Zazai, spinners rout Ireland to claim T20I series

Sports Desk: Hazratullah Zazai scored a second successive half-century and then Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman ran riot as Afghanistan inflicted an 81-run defeat on Ireland in the second T20I and sealed the series with a game to spare.

Zazai helped Afghanistan overcome a stuttering start with a 54-ball 82 as the visitors rode on his brilliance to post 160 before their spin twins claimed 7 for 34 between themselves to bowl Ireland for 79.

Unlike their loss in the opener, Ireland faded away from the contest soon after the early high of dismissing Mohammad Shahzad and Samiullah Shenwari cheaply. But just when Afghanistan's decision to bat first became a topic of debate, captain Asghar Afghan joined hands with the hi-flying Zazai to revive the innings. The duo put on 116 for the third wicket in 79 deliveries during which the skipper was happy to turn the strike-over and score at a leisurely strike-rate of 108.82.

Zazai, playing just his third game for the national team, was unstoppable. Every loose delivery was met with contempt and the early setback quickly had little bearing on the match situation. With the regular bowlers leaking runs, Gary Wilson turned to senior player Paul Stirling in search of a breakthrough.

Zazai slammed three sixes and added another 20 runs to the total, which had breached the 100-run mark in the 12th over. Zazai had two more sixes to follow - taking his match tally to seven - before he fell off the last ball of the 16th over. Afghan fell next ball and the lower-order just about managed to push the score to 160 thanks to Najibullah Zadran's 10-ball 20.

But given Ireland's travails against spin, the total was already 20 above par. That said, Afghan wasted little time in unleashing Mujeeb on the Irish top-order, which crumbled at the first sign of resistance to be reduced to 9 for 3. William Porterfield and Wilson added a brief 37-run stand but Ireland's time with the bat was numbered once Rashid Khan was introduced into the attack. He picked up for 4 for 17 in no time to propel Afghanistan to their seventh T20I win on the bounce in 2018. They are yet to lose a game in the format this year and Ireland have it all to do in the dead rubber.

Brief scores: Afghanistan 160/8 in 20 overs (Hazratullah Zazai 82, Asghar Afghan 37; Peter Chase 3-35, Boyd Rankin 2-14) beat Zimbabwe 79 in 15 overs (William Porterfield 33; Rashid Khan 4-17, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 3-17) by 81 runs.

Source: cricbuzz.com


risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 23, 2018/Nasim