The one-off Test between Afghanistan and Ireland culminated in a convincing victory for the Irish team on Day 3 at Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi. Despite facing some challenges while chasing the target of 111 runs, the side led by Andrew Balbirnie managed to secure a win with six wickets in hand.
Mark Adair’s dominance with the ball
Mark Adair proved to be the star performer for Ireland, wreaking havoc with his bowling on the opening day of the match. Despite the batter-friendly conditions in the UAE, Adair managed to exploit the movement on the pitch, claiming remarkable figures of 5 wickets for 39 runs. His lethal spells dismantled Afghanistan’s batting lineup, restricting them to a modest total of 155 runs in their first innings.
Zia-ur-Rehman’s counterattack
Afghanistan fought back strongly with left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman leading the charge on the second day of the match. Displaying exceptional skills with the ball, Rehman completed a memorable five-wicket haul, limiting Ireland to a first-innings total of 263 runs. Despite the spirited bowling effort from Rehman, Ireland secured a crucial 108-run lead.
Adair’s Continued Excellence
In the second innings, Adair once again showcased his bowling prowess, providing early breakthroughs for Ireland. His crucial wickets, including that of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah, significantly dented Afghanistan’s batting momentum. Adair’s relentless pressure continued as he claimed vital scalps, contributing to Ireland’s success in restricting Afghanistan on 218 runs in their second innings. Ultimately, Ireland clinched victory with six wickets in hand, securing a memorable win. Irish skipper Balbirnie smashed an unbeaten knock of 55 runs.
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Here is how Twitter reacted:
Ireland 🇮🇪 need 111 to register their first ever Test win
Mark Adair got 8 wickets in the game #AFGvIRE pic.twitter.com/vZ8Rsod8YA
— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) March 1, 2024
Ireland men achieve their FIRST ever Test win. pic.twitter.com/LLZDVsDYpA
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) March 1, 2024
A historic win for ☘️
Skipper Andrew Balbirnie’s fighting knock guides Ireland to their first victory in Test cricket 🎉#AFGvIRE 📝: https://t.co/JxW9rkXQ8i pic.twitter.com/pNAhw4zAon
— ICC (@ICC) March 1, 2024
H.I.S.T.O.R.Y. pic.twitter.com/JYZQxYYfjq
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 1, 2024
Ireland have beaten Afghanistan in the one-off Test 💪#AFGvIRE #cricket
Scorecard: https://t.co/yEvVFKhOl1 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/Xazmz7zWMP— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) March 1, 2024
HISTORY AT ABU DHABI…..!!!!
IRELAND WON THIER FIRST EVER TEST MATCH. 👌
– Defeating Afghanistan by 6 wickets. pic.twitter.com/cBU4KmkDXD
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 1, 2024
HISTORY CREATED BY IRELAND 🇮🇪
Defeating Afghanistan 🇦🇫 in Test Match #AFGvsIRE pic.twitter.com/X19TNOYCfU
— Muhammad Ahsan (@m_ahsan_49) March 1, 2024
Absolute scenes ☘️
Ireland get their first Test victory at the eighth attempt, beating Afghanistan by 6 wickets 🏏
A proud day for all involved in Irish cricket 👏 pic.twitter.com/jZgdSOxQtk
— Daniel Hussey (@DanielHussey2) March 1, 2024
BREAKING: IRELAND HAVE WON THEIR FIRST EVER TEST MATCH 🔥🔥🔥
They have defeated Afghanistan by 6 wickets in Abu Dhabi. History created ♥️ #AFGvIRE pic.twitter.com/SFc3qG3uhC
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) March 1, 2024
So Ireland need 111 runs to win their First ever test match. Ohh the nerves would be jangling. Big test coming up#AFGvIRE #IREvAFG pic.twitter.com/KAqDgJzYDb
— Vivek Yadav (@Vivek67320134) March 1, 2024
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