Dehradun: Gulbadin Naib shone with both bat and ball as Afghanistan produced a clinical performance to notch up a five-wicket win over Ireland in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series here Thursday.
Electing to bat, Ireland were folded for 161 in 49.2 overs with Dawlat Zadran (3/35) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3/14) returning with three wickets each.
Gulbadin (2/20) also claimed two wickets. Paul Stirling (89) was the top-scorer for Ireland but they failed to put on partnerships with only three batsmen reaching double figures. George Dockrell (37) and Kevin O’ Brien (10) were the other two contributors.
Afghanistan’s top-order and middle-order then fired with opener Mohammad Shahzad (43) and No. 5 Gulbadin (46) taking the team home, scoring 165 for 5 in 41.5 overs.
Hazratullah Zazai (25) and Rahmat Shah (22) too contributed for Afghanistan. Boyd Rankin (2/48) scalped two wickets, while Simi Singh (1/19), Barry McCarthy (1/33) and Dockrell (1/31) were the other wicket takers for Ireland.
Afghanistan had earlier whitewashed Ireland 3-0 in the three-match T20I series.”We were short with the bat. No one struck it fluently. Someone had to put their hand up and go along with Paul,” said Porterfield.”230-240 would have been a good score here.” He added further. The second ODI is on Saturday in Dehradun. (PTI)
