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Afghanistan vs Ireland 5th ODI Full Commentary
Live · Aug 15 2026, Sat - 03:15 PM (IST)
AFG 281/4 (47.0)
IRE 298/7 (50.0)
Afghanistan need 18 runs in 18 balls at 6 rpo
CRR:5.98 | RR: 6
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Back in action - Are the stars aligned? Well, either team will have something good at the end of the game. If Ireland win, not only do they avoid a cleansweep, but they end their 9-match losing rut to Afghanistan in ODIs. On the other hand, the highest successful chase by the Afghans in ODIs is 283, in the 2023 World Cup against Pakistan, in Chennai. So if they gun these runs down, they create a new record for themselves. Let's see which will be the happier team by the end of the day. The players are back in the middle. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are the openers for Afghanistan. Jai Moondra has the first new ball in his hand. Gurbaz to face. 299 needed in 300 balls. Let's resume!
.. THE RUN CHASE ...
Hope for a positive end - The fireworks towards the end of the first innings have now given Ireland a lot of hope to avoid a whitewash. 299 won't be an easy target to chase down, given it is a used pitch, but Afghanistan do have a few in-form batters, and if their openers click, it could turn out to be an engrossing chase. Action resumes at 2.03 pm GMT, so stay tuned.
Pacers go the distance - Afghanistan made a decent start with the ball and Azmatullah Omarzai even sent back both the Irish openers in the same over, but there wasn't much control from the other end. AM Ghazanfar continued to impress as he bowled an economical spell whilst picking up two wickets as well. Nangeyalia Kharote was a bit expensive, but overall the spinners did a decent job in the absence of Rashid Khan. At the backend of the innings, we saw the seamers operate and Omarzai was taken to the cleaners at the death, which was a bit surprising given how good he is in that phase. Ziaur Rahman was the most economical of the three pacers as Mohammad Saleem picked up a wicket, giving away 62 runs in his 10 overs.
Middle order saves the day - The Irish openers got off to decent starts but fell in quick succession. Lorcan Tucker couldn't do much either, but Harry Tector piled on his 15th half-century in ODIs, which stabilized the Irish innings. Still, at 154/5 in 33.3 overs, Ireland needed a lot from that middle order. That's when George Dockrell and Curtis Campher stitched together a 72-run stand. In the final 10 overs, the hosts managed to score 101 runs, thanks to Campher, who did get out on an agonizing 96. Jordan Neill also showed positivity with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 23 (19), helping his team come close to breaching the 300-run mark.
Strong finish from the hosts - Ireland roar back in the final Powerplay to post a pretty challenging total of 298 on the board, largely thanks to Curtis Campher's stellar knock. Afghanistan will be a tad disappointed as they allowed the hosts to stay in the game and couldn't land the telling blow.
Ireland won't get to 300. A low full toss, on middle and leg, Gaving digs it out towards long on and Campher drags him back for the second. The throw is a weak one to the keeper and the run out chance is not capitalized. IRELAND FINISH ON 298/7!
FOUR! IMPERIOUS! Hoey can whack the ball too. A short ball again, outside off, Hoey pulls it powerfully and beats deep mid-wicket to his left. 4 runs needed for the 300-mark.
Dropped short, outside off, Jordan Neill pulls it powerfully but finds deep mid-wicket. Just a single. Just 2 runs off the first 4 deliveries.
A slower ball, on a length, outside off, Hoey swings but misses. Neill rightly calls him through for a bye. The batters nearly collide but the throw from the keeper is a slow one to the bowler and Hoey makes it to the other end.
Another dot ball. Yorker, outside off, Gavin Hoey cannot get bat on ball.
Gavin Hoey walks in next, at number 9, replacing Campher.
OUT! CAMPHER FALLS FOR 96! More importantly, a dot ball for Afghanistan. But a terrific knock nevertheless. Full and outside off, Curtis Campher gets underneath the ball and powers it through the covers, but cannot get full elevation. It goes flat towards cover where Rahmat Shah takes it with a leap. A quickfire 64-run stand has been broken and IRELAND ARE 290/7 WITH 5 BALLS LEFT.
Final over then. Ireland need 10 for 300. Campher needs 4 for a 100.
Excellent over from Omarzai.10 from the over but there was only one boundary. On a length, outside off, Campher mistimes his punch towards cover and gets a single. 10-0-74-3 for Azmatullah Omarzai.
A full toss, but unpunished. Neill swings it away, but finds deep mid-wicket on the bounce. Just another single.
Very full, outside off, just short of the yorker mark, but CC can only get a single through a drive towards sweeper cover.
Dropped short, around off, Jordan Neill pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a run.
Wide yorker, outside off, Curtis reaches out and squeezes it to sweeper cover. Takes the single, wants the second but is sent back. The stand moves to 60 (33).
FOUR! Into the 90s! Fuller, outside off, Campher looks to go over covers but ends up getting a thick outside edge. The ball flies over short third and gives him the desired result any which ways towards deep third.
WIDE. Omarzai goes get the wide yorker outside off, but it is too wide, beyond the guideline. Curtis Campher tries to reach out but misses. Number 17 of the innings.
Yorker, outside off, Campher squeezes it to short third for another single. 12 from the over, 44 in the last 3!
SIX! HAMMERED! Number 4 for Campher! Slower delivery again, on a length, outside off, Curtis Campher backs away to the leg side, waits for the ball and swings it cleanly over long off! The ball goes into the crowd but this time, it is not taken. 50-RUN STAND IS UP, IN 30 BALLS!
Priceless dot ball. Slower delivery, on a length, outside off, CC goes back and punches, but finds Rahmat Shah at cover.
