Irish cricket team against Afghanistan in India in 2019–20

{{short description|International cricket tour}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}

{{Infobox cricket tour

| series_name = Ireland against Afghanistan in India in 2019–20

| team1_image = Flag of Afghanistan (2013–2021).svg

| team1_name = Afghanistan

| team2_image = Cricket Ireland flag.svg

| team2_name = Ireland

| from_date = 6

| to_date = 10 March 2020

| team1_captain = Asghar Afghan

| team2_captain = Andrew Balbirnie

| no_of_twenty20s = 3

| team1_twenty20s_won = 2

| team2_twenty20s_won = 1

| team1_twenty20s_most_runs = Rahmanullah Gurbaz (105)

| team2_twenty20s_most_runs = Harry Tector (97)

| team1_twenty20s_most_wickets = Rashid Khan (5)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (5)

| team2_twenty20s_most_wickets = Simi Singh (4)

| player_of_twenty20_series = Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afg)

}}

The Ireland cricket team toured India in March 2020 to play three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches against Afghanistan.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/742337 |title=Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=11 January 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000001/000137.shtml |title=Afghanistan next in line for Ireland |work=Cricket Europe |date=21 January 2020 |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=24 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024063351/https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000001/000137.shtml |url-status=dead }} On 11 January 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the fixtures for the three T20I matches.{{cite tweet |user=ACBofficials |number=1215966225857220608 |date=11 January 2020 |title=The three-T20I series between Afghanistan and @Irelandcricket is scheduled to be held from 6th-10th March at the Greater Noida Ground in Uttar Pradesh, India.}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000001/000116.shtml |title=Afghanistan confirm T20I series |work=Cricket Europe |access-date=12 January 2020 |archive-date=12 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112152337/https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000001/000116.shtml |url-status=dead }}

Originally, the tour had a one-off Test match on the itinerary.{{cite web|url=https://pulse-static-files.s3.amazonaws.com/ICC/document/2018/06/20/6dc2c8d4-e1a5-4dec-94b4-7121fab3cd7f/ICC_Tours.pdf |title=Men's Future Tours Programme |access-date=11 January 2019 |work=International Cricket Council}} However, due to financial constraints with Cricket Ireland, the Test was not included on the tour schedule.{{cite web|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/cash-crisis-forces-cricket-ireland-to-axe-home-test-against-bangladesh-and-three-t20-internationals-38790934.html |title=Cash crisis forces Cricket Ireland to axe home Test against Bangladesh and three T20 internationals |work=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=11 January 2020}} Ireland previously toured India in February and March 2019 to play Afghanistan, a series that included the first Test match to be played between the two teams.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/924784 |title=One-off Test: Afghanistan to host Ireland in Dehradun |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=30 November 2018}} Afghanistan won the one-off Test match by seven wickets to record their first victory in Test cricket.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/19052/report/1168120/day/4/afghanistan-vs-ireland-only-test-afg-v-ire-2018-19 |title=Rahmat Shah and Isanullah see Afghanistan through to maiden test win |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 March 2019}} Prior to the tour, Asghar Afghan was reappointed as Afghanistan's captain across all three formats of international cricket.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28650690/shapoor-zadran-returns-afghanistan-t20i-squad |title=Shapoor Zadran returns to Afghanistan's T20I squad |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=7 February 2020}}

The first fixture of the tour was the 1,000th match played by Ireland across all formats, since they played a two-day match in September 1855.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/1000-matches-ceo-warren-deutrom |title=1,000 matches: CEO Warren Deutrom on the growth of cricket, his hopes and his biggest frustration |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=4 March 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206122814/https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/1000-matches-ceo-warren-deutrom |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000001/000195.shtml |title=The 1000: My favourite match |work=Cricket Europe |access-date=4 March 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Afghanistan won the rain-affected match, extending their record to eleven consecutive wins against Ireland.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000003/000329.shtml |title=Afghanistan extend winning run |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=7 March 2020 |archive-date=21 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021121434/https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2020/articles/000003/000329.shtml |url-status=dead }} Afghanistan won the second match by 21 runs, to take an unassailable lead in the series.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/second-t20i-v-afghanistan-2020 |title=Balbirnie’s captains knock not enough as Ireland defeated in second T20I against Afghanistan |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=8 March 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206114515/https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/second-t20i-v-afghanistan-2020 |url-status=dead }} The third and final match of the series finished in a tie with Ireland winning the Super Over, with Afghanistan winning the series 2–1.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/51820271 |title=Ireland snatch a super over win against Afghanistan to avoid a T20 series whitewash |work=BBC Sport |access-date=10 March 2020}} It was Ireland's first win against Afghanistan in a T20I match since they beat them in the final of the 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1643531 |title=Delany shines, before O'Brien's last-ball six helps Ireland edge past Afghanistan in Super Over |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=10 March 2020}}