Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Ireland Cricket Team Match Scorecard

Few bilateral rivalries between a Full Member and its closest challenger have produced as many tight finishes, record chases and breakout performances as the one between Afghanistan and Ireland. If you want the Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Ireland Cricket Team Match Scorecard in a form that is easy to scan, this guide brings everything together in one place: the full scorecard of the most recent ODI, the squads and key players of both sides, a table of the last ten completed matches, a short head-to-head analysis and answers to the questions fans ask most often. The latest meeting took place in August 2026, when Afghanistan won a five-match ODI series 4–0 in Ireland, closing it out with the highest successful chase in their ODI history.

The Latest Series at a Glance

Afghanistan toured Ireland between 5 and 15 August 2026 for a five-match One Day International series. The tour was played at Bready and at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, Belfast, and it doubled as a useful build-up for the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa. Afghanistan, captained by Rahmat Shah, faced an Irish side led by Paul Stirling.

The margin looks emphatic, but the individual games were closer than the series scoreline suggests. Ireland were bowled out in the last few overs of one chase, pushed Afghanistan to a three-wicket finish in another, and scored 298 and 301 in the last two matches. That context matters when you read any scorecard from this series.

Latest Scorecard: 5th ODI, Belfast, 15 August 2026

When readers search for the Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Ireland Cricket Team Match Scorecard, this is the match they usually want: the series finale at Stormont, where Afghanistan chased 299 and won by six wickets with seven balls to spare.

Result: Ireland 298/7 (50 overs); Afghanistan 302/4 (48.5 overs). Afghanistan won by 6 wickets. Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field.

Ireland innings: 298/7 (50 overs)

Ireland lost early wickets to Omarzai, who bowled Balbirnie for his 50th ODI wicket, but Tector’s patient half-century and a brilliant 96 from Campher dragged the total close to 300. The 21 wides conceded by Afghanistan were a notable feature of the innings.

Afghanistan innings: 302/4 (48.5 overs)

Afghanistan’s chase began badly. Liam McCarthy removed Ibrahim Zadran with a short ball in the fourth over and dismissed both openers cheaply inside the first six overs, and the home bowlers squeezed the scoring rate below three an over. What followed was the decisive passage of the series. Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal added 201 for the third wicket, Afghanistan’s highest third-wicket partnership in ODIs. Atal fell for 98, while Rahmat finished unbeaten on 143, his highest ODI score, as the team passed 100 in 21.3 overs, 150 in 28.6 and 250 in 43.6 before getting home with seven balls to spare. McCarthy finished with 3 for 37, the pick of the Irish bowlers.

Key takeaway: the chase of 299 is Afghanistan’s highest in ODI cricket, and it handed them a 4–0 series win.

How the 2026 Series Unfolded

1st ODI, 5 August: washed out

No play was possible because of rain and there was not even a toss, so the series effectively started two days later.

2nd ODI, 7 August, Bready: Afghanistan won by 92 runs

Rain reduced the match to 47 overs per side. Ireland won the toss and fielded, and Afghanistan posted 299/8. Ireland were bowled out for 207 in 33.4 overs. Three Irish players, Ben Calitz, Byron McDonough and Jai Moondra, made their ODI debuts.

3rd ODI, 10 August, Belfast: Afghanistan won by 3 wickets

This was the low-scoring thriller. Ireland made 206 in 46.3 overs, helped by a stubborn ninth-wicket partnership, and Afghanistan chased 207 with 31 balls to spare, finishing on 207/7. At 176/7, after Mark Adair removed Omarzai, Ireland had a real chance, but Rashid Khan stayed calm with 37 not out after taking 3 for 44, and was named player of the match. The win took Afghanistan to 2–0 and secured their direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Harry Tector also reached 2,000 ODI runs in this game.

4th ODI, 12 August, Belfast: Afghanistan won by 42 runs

Afghanistan made 343/9 after Ireland chose to field, with centuries from Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal (143 off 120 balls). Zadran also reached 2,000 ODI runs, doing so among the fastest batters in the world. Ireland came very close to a miracle, with Curtis Campher blazing 84 off 45 balls with eight fours and five sixes, but they were all out for 301 in 48 overs. Yamin Ahmadzai took 4 for 71, and Byron McDonough took 3 for 84 for Ireland.

5th ODI, 15 August, Belfast: Afghanistan won by 6 wickets

Covered in detail above: 298/7 against 302/4, a 201-run third-wicket stand and a 4–0 series result. Hashmatullah Shahidi also played his 100th ODI.

Afghanistan Squad and Key Players

Afghanistan arrived in Ireland with a settled core that mixes experienced batters with wrist-spin and all-round depth. The 2026 touring party was: Rahmat Shah (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Nangialai Kharoti, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Mohammad Saleem, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.

