Daily Times

The Test between Afghanistan and Ireland beginning in Dehradun on Friday might be a one-off but it is a golden opportunity of the two newest Test nations to notch up their first-ever win in just their second outing. Bangladesh, the last nation to make Test debut before these two teams, had to wait five years and endured a record 21 successive Test losses before they could post their first Test win over Zimbabwe in 2005. Ireland were the more impressive of the two Test debutants last year, pushing Pakistan to the brink at home in Malahide before valiantly losing by five wickets. Afghanistan though were hammered by an innings and 262 runs by India in Bengaluru on their debut last year.

The Dehradun Test should be much more evenly matched encounter between both sides. Afghanistan hammered Ireland in the T20 series 3-0 but the two sides settled for a 2-2 draw in the five-match ODI series, with one encounter rained off. “It is a moment of pride that Afghanistan hosts its first Test match and it carries a lot of meaning for us. Although, we lost our inaugural Test match to India last year but we will aim to play in the upcoming Test match with full strength,” Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan said during the Test match trophy launch in Dehradun on Wednesday.

Afghan was the top run-scorer in the ODI series with 226 runs in five games at an average of 75.33 with three fifties. Afghan will bank on the services of his two most experienced players, Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan – both of whom have plenty of T20 franchise cricket experience all over the world. Afghanistan have added left-arm wrist-spinner Zahir Khan and left-arm pacer Sayed Shirzad in their squad for the Test match. The 20-year-old Zahir made his international debut in the final ODI against Ireland last Sunday, bagging 2/55.

The 24-year-old Shirzad has played in four T20Is though he made his ODI debut in the same series against Ireland. The seamer has 49 wickets from 15 matches in first-class cricket at an average of just over 25. “Both Zahir Khan and Sayed Shirzad have very good bowling records in first-class cricket and have played in the ICC Intercontinental Cup for Afghanistan,” chief selector Dawlat Ahmadzi said. Ireland have added the experienced Andrew Balbirnie to their Test squad after his fine run in the ODI series, which included a match-winning 145 not out in the fourth ODI. “I’m desperate to consistently contribute to wins for Ireland and naturally I know it won’t happen every game, but if I stick to my strengths and work hard I hope it can happen more often,” Balbirnie told BBC Sport ahead of the Test match.

Ireland skipper William Porterfield was wary of taking Afghanistan lightly in Dehradun, considering the conditions on offer at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium. The Irish skipper will bank on his pace spearhead Boyd Rankin to provide those early breakthroughs. The 6ft 8” Rankin has bagged 16 wickets on this tour so far. It should be fascinating five-day encounter between two Test match newbies with both sides eyeing an elusive Test win.

Squads

Afghanistan: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Ihsanullah Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Nasir Jamal, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Waqar Salamkhail, Ikram Ali Khil, Yamin Ahmadzai, Rashid Khan, Wafadar Momand, Sharafudin Ashraf, Zahir Khan, Sayed Shirzad.

Ireland: William Porterfield (C), Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, James Cameron-Dow, Kevin O’Brien, George Dockrell, James McCollum, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Tim Murtagh, Stuart Poynter, Boyd Rankin, Lorcan Tucker, Simi Singh, Stuart Thompson.

Published in Daily Times, March 15^th 2019.