Afghanistan will face Ireland in the third ODI of their five-match series at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Monday, with the visitors holding a 1-0 advantage. The opening game was washed out by rain before Afghanistan produced a convincing 92-run win in the second ODI. The result has put Afghanistan within one victory of securing direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the top eight teams in the September 2026 rankings earning automatic spots. Ibrahim Zadran led the batting with a composed 84, while Hasmatullah Shahidi provided a late boost with an unbeaten 36 off 21 balls.
Ireland, meanwhile, will need a much-improved performance after allowing Afghanistan to recover strongly with the bat and then collapsing during the chase. They were well placed at 156 needed from 137 balls with seven wickets in hand, but a 7-for-63 slide ended their hopes. Cade Carmichael offered encouragement with 62 on his debut, while Ben Calitz struck 27 from 15 deliveries. Ireland are now looking for their first win over Afghanistan in eight meetings since May 2019 and must turn the series around if they are to keep their ODI series hopes alive.
Ireland vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI 2026 Match Details
Tournament: Afghanistan Tour of Ireland 2026 (3rd ODI)
Teams: Ireland vs Afghanistan
Date: Monday, August 10, 2026
Venue: Stormont Cricket Ground, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Start Time: 10:45 AM Local Time, 9:45 AM GMT, 3:15 PM IST
Ireland vs Afghanistan ODI Head-to-Head Record
Afghanistan have the edge over Ireland in their ODI rivalry, winning 18 of the 33 meetings between the teams compared with Ireland’s 13 victories. Two matches produced no result, with weather playing a role. The two sides first met in July 2010, while their most recent encounter came on August 7, 2026. Afghanistan’s highest total against Ireland is 338 all out, while Ireland’s best is 304/7, both recorded in Greater Noida in March 2017. At the other end, Afghanistan’s lowest score is 138 all out in Belfast in 2019, while Ireland were bowled out for 124 at the same venue in 2018.
Afghanistan have also enjoyed a stronger record across most of the territories where the teams have met. In Ireland, they have won seven of 14 matches compared with Ireland’s five, with two games ending without a result. Afghanistan lead 7-3 in 11 meetings in India, while their UAE record stands at four wins to Ireland’s three from seven matches. Overall, the head-to-head numbers underline Afghanistan’s dominance in recent years, although Ireland will look to close the gap in the ongoing series.
Ireland vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI Probable Playing XIs
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, Cade Carmichael, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Ben Calitz, Gavin Hoey, Jai Moondra, Byron McDonough
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Sediq Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rahmat Shah (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi
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 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.
