World Cup Qualifier: Afghans progress by beating Ireland in Super Sixes finale
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ICC World Cup Qualifier Super Sixes, Harare Sports Club: |
Ireland 209-7 (50 overs): Stirling 55, K O'Brien 41; Rashid 3-40, D Zadran 2-54 |
Afghanistan 213-5 (49.1 overs): Shahzad, Gulbadin 45; Singh 3-30, Rankin 1-41 |
Afghanistan won by five wickets |
Scorecard |
Ireland have missed out on a World Cup place as Afghanistan prevailed by five wickets in the winner-takes-all Super Sixes match in Harare on Friday.
Zimbabwe's shock defeat by UAE meant the winners of the final Super Sixes game would join West Indies in earning a place in England and Wales.
Ireland could only manage 209-7 in their 50 overs with Paul Stirling top-scoring on 55.
Mohammad Shahzad's 55 saw Afghanistan to 213-5 with five balls to spare.
- World Cup Qualifier: fixtures, results & scorecards
- In-play clips: Ireland lose out on World Cup place to Afghans
Ireland were aiming for a fourth straight World Cup appearance but they were dealt a blow as they lost to Zimbabwe in their opening Super Sixes game.
Victory over Scotland kept alive their slim hopes and other results left them one match away from qualification.
Afghanistan impressed with the ball, restricting the Irish to a modest total with Rashid Khan taking 3-40 and Dawlat Zadran 2-54.
The usually free-scoring Stirling required 124 balls for his 55 while Kevin O'Brien chipped in with 41 in a disappointing Irish innings.
Shahzad and Gulbadin (45) laid the foundation for Afghanistan's win with an opening stand of 86.
Ireland fought back as the Afghans stumbled from 113-1 to 145-4 and the score pressure was beginning to build.
However, Afghanistan always held the upper hand and an unbeaten 39 from captain Asghar Stanikzai took them to the victory target in the final over.
"We were probably 25 runs short. Then again, in games like this we can't fault anyone - we had opportunities but we lost three games," said Ireland skipper William Porterfield.
"We had some key moments but we could not take them. We now get back for some rest and recuperation."
Former Irish coach Phil Simmons is in charge of Afghanistan while ex-Ireland player John Mooney is their fielding coach.
They go through to the tournament final against West Indies on Sunday with both sides already qualified for the World Cup.
Super Six table | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | L | T/NR | NRR | Pts | |
West Indies | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | +0.472 | 8 |
Afghanistan | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +0.302 | 6 |
Zimbabwe | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +0.420 | 5 |
Scotland | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +0.243 | 5 |
Ireland | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | +0.346 | 4 |
UAE | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | -1.950 | 2 |
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Congrats.
Knowing one of the Zimbabwe players personally they should be there as should Scotland.
Can't believe there are not reserve days for something this important to go out on a very dubious lbw and DLS.
The ICC should be expanding the number if teams in the WC instead of reducing them.
How does this method grow the game?
That sums up the ICC attitude to expanding the game.
The fact that we've always given a great account of ourselves at major tournaments seems to count for nothing, while practically every other sport in the world is expanding their world cups, cricket is regressing in more ways than one.
Meanwhile back to the cricket- very disappointing for Ireland especially as they are soon to play their inaugural test match. Their reliance on aging players (Joyce, Niall O’Brien, Rankin, etc) does not bode well for the future.
ICC, I hope you look at this tournament and realise how you are letting this sport down by only allowing 2 qualifiers. A number of nations have showed your choice is wrong.
Yours is the only comment I've seen supporting a 10 team WC. Thats fine - its an opinion.
However wouldn't it be good to have the ECB come out and acknowledge just how out of touch they and the ICC are with the huge majority of the cricket supporters?
How can the cricketing establishment be right and all of us are so wrong? An explanation please. Anything to do with money?
Cheating TMO???.....a sore loser.
Supporting Ireland, disappointed but congratulations to Afghanistan.
But am also saddened for the Scots & Irish lads to come so close here (in Zim, 14 months before WC in Eng), surely they also should be at the WC? Add more shame to the tower of it at the ICC!
Disgraceful that only two teams from this tournament are going, hardly makes it a world cup.
Sack the committee and let the fans how many nations should come.