Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI: The first ODI marks the beginning of an important five-match series as both sides begin their preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 qualification pathway. Ireland enters the contest after their historic 2-0 T20I series victory over India and will now play their first ODI in nearly 15 months under new head coach Gary Wilson, with Jonathan Trott joining the camp as a short-term consultant against his former team.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, is also entering a new era. Rahmat Shah takes charge as full-time ODI captain following Hashmatullah Shahidi’s tenure, while Richard Pybus begins his stint as head coach. The visitors had beaten Ireland 2-0 in the previous ODI series in Sharjah in 2024 and have been dominant in this rivalry recently, winning each of the last six ODIs against the Irish.Â
Ireland’s injury concerns remain a major talking point. The hosts are without Josh Little, Craig Young and Barry McCarthy, opening the door for exciting left-arm pacer Jai Moondra to make his ODI debut after an impressive T20I series against India. Afghanistan, on the other hand, welcome back Fazalhaq Farooqi and Yamin Ahmadzai to strengthen their pace attack, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz arrives in excellent batting form after prolific performances in franchise cricket.
Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI 2026 Match Details
Tournament: Afghanistan Tour of Ireland 2026 (1st ODI)
Teams: Ireland vs Afghanistan
Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Venue: Bready Cricket Club, Magheramason
Start Time: 10:45 AM Local Time, 9:45 AM GMT, 3:15 PM IST
Ireland vs Afghanistan ODI Head-to-Head Record
One-Day Internationals: 32 matches – Afghanistan won 18, Ireland won 13, No Result/Tied: 1.
Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI Probable Playing XIs
Ireland Probable XI:
Paul Stirling (Captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Gavin Hoey, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy/Byron McDonough, Jai Moondra.
Afghanistan Probable XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah (Captain), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sediqullah Atal, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar/Nangyalai Kharoti, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Zia ur Rahman Sharifi.
Ireland vs Afghanistan ODI Squads
Ireland Squad:
Paul Stirling (Captain), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, George Dockrell, Gavin Hoey, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker (Wicketkeeper).
Afghanistan Squad:
Rahmat Shah (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Vice-Captain & Wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (Wicketkeeper), Nangyalai Kharoti, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Mohammad Saleem, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Zia ur Rahman Sharifi.
Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI Live Streaming
How to watch the Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI live in India?
Cricket fans in India can watch the opening ODI live exclusively on the FanCode app and website. There will be no television broadcast available in India.
Where to watch the Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI live in Ireland and the United Kingdom?
Fans across Ireland and the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Free Sports TV, while live streaming will be available on the Free Sports Player App.
Where to watch the Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI live in Afghanistan?
Viewers in Afghanistan can catch the live action on RTA Sports.
Where to watch the Ireland vs Afghanistan 1st ODI live in the United Arab Emirates?
Fans in the UAE can watch the match live through Etisalat eLife.
