IRE vs AFG 5th ODI Live Commentary - Belfast (15 August 2026)

Full, around middle, Lorcan Tucker goes back and punches it towards long on for a single.

Tossed up, full and wide outside off, Harry Tector leans and drives it to sweeper cover for a run.

FOUR! CRACK! First boundary off Ghazanfar. Floated, around off, Lorcan Tucker hammers it straight back. The bowler tries to put his right hand to stop the ball but it whizzes past to the boundary down the ground.

OUT! THROWS IT AWAY!

No run, played towards covers.

A well-directed bouncer, good pace, outside off, Harry Tector goes for the pull but misses as the ball goes past his vizor.

On a length, outside off, Tector punches it straight to point.

On a good length, outside off, steep bounce, Harry punches it behind point for a single.

Play and a miss. Beautifully bowled. Angled in, on a fuller length, outside off, Lorcan Tucker comes forward to defend but the ball nips away everv so slightly to beat the outside edge.

On a good length, a bit of extra pace, outside off, nipping back in sharply, Tucker is rooted in his crease as he looks to flick and misses the ball. It hits him on his left thigh and Saleem appeals for LBW but he is never going to get that. Comfortably going down leg. The ball deflects towards point and the batters take a leg bye.

Full and straight, HT drives it back to the bowler. Excellent over from the struggling Saleem.

Full, around off, Harry Tector gets a long stride in to defend it back to the bowler.

Looped up, around middle and leg, Tector defends watchfully off the front foot again.

Outside off, pushed through the covers for a couple.

Full, on middle and leg, Harry flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Full and straight, around off, Lorcan Tucker lunges and smothers the spin to the leg side.

Outside off, slightly short of full, extra bounce, Tucker pushes it towards backward point.

On a length, around off, Harry Tector works it through mid-wicket for a single.

On a good length, outside off, moving away a touch, Lorcan Tucker pushes it towards cover.

Banged into the deck, around middle and off, generating extra bounce, Tucker hops and defends it watchfully towards cover.

Slightly short of full, Lorcan pushes it with soft hands towards mid on and calls for a quick single. Darwish Rasooli, on as a substitute, charges to the ball but fails to pick it up and the single is completed.

FOUR! Short and wide outside off, Harry Tector rises with the bounce and cuts hard. Gets it off the outside edge as he does not move his feet, but the edge flies over point and deep third has no chance to cut it off to his right.

Full, around of, Tector pushes it towards cover for a quick single.

Full and straight, Harry Tector works it straight to short mid-wicket.

Full toss, but not made use of. Around middle, Tector gets down and powers the sweep but cannot find the gap as he picks out deep square leg. Just the single earned. The stand moves to 40 (44).

OUT! LBW! It was not Carmichael's best day of the series and Ghazanfar relieves him of his misery. Throughout his 27-ball knock, Carmichael was struggling to time the ball and against spin, was not able to read Ghazanfar. This is bowled on a fuller length outside off, Cade Carmichael comes forward and looks to flick it away but misses. He is slightly across when he gets hit on the pads and that makes him a sitting duck. The umpire raises his finger and the 40-run stand has been broken. IRELAND ARE 79/3 AFTER 14.3 OVERS.

Outside off, Lorcan Tucker punches it through the covers for a run to get off the mark.

Full, around off, Harry punches it towards long on for one.

Outside off, pushed towards point. A wicket and 3 runs from the over, Ghazanfar's bowling figures read 2-0-6-1 so far.

Length ball around off, sliding onto the bat. Tector gets halfway forward and punches it to sweeper cover for a run.

FOUR! Beautifully played. Back of a length and just outside off, Carmichael stays on the back foot and glides it off the face of the blade, and well to the right of the deep third fielder for a boundary.

Extra bounce! Saleem bangs it in shorter and outside off, angling it away with some extra lift off the deck. Carmichael goes chasing after it but is well beaten.

Fuller and slanted into the pads, Carmichael leans on and clips it off his legs to the right of mid-wicket. The fielder gets across but fumbles it behind and the batters get a couple of runs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the culprit, and he is actually down on his haunches, holding his back. Hopefully, he is fine.

