Afghanistan vs Ireland ODI Tips & Predictions - Afghani Atalan's ODI Progression Faces The Irish Challenge

By Nikhil Kalro

06 Mar 2024

Nikhil Kalro 06 Mar 2024

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Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai set the second-highest sixth wicket stand in ODI history in Afghanistan's recent match.
Ireland will rely on uncapped players, including Matthew Foster and Theo van Woerkom, to make their mark.
Both teams will put their respective strategies to the test, with Afghanistan aiming to build on recent successes and Ireland banking on their new talent.

Afghanistan in action against Ireland during their match in Sharjah in 2017. (Getty Images)

Afghanistan last played a 50-over game last month. They were blanked 3-0 in Sri Lanka, but came within touching distance in a mammoth chase of 382 in the first ODI.

From the depths of 55 for 5, they saw Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai put together a 242-run stand to take them closer. It was the second-highest sixth wicket stand in ODI history. Omarzai made 149 and Nabi 136

It told you of the team’s belief despite being pushed to a corner like they were. It has only come about because they’ve had so many more opportunities at regular frequencies against the big teams.

For context, prior to the series against Sri Lanka, they played three T20Is in India, one of which went into a second Super Over to decide the winner. Such opportunities are absolute gold for a developing team trying to find a winning formula.

Ireland last played an ODI in December when they toured Zimbabwe. Between then and now, they’ve had just one Test, last week, in terms of opportunities.

It makes it that much tougher for a team in transition to adapt because there’s only so much training camps and match simulations can give. It means Ireland will have to learn on the job and hit the ground running. It can’t be an enviable task.

An opportunity for Afghanistan to build on recent gains

For a young team like Afghanistan, this series against Ireland is a perfect opportunity to build on the tangibles and showcase their prowess against a team they have grown up playing regularly over the years.

It’s a great way of judging themselves against a familiar foe in terms of how far they’ve come along as a team.

They will continue to miss the services of Rashid Khan, who is still recuperating from a back injury, but have enough bowling firepower to challenge Ireland on surfaces that will definitely turn.

After impressing at the Under-19 World Cup, mystery spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and allrounder Nangeyalia Kharote would be hoping for a seamless initiation into top-flight cricket.

Much will depend on how much turn the surfaces offer. UAE isn’t yet fully into summer and the cooler weather means the surfaces won’t be baked in the heat as much as they would when the sun is beating down.

This will also keep their seamers interested for longer periods, and it’s unlikely to be a case of win the toss and win the match.

Foster, van Woerkom players to watch for Ireland

Ireland have an uncapped seamer in Matthew Foster who could potentially line-up for an ODI debut. Otherwise, the squad appears settled.

There’s role clarity and understanding that stems from having a very small pool of players owing to financial considerations. Essentially, it’s a system where it’s highly unlikely genuine talent can slip under the cracks because of the nature of their setup.

Stirling will likely open with Andrew Balbirnie, while Curtis Campher will bat at three. Their squad also includes new cap Theo van Woerkom, a New Zealand-born left-arm spinner who has featured for the Northern Knights in Ireland’s domestic competitions.

There’s variety aplenty, but it’ll all boil down to how they use their combined experience.

Afghanistan vs Ireland Tips and Predictions

Ireland pulled a rabbit out of the hat in blindsiding Afghanistan in the one-off Test. They went against conditions, the odds and everything else to put in a sensational performance.

Buoyed as they are from that result, they will need to do something special to turn the tables on Afghanistan in the shorter format, considering how well Afghanistan have come along in ODIs; they almost made the semi-finals of the World Cup in India.

Verdict

Afghanistan v Ireland - 1st ODI

Ireland will need to do something special to turn the tables on Afghanistan in the shorter format, considering how well Afghanistan have come along in ODIs; they almost made the semi-finals of the World Cup in India.