A high full toss, around middle, Jordan Neill is unable to put it away, punching it down to long on for just one.
Another leg cutter, outside off, Curtis pushes this towards point for a run.
On a length, around middle and off, Campher slogs this over the non-striker down to long on for a couple. Moves to 81 (75).
WIDE. Number 16 of the innings, to go with a no ball. That's 17 nearly 3 extra overs already! Saleem goes for the leg cutter but executes it poorly, Floated outside leg, Curtis Campher looks to sweep but misses.
How the complexion has changed in the last 2 overs! All of a sudden, 300 seems on now. Mohammad Saleem returns. 8-1-43-0 so far.
Finally, Azmat nails the yorker. Outside off, Curtis digs it out towards point for a single. 18 from the over, 32 in the last 2!
1 run, that is just a mere push for a run.
That would have stung. On a good length, outside off, Hashmatullah Shahidi looks to defend but the ball rears up suddenly.
Hashmatullah Shahidi walks in next, at numbr 6, replacing Omarzai.
OUT! EXCEPTIONAL FROM HOEY! May not matter in the context of the game, but credit needs to be given where it is due. Dug in short, around off, Azmatullah Omarzai waits for the ball to arrive and then ramps it over short third. But he is not quite able to connect cleanly and the ball goes off the under edge. It goes low and wide to the right of short third by Gavin Hoey flings himself to his right and catches it one-handed! Somethng to celebrate for Ireland on this difficult day. Omarzai's cameo ends in a quickfire stand of 56. AFGHANISTAN ARE 279/4, needing another 20 runs from 20 balls.
On a good length, outside off, angling in, Azmatullah looks to tap and run, but gets it off the inner half of the bat, back to the bowler.
FOUR! Exceptional batting. Full, around off, Omarzai goes to the leg side again, reaches out and drives it through the covers. Paul Stirling dives to his right at cover but it is in vain and the ball races through.
Seems like the ball is lost. It has perhaps gone beyond the ground into another park. Finally, the ball is retrieved. Campher is offering some words of advice to Moondra.
SIX! SLAP! Stand and deliver. On a good length, outside off, from around the wicket, Azmatullah Omarzai backs away a touch and slaps it miles over long off! The 50-RUN STAND is up, in just 34 balls. 24 more needed now, from 23 balls.
Another short ball, outside off, RS pulls it through mid-wicket. Deep square leg gets across to his left, dives, half-stops the ball and parries it to deep mid-wicket getting across. Two runs taken.
On a good length, outside off, cutting back in, the skipper punches it towards point again.
Similar ball, Shah also tries what Omarzai did on the previous ball, but cuts it straight to point.
Shorter, outside off, extra bounce, Azmatullah Omarzai rises with the bounce and cuts it to deep point for a run.
Outside off, Rahmat dabs it to deep third for a single.
Short, outside off, Rahmat Shah pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a couple.
Afghanistan have literally cantered here. 299 was / is no mean target but they have just galloped with consummate ease. And this, despite being 49/2 after 15 overs. Curtis Campher is back on. 6-0-40-0 so far.
Low full toss outside off, smacked away to sweeper cover for just a single. 10 off the over, 36 more needed now off 30 balls.
TOP EDGE, FOUR! But not the right length from the bowler. With fine leg up, Moondra bowls it short and around middle, Rahmat Shah goes for the pull but gets a top edge. However, it flies over short fine leg and nearly goes all the way, landing just in front of the ropes. 37 more needed from 31 balls.
Unlucky for the bowler. Good-length delivery, lands it on off and jags it back in. Shah plays a tentative drive off the front foot and gets an inside edge just past the leg stump. The ball rolls down to fine leg and Shah picks up a brace.
A bit of cat and mouse between the batter and the bowler. Fullish length, Shah looks to get forward and drive but hits it straight back. Moondra gathers the ball and throws the ball back at the stumps, but Shah turns back and cops a blow on the bak of his legs.
Chipped in the air, and it will fall safely. Good length, on off, angling in. Rahmat Shah looks to loft it down the ground but the ball angles in and catches the inner half of the blade, landing well short of the incoming deep mid-wicket fielder Two more added to thetotal.
Back of a length, angled in from around the wicket. Azmat gets on his toes and taps it down towards short third for a run.
Jai Moondra returns. 7.0-37-0 so far.
SIX! HUMONGOUS! Floated, outside off, Rahmat gets down on a knee and slog sweeps this brilliantly over deep mid-wicket. The fielder keeps on running back, back, back, is well beyond the ropes as well. The ball lands welll beyond him. 14 from the over, 250 UP FOR AFGHANISTAN! 46 more needed from 36 balls.
Drifted into the legs, quicker too. Shah looks to step out but has to adjust and just plays it back to the bowler.
Short and on off, Rahmat Shah employs the square cut again, hitting it to the left of the deep point fielder for a couple of runs more.
FOUR! Brilliant shot. Fractionally short, around off. Rahmat Shah goes back and cuts it from the line of the stumps, past backward point and finds the fence behind.
Tossed up again, outside off, Omarzai backs away and lofts it inside-out, but on the bounce to wide long off for just a single.
Flighted up at the stumps, Shah comes down the pitch and drives it along the carpet to long off for a single.
FOUR! Spoils the over. Azmatullah Omarzai backs away to the leg side and McCarthy follows him. The ball is a good length, around off and Omarzai throws his bat hard at it. Gets a thick outside edge which flies over the vacant slip region to the deep third fence, beating deep third's dive to his left.
Back of a length and in the channel, Shah looks to hit it through the off side but gets it off the inside half of the blade through square leg for one.