Ibrahim Zadran top scored with an unbeaten 72, having been dropped when on just 10.His efforts ensured an above par total of 155/7. All of the six bowlers used took a wicket each. The chase got off to awful start with the top three all gone with just 15 on the board. Harry Tector and George Dockrell come and go cheaply and Ireland in all sorts of bother at 46 for 5. It looks a forlorn task but Gareth Delany takes 16 off a Nabi over, followed by Campher taking a shine to Kharote. But just as they seemed to be getting a foothold, Campher holes out to long off. 52 dots in 15 overs for the Irish. Omarzai has his third as Adair chops on. Make that fou as McCarthy splices a return catch. The return of Rashid sees Delany well caught in the deep. Almost all over. It is now as White is bowled to give Naveen his fourth. Seamers doing the damage for the hosts for once rather than the spinners. Food for thought for Ireland, especially their batting order. Next for them is a home T20 series against Pakistan in early May followed by a tri-series in Netherlands with hosts and Scotland.

Sensational start from the Ireland seamers with Afghanistan reduced to 14/4 inside the first four overs. Two wickets each for Adair and Little and both Ishaq and Omarzai gone first ball. A run out breaks the Atal Nabi partnership at 93 before Nabi completes a fifty and then gives White a wicket, slicing to Stirling at point. An lbw for Adair sees Rashid Khan come to the crease at number 9 - not the worst in the world. Can Ireland keep him away from the strike in the last few overs? He's out in the final over to McCarthy for 25 off 12 deliveries and Naveen-ul-Haq follows next ball, two wickets to McCarthy. Game on. Stirling and Balbirnie post 49 for the first wicket before Kharote rattles Stirling’s off stump. Tucker gets too fancy and his paddle sweep off Rashid is caught at short fine leg. More disaster as Tector is bowled next ball by a googly. Campher caught and bowled by Nabi and Ireland are contriving to lose this as boundaries have dried up in these middle overs. A welcome boundary from Balbirnie but he’s given lbw next ball off the middle of his glove attempting a sweep! A long delay and a gesture to the umpire before departure will surely cost him - but that was a shocker! Rashid back on and takes two in the over bowling both Dockrell and Adair with googlies. Gareth Delany keeps Ireland in it by taking 22 off Farooqi’s 18th over, but in the end 11 off the 19th left Ireland needing 18 off the final Farooqi over, and that was just too big an ask with Delany falling to the final delivery. Rashid Khan's contribution the difference between the sides - his injection of runs at the end of the Afghan innings, and his seemingly inevitable haul of wickets ripping the heart out of the Irish reply. All to play for tomorrow in the series decider - same time, same place.

News from the toss is that Ireland have been put in. Josh Little, Ben White, Neil Rock and Gareth Delany all play. 1st wicket as Balbirnie drives uppishly to cover. Ends an enterprising cameo. Lorcan Tucker never settles and goes for just four. 66/2 at the halfway point, Can they kick on? No, as Paul Stirling falls with Rashid having him caught then bowling Campher 1st ball. Awful shot. Neil Rock gone for 1. Ireland in disarray. 100 up with four overs left. Strong finish needed. Last ball of Rashid spell sees Delany caught on the long-on boundary. Good 18th over as Harry Tector gets 14 from it. Harry Tector continues the strong finish as 19 comes off the last over. His unbeaten 56 came off 32 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes. Game on. Ten overs of pace from Afghanistan produced 1-92 while ten overs of spin returned 4-44, is there a lesson there for Ireland? Adair strikes first ball wit Gurbaz caught at deep square top edging a hook to Campher. Regular opener Ibrahim Zadran comes in at 3 to join Sediqullah Atal. Josh Little returns to Irish colours for the second over and Ital splices a drive to Tector who runs round from mid off to extra cover to hold the catch and Omarzai is bowled first ball driving at the inswinger - sensational start by Ireland. Unlucky Adair in his second over as a huge swing from Ishaq flies over slip and a drive just clears a leaping mid off - two better looking drives on the leg side mean it's 17 off the over! Suddenly the crowd has found its voice again as it's all aggression from Mohammad Ishaq. Wicket for Ben White as McCarthy takes catch at deep square. Delany looks to have got Nabi caught behind but umpire says no. Stirling looks aghast. 5th wicket for the Irish as Barry McCarthy gets in on the act. Well on top at the halfway stage of the chase. More umpiring controversy as Nabi is caught but umpire had called no-ball off White. Very tight. Ireland incensed. Lots of debate. Don't think I've ever seen Stirling so animated. Ireland though have the 6th wicket as White gets another. Crowd very quiet..even quieter as White gets two in two balls. And it's a fourth for White who gets the huge wicket of Nabi. Little then gets Rashid as Tector has his fourth catch. Crowd head for the exit. McCarthy gets the last and the convincing win is secured. Fully deserved. The bowling unit superb after that late onslaught by Tector Ireland go 1-0 up. Next game on Sunday.

