Hazratullah Zazai’s thrilling 62-ball 162 helped Afghanistan post the most elevated T20I all out – 278 for 3 – before they fixed a 84-run success over Ireland to secure the three-coordinate arrangement 2-0 in Dehradun on Saturday (February 23). Ireland, accordingly, made an exceptional begin before they came up short on steam and were in the end limited to 194 for 6.
On the day Sri Lanka left a mark on the world, Zazai chose to make some space for his own in the record books with the second-quickest century in the organization. He struck a record 16 sixes amid his innings – going past Aaron Finch’s record of 14 in Southampton in 2013 – separated from enrolling the second-most elevated score by a batsman, another record held by Finch (172). Asghar Afghan choice to bat previously worked gloriously as Zazai teamed up with Usman Ghani (73) to score 236 for the opening wicket in 17.3 overs.
The strike began just in the third finished – with only seven scored in the initial two – as Peter Chase spilled 15 from his first. That over gave Afghanistan the truly necessary early force as they traveled to 64 after the powerplay with Zazai scoring 35 off 19. He got to his 50 years of 25 balls and not long after started from that point. In the tenth over by Kevin O’Brien, he struck two sixes and four to race to 83 of 35. Afghanistan were totally flying as the 150-stand was raised in the twelfth over. Presumably shaken by the strike, Paul Stirling bowled three wides on the jog in the following over as Zazai hoped to make joyful. The opener at that point struck three sixes to get to his century off 42 balls.
As the tension built, the Ireland bowlers also battled for control and in the end wound up yielding 14 wides in the innings. Lamentably for them, it was certifiably not an uneven ambush as Ghani too rebuffed the bowlers to get to his 50 years off 31 balls. Boyd Rankin got the primary wicket for Ireland yet the harm had just been finished by at that point. Ghani was discovered endeavoring to pull a short ball from the pacer as the huge opening stand arrived at an end. Mohammad Nabi struck 17 off 7 while Zazai confronted just two balls in the last two overs.
Left with no decision, Stirling turned out all weapons bursting to enable Ireland to make a quick begin. Indeed, even as Ireland score at in excess of 10 runs for each over in the primary portion of the pursuit, they were still left requiring 170 off 60. The Ireland commander struck the main chunk of the pursuit for a six yet O’Brien’s moderately moderate begin harmed the group’s odds. Ireland were 32 for no misfortune after the second over when O’Brien played four dab balls in the third over to slow down force. As Stirling hustled to 38 off 18, his accomplice was stuck at 6 off 6. Ireland finished the powerplay with 69 on the board.
Afghan prodded Ireland as he kept down Rashid Khan and enabled the gore to occur. The No. 1 positioned T20I bowlers had quite recently the sort of effect that was normal. He gave away only six from his opening over as the pursuit plunged. O’Brien for a somewhat disappointing 25-ball 37 in the twelfth over to Fareed Malik. This was likewise the third example where the two groups had century opening stand in a T20I. Stirling succumbed to 91 off 50 to Mujeeb ur Rahman in the fourteenth over as Ireland wobbled in pursue. Rashid finished with figures of 4-0-25-4 out of an amusement where bowlers persistently searched for a departure.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 278/3 out of 20 overs (Hazratullah Zazai 162*) beat Ireland 194/6 out of 20 overs (Paul Stirling 91; Rashid Khan 4-25) by 84 runs.