Rahmanullah Gurbaz Out for 12 as Afghanistan Post 343/9 in 4th ODI vs Ireland

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for 12 runs off 10 balls in the opening over of Afghanistan’s innings in the fourth ODI against Ireland at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast. Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat, and Byron McDonough removed Gurbaz with the score at 16 for 1 — a sharp contrast to the opener’s 71-run anchor in the third ODI three days earlier.

Afghanistan recovered through centuries from Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran, finishing their innings at 343 for 9 in 50 overs and setting Ireland a demanding chase in a series Afghanistan already leads 2-0.

Editor’s note: This article draws on ball-by-ball scorecards and commentary from ESPNcricinfo, BBC Sport, and Sportstar (The Hindu), August 12, 2026. Figures reflect Afghanistan’s completed first innings.

Match at a glance

Detail	Information
Series	Afghanistan tour of Ireland 2026 — 5 ODIs
Match	4th ODI
Date	Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Venue	Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast
Start (India)	3:15 PM IST (10:45 AM local)
Competition	ICC CWC League 2 (2023–27 cycle)
Series score	Afghanistan 2-0 (1st ODI no result — rain)
Toss	Ireland elected to bowl
Afghanistan innings	343/9 (50 overs)

How Gurbaz fell

Gurbaz walked in after Ireland had won the toss and chosen to bowl first on a used Stormont surface. Facing Byron McDonough in the second over, the wicketkeeper-opener came down the pitch to a shortish, wide delivery with a hint of away movement and drove firmly — straight to Harry Tector at mid-off.

Gurbaz dismissal	Detail
Score	12 off 10 balls (2 fours)
Over	1.6 — Afghanistan 16/1
Dismissal	c Tector b McDonough
Strike rate	120.00

It was Ireland’s first breakthrough of the morning and ended a brief but busy stay at the crease after Gurbaz had already picked off two boundaries. For fans who had watched him construct a match-winning 71 off 77 balls on August 10 — anchoring Afghanistan’s chase of 207 to seal direct qualification for the 2027 Cricket World Cup — the early exit was an immediate talking point.

Afghanistan’s innings: Atal and Zadran take over

With Gurbaz gone, Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal rebuilt and then accelerated into a commanding partnership that carried Afghanistan past 300.

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	How out
Rahmanullah Gurbaz †	12	10	2	0	c Tector b McDonough
Ibrahim Zadran	107	118	11	1	b Hoey
Sediqullah Atal	143	120	17	4	c Adair b Hoey
Darwish Rasooli	24	14	1	2	c Stirling b McDonough
Azmatullah Omarzai	15	12	0	2	c Adair b McDonough
Rashid Khan	11	10	0	1	c †Tucker b Adair
Hashmatullah Shahidi	7*	8	0	0	not out
Rahmat Shah (c)	2	4	0	0	c Stirling b McCarthy

Atal’s 143 — struck at better than a run a ball with 17 fours and four sixes — was the innings-defining knock. Zadran’s 107 provided the platform, and a late burst from Darwish Rasooli (24 off 14) kept the scoring rate high through the closing overs.

Gavin Hoey was Ireland’s most effective bowler, taking Atal and Zadran in the middle overs, while McDonough finished with key wickets including Gurbaz and Rasooli. Mark Adair chipped in with Rashid Khan’s wicket as Afghanistan pressed past 340.

Series context

Afghanistan arrived at Stormont with the heavy lifting of their tour already done. After a rain-affected opener and a 92-run win at Bready on August 7, they clinched the series and 2027 World Cup qualification with a three-wicket victory in the third ODI on August 10.

Match	Date	Venue	Result
1st ODI	Aug. 5	Bready	No result (rain)
2nd ODI	Aug. 7	Bready	Afghanistan won by 92 runs
3rd ODI	Aug. 10	Stormont	Afghanistan won by 3 wickets (Gurbaz 71)
4th ODI	Aug. 12	Stormont	Afghanistan 343/9 (Ireland chase in progress)

Gurbaz’s form arc across the two Stormont matches tells its own story: from the composed half-century that booked Afghanistan’s World Cup place to a first-over dismissal when Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl. Ireland, who have not beaten Afghanistan in an ODI since May 2019, still need results in the remaining fixtures to salvage pride in a series already lost.

What it means for both sides

For Afghanistan, the top-order template held even without Gurbaz. Atal and Zadran demonstrated the depth that has made them a consistent white-ball force, and 343 sets up a stern test for an Ireland batting line-up that managed only 206 in the third ODI.

For Ireland, McDonough’s early strike offered a blueprint — pressure the new ball, force Gurbaz into an aggressive shot, and take catches in the ring. Whether that is enough against a total north of 340 depends on how Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, and the middle order handle Afghanistan’s spin and seam options in the chase.

The fifth and final ODI is scheduled for Friday, August 15, 2026, again at Stormont.

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Discussion

Gurbaz’s two Stormont innings in four days — a series-clinching 71, then 12 in the first over — frame how quickly ODI fortunes can turn.

1. After Gurbaz’s 71 secured World Cup qualification, does an aggressive first-over dismissal change how Afghanistan should balance risk at the top of the order in dead-rubber fixtures?

Is there value in reining in the opener once the series is won, or does the same attacking approach keep the rest of the batting sharp?

2. Ireland drew first blood through McDonough but still face a chase of 343. Can Associate sides realistically compete when Afghanistan’s middle order posts totals like this, even after losing their star opener early?

What would a competitive Ireland total look like on this surface — and where does their batting need to improve most?

Share your read on Gurbaz’s innings, Atal’s 143, and whether Ireland can mount a serious chase at Stormont.

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