Ireland made one change for the final game of the series with Barry McCarthy replacing Craig Young, but it's Adair and Hume who take the new ball on the same pitch as was used for the first game. Not much pace or bounce evident in the opening overs and certainly nothing past the bat! Overconfidence costs Zadran his wicket as he skies an attempted pull off McCarthy to mid-on and then Rahmat Shah edges Adair to Tucker for only 4 - two wickets out of the blue. Gurbaz collected a run-a-ball fifty but was caught and bowled by McBrine in his first over. The fourth wicket falls to a run out - Ormarzi left stranded as Shahidi threatened to run, then stopped! Partnership between Shahidi and Nabi passes 50 as Tector gets a rare opportunity with the ball. Last 10 overs coming up - Ireland can't afford a repeat of the first game which saw them concede 95 runs in that spell. With Nabi holing out at long-on van Woerkom takes a wicket in his final over. 200 up with six overs left. Ikram plays over one from Tector and Ireland are keeping things in check - at the moment! Adair goes round the wicket to Shahidi and a fullish delivery traps him lbw then another for him and one for McCarthy ensures there is no final flourish from the hosts. The final ball of the innings is cut for 6 - a chest high full toss by Adair ignored by both umpires! Ireland contained well without looking threatening at any stage and now they will be hoping some dew will help the ball 'come on' in their innings. No quick start to the chase from Ireland as Farooqi, bowling left arm round the wicket accounts for Balbirnie for just a single, an inside edge through to the keeper - Deja-Vu. A steady second wicket stand between Stirling and Campher lays a good foundation and at drinks they have added 69 and counting. Another half century for Stirling but he falls immediately after. Nabi also accounts for Tector, who got away with a close lbw shout doesn't survive a second in the same over. A third wicket for Nabi as Tucker chips tamely to mid-on. Campher then gets a shocker, given caught off the pad down the leg side. No doubt about the next however as Kharote turns one past Dockrell's defensive prod into middle and off stumps. It could have been two in two when McBrine tamely chipped his first ball to short mid wicket but the total sitter was inexplicably dropped! It does get worse Adair plays back and is plumb - a second wicket in the over for debutant Kharote. 'Start the car!' McBrine goes to cut Nabi off middle stump and misses - lucky to get 0. Five wickets gone for the addition of a single and a leg-bye. Nabi completes his five-for bowling Hume in his last over and Kharote bowls McCarthy to end Ireland's misery. A spectacular collapse that sees only two Irish batsmen managing to reach double figures for the second game in a row - hard to imagine that has ever happened before.

With no prospect of play due to unseasonal rain in Sharjah the second ODI has been called off. The final game of the series will take place on Tuesday as originally scheduled.

Ireland won the toss and bowled first bringing Graham Hume and George Dockell into the side. Lorcan Tucker playing his 50th ODI. A steady start for the hosts but it should be one down as Gurbaz on 7 skies one to Campher off Van Woerkom and he makes a hash of it. Turned out to be a costly one as the openers added 150 with Gurbaz posting 121, his sixth ODI century, before he was bowled by Van Woerkom, who claimed the first three wickets to fall. With skipper Shahidi and Nabi adding 71 off 47 deliveries for the fifth wicket Ireland's seamers took a bit of a hammering in the closing overs, Shahidi raising his half century off only 32 deliveries. Imposing total from the hosts. Early departure for Stirling edging Omarzai through to keeper Alikhil and Balbirnie joins him for 4 off 18, flat footed, stuck on the crease and bowled by Farooqi. The mountain gets higher and Ireland are struggling to get any sort of foothold in the chase. Campher reprises his Test dismissal, playing outside the line of Farooqii and off stump is rattled. 16 year old debutant Mohammad Ghazanfar into the attack - he impressed in the U19 World Cup, nominally an off-spinner but has a front of the hand delivery which spins away! Drinks taken after 16 overs with the score 64/3, Tector and Tucker have added 28 at almost a run-a-ball but much more is needed from them if Ireland are to challenge. 100 up and Tector completes a fifty off 59 deliveries (6x4). Into the last 20 overs with Ireland needing 172 - the first T20 of the series? Partnership ends at 173 when Tucker edges Farooqi behind. Ten oversremaining and Ireland need another 101. Afghanistan were 215/3 at the same stage but of course they had a strong finishing burst to their innings, can Ireland match that? It doesn't look like it at the moment as Dockrell is caught by substitute fielder Kharote, a stunning diving forward grab at mid wicket to give Noor Ahmed a wicket. Ireland just not able to find the boundaries needed. Farooqi ends the 46th over by 'yorking' Mark Adair and Ireland going down tamely in the end it seems as McBrine chips his second delivery to mid wicket. Only 2 boundaries in overs 40-47, both sixes by Tector who is out in the final over caught at mid off. A lesson in how to bowl at the 'death' - hopefully 'much learnings' by Ireland who were sadly lacking in that department today. They might also wish to reflect on a batting performance which contained only two double figure innings.