• Rahmat Shah (captain): The anchor of the middle order. His unbeaten 143 in the final ODI was his best ODI score and the foundation of Afghanistan’s record chase.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz (vice-captain, wicketkeeper): An explosive opener and the player of the series in the 2024 ODIs against Ireland, where he scored 172 runs.
• Ibrahim Zadran: A top-order batter who reached 2,000 ODI runs during this series. He also hit an unbeaten 72 in the 2024 T20I at Sharjah and top-scored in Afghanistan’s first innings of the 2024 Test with 53.
• Sediqullah Atal: The batting find of the series, with 313 runs including 143 in the fourth ODI and 98 in the fifth.
• Hashmatullah Shahidi: A former captain who played his 100th ODI in the finale and made 69 in the 2024 ODI win at Sharjah.
• Azmatullah Omarzai: A seam-bowling all-rounder who took his 50th ODI wicket in the final match, bowling Andrew Balbirnie.
• Rashid Khan: The tournament’s player of the series with 12 wickets, plus a match-winning 3 for 44 and 37 not out in the third ODI. He also led Afghanistan in the 2024 T20Is.
• Yamin Ahmadzai and AM Ghazanfar: Ahmadzai’s 4 for 71 in the fourth ODI and Ghazanfar’s wickets in the final game showed the depth behind Rashid.
• Nangialai Kharoti, Mohammad Saleem, Fazalhaq Farooqi: Bowling options who provide variation. Kharoti took key wickets in the 2024 ODI win, and Saleem dismissed Campher in the series finale.
• Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Darwish Rasooli, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi: Squad members who add batting, glovework and depth.

Ireland Squad and Key Players

Ireland’s 2026 squad blended experience with youth, and three players made ODI debuts during the series. The group named was: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, George Dockrell, Gavin Hoey, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper). Jordan Neill also featured in the final ODI.

• Paul Stirling (captain): The most experienced opener in the side. He scored 52 in Ireland’s first innings of the 2024 Test and 50 in the 2024 ODI at Sharjah.
• Andrew Balbirnie: The former captain, who led Ireland in the 2024 Test and made 58 in the successful second-innings chase.
• Harry Tector: Ireland’s most dependable batter in the middle order. He passed 2,000 ODI runs in this series, made 53 in the final ODI and hit an unbeaten 56 in the 2024 T20I victory.
• Curtis Campher: The standout Irish performer, with 207 runs in the series, including 84 off 45 balls in the fourth ODI and 96 in the fifth.
• Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper): A key middle-order batter and glovesman, the leading Irish run-scorer in the 2024 Test.
• George Dockrell: The experienced left-arm spinner and lower-order batter, who made 31 in the finale and was player of the series when Ireland won the 2022 T20I series 3–2.
• Mark Adair: A fast bowler who took 5 for 39 in the 2024 Test and was player of the match when Ireland recorded their first men’s Test victory. He also removed Omarzai at a critical moment in the third ODI.
• Liam McCarthy: The quick bowler who took 3 for 37 in the final ODI, dismissing Zadran early with a short ball.
• Gavin Hoey and Byron McDonough: Hoey was Ireland’s leading wicket-taker in the series with 7, while McDonough took 3 for 84 in the fourth ODI after debuting in the second.
• Cade Carmichael, Jordan Neill, Andrew McBrine, Ben Calitz, Jai Moondra: Depth in batting and spin, with Calitz and Moondra making their ODI debuts at Bready.

Last 10 Completed Matches: Afghanistan vs Ireland

The table below lists the ten most recent completed international matches between the two sides, newest first. Two further matches, the 1st ODI of 2026 and the 2nd ODI of 2024, were abandoned and are not counted.

Over these ten matches Afghanistan won eight and Ireland two. Both Irish victories came in the first fixture of a new series or format, in the 2024 Test and the 2024 first T20I, which suggests Ireland can set the tone when conditions suit them but have struggled to sustain pressure across a series.

Head-to-Head and Recent Trends

Going into the March 2024 series, the ODI record between the two teams stood at 30 matches, with 16 Afghanistan wins, 13 Irish wins and one no-result. Using the results above, my own tally puts Afghanistan at about 22 wins to Ireland’s 13 after the 2026 series, with three matches lost to rain, but treat that figure as approximate and check an official stats database before quoting it. The older history is much more even. Ireland won the 2017 ODI series in the UAE 2–1, and they won the 2022 T20I series in Belfast 3–2 with George Dockrell named player of the series. Afghanistan then turned the balance decisively, winning ODI and T20I series in India in 2019, and the ODI and T20I series in the UAE in 2024.

