Irish cricket team against Afghanistan in the UAE in 2017–18#1st ODI

{{Infobox cricket tour

| series_name = Irish cricket team against Afghanistan in 2017–18

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

| team1_name = Afghanistan

| team2_image = Cricket Ireland flag.svg

| team2_name = Ireland

| from_date = 5

| to_date = 10 December 2017

| team1_captain = Asghar Stanikzai

| team2_captain = William Porterfield

| no_of_ODIs = 3

| team1_ODIs_won = 1

| team2_ODIs_won = 2

| team1_ODIs_most_runs = Rahmat Shah (126)

| team2_ODIs_most_runs = Paul Stirling (188)

| team1_ODIs_most_wickets = Rashid Khan (7)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (7)

| team2_ODIs_most_wickets = Barry McCarthy (8)

| player_of_ODI_series = Paul Stirling (Ire)

}}

The Ireland cricket team toured the United Arab Emirates in December 2017 to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) against the Afghanistan cricket team.{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/afghanistan-to-play-ireland-zimbabwe-in-sharjah/articleshow/61174226.cms |title=Afghanistan to play Ireland, Zimbabwe in Sharjah |access-date=25 October 2017 |work=Times of India}}{{cite web |url=http://www.timesnownews.com/sports/article/afghanistan-cricket-team-to-play-three-match-odi-series-against-ireland-at-sharjah-in-december/111508 |title=Afghanistan cricket team to play three match-ODI series against Ireland at Sharjah in December |access-date=25 October 2017 |work=Times Now}}{{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.ae/sport/cricket/sharjah-to-host-afghanistan-s-odi-series-against-ireland-and-test-involving-zimbabwe-1.669375 |title=Sharjah to host Afghanistan's ODI series against Ireland and Test involving Zimbabwe |access-date=25 October 2017 |work=The National}} The matches were used as a warm-up for the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which took place in Zimbabwe in March 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/512639 |title=Ireland to take on Afghanistan in Sharjah |access-date=16 November 2017 |work=International Cricket Council}} Ireland won the series 2–1.{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/535799 |title=Stirling, Dockrell guide Ireland to series win |access-date=10 December 2017 |work=International Cricket Council}}

Squads

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:auto"
{{cr\|AFG\|2013}}{{cite web \|url=http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/420 \|title=Mujeeb Zadran called for the ODI Series against Ireland \|access-date=2 December 2017 \|work=Afghanistan Cricket Board \|archive-date=3 December 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203013958/http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/420 \|url-status=dead }} !{{cr\|IRE}}{{cite web \|url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/ireland-squad-for-intercontinental-cup-tie-with-scotland-announced \|title=Ireland Squad for Intercontinental Cup Tie With Scotland Announced \|access-date=3 November 2017 \|work=Cricket Ireland}}
style="vertical-align:top" \| Asghar Stanikzai (c) Javed Ahmadi Amir Hamza Ihsanullah Nasir Jamal Rashid Khan Zahir Khan Mohammad Nabi Gulbadin Naib Shafiqullah Rahmat Shah Dawlat Zadran Mujeeb Zadran Najibullah Zadran Noor Ali Zadran Shapoor Zadran \| William Porterfield (c) John Anderson Andrew Balbirnie Peter Chase George Dockrell ~~Ed Joyce~~ Barry McCarthy Jacob Mulder Tim Murtagh Kevin O'Brien Niall O'Brien Stuart Poynter Boyd Rankin Simi Singh Paul Stirling Gary Wilson

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:auto"

{{cr|AFG|2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/420 |title=Mujeeb Zadran called for the ODI Series against Ireland |access-date=2 December 2017 |work=Afghanistan Cricket Board |archive-date=3 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203013958/http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/420 |url-status=dead }}

!{{cr|IRE}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/ireland-squad-for-intercontinental-cup-tie-with-scotland-announced |title=Ireland Squad for Intercontinental Cup Tie With Scotland Announced |access-date=3 November 2017 |work=Cricket Ireland}}

style="vertical-align:top"

