IRE vs AFG 4th ODI Live Commentary - Belfast (12 August 2026)

Good length and around leg, Andy Balbirnie glanes it towards short fine for a single.

OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! Azmatullah Omarzai strikes on his return to the attack. He bangs this into the pitch, on middle, angling into the batter. Harry Tector looks to pull it away but gets cramped up to free his arms. He does not get the elevation and hits it much flatter towards deep square leg, where Yamin Ahmadzai does not have to move an inch and takes a good catch. Ireland are 129/3, chasing 344 runs.

Short of a length and on off, Lorcan Tucker dabs it to point.

Dug into the surface, on middle, Lorcan Tucker rolls his wrists and pulls it to deep square leg for a run.

Close! Hits the deck hard, on middle, angling in a bit. Andy Balbirnie uses his feet and has a heave across the line but misses. The ball just goes over the stumps.

Back of a length and on leg, Andy Balbirnie clips it through square leg for one more.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Harry Tector defends it back to the bowler.

Floated, full and on off, Harry Tector drills it down to long on for a single.

Drops it short and around off, Andy Balbirnie punches it through cover-point for a un.

Flatter, full and on leg, Harry Tector flicks it to deep square leg for another run.

Dragged back, outside off, Andy Balbirnie cuts it to point.

Another short delivery, on leg, Andy Balbirnie nudges it through square leg one.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR BALBIRNIE! A gritty knock as he gets to his 18th half-century in ODIs. However, he will know they need a lot more. Hard length and on middle, nips back in. Andy Balbirnie looks to push it away but gets an inside edge as the ball races to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Back of a length and on off, Andy Balbirnie keeps it out to the off side.

Fuller one and on middle, Andy Balbirnie backs away and lofts it over extra cover for a single.

Short of a length and outside off, Harry Tector cuts it away to deep point for a run.

Dug into the surface, outside off again. Andy Balbirnie slashes hard but misses due to the extra bounce.

FOUR! Connects well this time! Ziaur Rahman goes short again and well outside off. Andy Balbirnie does not miss out this time and spanks it over point for a cracking boundary.

Tossed up, full and on off, Harry Tector pushes it back to the bowler.

Flighted, full and on middle, Harry Tector knocks it back to the bowler. Rashid Khan picks up and fires in a throw at the batter's end.

Drops it short, on middle, Harry Tector punches it down to long on for a single.

Goes short again, on off, Andy Balbirnie steers it away towards point.

Dragged back, on off, turns away, Andy Balbirnie punches it to the right of the bowler. Rashid Khan quickly moves to his right to make a fine diving stop.

Wrong'un, full and on middle, turns in, Andy Balbirnie clips it through square leg for one.

Fuller and on middle, Harry Tector uses his feet and drives it to mid off.

Back of a length and on off, Harry Tector stabs it out towards short cover.

Short of a length and on off, Harry Tector dabs it down to point.

Hard length and on off, Harry Tector punches it towards extra cover. Still Nelson on the board.

Touch fuller and on off, Harry Tector knocks it towards mid off for a quick single.

Pitched up and on middle, angling in and keeping low. Andy Balbirnie does well to gets his bat down to keep it out.

Shorter in length, on middle, Harry Tector swipes it away to deep square leg for a single.

Flatter, short and on off, Andy Balbirnie opens the bat face and steers it towards short third for a quick run.

Shorter once more, on middle, Harry Tector flicks it off the back foot through mid-wicket for another run.

Another short delivery, on middle, Andy Balbirnie punches it down to long on for one.

Tossed up, full and on off, Harry Tector defends it on the front foot.

Goes back to the shorter length, on leg, Harry Tector works it through mid-wicket for one more.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Harry Tector eases it down to long on for a single.

Floated, full and on off, Andy Balbirnie knocks it back to the bowler.

Drops it short and on off, Andy Balbirnie punches it through covers for a run.

Slows it up, full and on off, Harry Tector prods forward and blocks it out.

