2024-03-02 10:01:05
Ireland gained Test status in June 2017. Played the first Test against Pakistan in May 2018. They then played Tests against Afghanistan (2018-19), England (2019), Bangladesh (2022-23), Sri Lanka (2023) and England (2023). But there was no victory in any of them.
After losing 7 consecutive tests in 6 years and 9 months, the Irish finally got a victory. Today Friday (01 March) they won the only Test against Afghanistan at the neutral venue Abu Dhabi’s Tolerance Oval by 6 wickets. Even on the third day!
They bowled out Afghanistan for 155 runs in the first innings thanks to Mark Adair’s brilliant bowling. In response, the Irish scored 263 runs in 83.4 overs and took a lead of 108 runs. Trailing by 108 runs, Afghanistan did a little better in the second innings. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s 55 and Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 46 runs can score 218 runs in 75.4 overs.
Adair took 3 wickets in the first innings. Barry McCarthy and Craig Young also took 3 wickets each.
After tying down Afghanistan for 218 runs in the second innings, Ireland faced just 111 runs to win the first Test. Chasing that run, skipper Andy Balbirnie scored an unbeaten fifty (58) in 31.3 overs to win with the loss of just 4 wickets, a historic average. This is the first win in the history of Test cricket for the country.
Lorcan Tucker scored an unbeaten 27 without Balbirani. After losing 4 wickets for 49 runs, the two of them put together an unbroken 72-run partnership to win the historic Test.
Adair was Man of the Match in the historic Test win with 8 wickets in two innings.