IRE VS AFG - 2nd T20I, Afghanistan tour of Ireland, 2018

Right. Afghanistan haven't lost a T20I yet this year. They have made it 7 out of 7 and are fast becoming a powerhouse in this format. Let us see if Ireland can halt the juggernaut in the final T20I on Friday. Until then, it's a goodbye from us here. Cheers!

Asghar Afghan: We won the series and today's game was important for us. Our target was above 140, lucky that we got to 160. We lost early wickets, myself and Zazai put up a good partnership but we didn't finish well once again. But these things happen and we need to learn quickly.

Gary Wilson: Not easy whenever you lose a game by 81 runs. We all know it's not good enough, expect everyone to give their 100 percent on Friday. I don't think we can point at the toss for this defeat. We would've batted first if we had won the toss. It was a good wicket.

18:58 Local Time: This match was so akin to the previous T20I. Runs on the board and then strangulate the opposition with spin - was Afghanistan's mantra. This was a below-par batting performance from Ireland. The required rate was 8 RPO from the start, but the hosts lost three early wickets in the chase and never really recovered from there. Just two batsmen in double figures sums up the tale for Ireland - who were blown away by some immaculate bowling efforts from Afghanistan. Once the top-order was wrecked havoc by the pacers and Mujeeb, Rashid then wiped off the middle-order and tail in no time, finishing with a four-fer.

Rashid Khan to Chase, out Caught by Nabi!! Gone. That's the end of the game. Wrong'un from Rashid, suckered Chase into a playing a big shot. The batsman got low and ended up toe-ending it towards long-on. Nabi charges forward, dives and swallows it up without any hassle. Afghanistan seal the series and take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Chase c Nabi b Rashid Khan 4(3) [4s-1]

Rashid Khan to Chase, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Rashid Khan to Chase, FOUR, top-edge and four. Rashid won't mind these because the game is already in Afghanistan's kitty. Chase sat down on the slog-sweep, gets a fat top-edge which goes over the keeper

Rashid Khan to Chase, no run, uh-oh! Rippah. Leg-break, pitched on off and spun past a poking blade of Chase

Peter Chase, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Rashid Khan to Rankin, out Bowled!! You just can't take on Rashid and get away. He will come back at you. This was the quicker one, Rankin made an error by staying on the back foot. Couldn't combat the zip off the deck and the ball crashes onto the stumps before he could get his bat down to keep it out. Rankin b Rashid Khan 7(5) [6s-1]

Rashid Khan to Rankin, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Rashid Khan to Rankin, SIX, woah. What a connection from Rankin. Rashid tosses a googly outside off, Rankin spots it well and smites it beautifully over deep mid-wicket

Rashid Khan to Rankin, no run, convincing shout from Rashid, but it was heading down leg. Leggie that skidded on and rapped Rankin on the pad

Mujeeb to Joshua Little, no run, jeez! How did that miss the stumps? It was so, so close to kissing the leg-stump there. Googly again from Mujeeb, Little went across a long way and missed it

Mujeeb to Joshua Little, no run, wrong 'un from Mujeeb, spinning into the right-hander and thudding Little high on the pad. Half-hearted shout for LBW from Mujeeb and Co. but it was too high

Mujeeb to Rankin, 1 run, in-drifter, Rankin mistimes the slog - off the inner half to deep mid-wicket

Mujeeb to Rankin, no run, fizzes off the deck, Rankin awkwardly defends it

Boyd Rankin, left handed bat, comes to the crease

Mujeeb to Dockrell, out Caught by Shenwari!! This is a soft dismissal. It was too short and asking to be hit. Dockrell ends up pulling it flat and straight to mid-wicket. Into the bread-bucket hands of Shenwari - who ain't dropping those. Afghanistan are all over the hosts here. Dockrell c Shenwari b Mujeeb 3(7)

Mujeeb to Dockrell, THATS OUT!! Caught!!