Ireland five wickets away from completing a unique feat

Ireland was on the verge of regaining the ICC Intercontinental Cup when it needed just five more wickets with two days to spare to complete a comfortable victory over Afghanistan.

When stumps were drawn for the third day on Thursday, of the five-day final, at the ICC Academy Oval No.1, defending champion Afghanistan, chasing 347 runs for victory, was 136 for five.

Rahmat Shah (33) and captain Mohammad Nabi (25) will resume Afghanistan’s second innings on Friday with the defending champion requiring another 211 runs to retain the title. The two batsmen have so far added 51 runs for the unfinished sixth wicket after half the Afghanistan side was back in the hut at the score of 85.

Left-arm spinner George Dockrell caused most of the damage and picked up three wickets conceding 26 runs, while Trent Johnston and John Mooney bagged a wicket apiece.

Earlier, Ireland had resumed its second innings at 159 for two and the entire side was bowled out for 341, half-an-hour before tea to set Afghanistan a 347 runs victory target.

Niall O’Brien finished as the top scorer with 87 while Ed Joyce added four more runs to his overnight score of 74 to become Dawlat Zadran’s second and final victim. Kevin O’Brien (47), Andrew White (39) and Trent Johnston (31) made useful contributions in the lower-order to leave Ireland in a position from where it could dictate terms.

If Ireland regain the ICC Intercontinental Cup, then it will not only be the fourth time that it will win this prestigious tournament but will also become the first ICC Member to win three ICC tournaments of three different formats in a calendar year.