Ireland v Afghanistan: Hosts claim seven-wicket T20 victory in Belfast opener
Ireland v Afghanistan: Hosts claim seven-wicket T20 victory in Belfast opener
< /figure>First Twenty20 international, Belfast: Afghanistan 1 68-7 (20 overs): Ghani 59, I Zadran 29*; McCarthy 3-34 Ireland 171-3 (19.5 overs): Balbirnie 51, Tucker 50; Mujeeb 1-22Ireland won by seven wicketsScorecard< p class= "" data-reactid=".jasrow5pwa.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3.0">Usman Ghani is the top scorer for Afghanistan with 59 points as they went 168-7 at Stormont.
Irish captain Andrew Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker both hit half a century before the late sun drama.< /p>
The hosts needed two of the last two balls and Dockrell broke a boundary as Ireland totaled 171 -3.
Ireland's victory came after a series of defeats against India, the New Zealand and South Africa.
Ireland came so close to victory against India and the B lack Caps that she finally crossed the line in the first of five T20s between the teams at the Belfast venue.
Ghani and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (26) went 34 for the first wicket and the tourists were in fine form at 111-2 before the wickets started to drop.
< /figure>First Twenty20 international, Belfast: Afghanistan 1 68-7 (20 overs): Ghani 59, I Zadran 29*; McCarthy 3-34 Ireland 171-3 (19.5 overs): Balbirnie 51, Tucker 50; Mujeeb 1-22Ireland won by seven wicketsScorecard< p class= "" data-reactid=".jasrow5pwa.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3.0">Usman Ghani is the top scorer for Afghanistan with 59 points as they went 168-7 at Stormont.
Irish captain Andrew Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker both hit half a century before the late sun drama.< /p>
The hosts needed two of the last two balls and Dockrell broke a boundary as Ireland totaled 171 -3.
Ireland's victory came after a series of defeats against India, the New Zealand and South Africa.
Ireland came so close to victory against India and the B lack Caps that she finally crossed the line in the first of five T20s between the teams at the Belfast venue.
Ghani and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (26) went 34 for the first wicket and the tourists were in fine form at 111-2 before the wickets started to drop.
< /figure>First Twenty20 international, Belfast: Afghanistan 1 68-7 (20 overs): Ghani 59, I Zadran 29*; McCarthy 3-34 Ireland 171-3 (19.5 overs): Balbirnie 51, Tucker 50; Mujeeb 1-22Ireland won by seven wicketsScorecard< p class= "" data-reactid=".jasrow5pwa.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3.0">Usman Ghani is the top scorer for Afghanistan with 59 points as they went 168-7 at Stormont.