Dragged back, around off, Harry Tector stabs it out to short cover.

Flatter, full and on middle, Harry Tector clips it through square leg for one.

Buzzers! Fuller and on middle, Andy Balbirnie works it towards wide mid on for a single. Rashid Khan has an unnecessary throw at the bowler's end, hitting the stumps but allowing an extra run.

Back of a length and around off, Andy Balbirnie punches it wide of point, where the fielder dives to his right to make a fine stop.

Short of a length and on off, Andy Balbirnie runs it down to deep third for a single.

Hits the deck hard, on off, Harry Tector dabs it down to backward point.

FOUR! Classy shot! Fuller delivery, on middle. Harry Tector presents the full face of the bat and plays a textbook straight drive back past the bowler for a boundary. Stylish way to bring up the 100 for Ireland.

Just back of a length and around off, Harry Tector cuts it late through backward point for a run.

Starts with a short ball, outside off, Andy Balbirnie scythes it to deep point for a single.

Pitched full around off, eased down to long off for a single.

Full and on middle, Andy Balbirnie plays the on drive to long on for a single.

The length is pulled back by a yard or so, on middle. Harry Tector rocks back and taps it through mid on for a single.

Aims the stumps with a googly, Andy Balbirnie knocks it to long on and they jog through for a single.

Another googly, short on the pads. Harry Tector goes back and across and whips it to the fielder at mid-wicket. Just 5 singles off Rashid's first.

Landed short on the stumps, nudged wide of mid-wicket for a single.

In front of the stumps, full in length. Harry gets on the front foot, tries to defend, but the ball rolls off the inside edge to square leg for a single.

Again, a full ball, and this is clipped in front of square on the leg side for a single.

Carrom ball, spinning from leg to middle, Harry Tector smothers the spin.

Gives the ball a lot more flight, landing it it full and outside off, Harry Tector drives it crisply, but straight to the cover fielder.

A massive appeal for LBW, but not given by the umpire. Height? Looks like it. Or maybe, the impact could have been outside off on this one. Ghazanfar bowls a length ball, just around the off stump. Harry Tector goes deep inside the crease and whip it across the line but misses and is hit on the back thigh pad.

Hits the hard length, on middle, Andy Balbirnie shimmies down the track and knocks it to extra cover for a single.

 FOUR! Hammered away! On a back of a length, around off, sits up nicely at a good height. Harry Tector pulls it off the back foot and it blazes through the vacant deep mid-wicket region for a boundary. Excellent weight transfer on the back foot from Tector.

Full outside off, Harry advances down the pitch and slices it to deep point for a single.

Tighter line, short on middle, Andy Balbirnie defends it off the back foot to cover.

FOUR! Not convincing but still gets a good piece of it! On a good length, outside off, Andy Balbirnie mistimes the pull shot as the ball hits the upper portion of the bat. He still manages to slam it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

In-between length, outside off, steered through cover and point for a single. 11 runs from this over. Ireland require 257 runs.

Short outside off, dabbed off the back foot to the right of backward point for a single.

Pushed through, on a fuller length, and it is the carrom ball that spins away. Harry Tector fends it to the off side with soft hands.

In-drifter, on a length, Harry Tector gets across and nudges it to backward square leg for a single.

Pitched shorter, turning away, Andy Balbirnie punches the carrom ball through mid on for a run.

Very full and on off, Harry Tector leans on and creams it to deep cover-point for another run.

Drifts it on the leg stump, Andy Balbirnie tickles the full ball to deep fine leg for a single. 1/15 for Ghazanfar so far in 4 overs​​​​​​.

Slants it onto the leg stump, Harry Tector forces the drive to the mid on region.

Full and around off, swinging in a bit. Harry Tector goes for the cover drive, but inside edges through square leg for a single.

Full and around off, Andy Balbirnie lunges forward and eases it to backward point.

Hammers it on a length, on off, Andy Balbirnie swivels and pulls it along the ground to deep square leg for an easy single.

