Afghanistan vs Ireland, 2nd T20I Tips & Preview - Hosts Eager To Bounce Back After Dismal Outcome In The First T20I

By Nikhil Kalro

16 Mar 2024

Nikhil Kalro 16 Mar 2024

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Ireland scored a surprising win against Afghanistan in the series opener on UAE tour.
Rashid Khan returns to the game with a remarkable performance, bringing a spin to the match.
Ben White’s game-changing performance with his career-best figures steers Ireland to a series lead.

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan (L) celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket (Getty Images)

The unpredictable nature of this series took another twist on Friday when Ireland stunned Afghanistan in the series opener despite looking down and out at different stages.

Rashid makes a splash on return
White’s career-best razes down Afghanistan
Tips and Predictions

The mercurial nature has been the highlight of Ireland’s tour of the UAE, where they’ve not surrendered at any stage to a superior, pedigreed Afghanistan side that boasts of a number of match-winners, especially in the spin department. Having won the one-off Test, they’re now gunning for a T20I series win to somewhat make up for their lapse in the two ODIs.

Rashid makes a splash on return

It didn’t seem like he was away from the game for three months. Rashid Khan, having returned from rehab for back surgery, got back into the thick of things almost instantly. His 3 for 19 off four overs, including two in two in the 11th over to dismiss Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher, had Ireland reeling at 66 for 4.

The inning was devoid of momentum, and they needed a strong finish to complete. Fortunately, Ireland were helped by Harry Tector’s unbeaten 34-ball 56 that shored them up to 149, competitive if not match-winning. For Tector, this was his second big knock on tour, having earlier made 138 in the first ODI of this series.

White’s career-best razes down Afghanistan

A batting lineup that has superior experience and is known for its firepower was supposed to take the bull by the horns. Instead, Afghanistan were stymied by Josh Little’s new ball burst. From 4 for 3, they were somewhat steered out of rubble by Mohammad Nabi (25) and Mohammad Ishaq (32), but the innings struggled for momentum against the face of a disciplined attack.

Little returned figures of 4-0-19-3, but it was Ben White whose spell proved to be game changing. The leg spinner ended with 4 for 20, his career-best figures in T20Is, to bowl Ireland to a series lead.

Afghanistan vs Ireland, 2nd T20I - Tips and Predictions

Tector and Stirling are value picks with the bat for Ireland. Azmatullah Omarzai’s ability to bowl four overs and bat in the top four makes him a key cog for Afghanistan. Also, pick the bankable Rashid Khan.

Afghanistan may have lost the first ODI, but back them to bounce back and level the series. It’s Ireland’s chance to show Friday night wasn’t an aberration. Given this surge comes around the time the T20 World Cup is set to take place, they are timing their surge superbly.