FOUR! Stellar timing. Overpitched delivery around off, Cade Carmichael gets forward and drills the drive through cover-point for another boundary.

Bashed in on a hard length, around the top of off. Carmichael looks to block but is a bit taken aback by the extra bounce. 11 off the over.

Full, on middle, Harry Tector works it through mid-wicket for a single.

Ooohhh.. outside off, Cade Carmichael looks to drive it through the covers but the ball comes back in, takes the inside edge and rockets past the stumps towards short fine leg. A run taken.

The carrom ball, shorter in length outside off, Tector goes back and works it towards short mid-wicket.

Looped up, but a bit down the leg side. Harry clips to deep square leg for one.

Beaten. Pace totally taken off, on a fuller length outside off, Carmichael comes forward, playing for the ball to come back in, but the ball pitches and then spins past the outside edge.

Full and straight, Cade gets across and works it towards short mid-wicket.

Saleem starts with a fuller ball at the stumps, and this is driven off the inner half of the blade to mid on for a quick single.

EDGED AND DROPPED! Full again, wide outside off, Harry Tector reaches out to drive but gets a thick outside edge to the right of the keeper. Ikram Alikhil springs across and sticks out a right glove, but the ball goes quickly and bursts through, rolling down to deep third. Single taken.

Good length in the channel, Carmichael pats it down through cover and picks up another single.

Another one off the edge. Length ball in the channel, shaping away. Tector pushes at it and gets it off the outer half of the blade to deep third for one more.

Hammered in on a good length, wider of the off stump line. Carmichael looks to have a poke at it but gets undone by the extra bounce.

FOUR! Punished! Dug in short on off, around chest height. Cade Carmichael gets on top of the bounce and smacks it down through mid-wicket for a boundary to end the over. 8 off Saleem's first.

On a length, outside of, Cade Carmichael just hangs his bat outside off and pushes it towards cover.

On a good length, outside off, extra bounce, Carmichael gets across and bunts it towards mid on for a quick single, to bring up the 50 FOR IRELAND.

Quick bouncer. Banged in around off, angling in, Harry Tector goes for the pull but the ball whizzes past the edge. One bouncer for the over signalled.

On a length, around off, Tector clips it through mid-wicket. Short mid-wicket runs after the ball and stops it with a slide. Keeps the batters to a couple.

FOUR! Nicely played. A short ball, but without venom. It comes around chest height and Tector pulls it all along the ground to the mid-wicket fence.

On a length, outside off, Harry shoulders arms.

Full and straight, Cade Carmichael looks to flick but misses and is hit on the pads. There is an LBW shout but turned down. Going down leg. The ball deflects towards square leg and a leg bye is taken.

On a good length, outside off, steep bounce, Harry Tector rises with the bounce and stabs it towards point.

On a good length, around off, extra bounce again, Tector hops a touch and fends it towards short mid-wicket.

Not cleanly timed. Banged in short, outside off, Harry Tector looks to slap it over point but gets it off the toe end of the bat. Manages to clear the infield at point and by the time the fielders can get to the ball - they are three - point, cover and deep third - the batters take a couple of runs.

WIDE. Fired down the leg side, Harry misses his clip.

On a good length, outside off, angling in, HT opens the face of his bat and guides it away, but finds gully.

Short and wide outside off, Harry Tector slashes a bit timidly, without moving his feet and misses. Ireland are 49/2 after Powerplay 1.

Ooohhh...nearly a third scalp for Omarzai. On a good length, outside off, Cade Carmichael looks to punch it on the up but the ball pitches and rears up sharply, surprising the batter, just going past the outside edge.

Fuller, around off, pushed towards cover.

Full and just around off, Carmichael gets a big stride in and defends it down the pitch.

4th dot ball of the over and 6th on the trot overall. Landed outside off, CC pushes it towards the off side.

Make that one more dot. Full and around off, Cade Carmichael gets across and pushes it towards short mid-wicket.

