Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 5 wickets in a winner takes all match to book their place in ICC World Cup 2019 to be held in England. It will be their second World Cup after playing first World Cup in 2015. It is a big moment for the people of Afghanistan who did not start the tournament well losing the first 3 group matches and winning only 1 match. In the initial stages, Rashid Khan was the captain.
They finished third in Group B with only 2 points. In the Super Six stage, Afghanistan stunned West Indies by 3 wickets, won against UAE by 5 wickets.
In today’s match at Harare Sports Club, Harare, Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss and elected to bat. It was a great bowling display by Afghanistan bowlers who restricted run flow, also took wickets at regular intervals. William Porterfield and Paul Stirling put on 53 runs for the opening wicket.
Paul Stirling made an important 55 runs while N O’ Brien scored 36 runs. Kevin O’ Brien scored 41 off 37 balls. Rashid Khan was the pick of the bowler with 3 wickets giving away 40 runs. Afghanistan restricted Ireland to 209 for 7 in 50 overs.
Chasing 210, Mohammad Shahzad and Gulbadin Naib laid a strong foundation with an 86 runs partnership for the 1st wicket. The hard-hitting Shahzad scored 54 off 50 balls. The Ireland bowlers made a good comeback and restricted the run flow.
See you next summer at #CWC19, @ACBofficials! 🇦🇫
YOU ARE IN! pic.twitter.com/xRuS6t9gEv
— ICC (@ICC) March 23, 2018
Asghar Stanikzai played a captains knock of 39 off 29 balls and Zadran made 17 off 15 balls to register a 5 wicket win with 5 balls to spare.
West Indies and Afghanistan are the two teams to qualify from the ICC World Cup 2018 qualifiers joining the top 8 elite nations. Earlier West Indies qualified for World Cup 2019 by defeating Scotland by just 5 runs via D/L Method. Both teams will play in the finals of this tournament to decide rankings.
The #CWC19 line-up is complete! 👊
✅ @ACBofficials
✅ @CAComms
✅ @BCBtigers
✅ @englandcricket
✅ @BCCI
✅ @BLACKCAPS
✅ @TheRealPCB
✅ @OfficialCSA
✅ @OfficialSLC
✅ @westindies pic.twitter.com/MgkgKGDtWD— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 23, 2018
Here we look at the World Cup 2019 line up
- England ( Host nation)
- Australia
- India
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- Sri Lanka
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- West Indies
- Afghanistan