During the third ODI between Ireland and Afghanistan, wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad showed some brilliant reflexes with the gloves behind the stumps despite his bodily figure. The Afghanistan team had managed to put up a good total of 256/8 in 50 overs but Ireland’s Balbirnie and George Dockrell were smoothly taking away the big game from Afghans.
In one of Mohammad Nabi’s over during the match, Dockrell danced down the pitch in an attemt to hit Nabi for a lofted shot but soon realised that it might be a bad decision as the delivery was pitched flat outside off stump. Taking advantage of Dockrell’s mistake, Shahzad channeled his inner MS Dhoni to collect the ball and whip the bails off before the Irish batsman could return back to thye crease in time.
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shahzad_edit_0 from commonwealth on Vimeo.
Top order-batsman Andy Balbirnie smashed a brilliant unbeaten 145 to steer Ireland to a four-wicket win over Afghanistan in the third ODI on Tuesday. The win meant that Ireland levelled the five-match series 1-1 after the second game was washed out.
Chasing 257 on a sluggish wicket, Balbirnie smashed eight fours and as many sixes during his 136-ball unbeaten knock to take his side home with one over to spare.
Earlier, Afghanistan recovered from 74 for 5 on the back of Najibullah Zadran's maiden ODI hundred and a composed 75 by captain Asghar Afghan to post 256 for 8. Zadran hit an unbeaten 104 off 98 deliveries with the help of five sixes and as many fours.
Afghanistan had won the first match by 5 wickets here on February 28.
(With Agency inputs)