Spoils the maiden. A run after 7 straight dot balls. Full, around off, Carmichael comes forward to defend but the ball comes in off the angle and goes off the inside edge through square leg. A single taken.

On a good length, around middle and off, Cade Carmichael works it towards mid-wicket.

WIDE. Plenty of movement. On a length, slightly wide outside off, Carmichael lets it go but the ball pitches and moves even further away, way past the wide guideline.

On a good length, outside off, Cade punches it through point for a single.

WIDE. Second of this over. This time, on the other side. Full and down the leg side, Harry Tector lets it be.

A bit too straight, on a length, around middle and leg, Tector goes back and works it through mid-wicket to get off the mark with a run.

Short outside off, extra bounce, CC cuts hard but the ball flies off the outside edge behind point, towards deep third. A run taken.

On a good length, outside off, extra carry, Harry shoulders arms.

Similar ball, slightly wider than the previous one, HT shoulders arms again.

Outside off, on a length, clipped straight to short mid-wicket.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! 50TH ODI WICKET FOR OMARZAI! The only format where he has more wickets than matches. And he deserves this wicket. He has been threatening both edges and eventually, gets one of them. On a good length, outside off, Andy Balbirnie stays back to defend but the ball pitches and jags back in a long way. There is a big gap between bat and pad and the ball nearly exploits that, hitting the inside edge on the way and cannoning into the stumps. Balbirnie departs for an unlucky 13 and IRELAND ARE 34/1 AFTER 6.2 OVERS!

Fuller, outside off, Cade Carmichael pushes it towards cover.

On middle and off, slightly shorter, Carmichael goes back and nudges it through cover for a single to get off the mark.

FOUR! Nicely timed. Looking more and more vintage now. Back of a length, wide outside off, Paul Stirling gets on top of the bounce and punches it uppishly over cover for a boundary.

OUT! STUMPS ARE A MESS! Typical commentators' curse as the vintage collection runs out of stock. A bit of a rash shot from the Irish skipper. Omarzai bowls it full and outside off, Paul Stirling looks to drive it through the covers but completely plays down the wrong line. That probably should have been played straight and hence, a big gap opens up between bat and pad. The bat comes through, nowhere near the ball and the latter happily comes in with the angle and shatters the off stump, knocking it off the ground and disturbing the other two as well. Both the openers are back in the hut as 34/0 becomes 39/2 for Ireland.

WIDE. Full and fast, but going down leg. Paul Stirling lets it go.

On a length, outside off, Stirling punches it straight to cover.

FOUR! Third boundary in the last 4 legal balls! On a length, around middle and off, Paul Stirling jumps down the track and looks to go over the off side. He gets it more of the outside half of the bat but connects well to get it over point for a boundary. The stand moves to 32 (32).

Good comeback by the bowler. Ziaur bends his back and channels it on a good length, just around off. The skipper looks to defend but the ball pitches and then straightens, to beat the outside edge.

EDGED, SAFE! Stirling is looking to throw caution to the wind. Jumps out and swings hard, carving it off the top edge towards deep third. AM Ghazanfar is stationed there and gets to his left but the ball drops well short. He fumbles and there is a chance of a second but the batters are content with one.

Dug in short, outside off, Andy Balbirnie slashes it over backward point for a single towards Ghazanfar at deep third.

Outside off, punched straight to point.

Omarzai hits the deck hard, bowling it over middle. Balbirie works it off the hips to backward square leg.

Honing in on a good length, around middle. Andy Balbirnie gives the charge but gets beaten on the inside edge and gets hit high on the pads.

Fractionally short, just outside off. Balbirnie stands tall and is late on the shot, jamming it down to covers.

WIDE! Full ball wide outside the off stump, shaping further away. Andy Balbirnie goes after it and misses, as the ball moves past the tramline.

Darted in from wider on the crease, attacking the pads. Balbirnie stays back and tucks it across to square leg.

FOUR! Quick hands from Balbirnie. A heavy short ball, around off. Balbirnie clubs the pull over the mid-wicket region and picks up his first boundary of the game.

