AFG VS IRE - 4th ODI, Afghanistan v Ireland in India, 2017

Afghanistan vs Ireland

Ireland won by 3 wkts

IRE -224/7 (46.5)

AFG -220/10 (49.5)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH : Kevin O Brien

Batter

R
B
4s
6s
SR
72
60
8
2
120
5
10
0
0
50

Bowler

O
M
R
W
ECO
8.5
1
51
0
5.77

That's all we have from this encounter. The series stands at 2-2 and the winner on Friday takes it all. It's going to be an exciting final game. Do join us to witness all the thrills and spills. Until next time, goodbye!!

Porterfield: We knew that the last 2 games were must-win games and glad we squared it 2-2. Chasing 220 was a great effort. Kevin O'Brien has put his hand up today and it has been an excellent effort from him. We will assess who's fit for the last game and will pick the best eleven for that (final) game.

Stanikzai: I think on this wicket 220 is a decent total. I think Kevin O'Brien played a superb knock. With injury he came out to bat and won the game for them. Our top-order haven't performed as well as they would've liked. Some poor shots maybe. But I'm proud of our 7, 8, 9 batsmen. They have scored crucial runs for us. The final is going to be exciting.

Kevin O'Brien, undoubtedly, is the winner of the Man of the Match award: I have done my hamstring. Doesn't look too good. Have to assess that in the next 24 hours. We have bowled well upfront. Afghanistan are a very good bowling team as well. We knew they are going to put up a fight. But our mentality is the same. To score freely and make sure the scorecard gets ticking.

16:50 Local time: Kevin O'Brien might not play the next game, but he delivered what was expected of him throughout the series. It wouldn't have come at a better time. Didn't look fully fit for this encounter, but he lifted the spirits of his team with a splendid all-round effort. First with the ball, by claiming 3 wickets upfront and finishing with a four-fer eventually. He deemed himself retired hurt on 9, and when his team needed the most with score reading 130/6, he turned up like a wounded lion and wrapped things without any fuss. The stand between him and Wilson for the 7th wicket proved to be the pivotal factor in the game. The duo added 66 crucial runs at a time where Ireland seemed vulnerable to another mighty collapse. Wasn't to be. Not today.

46.5

4

Dawlat Zadran to Kevin O'Brien, FOUR, Kevin O'Brien seals it for Ireland, his all-round heroics help Ireland square the series 2-2 with a game to go. He flicks a low full toss to deep square fence to finish the formalities

46.4

4

Dawlat Zadran to Kevin O'Brien, FOUR, just a short arm jab and that has gone dancing into the deep mid-wicket fence. Kevin O'Brien was waiting on the back foot and Dawlat Zadran served him the ideal length, that came right out of the screws

46.3

Dawlat Zadran to Dockrell, 1 run, bouncer arrowed down leg, Dockrell manages to get some glove as he got himself into a tangle while trying to glance

46.2

Dawlat Zadran to Kevin O'Brien, 1 run, angled into the hips, Kevin O'Brien hops back and nurdles a single behind square

46.1

Dawlat Zadran to Kevin O'Brien, no run, slower length ball homing in towards off, played back to the bowler

Just a couple of hits away now

END OF OVER 46

8 Runs

IRE: 214 - 7

1 1 1 4 0 1

Kevin O'Brien

63 (56)

Dockrell

4 (9)

Rashid Khan

9-1-50-2

45.6

Rashid Khan to Kevin O'Brien, 1 run, whips a single through mid-wicket and keeps strike

45.5

Rashid Khan to Kevin O'Brien, no run, googly, hits Kevin O'Brien on the knee roll, but he might have gotten just outside the line of off

45.4

4

Rashid Khan to Kevin O'Brien, FOUR, drives at a googly and gets a thick inside edge on this, slips past the leg stump and the keeper, all the way to the fine leg fence

45.3

Rashid Khan to Dockrell, 1 run, similar delivery, same shot and he hits it into the same region

45.2

Rashid Khan to Kevin O'Brien, 1 run, punched off the back foot to deep backward point

45.1

Rashid Khan to Dockrell, 1 run, full on middle and leg, flicked wide of square leg

15 from 30 balls

44.6

Dawlat Zadran to Kevin O'Brien, FOUR, chases a short and wide delivery, thick edge flies past a diving short third man. Kevin O'Brien went full throttle and slashed it just wide of the fielder's reach. Just the slice of luck Ireland needed

44.5

Dawlat Zadran to Dockrell, 1 run, driven on-the-move to mid-off and he takes on the fielder's arm, no dice