Afghanistan vs Ireland, 3rd T20I - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Rankin to Shafiqullah, out Caught by S Thompson!! They're checking for the front foot no-ball but Rankin is just fine. Speared this wider outside off, Shafiq tried to reach it but skewed the stroke high to long-off where Thompson took a regulation catch. Third of the night for Rankin. Shafiqullah c S Thompson b Rankin 12(7) [4s-1 6s-1]

Rankin to Shafiqullah, SIX, dropped by Simi! Was a wild slog from Shafiq and didn't quite time it as well as he would have liked. Still had enough legs to nearly clear the fence at deep mid-wicket. Was travelling at Simi who got hand on it but couldn't hold onto it. Ends up palming it over the ropes as well to make matters worse

Chase to Nabi, out Caught by Andy Balbirnie!! End of Nabi's fireworks. A rare mishit, wanted to send this in to the stands and nearly did actually. Was in the air for miles and Balbirnie judged the skier well as he was very, very close to the boundary ropes. Managed to stay just away and that's a big relief for Ireland but Nabi has done the damage. Nabi c Andy Balbirnie b Chase 81(36) [4s-6 6s-7]

Chase to Nabi, FOUR, got to feel for the Irish. If it was Zazai yesterday, it's Nabi tonight. Slower ball but doesn't deceive him. Makes room and launches it straight back over the bowler's head. One bounce into the fence

Joshua Little to Nabi, FOUR, Little spills a full toss, pressure is surely getting to him and can't fault him. Nabi is in beast mode. Swats this away with disdain into the gap at deep mid-wicket

Joshua Little to Nabi, SIX, raining sixes here. Nabi is showing no mercy at all. Fuller length, criminal from Little when the batsman in such a mood. Blasts it high down the ground over long-off for another maximum

Joshua Little to Nabi, FOUR, had he missed this, he would have been plumb LBW. Shuffled across to this yorker and got a faint inside edge on it. Very fine and past short fine leg it the fence

Joshua Little to Nabi, SIX, nonchalance from Nabi, doesn't even bother looking as he knows it's a six! Talk about the epitome of coolness. In the slot once again and he launches this high into the night sky. Comfortably over long-on

Joshua Little to Shafiqullah, FOUR, that's a comical stroke in the end! Shafiq wanted to execute the paddle scoop by shuffling across but lost balance and a top edge that flew straight back over the keeper's head. Gets himself a boundary

Rankin to Nabi, SIX, and another! Rankin misses the yorker and it's a matter of small margins with Nabi. He makes room and biffs this over wide long-off. Merciless at the moment

Rankin to Nabi, SIX, fifty for Nabi! Second of the series. He's been in terrific hitting form. Gets one in the slot and launches it straight down the ground. Very straight and it goes crashing into the sightscreen

Rankin to Nabi, FOUR, normal service resumes for Nabi! Makes room to this length ball and slams it over extra cover. Clean hit and once he cleared the infield, it was always a boundary

Rankin to Najibullah, out Najibullah Run Out!! Brilliant from Dockrell! Stopped it well at mid-wicket and fired a direct hit at the bowler's end. Zadran was not even in the frame. He knew it was a risky run always and once the fielder hit, he was a goner. Was a mistimed slog to mid-wicket and Zadran fancied a single. Not to be. Najibullah run out (Dockrell) 12(8) [4s-1 6s-1]

Getkate to Nabi, FOUR, Getkate is losing it due to the pressure here. Full toss and Nabi helps it past the man at short fine leg. All too easy

Getkate to Nabi, SIX, G-I-G-A-N-T-I-C! When Nabi makes contact, it goes miles and this time wide long-on is the place. Slower ball in the slot, he picked it early and threw everything at it. Gee, these Afghan blokes and their power, it's really something, isn't it?

Getkate to Nabi, SIX, what a hit! Flat sixes on the off-side are always a treat and here is one from Nabi. Sheer power from that bottom hand of his, drills this wide half volley over deep extra cover. Comfortably over the fielder stationed near the fence

Dockrell to Najibullah, SIX, clobbered away! Fired into the slot for Zadran who just clears his front leg and dumps this over the ropes at cow corner

Dockrell to Najibullah, FOUR, brings out the reverse sweep and connects well to send it to the third man fence. Not a bad way to open your account

Getkate to Asghar Afghan, out Caught by S Thompson!! Finds the fielder this time. Weird innings it's been from Afghan. Swung at everything, connected a few but mostly looked scratchy. This was in the slot but he was probably off balance as he went for the loft down the ground. Hit it flat and straight to long-off where Thompson did the rest. Asghar Afghan c S Thompson b Getkate 20(20) [4s-2 6s-1]

