Leg-spinner Rashid Khan became the first bowler to bag four wickets off successive deliveries in Twenty20 Internationals. Rashid’s impressive bowling performance in the third and final game also helped Afghanistan sweep the T20I series against Ireland in Dehradun.
Chasing 211 for a win, Ireland were restricted to 178 for 8 from their 20 overs thanks to Rashid Khan’s sensational bowling performance.
Rashid became the seventh bowler in the T20I history to bag a hat-trick and in the process also completed his second five-wicket haul in the format.
Earlier, Mohammad Nabi’s 81 off 36 balls propelled Afghanistan to 210 for 7 after Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and chose to field.
Rashid completed his maiden hat-trick off the second ball of the 18th over when he had Shane Getkate out stumped.
Rashid had picked the first wicket of his hat-trick when he got rid of Kevin O’Brien off the final ball of 16th over for 74. When he returned to bowl in the 18th over, Rashid dismissed George Dockrell, Getkate Simi Singh off the first three deliveries to make it four wickets in four consecutive balls.
Rashid got his fifth wicket when he clean bowled Joshua Little in the final over of the match to script a 32-run victory for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan beat Ireland by five wickets in the first match before posting 278 for 3 – a world record for a T20 international – in the second match on Saturday for an 84-run victory.
A five-match ODI series between the teams will start from Thursday.