Hard length, outside off, skidding through the deck. Harry Tector tries to punch it to the off side, but gets a bit of a bottom edge and it rolls through short third for a run.

Wide outside off, on a length, Andy hangs back and cuts it through backward point for a single.

Dishes out a full ball, outside off, Andy drives it to the cover fielder.

FOUR! Off the top edge! Drags the length back, does Ghazanfar, around off. Andy Balbirnie collapses the back knee into the pitch to play the sweep-pull, but gets a thick top edge and the ball flies over the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.

Quick on the stumps, on a length, Andy runs it to long on for a single.

The carrom ball from Ghazanfar, full on middle, Harry Tector alertly flicks it to mid-wicket.

Keeps the stumps in play, and tosses it full on the stumps, Harry Tector clips it along the ground to long on for an easy single.

Beautiful piece of spin bowling! Dishes out a carrom ball, on off, full in length. This lands and turns away. Andy Balbirnie looks to drive it straight back but gets a faint outside edge, but luckily for him, the ball clips Gurbaz's right leg and rolls wide of the first slip fielder.

 Starts off with an absolute ripper! Hits the length hard, in the corridor of uncertainty. The ball lands and straightens up just enough to beat Balbirnie's attempted back foot defence.

Extracts some bounce from a hard length, angling into the body. Andy Balbirnie gets squared up and fends it towards square leg.

Slams it on a fuller length, around off, Andy Balbirnie presses forward and blocks it solidly.

BEATEN! The Afghan seamers are getting more bounce than the Irish pacers. Short of a length, on top of off, just nipping away a shy bit. Andy Balbirnie is squared up on the back foot. He looks to block it in front but the ball zips past his outside edge.

On a length, around middle and leg, Balbirnie steers it through square leg for a single.

FOUR! Through the gap! A bit too straightish, on the pads, Harry Tector steps across and flicks it through the square leg and deep fine leg gap for a boundary. Wonderful shot from Harry.

Full and drifting in, Harry pushes it back to Ghazanfar.

On a lower trajectory, flat and short, on middle and leg. Harry Tector hangs back and nudges it wide of the mid-wicket fielder for a single.

Short on middle, gently nudged to the right of square leg for a quick single.

Tossed up, full outside off, carved away to the backward point fielder.

Quicker and flatter, full and outside off. Harry Tector tries to drive that away to covers, but the ball spins away to beat the outside edge.

Loops it up, full on middle, Harry Tector gets on the front foot and drills it back to the bowler.

Nice and full, tailing in a touch. Cade plays with a straight bat and knocks it to the right of the bowler.

FOUR! Accurate timing and placement! 50 UP FOR IRELAND! Full and on the stumps, Cade Carmichael gets a bit across and nails the flick shot through the gap between mid on and mid-wicket for a boundary.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! A seamer's dream ball, this one. Hit the top of off, they say and Ahmadzai does exactly that. On a length, straightening up from the pitch. Cade Carmichael plays from out of the crease and looks to block it in front but the ball almost trims the outside edge and clips the bails on the off stump. Absolutely cleaned him up through a ripper. Ireland slip from 48/0 to 53/2.

On a good length, around off, Harry tucks that away to mid-wicket.

Fullish length, outside off, Tector leans across and blocks it to cover.

Full and outside off again, Harry drives it towards Rashid at cover, but the Afghan captain fumbles and the ball trickles to the deep for a single. A very successful over from Yamin. A wicket and 5 runs from it.

Starts with a flatter one, full outside off, carved to short third.

Dropped short, outside off, Andy backs away and cuts it wide of point for a single.

OUT! LBW! Immediate impact from Ghazanfar as he breaks the opening partnership. He dishes out a full ball, on the stumps, Paul Stirling is drawn forward to play at it, but the ball turns in sharply and beats the inside edge to strike on the back pad. A confident appeal goes up in unison from the Afghans and up goes the finger. It is as plumb as it can get and Stirling is trapped in front, the first ball of spin he faces. Ireland are 48/1, needing 296 runs.

