Friday February 22, 2019
Kabul (BNA) Afghanistan national cricket team in first T20 defeated Ireland national cricket team by five wickets.
Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi starred with both bat and ball as Afghanistan defeated Ireland by five wickets Thursday's first Twenty20 international.
Afghanistan were in trouble after being reduced to 50-5 but the left-right batting pair of Nabi and Zadran, who made 40, ensured their team's eighth consecutive T20 win over Ireland.
Rashid Khan, the world's top-ranked T20 bowler, weaved his magic in his very first over, taking two wickets in the space of three deliveries as Ireland slipped to 65 for six in the 12th over.
Thursday's game was the first in a series of contests across all formats in the Indian city of Dehradun between the two countries who were both granted Test status in 2017.
The sides meet again in T20 games on Saturday and Sunday before beginning a five-match one-day series on 28 February.
The one-off Test match then starts on 15 March.
M.A.Ansari
