Ground in Uttar Pradesh, India" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. "Afghanistan confirm T20I series". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  5. "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  6. "Cash crisis forces Cricket Ireland to axe home Test against Bangladesh and three T20 internationals". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  7. "One-off Test: Afghanistan to host Ireland in Dehradun". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  8. "Rahmat Shah and Isanullah see Afghanistan through to maiden test win". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  9. "Shapoor Zadran returns to Afghanistan's T20I squad". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  10. "1,000 matches: CEO Warren Deutrom on the growth of cricket, his hopes and his biggest frustration". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  11. "The 1000: My favourite match". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  12. "Afghanistan extend winning run". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  13. "Balbirnie's captains knock not enough as Ireland defeated in second T20I against Afghanistan". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  14. "Ireland snatch a super over win against Afghanistan to avoid a T20 series whitewash". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  15. "Delany shines, before O'Brien's last-ball six helps Ireland edge past Afghanistan in Super Over". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  16. "Afghanistan squad announced for series against Ireland". Afghanistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  17. "Ireland Men's squad announced for Afghanistan series". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  18. "Doheny and Eagleson join Ireland Men's squad in India for Afghanistan series". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
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