Rashid Khan ripped through Ireland’s batting order with figures of 6-34 as Afghanistan won the second ODI by 92 runs at Bready Cricket Club on Friday. The leg-spinner’s seventh five-wicket haul in ODI cricket, and his third time taking six or more, sealed a 1-0 series lead in the five-match contest after the opening fixture was washed out.
In a match reduced to 47 overs per side due to rain, Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and chose to field. The decision backfired. Ibrahim Zadran anchored Afghanistan’s innings with 84 off 97 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes. Sediqullah Atal added 45, Hashmatullah Shahidi finished unbeaten on 36, Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 33, Rahmanullah Gurbaz made 32, and captain Rahmat Shah scored 30. Afghanistan posted 299/8.
Ireland’s chase fell apart quickly. Rashid struck two early blows, having Andy Balbirnie caught behind before dismissing Harry Tector the same way next over. Cade Carmichael fought with 62 off 66 balls, but seven wickets fell for 63 runs as Ireland were bowled out for 207 in 33.4 overs. Omarzai took 2-26 and Fazalhaq Farooqi chipped in with 1-29.
The match also marked a milestone for Omarzai, who surpassed 2,000 international runs across formats in his 95th international innings, averaging nearly 27 with one century and 10 half-centuries.
Rashid Khan was at his spectacular best against Ireland ✨
📝: https://t.co/6CpD7vlPeR | 📸: @ACBofficials pic.twitter.com/bTvSXOEFZE
— ICC (@ICC) August 8, 2026
How Many Wickets Has Rashid Khan Taken Against Ireland?
No bowler in international cricket has dominated a single opponent the way Rashid Khan has dominated Ireland. Across ODIs, T20Is, and Tests, his record against them stretches back to 2017 and includes performances that sit among the best in the history of each format.
| Format | Notable Figures | Context |
|---|---|---|
| T20I | 5/3 | Best by an Afghan bowler in T20Is, first five-wicket haul completed in two overs in T20I history |
| ODI | 6/34 (this match) | Seventh five-wicket haul in ODIs, third time taking six or more |
| ODI | 6/43 | 2017 series against Ireland, match where both Rashid and Paul Stirling took six wickets |
| Test | 11 wickets in a match | Twin five-wicket hauls against Ireland |
At one stage, Rashid took at least two wickets in 14 consecutive matches against Ireland. He currently holds the No. 1 position in the ICC ODI bowling rankings with 705 rating points, and his career ODI record stands at over 210 wickets at an average of 19.65. His best ODI figures remain 7-18 against the West Indies in 2017, but no team has faced the sustained, format-spanning punishment that Ireland has absorbed from him.
Insider Read:
A leg-spinner returning 6-34 in 7.4 overs at Bready tells you this was not about the pitch. Northern Irish conditions are built for seam bowlers, with movement off the surface and a slow outfield. Rashid did not hold. He attacked. When a wrist-spinner takes wickets on surfaces where medium-pacers should dominate, the batters are not reading him. That is the difference between facing a spinner and facing Rashid Khan.
This was Afghanistan’s first ODI under new captain Rahmat Shah, who replaced Hashmatullah Shahidi, with Richard Pybus taking over as head coach after Jonathan Trott’s departure. For Ireland, the match was Gary Wilson’s first assignment as head coach, with Stirling leading the side. The remaining three ODIs move to the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on August 10, 12, and 15.
Sources:
[2nd ODI, August 7, 2026] ICC
Also Read:
