Ireland tame Afghanistan in one-off Test: Key stats
Ireland have hammered Afghanistan by six wickets to win the one-off Test held at Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi. Notably, the match got over on Day 3 itself. Afghanistan posted 155 in the first innings before Ireland responded with a score of 263. Afghanistan fell for 218 in their second innings. Ireland chased down a paltry target to seal their maiden victory.
A look at the match summary
Ibrahim Zadran (53) and Karim Janat (41*) showed some fight for Afghanistan in the first innings as Mark Adair tore them apart with a spell of 5/39. Ireland saw several key contributors with the bat next as they managed 263. Zia-ur-Rehman claimed a fifer. Afghanistan were once again short of answers in their second innings before the Irishmen got the job done.
Mark Adair registers best match figures for Ireland
Adair scripted history as he became the first Irishman to scalp eight wickets in a Test. He finished with 3/56 in 16 overs after claiming 5/39 earlier. Adair, who registered match figures worth 8/95 in 32.5 overs, broke Andy McBrine's record, who claimed 7/170 versus Bangladesh in 2023. McBrine is the only other Ireland bowler to claim at least seven wickets in a Test.
Zadran becomes second Afghan player with 500-plus runs
Afghanistan opener Zadran scored a vital 53 in the first innings. He slammed nine fours from 83 balls. In the second innings, the talented player fell early for 12, consuming 21 balls. Playing his seventh match, Zadran is just the second Afghan player with 500-plus runs in the format. He owns 541 runs at 38.64 (100s: 1, 50s: 4). Only Rahmat Shah is ahead.
Paul Stirling shines for the Irishmen
Stirling hit a solid 89-ball 52 in Ireland's first innings. He shared 80 runs alongside Lorcan Tucker for the sixth wicket when his side were in deep trouble. Stirling managed 14 in the second innings. He now owns 319 runs from six matches at 26.58 (100s: 1, 50s: 1).
Key numbers for the Irish batters
Curtis Campher scored 49 and a duck. He averages 28.9 from five matches, having managed 289 runs. Andrew Balbirnie managed two and an unbeaten 53 for Ireland. In eight matches, he owns 378 runs at 25.20. Balbirnie now owns four fifties. Tucker did well, with scores of 46 and 27*. He became the first Irish player with 400-plus runs (424 at 47.11).
Shahidi slams his second half-century
Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi hammered a valiant 107-ball 55 in the second innings. Notably, he scored 20 in the first innings. In 8 matches, he owns 485 runs at 44.09. He smashed his second fifty. Playing just this second match, Janat (41* and 13) has raced to 95 runs at 31.66.
Zia-ur-Rehman finished with six wickets
Afghanistan's Zia-ur-Rehman finished with six wickets in the match. Rehman became the fourth Afghanistan bowler after Rashid Khan (4), Amir Hamza (2), and Nijat Masood (1) to claim a Test fifer. As per ESPNcricinfo, Rehman managed his 14th First-Class fifer as he now owns 165 wickets, averaging around 20. Rehman played just his second Test.
Maiden win for Ireland in the longest format
Ireland have now claimed their maiden win in Test cricket. Notably, the Irishmen have taken eight matches to register their maiden win. It was also Ireland's second match versus the Afghans, having lost their first encounter in March 2018 in India. Afghanistan won the match by seven wickets.