Three trends stand out. First, Afghanistan have become much more reliable as chasers, with the 302/4 in the final ODI and the 207 run chase in the third ODI both completed under pressure. Second, the margins in 2026 were narrower than the 2024 ODIs, when Afghanistan won by 35 and 117 runs, which shows how much Ireland’s batting has improved against high-quality spin. Third, red-ball cricket remains the one format in which Ireland have the upper hand, thanks to the 2024 Test.

What Decides These Matches

Spin against Ireland’s middle order. Rashid Khan, Nabi in earlier series, Ghazanfar and Kharoti have repeatedly exposed Ireland’s batters. Ireland’s best answers have come from players who hit through the line, such as Campher and Tector, rather than those who try to survive.

The powerplay. In the final ODI Ireland struck early, and in the 2024 T20Is the side that took early wickets usually won. Afghanistan’s top order is dangerous if given a good start, so Irish seamers such as McCarthy and Adair need wickets, not just containment.

Partnerships in the middle overs. The 201-run stand between Rahmat Shah and Atal and the ninth-wicket partnership that nearly saved Ireland in the third ODI are examples of how one long stand can swing a match. Check the partnership information on any scorecard, not just the totals.

Extras and discipline. The 21 wides in the final ODI scorecard were an unnecessary gift to a side that usually has little trouble scoring. Games between these teams are often decided by a dozen or so runs.

How to Read an Afghanistan vs Ireland Scorecard

A cricket scorecard contains more information than the result. Start with the toss and the innings totals, then look at strike rates and boundary counts to see who set the tempo. The fall-of-wickets line shows where a collapse happened or where a partnership broke the game open, and bowling figures with economy rates reveal who controlled the middle overs. Extras deserve attention in this fixture, because wides and no-balls have often been the difference between 280 and 300. Finally, check the match notes, which record debuts, milestones and rain interruptions. In the 2026 series those notes tell you that three Irish players debuted in the second ODI and that rain shortened it to 47 overs per side, which explains the totals in that scorecard.

The Off-Field Context

The 2026 series attracted attention beyond the boundary. When Cricket Ireland confirmed the fixtures in March 2026, its chief executive acknowledged a sense of moral discomfort about playing Afghanistan because of the restrictions placed on women’s sport in the country under Taliban rule. The England and Wales Cricket Board was reported to be unhappy with the decision, human rights groups including Amnesty International raised concerns, and Cricket Ireland put security measures in place at the venues in case of protests. Whatever your view, the context helps explain why this series received more coverage than a standard bilateral tour.

What Comes Next

Afghanistan have already secured direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which removes pressure from their preparation and gives them time to test combinations. I could not find a confirmed next fixture between the two sides at the time of writing, so check Cricket Ireland, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the ICC for updated schedules.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who won the latest match between Afghanistan and Ireland?

Afghanistan won the most recent match, the fifth ODI in Belfast on 15 August 2026. Ireland scored 298/7, and Afghanistan chased it down for 302/4 in 48.5 overs to win by six wickets, which also gave them a 4–0 series victory.

2. Who were the best performers in the 2026 series?

Rashid Khan was player of the series with 12 wickets, and Sediqullah Atal scored the most runs with 313. Rahmat Shah made an unbeaten 143 in the final ODI. For Ireland, Curtis Campher scored 207 runs, and Gavin Hoey took 7 wickets.

3. What is the head-to-head record between the two teams?

Before the March 2024 series, Afghanistan led the ODI record 16–13 with one no-result. Since then Afghanistan have won six of the eight ODIs that were completed, so their lead has grown considerably. Ireland have beaten Afghanistan in a Test and have won a T20I series in 2022.

4. Has Ireland ever beaten Afghanistan in a Test match?

Yes. In February and March 2024 at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi, Ireland won the one-off Test by six wickets. It was Ireland’s first men’s Test win, with Mark Adair taking 5 for 39 in the first innings and winning player of the match.

5. Where can I find the full scorecard and upcoming fixtures?

Official match centres run by the ICC, Cricket Ireland and the Afghanistan Cricket Board, along with ESPNcricinfo, carry full scorecards, ball-by-ball commentary and fixture lists. This article is based on reported results up to the August 2026 series, so check those sites for the latest information.

Final Thoughts

Afghanistan have taken control of this rivalry in the limited-overs formats, but the scorecards show that Ireland remain a dangerous opponent whenever Tector, Campher and the seamers hit form together. Use this page whenever you need the Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Ireland Cricket Team Match Scorecard, the squads and the last ten results together, and bookmark the official match centres for live updates when the two teams next meet.

El Salvador National Football Team Vs Inter Miami Timeline