Rashid Khan picked up three wickets and then played an unbeaten knock of 37 runs on Monday (August 10) to help Afghanistan chase down the target of 207 runs in 44.5 overs and win the third ODI of the ongoing five-match series against Ireland in Belfast by three wickets.
The second straight win over the Irish team in the away series not only helped Afghanistan take a 2-0 lead in the series but also secured their direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
For Afghanistan, who made their ODI World Cup debut in 2015 and finished sixth in the 2023 edition of the men’s 50-over mega event, wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 71 runs off 77 balls with the help of two fours and five sixes. Sediqullah Atal also contributed with 27 runs off 25 balls while batting at No. 3.
For his impressive performance with both bat and ball, Rashid won the Player of the Match award. The former Afghanistan T20I captain had also won the POTM award in the second ODI after taking six wickets in the second half of the fixture.
Apart from Rashid, spinner Allah Ghazanfar also accounted for the dismissals of three Irish batters for 29 runs in nine overs, while Yamin Ahmadzai finished with figures of 2 for 35 in nine overs.
The defeat in the third ODI was a bitter pill to swallow for hosts Ireland. The Irish team had whitewashed India in the two-match T20I series in June 2026 but have failed to replicate that performance in the ongoing series so far.
Ireland are certain to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup qualifiers. To keep their hopes alive of securing direct qualification for next year’s mega event, Ireland needed to secure a 5-0 series win over Afghanistan. However, their chances ended after the first match was abandoned without a result due to rain in Bready on Wednesday (August 5).