Rashid Khan Seals Afghanistan’s 2027 World Cup Berth

Afghanistan won a thrilling encounter to secure their spot in the 2027 ODI World Cup in Southern Africa, thanks to their global hero, Rashid Khan.

At 176 for 7, Ireland had a good chance of defending 206. But Rashid remained firm, scoring 37 of the most important runs to help his team over the finish line. Rashid’s batting efforts topped upon a typically aggressive period of legspin that saw him take 3 for 44 earlier in the afternoon, turning the tables on Ireland alongside mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar.

Ireland defended resolutely despite trailing 1-0 in the five-match series. From 97 for 2, Gavin Hoey bowled an excellent session of legspin. He lured batters with flight, disturbed them with dip and abrupt turn, and then found himself in a position to deliver a knockout blow.

His 4 for 34 in the middle overs, including the valuable scalp of opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 71, broke the game open. On the other end, he was strongly supported by seamer Mark Adair, who continued to harvest minute deviations from the deck throughout the evening. However, having to go all out, Ireland eventually ran out of steam after Hoey bowled out in the 33rd over.

Ireland’s victory was secured thanks to a record ninth-wicket stand between Jai Moondra and Hoey. The pair combined 76 for the ninth wicket after Ireland had collapsed to 128 for 8, all at sea against the spinning ball in far from hazardous conditions.

Hoey led the way with 36 runs, while Moondra got 31 runs in only his second ODI. He was unquestionably the more daring of the two throughout their pairing, displaying exceptional game knowledge and footwork to neutralise the Afghan spin threat.

Moondra walloped a full toss first up, then hit four more boundaries before nicking behind to Gurbaz, giving comeback man Yamin Ahmadzai his second wicket in his first ODI since 2022.

The innings ended in the 47th over, when Hoey was bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai while attempting a massive shot down the ground. Rashid and Ghazanfar, who blasted thru the top order to dismiss Lorcan Tucker, Curtis Campher, and Ben Calitz, with combined figures of 6 for 73.

Gurbaz attacked the quick bowlers throughout the chase, gorging on anything pitched up. He was especially forceful with Moondra, the left-arm seamer, who couldn’t quite get the same movement as Adair in circumstances ideal for quicks in Belfast.

Gurbaz waltzed to his ninth ODI fifty with a heave over deep midwicket, but then had to dig in against some quick wickets. Sediqullah Atal pulled a flighted delivery from Hoey to long-on for 27, while Adair bowled Rahmat Shah, the skipper, with a magnificent nip backer that beat the inside edge and clipped top of off.

Hoey emulated the Afghan spinners by altering his pace and bowling primarily stump-to-stump. Even so, Hashmatullah Shahidi dragged a half-tracker straight to Moondra at deep square, while Darwish Rasooli was impatient and swiped across the line to toe end one to midwicket, leaving Afghanistan 154 for 6.

Then Rashid stood tall, playing a measured but confident innings, refusing the temptation to hit out until Afghanistan was within 15 runs of victory.

That wasn’t the only mental lapse of the innings. Omarzai attempted a lofted hit, but was caught at cover, leaving Ireland dreaming of an unlikely theft. Then, with his wristy whip, he reduced the target to single digits before hitting the winning runs – a brace off Harry Tector in the 45th – to trigger wild celebrations.

Ahmadzai contributed significantly, facing 26 balls for his 4 not out, as Afghanistan qualified for a fourth consecutive World Cup.