Dockrell to Nabi, SIX, monstrous blow from Nabi! Charged down to get to the pitch of this flighted ball and mowed it deep into the stands at wide long-on

Chase to Asghar Afghan, FOUR, he's going really hard at every delivery, Afghan and is now starting to connect as well. Slower short ball, waits and pumels this on the leg-side, splitting deep square leg and deep mid-wicket

Chase to Nabi, FOUR, bang! Nobody moved! Full, in the slot and Nabi just clears his front leg to slam this over extra cover. Mid-off was up and this was well wide and also over him

S Thompson to Asghar Afghan, SIX, this is bigger! Eyes the deep mid-wicket fence and deposits the short ball into the stands with a powerful pull

S Thompson to Asghar Afghan, FOUR, first boundary for the skipper! Rocks back and pummels the short ball over mid-wicket. Got into position very earlier and nailed his favourite shot to perfection

Dockrell to Najeeb Tarakai, out Caught by Andy Balbirnie!! Superb catch by Balbirnie. Najeeb Tarakai wanted to send this one out of the park but he could only mistime his slog as far as mid-on. The fielder sprints in from the deep and takes a good catch sliding forward. Najeeb Tarakai c Andy Balbirnie b Dockrell 17(12) [4s-2 6s-1]

Joshua Little to Najeeb Tarakai, FOUR, classy drive! So it's not all about power, these Afghan batsmen have finesse too. In the channel outside offf, Najeeb Tarakai leans forward and creams it through cover-point for a gorgeous boundary

Rankin to Hazratullah Zazai, out Caught by Stirling!! Stunning catch by Stirling! Hazratullah Zazai wanted to go big here but mistimes it towards deep mid-off. Stirling sprints back, keeps his eyes on the ball and pulls of a stunner. Hazratullah Zazai c Stirling b Rankin 31(17) [4s-5 6s-1]

Rankin to Najeeb Tarakai, 1 run, dropped! Pulls the short ball to short fine leg where Chase puts down a very tough chance. Was airborne for a while, got his right hand to it too but couldn't convert it into a blinder

Rankin to Najeeb Tarakai, SIX, this ball goes so high that it'll bring rain down with it! Latches on to the short ball and clubs it over deep mid-wicket for a massive six

Rankin to Najeeb Tarakai, FOUR, off the mark with a boundary! Stays put and lofts the back of a length delivery over mid-on with a vertical face of his willow, clean shot!

Rankin to Usman Ghani, out Lbw!! That's the first wicket, Rankin draws first blood. Bowls a skiddy length delivery around off and Usman Ghani looks to flick across the line. Plays down the wrong line and pays the price for it. Struck in front of the off-stump and the umpire takes his own sweet time to raise that dreaded finger of his. Usman Ghani lbw b Rankin 13(9) [4s-2]

Joshua Little to Hazratullah Zazai, FOUR, and the wide delivery hasn't been spared too. Well outside off, Hazratullah Zazai reaches for it and chips it over the infield at covers. Four more!

Joshua Little to Hazratullah Zazai, FOUR, short-arm jab, very Yuvi like! In the arch around off, Zazai stands tall and pumps it over mid-on for a one bouce boundary. Minimum effort, maximum result

Joshua Little to Hazratullah Zazai, FOUR, no one's gonna get spared tonight! Zazai in the zone once again. This was slanted across the batmsan outside off, Zazai swings his blade and gets an outside edge that flies over short third man

Chase to Hazratullah Zazai, FOUR, reckon Ireland should have 15 fielders on the field. Even after that, Zazai would find the fence. Such sublime form he is in. This was a short delivery at the hips and Hazratullah helps it towards the deep square leg fence with a drag shot

Chase to Usman Ghani, FOUR, are we going to see a action replay of last night? The start certainly looks promising. So.. we probably might! Usman Ghani flicks the length delivery over square leg and find the fence for the second successive time in the over

Chase to Usman Ghani, FOUR, these Afghan openers do know how to entertain the crowd! Stands tall does Usman Ghani and hammers the length delivery to clear the fielder stationed at mid-on. One bounce and into the fence

Rankin to Hazratullah Zazai, SIX, he's carried on from where he left last night. Latches on to the length delivery and smokes it over the cow-corner for half-a-dozen. Woohoo!!

Rankin to Hazratullah Zazai, FOUR, drilled down the ground! Touch full around off and Zazai plays a perfect straight drive, sends the ball to the fence at the speed of light