Irish cricket team against Afghanistan in the UAE in 2020–21

The Ireland cricket team toured the United Arab Emirates in January 2021 to play three One Day International (ODI) matches against Afghanistan.[1][2] The ODI series formed part of the inaugural 2020–23 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.[3][4] All of the matches were played at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.[5][6]

Not to be confused with Irish cricket team in the United Arab Emirates in 2020–21.

Ireland against Afghanistan in the UAE in 2020–21
 
  Afghanistan Ireland
Dates 21 – 26 January 2021
Captains Asghar Afghan Andrew Balbirnie
One Day International series
Results Afghanistan won the 3-match series 3–0
Most runs Rahmanullah Gurbaz (180) Paul Stirling (285)
Most wickets Naveen-ul-Haq (8) Andy McBrine (6)
Player of the series Paul Stirling (Ire)

The Afghanistan team's visa applications for travel to the UAE were delayed,[7] resulting in the Afghanistan Cricket Board making contingency plans for the series to be played in Oman.[8] However, on 5 January 2021, the ACB confirmed that the team would be travelling to the UAE per the original schedule.[9] The start of the series was moved back three days from the original schedule,[10] due to the visa issues and a ten-day quarantine period in place in the UAE.[11]

In the opening match, debutant Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 127 runs to help Afghanistan win by 16 runs.[12] In the second match, Rahmat Shah scored a century, with Afghanistan winning by seven wickets to take an unassailable lead in the series.[13] Afghanistan won the third ODI by 36 runs, to win the series 3–0.[14]

Squads
ODIs
 Afghanistan[15]  Ireland[16]

David Delany was ruled out of the series due to a knee injury, with Josh Little joining Ireland's squad.[17] Little was originally named in the team, but had to self-isolate after a positive COVID-19 result from a close contact.[18] Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman were all playing in the Big Bash League in Australia, before leaving the tournament to join the rest of the Afghanistan squad.[19] On 11 January 2021, Shane Getkate was added to Ireland's squad, as a replacement for David Delany,[20] and Conor Olphert was added to their squad as a net bowler.[21]

Tour match

Ahead of the ODI series, the two teams played in unofficial warm-up match, with Afghanistan winning by 23 runs.[22]

16 January 2021
Scorecard
Afghanistan 
264 (44.1 overs)
v
 Ireland
241 (44.4 overs)
Hashmatullah Shahidi 61 (75)
Curtis Campher 3/31 (5.1 overs)
Harry Tector 42 (53)
Sayed Shirzad 3/28 (7 overs)
Afghanistan won by 23 runs
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
  • Ireland won the toss and elected to field.
  • The match was reduced to 45 overs per side.

ODI series

1st ODI
21 January 2021
10:00
Scorecard
Afghanistan 
287/9 (50 overs)
v
 Ireland
271/9 (50 overs)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz 127 (127)
Andy McBrine 5/29 (10 overs)
Lorcan Tucker 83 (96)
Naveen-ul-Haq 3/68 (9 overs)
Afghanistan won by 16 runs
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Umpires: Ahmed Shah Durrani (Afg) and Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg)
Player of the match: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afg)

2nd ODI
24 January 2021
10:00
Scorecard
Ireland 
259/9 (50 overs)
v
 Afghanistan
260/3 (45.2 overs)
Paul Stirling 128 (132)
Naveen-ul-Haq 4/42 (10 overs)
Rahmat Shah 103* (109)
Curtis Campher 1/28 (4 overs)
Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Umpires: Izatullah Safi (Afg) and Bismillah Jan Shinwari (Afg)
Player of the match: Rahmat Shah (Afg)
  • Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
  • World Cup Super League points: Afghanistan 10, Ireland 0.

3rd ODI
26 January 2021
10:00
Scorecard
Afghanistan 
266/9 (50 overs)
v
 Ireland
230 (47.1 overs)
Rashid Khan 48 (40)
Simi Singh 3/37 (10 overs)
Paul Stirling 118 (119)
Rashid Khan 4/29 (9 overs)
Afghanistan won by 36 runs
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Umpires: Ahmed Shah Durrani (Afg) and Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg)
Player of the match: Rashid Khan (Afg)

References
  1. "Final touches being made to busy schedule for Ireland's cricketers". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  2. "Balbirnie not heading to Abu Dhabi for a holiday as Ireland's cricketers reconvene for first time in five months". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  5. "Afghanistan confirm Ireland matches in Abu Dhabi". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  6. "Afghanistan-Ireland ODI series provides BBL headache". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  7. "Squad announced for Ireland series". Afghanistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. "Afghanistan-Ireland series to be held in the UAE after visas come through". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  9. "National team to travel to UAE today for Ireland series". Afghanistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  10. "Change of fixture dates agreed for Afghanistan v Ireland series". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  11. "Will Afghanistan series be delayed?". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  12. "Gurbaz century stars on Afghanistan debut in Super League win over Ireland". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  13. "Rahmat Shah's 103* trumps Paul Stirling's 128 as Afghanistan go 2-0 up". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  14. "3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi, Jan 26 2021, Ireland tour of United Arab Emirates". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  15. "Afghanistan announce 16-member squad for ODI series against Ireland". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  16. "Ireland names 16-man squad to face UAE and Afghanistan in back-to-back series' in January". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  17. "Injury forces change to Irish squad ahead of UAE series". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  18. "Ireland v Afghanistan: This month's series to start three days later than scheduled". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  19. "Rashid, Nabi, Mujeeb to depart BBL for international duty; Siddle suffers minor fracture". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  20. "Shane Getkate called into Ireland squad for UAE, Afghanistan ODIs". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  21. "Shane Getkate and Conor Olphert fly out to Abu Dhabi to join squad". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  22. "Afghanistan beat Ireland in warm-up". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  23. "1st ODI: Debut century for Gurbaz gives Afghanistan edge against Ireland". Times of India. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  24. "AFG vs IRE: डेब्यू पर धमाका करना रहा है पुराना शौक, 19 साल के इस बल्लेबाज के बल्ले में बड़ी 'आग' है". TV9 Hindi. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  25. "Afghanistan move up in CWC Super League with series sweep over Ireland". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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