The Ireland cricket team toured India in March 2020 to play three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches against Afghanistan.[1][2] On 11 January 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the fixtures for the three T20I matches.[3][4]
| Ireland against Afghanistan in India in 2019–20 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} |
 | ||
| Afghanistan | Ireland | ||
| Dates | 6 – 10 March 2020 | ||
| Captains | Asghar Afghan | Andrew Balbirnie | |
| Twenty20 International series | |||
| Results | Afghanistan won the 3-match series 2–1 | ||
| Most runs | Rahmanullah Gurbaz (105) | Harry Tector (97) | |
| Most wickets |
Rashid Khan (5) Mujeeb Ur Rahman (5) | Simi Singh (4) | |
| Player of the series | Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afg) | ||
Originally, the tour had a one-off Test match on the itinerary.[5] However, due to financial constraints with Cricket Ireland, the Test was not included on the tour schedule.[6] Ireland previously toured India in February and March 2019 to play Afghanistan, a series that included the first Test match to be played between the two teams.[7] Afghanistan won the one-off Test match by seven wickets to record their first victory in Test cricket.[8] Prior to the tour, Asghar Afghan was reappointed as Afghanistan's captain across all three formats of international cricket.[9]
The first fixture of the tour was the 1,000th match played by Ireland across all formats, since they played a two-day match in September 1855.[10][11] Afghanistan won the rain-affected match, extending their record to eleven consecutive wins against Ireland.[12] Afghanistan won the second match by 21 runs, to take an unassailable lead in the series.[13] The third and final match of the series finished in a tie with Ireland winning the Super Over, with Afghanistan winning the series 2–1.[14] It was Ireland's first win against Afghanistan in a T20I match since they beat them in the final of the 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.[15]
Squads
edit| T20Is | |
|---|---|
 Afghanistan[16]
|
 Ireland[17]
|
Stephen Doheny was added to Ireland's squad as a replacement for Gary Wilson, after Wilson became ill ahead of the series.[18]
T20I series
edit1st T20I
editv
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- Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
- Rain during Afghanistan's innings prevented any further play.
2nd T20I
editv
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- Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat.
3rd T20I
editReferences
edit- ^ "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Afghanistan next in line for Ireland". Cricket Europe. 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ @ACBofficials (11 January 2020). "The three-T20I series between Afghanistan and @Irelandcricket is scheduled to be held from 6th-10th March at the Greater Noida Ground in Uttar Pradesh, India" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Afghanistan confirm T20I series". Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Cash crisis forces Cricket Ireland to axe home Test against Bangladesh and three T20 internationals". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ "One-off Test: Afghanistan to host Ireland in Dehradun". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
- ^ "Rahmat Shah and Isanullah see Afghanistan through to maiden test win". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
- ^ "Shapoor Zadran returns to Afghanistan's T20I squad". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ "1,000 matches: CEO Warren Deutrom on the growth of cricket, his hopes and his biggest frustration". Cricket Ireland. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ "The 1000: My favourite match". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 4 March 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Afghanistan extend winning run". Cricket Ireland. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- ^ "Balbirnie's captains knock not enough as Ireland defeated in second T20I against Afghanistan". Cricket Ireland. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Ireland snatch a super over win against Afghanistan to avoid a T20 series whitewash". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ "Delany shines, before O'Brien's last-ball six helps Ireland edge past Afghanistan in Super Over". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ "Afghanistan squad announced for series against Ireland". Afghanistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "Ireland Men's squad announced for Afghanistan series". Cricket Ireland. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^ "Doheny and Eagleson join Ireland Men's squad in India for Afghanistan series". Cricket Ireland. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.