||Desk Report||

Afghanistan won their second T20I and clinched the series against Ireland with smashing the highest score of 278 for 3 in this format on Saturday in Dehradun. Hazratullah Zazai knocked unbeaten 162 off 62 and made a record partnership of 236 off 105 with Usman Ghani (73 off 48) in the opening stand. In reply, Ireland scored 194 for 6 within 20 overs. As a result, Afghanistan won the game by 84 runs.

However, Afghanistan surpassed Australia’s 263/3 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on 2016, which was the highest innings total in the T20Is. Even, they claimed the record of most sixes in an innings- 22, surpassing the records of West Indies’ 21 sixes against India in Lauderhill and India’s 21 sixes against Sri Lanka in Indore, both on 2017.

However, after opting to bat first, two openers Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani gave a solid start to Afghanistan. Zazai knocked his unbeaten 162 including 11 fours and 16 sixes (which is the highest individual sixes in an innings) while Ghani scored 73 with 7 fours and 3 sixes. After building the record-partnership of 236 in the opening stand, Ghani was dismissed by Rankin. Among the others, Shafiqullah Shafiq scored 7, Mohammad Nabi 17 and Najibullah Zadran remained unbeaten with Zazai at 1.

Chasing of 279, openers Paul Stirling and Kevin O Brien handed a good start for Ireland. The pair added 126 off 71 balls which is the highest opening stand for Ireland. Stirling scored 91 off 50 while Kevin O Brien scored 37 off 25 deliveries.  The pair was broken by Fareed Malik who dismissed Kevin O Brien. After that, Rashid Khan bowled Andrew Balbirnie out for 1 and Mujeeb Ur Rahman sent back Paul Stirling. Among the others, Lorcan Tucker scored 2, Shane Getkate 24, and George Dockrell 0. Simi Singh and Stuart Poynter were unbeaten on 17 and 15 runs respectively. Rashid Khan picked up 4 for 25. Afghanistan clinched the series 2-0. The third and final ODI scheduled to be held at the same venue on February 24.

Brief scores

Afghanistan: 278/3

Zazai 162*, Ghani 73