A touch full, spinning down leg. Cade misses the flick and the ball clips the front pad, before Gurbaz grabs it to his left.

Full and quick on the stumps, flicked away to mid-wicket.

A floater from Ghazanfar, full and outside off. Cade Carmichael leans forward and taps it to the cover region for a quick single to open his account.

Back of a length and well outside off, Andy Balbirnie leaves it alone.

Beaten! Good length and on the fifth stump line, angles in but then straightens off the deck. Andy Balbirnie stays back to play at it, but the ball zips past he outisde edge.

WIDE! Fuller one but down the leg side, Andy Balbirnie gets no bat on the ball. Wided.

Full again and around off, Andy Balbirnie tries to drive but gets a thick outside edge through backward point for a run.

FOUR! Streaky, but they all count! Yamin Ahmadzai sticks to the fuller length and on off, shaping away. Paul Stirling throws his hands at it and gets an outside edge that flies between the keeper and gully for a boundary.

Short of a length and outside off, moving away Paul Stirling steps across and has a swipe across the line but gets nowhere near the ball.

SIX! That is a shot and a half! Yamin Ahmadzai bangs this into the pitch, just outside off. Paul Stirling backs away, extends his arms and slaps it over deep extra cover for a biggie.

FOUR! Nice shot! Back of a length and around off, Paul Stirling gets on top of the bounce and punches it with sweet timing through covers for a boundary.

Hard length and around off, does not bounce that much. Paul Stirling backs away and throws his hands at it but misses.

SIX! That is outta here! Short of a length and on middle, it sits up nicely for the batter. Paul Stirling picks up the length early and whacks it from the middle of the bat, over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Good length and on middle and off, Paul Stirling pats it towards cover-point.

A bit fuller and around off, shaping away, Paul Stirling goes for the drive on the up but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Pitched up and on middle, Paul Stirling drills it firmly down the pitch, where it hits Azmatullah Omarzai's left foot and deflects towards extra cover.

On a length and around off, keeps a bit low. Paul Stirling moves across to slog it over mid-wicket but fails to connect.

Swing and a miss again! Dug into the surface, on midde. Paul Stirling skips down the track, stays leg side of the ball and tries to thump it down the ground but misses.

Uppish but safe! Goes fuller and just around off, shaping away. Paul Stirling throws his bat at it but slices it in the air. The fielder from deep third runs forward but the ball drops in front of him. They cross.

Pulls his length back, on middle, Andy Balbirnie fends it away.

Back of a length and on off, Andy Balbirnie stays back and keeps it out to the off side.

Beauty! Yamin Ahmadzai bowls this on a hard length, on middle, jags back in sharply. Andy Balbirnie gets cut in half as the ball goes past the inside edge. Rahmanullah Gurbaz makes another flying stop to his left.

On a length and on middle, Andy Balbirnie blocks it out.

FOUR! Good shot! Short of a length and outside off. Andy Balbirnie uses the width on offer and cuts it away through point for a boundary.

Bangs this into the pitch, around off, Andy Balbirnie goes for the pull but misses.

Good length and outside off, Andy Balbirnie steers it away towards point.

Touch fuller and on middle, Andy Balbirnie keeps it out to the off side.

Back of a length and on off, Andy Balbirnie punches it to cover-point.

Fuller one and around off, Paul Stirling steps across and tries to swipe it away but gets an inside edge towards square leg. AM Ghazanfar makes a good stop.

FOUR! Connects well this time! Just back of a length and around off. Paul Stirling moves across again and heaves it away over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Back of a length and on off, nips back in, Paul Stirling steps across to play but gets an inside edge towards short fine for a single.

Hard length and outside off, Andy Balbirnie tries to reach out but stabs it out off the bottom half of the bat to cover.

Just wide! Yamin Ahmadzai goes fuller and around off, Andy Balbirnie looks to drive but gets an outside edge just past the diving gully fielder. They cross.

