On Sunday (24 February), Afghanistan whitewashed Ireland 3-0 after beating them in the third T20I at Dehradun.
After Ireland won the toss and decided to bowl first, Afghanistan put up a total of 210/7 in 20 overs. In reply, Ireland managed to score 178/8 in 20 overs. The Asian side won this match by 32 runs.
Brief Score: Afghanistan – 210/7 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 81, Hazratullah Zazai 31; Boyd Rankin 3/53)
Ireland – 178/8 in 20 overs (Kevin O’Brien 74; Andy Balbirnie 47; Rashid Khan 5/27)
Result – Afghanistan won by 32 runs
Here are some of the statistical highlights of the match:
(1st innings)
Afghanistan
i) Afghanistan scored 210/7 in 20 overs.
- It was Afghanistan’s fifth largest T20I total.
ii) Afghanistan hit 19 boundaries (fours) in their innings.
- It is the joint most number of boundaries for Afghanistan in a T20I innings. Just one day earlier, they hit the same number of boundaries against Ireland at the same venue.
Boyd Rankin
iii) Ireland pacer Boyd Rankin had the bowling figures of 4-0-53-3.
- It is the most expensive bowling figures by a T20I bowler who has picked up three or more wickets in an innings. The previous records were 4-0-52-3 by Kuldeep Yadav (India) and 4-0-52-4 by Yuzvendra Chahal (India), both against Sri Lanka at Indore on 22 December 2017.
(2nd innings)
Rashid Khan
iv) Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan claimed the double hat-trick by picking up four wickets in four consecutive deliveries.
- Rashid Khan is the first bowler to pick up four wickets in four consecutive balls in a T20I match.
- Rashid Khan is the first spinner to claim a T20I hat-trick.
- The leg-spinner is the second bowler to pick up four wickets in four consecutive balls in an international cricket match. Pacer Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) was the first bowler to achieve this feat against South Africa in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.
- Rashid Khan was the third bowler to pick up four wickets in four consecutive balls in a T20 match. Andre Russell and Al-Amin Hossain have achieved this feat for once each.
- Rashid Khan was the seventh bowler to claim a T20I hat-trick.
v) Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan had the bowling figures of 4-0-27-5.
- It was the third-best T20I bowling figures by an Afghanistan bowler.
| Player | Bowling figures | Opposition | Venue | Date |
| Rashid Khan | 2-1-3-5 | Ireland | Greater Noida | 10 March 2017 |
| Samiullah Shinwari | 4-0-13-5 | Kenya | Sharjah | 24 November 2013 |
| Rashid Khan | 4-0-27-5 | Ireland | Dehradun | 24 February 2019 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 2.2-0-10-4 | Ireland | Dubai (DSC) | 20 January 2017 |
| Rashid Khan | 4-0-12-4 | Bangladesh | Dehradun | 5 June 2018 |