Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah scored a 143 not out to a six-wicket victory over Ireland on 15 August 2026. This win at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast allowed Afghanistan to complete a 4-0 series sweep.
The team successfully chased a target of 299 runs, which is their highest-ever successful run chase in One Day International (ODI) cricket.
Afghanistan Clinches Historic 4-0 Series Sweep
Afghanistan dominated the final match of the tour for a dominating series win. Before the final encounter, the visitors had already won three matches. The series opener was washed out due to rain. This result highlights the growing strength of Afghanistan in the 50-over format as they continue to grow on the international stage.
Afghanistan have officially secured a spot at the 2027 ODI World Cup. This series win has pushed the West Indies out of the direct qualification spots. So, the West Indies will have to play a qualifying tournament next year to get into the main event in Africa.
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Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal Build Record Partnership
Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal put together a record-breaking performance that changed the game for Afghanistan. Ireland’s opening bowler, Liam McCarthy, dismissed both Afghan openers very early in the innings. Afghanistan lost Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in quick succession for 22 runs and two wickets inside the first six overs.
Meanwhile, Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal started to rebuild the innings slowly. They made a massive 201 runs for the third wicket. The partnership surpassed the former Afghan record for the third wicket of 184 runs set by Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi against Ireland in 2021.
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Rahmat Shah Reaches a Personal Landmark
Rahmat Shah scored his century off 109 balls, marking his first hundred as the captain of Afghanistan. It was also his first ODI century in over five years and a long wait for the veteran batter came to an end.
Besides, he also went on to score an unbeaten 143 runs from 133 deliveries. This is now his best personal score in ODI cricket. He scored 13 boundaries and two sixes in his innings and gave the power to reach the target. Finally, he got the victory with a boundary in the 49th over.
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Sediqullah Atal Falls Just Short of a Ton
Sediqullah Atal provided excellent support to his captain throughout the record partnership. He played aggressively and looked set to score his second century in a row. Unfortunately, he fell for 98 runs off 112 balls when he was caught by Cade Carmichael off the bowling of McCarthy.
Despite missing his century by just two runs, he played exceptionally. He hit seven fours and three sixes during his stay at the crease. His departure left Afghanistan needing 76 more runs, but the foundation for victory was already solid.
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Ireland Posts Competitive Total Behind Curtis Campher
Earlier in the day, Ireland won the toss and chose to bat first. In their 50 overs, they scored 298 runs by losing 7 wickets. Curtis Campher was the star for the home team. He scored 96 runs off only 84 balls. He hit seven fours and four sixes as the Irish total pushed toward 300. He got good support from Harry Tector, who scored 53 runs.
Ireland’s lower order added some useful runs in the closing stages of the innings. Late boundaries from George Dockrell and Jordan Neill meant Ireland had a competitive target to defend. Ireland scored 101 runs in the last 10 overs heading into the second half of the match.
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