Appeal for LBW, but turned down! Full again and on on middle, angling in, Paul Stirling steps across and tries to whip it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. Looks clsoe but not enough for the umpire.

Back of a length and on off, Andy Balbirnie stays back and punches it to short cover.

Goes fuller and on middle, angling in, Andy Balbirnie knocks it to mid on. Not much intent from the Irish batters so far.

Full again and on middle, Andy Balbirnie tucks it away towards short mid-wicket. Paul Stirling sets off for the run but is sent back. Rashid Khan scores a direct hit by flicking the ball between his legs at the bowler's end, but Stirling has made his ground.

Good length and on middle, angling in, Andy Balbirnie looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pads.

Short of a length and just outside off, Andy Balbirnie chops it down towards point.

Back-to-back maidens from Azmatullah Omarzai! He bowls this on a nagging length, just around off. Andy Balbirnie leaves it alone.

Fuller one and on middle, Andy Balbirnie blocks it out with a straight bat.

No runs in the last 11 balls! Back of a length and just outside off, Andy Balbirnie lifts his arms and lets it go to the keeper.

WIDE! Errs in line and serves this full, angling down the leg side, Andy Balbirnie tries to flick but misses. Given a wide.

Hits the deck hard and in the channel outside off, shaping away, Andy Balbirnie offers no shot at it.

Good length and just around off, moves away again. Andy Balbirnie pushes at it with hard hands but gets beaten on the outside edge. Rahmanullah Gurbaz grabs it behind the stumps and starts running forward, throwing the ball in the air. He thinks there is an edge but does not get much support.

FOUR! Put away! Short of a length and well outside off. Andy Balbirnie gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it through point for a boundary.

Hard length and around off, Andy Balbirnie stabs it out through backward point for one.

Lands this on a good length and on off, holds its line, Paul Stirling gets behind the line of it and blocks it out.

A bit fuller and around off, Paul Stirling uses his feet but stabs it off the bottom edge towards mid off.

Back of a length and on middle and leg, angling in. Paul Stirling misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. It rolls to the leg side, and Andy Balbirnie wants the run but is sent back.

Fuller delivery, on middle, Paul Stirling knocks it to mid on. Four dots on the trot now!

Just short of a length and on middle, straightens a bit. Paul Stirling gets squared up but manages to pat i down to short cover.

Maiden over! Hard length and on off, Paul Stirling keeps it out to the off side.

WIDE! Yamin Ahmadzai begins with a good-length delivery, angling down the leg side. Paul Stirling fails to glance it away. Wided.

Absolute jaffa! Just a bit full and around off, jags back in a long way. Paul Stirling looks to drive but gets cut in half as the ball zips past the inside edge. Rahmanullah Gurbaz flings to his left to make a fine grab.

Pitched up and on off, shaping away, Paul Stirling looks to push it but gets an outside edge along the ground towards deep third for a single.

Pulls his length back, on middle, and straightens off the deck. Andy Balbirnie looks to work it across the line but gets a leading edge towards cover, where Hashmatullah Shahidi lets it through and allows a couple of runs.

Hard length and on middle, angling in, Andy Balbirnie blocks it out.

Back of a length and just outside off, Andy Balbirnie steps across and tries to cut but gets a bottom edge onto the ground as the ball rolls past the stumps.

On a length and on middle, Andy Balbirnie tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Azmatullah Omarzai starts with a fuller delivery, on off, Andy Balbirnie knocks it with a straight bat to mid off.

Good-length delivery, around off, Andy Balbirnie pushes it away to cover.

Beauty! Azmatullah Omarzai goes a bit fuller and in the channel outside off, shaping it away. Andy Balbirnie has a poke at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Pitched up and on middle, angling into the pads. Andy Balbirnie brings his wrists into play and flicks it with excellent timing through mid-wicket for the first boundary of the chase. Ireland are up and running.

Fuller once more, on off, Andy Balbirnie blocks it out from his crease.

Short of a length and on off, Andy Balbirnie stays back and keeps it out to the off side.