5th ODI: Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi push Afghanistan to 216

Afghanistan recovered from 50/4 to put up a respectable total on the board.

The experienced duo of Asghar Afghan and Mohammad Nabi rescued Afghanistan yet again as the side recovered from 50/4 to score 216/6 in the fifth and final ODI against Ireland at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Dehradun on Sunday. (AFG vs IRE, 5th ODI: LIVE UPDATES)

After skipper William Porterfield won the toss and elected to bowl, George Dockrell, Tim Murtagh and Andy McBrine helped Ireland scalp four quick wickets. Afghanistan’s decision to bring back Mohammad Shahzad did not really yield much dividends as the veteran could only score six runs and was dismissed in the first over. Javed Ahmadi and Rahmat Shah scored 24 and 17 runs respectively. Samiullah Shinwari did not trouble the scorers as he was out for a duck. (ALSO READ: 5th ODI: Ireland opt to bowl; Afghanistan bring back Mohammad Shahzad)

Afghan and Nabi put up a 76-run stand to steady the Afghanistan innings. While Nabi perished in the 36th over and Najibullah Zadran got out soon after, Rashid Khan, who scored unbeaten 35 off 28 balls, joined hands with the Afghanistan skipper as the two pushed their side past 200 before Afghan left the field retired hurt in the final over of the Afghanistan innings.

Afghanistan had returned to the winning ways after winning the fourth ODI following their defeat in the third ODI. The Afghan side were in a spot of bother in the fourth ODI, being reduced to 81/6, the Asghar Afghan-led side went on to beat the Porterfield-led side by 109 runs to take an unassailable lead in the five-match series.

Brief scores: Afghanistan 216/6 (Asghar Afghan 82 retired hurt, Mohammad Nabi 40; George Dockrell 2/46); Ireland