Not the start Ireland wanted as Harry Tector is trapped lbw by Naveed. He reviewed but in vain as hitting middle/leg. Paul Stirling joined by Lorcan Tucker. Important stand as Ireland look to hopefully build a big lead - they have added 34 in 14 overs this morning as drinks are taken. Ireland take the first innings lead as the 50 stand comes up after 97 balls. Paul Stirling reaches his half century from 87 balls (7 fours) but is then bowled by Zahir Khan on the stroke of lunch. Could that be a turning point. He and Lorcan Tucker (32*) had shared an Irish record stand of 80 for the 6th wicket. The lead is 31 - can they extend it to 100 and beyond? Tucker and McBrine add 30 before Tucker pushes at a wide one from Zia-Ur-Rehman and gives a straightforward catch to slip. Decision time for Ireland - total defence isn't going to work here, there's an unplayable delivery just round the corner so is measured attack the best option for the new batsman Mark Adair? The lead is 78 at the afternoon Drinks break with 48 more overs scheduled in the day. Next session an important one for both sides. Two powerful sweeps for boundaries by Mark Adair but third time unlucky as he's lbw for 15 giving Zia-Ur-Rahman his fourth wicket. Plumb and there goes Ireland's final review! Ireland take the lead past 100 as Afghanistan lose their last review - all in the hands of the umpires now! McCarthy plays back to Zia-Ur-Rahman and 'walks' before the lbw is given, easy one that for umpire Kettleborough. New ball taken immediately it is available but the first day pace and bounce seems to have gone from the pitch somewhat. Andy McBrine goes on the attack but skies to mid-off and the Ireland innings ends with the lead 108. It's Adair again who gets the breakthrough in the second innings - courtesy of a stunning catch low down at gully by Moor. Adair has another and it's the huge wicket of Rahmat Shah. Little bit of away movement and easy catch for Lorcan Tucker - Ireland ecstatic. The hosts fighting back as Noor Ali and Hashmatullah chip away with a 3rd wicket stand. Spin hasn't worked so far - time for Craig Young. McBrine switches ends and almost has immediate success as umpires call saves Noor Ali from an lbw review. Another review but again no joy as Young to Hashmatullah Shahidi was going over. Poor review - always looked high. Stand passes 50 as Afghans close in on parity. The return of McCarthy does the trick as he gets one to rear at Noor Ali who gives simple catch to Adair at gully. Ireland needed that. Can they get a few more in the last half hour of the day? Gurbaz hits Andy McBrine and Barry McCarthy for sixes and they are now in the lead. Day ends with Afghans 26 ahead and 7 wickets in hand. Ireland still slightly on top but not much in it with a nervy chase on a wearing pitch on the cards.

