Afghanistan Vs Ireland Highlights, ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2026: Faisal Shinozada's Century Drives Afghans To Victory

Good Morning to all our readers joining us for this live coverage today. This is the start of our blog, stay tuned for the build-up as the match starts from 1:00PM (IST) onwards.

Afghanistan U19: Khalid Ahmadzai, Osman Sadat, Faisal Shinozada, Uzairullah Niazai, Mahboob Khan(w/c), Azizullah Miakhil, Khatir Stanikzai, Nooristani Omarzai, Abdul Aziz, Roohullah Arab, Wahidullah Zadran, Salam Khan, Zaitullah Shaheen, Nazifullah Amiri, Aqil Khan

Ireland U19: James West, Freddie Ogilby(w), Adam Leckey, Robert O'Brien, Sebastian Dijkstra, Marko Bates, Oliver Riley(c), Reuben Wilson, Bruce Whaley, Luke Murray, Thomas Ford, Callum Armstrong, Samuel Haslett, Alex Armstrong, Febin Manoj

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first.

Afghanistan U19: Khalid Ahmadzai, Osman Sadat, Faisal Shinozada, Uzairullah Niazai, Mahboob Khan (WK/C), Azizullah Miakhil, Nooristani Omarzai, Abdul Aziz, Roohullah Arab, Wahidullah Zadran, Aqil Khan

Ireland U19: James West, Freddie Ogilby (WK), Adam Leckey, Robert O'Brien, Sebastian Dijkstra, Marko Bates, Oliver Riley (C), Reuben Wilson, Alex Armstrong, Thomas Ford, Luke Murray

Extremely slow start from Afghanistan to kick start their innings in this must win game against Ireland. Opening batter Khalid Ahmadzai is the first to depart for a score of 1 off 5.

Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai are stitching a short but steady partnership, trying to stage up a platform for the middle and lower order cricketers to launch. They have lost two wickets early and it is necessary for them to stitch a partnership before they can go hard.

Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai are now aiming a big score with their partnership. They have played out the tricky phase and are now finding it easy to score at a brisk pace. 100 is up for Afghanistan and they will look to accelerate soon. Shinozada has now completed his half-century and a big innings will be up his sleeves. Ireland under pressure now.

AFG-Y 102/2 (21)

The partnership gets broken as Oliver Riley gets the wicket of Uzairullah Niazai. Niazai was supporting Faisal Shinozada from one end. He was keeping the end stable and rotating the strike but Riley finally got through him and ended the 75-run partnership. Mahboob Khan has joined Shinozada now and looking to take a more faster route.

AFG-Y 135/3 (27)

Not much events in the small phase of play. Faisal Shinozada keeps making his innings bigger and Ireland has found no answer to his patient and skillful batting. Mahboob Khan has already played an impactful cameo supporting Shinozada and has looked more aggressive Uzairullah Niazai. Adam Leckey and Reuben Wilson are in the attack for Ireland and they will want to break the partnership soon.

AFG-Y 157/3 (32)

An exceptional innings from Faisal Shinozada and he completes his century. Shinozada was looking in great touch when he scored his half-century and was looking set for a big score. He has now completed his century and is aiming a big score for his team. Captain Mahboob Khan has supported him well by scoring in a brisk rate and racing to the score of 40 in no time. Ireland are finding it hard to contain Afghanistan.

AFG-Y 209/3 (40)

Faisal Shinozada is showing a masterclass of a batting out here. He has accelerated quickly after scoring his century he has scored 52 runs in only 25 balls and has batted with a strike rate of over 200. Mahboob Khan has also scored his half-century and the duos batting has left Ireland at their mercy. If the Irish bowlers can't restrict Afghanistan in the last five overs, they will be batted out of the game.

AFG-Y 261/3 (45)

54 runs in the last five runs and it can be said that Afghanistan dominated the last ten overs and have almost batted out Ireland from the game. Most of it is due to Faisal Shinozada and Mahboob Khan's exceptional batting. Shinozada played an absolute gem of a knock, scoring 163 of 142 balls. Accelerated brilliantly in the end while at the other side, Mahboob Khan looked destructive since the start. He played a solid knock of 89 runs of 79 balls before getting dismissed. Ireland have an uphill task at hand.

AFG-Y 315/7 (50)

Afghanistan continue to dominate even with the ball in hand. Ireland are chasing a massive total of 316 and they lose opener Freddie Ogilby early. Abdul Aziz cleans Ogilby up and Ireland, who were off to a very slow and cautious start, are now under more pressure. To stay alive in the chase, they will have to find boundaries.

IRE-Y 8/1 (5)

The Ireland inning is going nowhere and they are in some big trouble after the end of the first ten overs. They already lost a wicket earlier and were scoring very slowly. Topping that, Adam Leckey suffered a run out. As Ireland was getting themselves back into the game, Abdul Aziz strikes again removing James West LBW. Afghanistan can see a victory here.

IRE-Y 26/3 (10)

Ireland keep drifting away from the game and they are barely finding a footing to stay alive in the mammoth chase. Afghanistan bowlers successfully keep building pressure and keep Ireland clipped. Robert O'Brien and Marko Bates were looking for a short partnership but O'Brien departs after being dismissed run out. Pressure forced them to do a mistake and Afghanistan comfortably on top here.

IRE-Y 53/4 (17)

Ireland keep losing wickets and it can well be said that they are falling behind by far in the chase. Roohullah Arab strikes this time as he removes Sebastian Dijkstra. Marko Bates remains unbeaten on one end, trying to stitch a partnership with Reuben Wilson. Ireland aiming to take the game deep here.

IRE-Y 81/5 (24)

Ireland's innings has dipped and dipped further. They have lost two more wickets and looking down the barrel here. Aqil Khan is the one who scalps two wickets in one over, ending any and every hope Ireland had to even stay alive in the chase. Khan dismissed Reuben Wilson and Oliver Riley, while Marko Bates keeps stranded at one end. Afghanistan closing in on a victory here.

IRE-Y 112/7 (34)

Ireland are staring at a big defeat here and Afghanistan are waiting to seal their victory. Aqil Khan struck again after his two wickets in one over removing Alex Armstrong for a duck. The next wicket was taken by Nooristani Omarzai as he dismissed the well-set Marko Bates. Only one wicket remains between Afghanistan and victory.

IRE-Y 122/9 (40)

That's It! Abdul Aziz dismisses Luke Murray, and with it Afghanistan secure a dominant 191-run victory. Abdul Aziz scalped three wickets and so did Aqil Khan. They gave no breathing space to Ireland in the chase. Earlier, Afghanistan batted out Ireland from the game by posting a total of 315/7 on the board. Faisal Shinozada laid the base with a brilliant 163. Mahboob Khan provided the finish with a power-packed 89. With this win, Afghanistan moved to the second spot in the Super Six points table.