FOUR! That's smashed through the covers, and Ireland are started to roll along nicely. Length ball around off, Balbirnie slaps it away through covers and picks up two boundaries on the trot. Ireland are 27/0 after 5 overs.

Back of a length, angled into the batter. Stirling nudges it down in front of square leg and gets it through the infield for a couple of runs.

That's loose from the Irish skipper. Shorter in length, wide outside off, just nibbling away. Stirling's feet get stuck to the crease as he throws his hands at it and fails to connect.

FOUR! Sweetly timed, and that's the first boundary of the day. Back of a length, just outside off, Paul Stirling stands tall and just punches it down behind point and the ball races away to the fence.

FOUR! Carved away! Too short and wide, Stirling goes hard at it and slashes it away wide of the deep third fielder and picks up back-to-back boundaries.

Much better from Zia! Fuller in length, shaping away from off and middle. Stirling prods ahead and blocks it off.

Edged, but safe! Short of a good length, angles in and then seams away from off stump. Stirling jars at it with hard hands and edges it down to the right of Rahmanullah Gurbaz at second slip. The ball lands short and Gurbaz gets a right hand on it and makes a half stop, saving a certain boundary. Stirling is halfway down the track for the single off the deflection, but gets sent back. 10 runs come from that over.

Back of a length, tight around the off stump. Andy Balbirnie rocks back and punches it down to cover.

Hard length, pushed in towards the batter. Balbirnie gets on his toes and pats it down the track.

That's well bowled! Omarzai goes wider on the crease and gets the ball to angle in from outside off. But it straightens down the line, squaring Balbirnie up and goes past the outside edge.

A bit fuller around off, Balbirnie clips it away through the gap at mid-wicket and picks up a couple of runs. The outfield is a bit sluggish today.

The in-between length now, in the corridor of uncertainty. Balbirnie stays on the back foot and plays it off the inner half of the blade to square leg.

Pitched up around off, Andy Balbirnie gets halfway forward and drives it square towards point. Just 2 off the over again from Omarzai.

Ziaur Rahman will bowl with the second new ball. Pitched on a fullish length and wide outside off, Andy Balbirnie reaches out and taps it to cover.

Good length in the channel, doesn't move much. Balbirnie looks to play on the up but edges it down to deep third for a single.

Lovely delivery! Zia goes fuller, angling the ball into the off pole, but then gets it to shape away. Paul Stirling is drawn into the drive but the ball zips past the outside edge.

Fuller one at the stumps, Stirling backs away and shimmies down the track a bit, slashing it down to deep third for a run. He's off the mark now.

WIDE! Rahman pitches it up on the leg stump line, looking for the magical away-swinger but the ball slides through and goes well down leg. Ikram Alikhil dives to his left and deflects it through short fine leg. The batters cross.

Play and a miss! Length ball outside off, shaping away. Stirling drives but ends up playing well inside the line.

Beaten again! This is bashed on a shortish length and pushed wider of the off stump. Stirling backs away, looks to smash it over the off side but fails to connect.

A full ball to begin with, outside the off stump and shaping further away. Andy Balbirnie shoulders arms at it.

Balbirnie and Ireland are off the mark. Good-length delivery, on off and middle, nibbling away. Balbirnie stays back and pushes it down to the right of cover for a single.

WIDE! The inswinger now, but the line is too straight to begin with, and the ball slides well down leg.

That is a peach! Omarzai gets the line and length spot on. This one pitches on a good length, around the fifth stump channel and darts back in. Paul Stirling looks to block but the ball goes between bat and pad, shaving the top of the stumps.

Doing too much! Omarzai keeps peppering that length, landing this one on off and gets it to nip back in again. Stirling looks to get forward and drive but the ball beats the inside edge and hits him high on the pads. There is a stifled appeal for LBW, but the umpire says no.

No way through. Length ball in the channel, a tad full, Stirling gets on the front foot and strokes it towards cover.

Hard length on off, Paul Stirling stays back and opens the bat face, guiding it towards backward point. Tidy start from Omarzai, just 2 runs off it.