Great start by Ireland as Mark Adair traps Hashmatullah lbw with one that nips back, quickly followed by one from Barry McCarthy that comes back a long way. Huge roar of delight from the Pembroke man. Boy, did he enjoy that. They are keeping it tight with runs hard to come by. Stubborn 6th wicket stand ended by Young as Janat chips to Balbirnie at midwicket. Seamers continue to impress having taken all 17 wickets so far. The lead is 65 with just four wickets left, Make that 3 wickets left as a beauty from Young sends the off stump of Gurbaz cartwheeling. That's lunch with Ireland in complete control bowling 26 overs in the morning session taking four wickets for the addition of 48 runs, the lead just 74. McCarthy and Adair resume after the break, 200 raised before Van Woerkom takes the ball and one turns to find the edge of Rahman's bat, straight to Balbirnie at second slip, an Irish spinner finally has a wicket. McCarthy yorks an uncomfortable looking Nijat and number 11 Zahir looks no better! Can Ireland finish this quickly, Zadran will surely be having a swing now with van Woekrom lobbing it up to him. He tries swinging at Craig Young and loses his off stump with the lead at 110. 'Nelson' will win it for Ireland but it will surely be a tense chase against the Afghan spinners. Moor's luck is in as Ibrahim drops him at second slip in the first over - 5/0 all extras. But he's gone in the second without scoring, a tentative push outside the line and bowled through the gate - and it's 2 in 2! An identical prod outside the line from Campher produces an identical dismissal. Nijat Masood shapes one away and Tector is given caught behind on a review, Afghanistan jubilant. Ireland go in for Tea at 36/3 needing another 75 runs for the win. Straight to spin after the break as Zia-Ur-Rahman rips the first ball away from Balbirnie, this could be torture!! Stirling survives an lbw review but edges to slip next ball. 'Spin to win' they say don't they? Few boundaries gets Ireland past halfway. Tense, but the Pembroke duo chipping away at the target as they take drinks having added 37 for the 5th wicket, needing just 35 more...There's the 50 stand and it is almost certainly a match winning one. Half century for Andy Balbirnie from 86 balls (4 fours). Ireland on the cusp of victory. Well done Ireland - fully deserved win. They played the better cricket throughout and having slipped to 39 for 4, they dug in and got a famous first Test win. Surely Mark Adair will get the Man of the Match? Irish seamers were sjmply sensational.

Ireland lost the toss and have three debutants - Barry McCarthy, Craig Young and Theo van Woerkom. Mark Adair gets the breakthrough as Noor Ali edges a drive to Andy Balbirnie at second slip, and has a second in the same over as Rahmat Shah loses off stump. Great start at 11 for 2. However, after drinks the hosts have broken the shackles with a third wicket stand of 52 in 72 balls but nearly ended as Balbirnie drops tough chance at slip off McCarty - Hashmatullah on 19 escapes.But just one run later he is strangled down the leg side and it's a first Test wicket for Barry McCarthy. Lunch comes with honours even at 86 for 3. Great first over back from Craig Young sees him beat the bat a couple of times and an lbw shout against Zadran that was not reviewed which DRS showed would have been given OUT! Then, in just the next over a third wicket for Adair, as Gurbaz toe-ends a flat footed waft through to Tucker. Could have been five down with a review of course. Young cleans up Nasir Jamal in his second over, nipping one back to hit the top of middle stump, some shaping away and some holding their line, great bowling. Young can do nothing wrong at the moment! He claims the big wicket of Zadran glancing to a diving Tucker, strangled! Another poor decision not to review costs Adair a fourth wicket! Balbirnie burned one early on so seems reluctant to risk the second - costly mistakes. But Adair has his fourth as another loose drive pouched at second slip. Ireland rampant. Frustrating 8th wicket stand is ended by a truly awful hoik by Naveed who skies Campher to McBrine at midwicket. Two balls later and it's another for Campher with a good ball that is edged and Lorcan Tucker has a fourth catch. A perfect afternoon is completed as Mark Adair has his 5th - superb effort, he has been exceptional. Afghans lost 7 wickets for 69 in that session. Lucky escapes for Balbirnie who is dropped at slip on 0, survives a run out direct hit and almost chops on. Luck runs out as he is trapped lbw by Naveed. Played around his pad, decided to review but in vain. Now it's PJ Moor in the thick of it - bowled off a no-ball, then given out lbw but reviews successfully. His luck runs out too as he chops on off Naveed. Curtis Campher has been positive and he is unbeaten on 30 at better than a run a ball as Ireland reach 56 for 2 at drinks. 21 overs left in the day. Third wicket stand reaches 50 from 82 balls as Ireland continue to be in the ascendancy. Campher goes late in the day as he edges behind off Zia. Ireland opt for a nightwatchman Van Woerkom - with 15 minutes left in the day. Gamble doesn't work as he is bowled by a beauty from Zia. Close of play sees Ireland on 100 for 4, just 55 behind. They have had the better of the day but still a long way to go.