AFG beat IRE by 126 runs | Afghanistan vs Ireland, Highlights And Cricket Score 2nd ODI Match

The two skippers now are handed over the trophy which they share for drawing the series 1-1. They smile and pose for the shutterbugs. This has been a short but wonderful series. Ireland will now wait for Zimbabwe to come and visit them while Afghanistan head over to England and Wales for the Cricket World Cup! It has been wonderful covering this series. Hope you enjoyed following it too. Until next time which will be during the World Cup warm-ups, goodbye, take care and cheers!

Victorious Afghanistan skipper, Gulbadin Naib thanks the almighty first for a perfect finish to the series. Feels they played a really good game today as a team. He credits Ireland for a really perfect game on Sunday but credits his team now for turning it around today and performing to the best of their abilities. Looking ahead to the World Cup, the skipper feels it is a big tournament coming up and reckons this was good practice for them before that. He signs off by praising Shahzad, Rahmat and Najibullah Zadran who played really well today.

Ireland skipper, William Porterfield says that Afghanistan did the basics well for longer periods in the game, which was the reason they won. He mentions that he expected the pitch to have a bit more for the bowlers early on but also did not think that it will be difficult for batting. He admits that the series between these two sides have been really tight since Dehra Dun and even here. Signs off by saying that it was nice to give some game time to lots of young players.

Player of the series, Paul Stirling says that it is nice to win this trophy but it would have been even nicer had they won the game. Mentions they wanted to perform better and are disappointed with today's result. Informs that they did not get any partnership going during the chase and that made it difficult for them.

Coming to the bowling performance, one man stood out. It was the captain, Gulbadin Naib. He was terrific with his line and length and ended up picking 6 for 43, his best-ever figures in ODIs and the 3rd best ever by an Afghan bowler. Dawlat Zadran, Rahmat Shah and Aftab Alam picked up one wicket each too. Thus with this commanding bowling performance, it was a stroll in the park for the Afghan side in their last official ODI before the World Cup. The presentation to follow...

With 305 on the board, Afghanistan started bowling with a big cushion. They removed the opener, James McCollum early once more and even though Paul Stirling held up one end, they kept chipping away at the wickets' column on the other end. Stirling too fell soon after getting to 50 and when the experienced duo of Kevin O'Brien and William Porterfield did not do much, the writing was always on the wall. Wilson delayed the inevitable with the tail being around him for a bit but in the end, they succumbed to a huge loss with more than 8 overs left!

These two teams were inseparable when they met in India earlier this year and here too, they have shared an ODI series. After the commanding performance from Ireland in the first ODI, Afghanistan have stormed back with a comprehensive win over them in the second. It has been a brilliant bowling performance in defense of a total that always seemed to be a bit too much for the hosts to chase. The skipper picked up 6 wickets and led from the front as they bowled out Ireland for just 179!

Gulbadin Naib to Gary Wilson. OUT! That is it. Wilson refused to take the single off the previous ball but that does not matter much as he departs the very next ball. Naib gets his 6th of the game. Fuller ball on off, Wilson hits it uppishly to short mid-wicket. Rashid Khan makes no mistake and takes an easy catch. Afghanistan win the game comprehensively by 126 runs.

Gulbadin Naib to Gary Wilson. Good length ball on off, Wilson pulls it to long on and refuses to take a run.

Rashid Khan to Boyd Rankin. Another appeal for LBW but turned down again by the umpire. This one was missing leg comfortably too.

Rashid Khan to Boyd Rankin. Another ball down the leg side, Rankin misses the ball and gets hit on the pads down the leg side.

Rashid Khan to Boyd Rankin. Loud appeal but the ball was pitching outside leg. A flatter one, Rankin misses the flick and gets rapped on the pads outside the line of leg stump. An appeal arises from all the fielders but the umpire turns it down.

Rashid Khan to Gary Wilson. Flatter on middle, Wilson sweeps this to deep square leg for a single.

Rashid Khan to Gary Wilson. Wilson misses the shot as he tries to hit the ball to the off side. So close to the outside edge as well.

Rashid Khan to Gary Wilson. FOUR! Streaky runs but Ireland do not care. A flatter one on middle, Wilson comes inside the line and looks to paddle the ball down to the fine leg fence but it goes very close to the keeper off the side of the blade. Luckily for Wilson though, the ball finds its way to the fence.

Gulbadin Naib to Gary Wilson. Wilson opens the face of the bat and helps it to third man. The batsmen have run through for a single.

Gulbadin Naib to Gary Wilson. Short length ball on middle, Wilson pulls this to mid-wicket.

Gulbadin Naib to Gary Wilson. FOUR! Shot! A half-volley outside off, Wilson times this beautifully over mid off. He clears the fielder in the circle with ease and hence picks up a boundary.

Gulbadin Naib to Boyd Rankin. DROPPED! Terrific attempt from Rashid Khan at mid off but he cannot hold on. A length ball outside off, Rankin goes to loft the ball over mid off but the bat turns in his hand and the ball goes just behind Rashid who runs and tries to catch it with his right hand but fails to hold on. The batsmen pick up a single.

Gulbadin Naib to Boyd Rankin. Pushes this one to mid-wicket does the southpaw.