Afghanistan Score 278 In 20 Overs, Topple Records In 2nd T20I vs Ireland In Dehradun

Afghanistan smashed a few records in the T20 International cricket as they posted a mammoth total of 278 for three in their allotted 20 overs against a struggling Ireland team in the second T20I of the three-match series in Dehradun on Saturday. With this, Afghanistan surpassed the record-highest T20I total of 263/3 by Australia, which they posted against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2016. After opting to bat, Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani established a record 236-run partnership for the opening-wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. In the end, Hazratullah Zazai was unbeaten on 162, highest score in T20 Internationals by an Asian batsman.

278/3 - Highest T20I total
236 - Highest T20I partnership
16 - Most sixes in an individual T20I innings
162* - Second-highest T20I score
42 balls - Third-fastest men's T20I ton

Just a few records broken by Afghanistan today!#AFGvIRE LIVE https://t.co/7szofdyWOt pic.twitter.com/46MW2RXTky

— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2019

In the series-opener, Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran stitched an unbeaten 86-run stand for the sixth-wicket to lead Afghanistan to a five-wicket win at the same venue. 

All-rounder Mohammad Nabi was unbeaten on 49 runs off 40 balls as Afghanistan chased down the small target with four balls to spare and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. 

Nabi struck five boundaries and a six in his entertaining knock. On the other hand, number seven batsman Zadran contributed with an unbeaten knock of 40, which included three boundaries and a six.

Earlier, Nabi and fellow spinner Rashid Khan took two wickets each to restrict Ireland to 132 for six.

Afghanistan were in trouble after being reduced to 50/5 but the left-right batting pair of Nabi and Zadran ensured their team's eighth consecutive T20 win over Ireland. 

Ireland's pace spearhead Boyd Rankin took two wickets but gave away 39 runs in his four overs.

Earlier Ireland recovered from a precarious 65 for six to bolster their total after electing to bat first in Afghanistan's adopted home ground.

George Dockrell, who made 34, and wicketkeeper-batsman Stuart Poynter, who scored 31, put on an unbeaten 67-run stand.

Khan, the world's top-ranked T20 bowler, weaved his magic in his very first over, taking two wickets in the space of three deliveries as Ireland slipped to 65 for six in the 12th over.

The batting duo played the Afghanistan spinners with aplomb and then counter-attacked in the last five overs to get 47 runs from the final 30 deliveries.

Nabi returned an impressive 2/16 in four overs of off-spin.

(With AFP inputs)