Ahead of the series, Ed Joyce was ruled out of Ireland's squad with a knee injury, with John Anderson replacing him.{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/cricket/2017/1117/920832-injured-ed-joyce-out-of-ireland-odi-series/ |title=Injured Ed Joyce out of Ireland ODI series |access-date=17 November 2017 |work=RTE}} Niall O'Brien initially returned home to Ireland for personal reasons and was replaced by Stuart Poynter, but he re-joined the squad prior to the series.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/42114842 |title=Niall O'Brien: Wicketkeeper-batsman returns home from Ireland's UAE tour |access-date=25 November 2017 |work=BBC Sport}}{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/21666307/afghanistan,-ireland-tune-world-cup-qualifiers |title=Afghanistan, Ireland tune up for World Cup qualifiers |access-date=4 December 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

ODI series

=1st ODI=

{{Single-innings cricket match

| date = 5 December 2017

| time = 14:30

| daynight = Yes

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AFG|2013}}

| team2 = {{cr|IRE}}

| score1 = 238/9 (50 overs)

| runs1 = Nasir Jamal 53 (63)

| wickets1 = Boyd Rankin 4/44 (10 overs)

| score2 = 100 (31.4 overs)

| runs2 = William Porterfield 35 (63)

| wickets2 = Mujeeb Ur Rahman 4/24 (10 overs)

| result = Afghanistan won by 138 runs

| report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1125472.html Scorecard]

| venue = Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

| umpires = Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)

| motm = Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afg)

| toss = Ireland won the toss and elected to field.

| rain =

| notes = Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afg) made his ODI debut and became the first male to play international cricket who was born in the 21st century.{{cite web |url=https://www.crictracker.com/mujeeb-zadran-becomes-the-first-male-international-cricketer-from-the-21st-century/amp/ |title=Mujeeb Zadran becomes the first male International cricketer from the 21st century |access-date=5 December 2017 |work=Crictracker |archive-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206074542/https://www.crictracker.com/mujeeb-zadran-becomes-the-first-male-international-cricketer-from-the-21st-century/amp/ |url-status=dead }}

Kevin O'Brien became the first player for Ireland to take 100 wickets in ODIs.{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/teenage-debutant-mujeeb-helps-afghanistan-rout-ireland/articleshow/61937018.cms |title=Teenage debutant Mujeeb helps Afghanistan rout Ireland |access-date=5 December 2017 |work=Times of India}}
Mujeeb Ur Rahman took the joint-best figures for an Afghan bowler on debut in ODIs.{{cite web |url=http://www.wisdenindia.com/match-report/debutant-mujeeb-knocks-ireland/281553 |title=Debutant Mujeeb knocks Ireland over |access-date=5 December 2017 |work=Wisden India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206005853/http://www.wisdenindia.com/match-report/debutant-mujeeb-knocks-ireland/281553 |archive-date=6 December 2017 |url-status=dead }}

}}

=2nd ODI=

{{Single-innings cricket match

| date = 7 December 2017

| time = 14:30

| daynight = Yes

| team1 = {{cr-rt|IRE}}

| team2 = {{cr|AFG|2013}}

| score1 = 271/9 (50 overs)

| runs1 = Paul Stirling 82 (96)

| wickets1 = Rashid Khan 2/40 (10 overs)

| score2 = 220 (45.2 overs)

| runs2 = Javed Ahmadi 48 (67)

| wickets2 = Barry McCarthy 5/46 (9 overs)

| result = Ireland won by 51 runs

| report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1125473.html Scorecard]

| venue = Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

| umpires = Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL) and Izatullah Safi (Afg)

| motm = Barry McCarthy (Ire)

| toss = Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.

| rain =

| notes = Barry McCarthy (Ire) took his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/1128866.html |title=McCarthy's five-wicket haul helps Ireland level series |access-date=7 December 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

}}