Ireland will look to salvage some pride from their ODI series against Afghanistan when the two sides meet in the fourth and final match in Belfast. After a difficult return to 50-over cricket, Ireland trail 3-0 and face the prospect of a series whitewash. This is Ireland’s first ODI series in more than 15 months, and the long break has shown in their performances. However, their batting finally showed signs of improvement in the previous match, giving the hosts some encouragement ahead of the series finale. Chasing a daunting target of 344, Ireland crossed the 300-run mark thanks largely to experienced campaigners Andy Balbirnie and Curtis Campher. Balbirnie produced an excellent century, while Campher also made a valuable contribution as Ireland fell short of the target. Ireland will hope that performance provides momentum for the final game. Captain Paul Stirling and Harry Tector, who have struggled for runs during the series, will be eager to make significant contributions, while Balbirnie will look to continue his impressive form. Cade Carmichael is another player to watch. The South Africa-born batter has impressed in the No. 3 position, scoring 62 off 66 balls earlier in the series and following it with a determined 32 in the next match. Another substantial innings in Belfast could strengthen his claim for a permanent place in Ireland’s top order. Afghanistan, meanwhile, have enjoyed a highly successful tour and will be determined to complete a 4-0 series sweep. Their strong performances with both bat and ball have underlined their status as the dominant side in the contest. One of their key performers has been spinner AM Ghazanfar. He has been Afghanistan’s most economical bowler in the series and has already taken four wickets. With 28 wickets in just 20 ODIs at an economy rate of 4.54, Ghazanfar is quickly establishing himself as an important part of Afghanistan’s spin attack alongside Rashid Khan. Afghanistan could bring back Fazalhaq Farooqi after replacing him with Ziaur Rahman in the previous match. Ziaur conceded 71 runs without taking a wicket from his nine overs, which could prompt a change for the final game. Probable Playing XIs Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Cade Carmichael, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper), Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, Mark Adair, Gavin Hoey, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough. Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (captain), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi. Belfast Pitch Could Favour Batters The conditions in Belfast are expected to be cloudy, but rain is not forecast to disrupt the match. The average first-innings winning score across the last five ODIs at the venue is 272, suggesting another competitive, potentially high-scoring encounter. Ireland’s improved batting display in the previous game will give them confidence, but Afghanistan’s bowling attack remains a major challenge, particularly through the middle overs where Rashid Khan and Ghazanfar can apply sustained pressure. Rashid Khan Chasing More Records Rashid Khan could add another milestone to his remarkable ODI career. He needs three wickets to become the first bowler to take at least 15 wickets in bilateral ODI series against the same opposition on two occasions. He previously claimed 16 wickets against Ireland in a five-match series in 2016-17. Three wickets would also make Rashid the first bowler to take 15 or more wickets in three bilateral ODI series. He is currently level with India’s Amit Mishra on two such series. For Ireland, George Dockrell could also move closer to becoming the country’s leading ODI wicket-taker. If he plays, he needs four wickets to surpass Kevin O’Brien. With Afghanistan chasing a clean sweep and Ireland desperate for a consolation victory, the final ODI promises to be an important test of whether the hosts can finally convert their improved batting form into a win.

Ireland and Afghanistan are set to usher in a new chapter in their ODI journeys as they face off in a five-match series beginning at Bready. Both teams enter the contest under new leadership, with fresh coaching setups and an eye on building towards qualification for the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. For Ireland, the series marks the beginning of Gary Wilson's tenure as head coach following the team's historic 2-0 T20I series victory over India. The hosts will also benefit from the expertise of former Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott, who has joined the Irish setup as a short-term consultant after spending more than three successful years transforming Afghanistan into one of the most competitive ODI teams. Although Ireland arrive with confidence after their recent T20I success, they have not played an ODI in over 15 months, making the series a crucial opportunity to rebuild and experiment. Afghanistan are also entering a new phase. Richard Pybus has taken over as head coach following Trott's departure, while veteran batter Rahmat Shah has replaced Hashmatullah Shahidi as ODI captain. Afghanistan have enjoyed an impressive run in the 50-over format since 2024 and defeated Ireland 2-0 in their previous ODI series in Sharjah. However, they will be eager to bounce back after their winning streak was halted by India earlier this year. Players to Watch Ireland's spotlight will be on left-arm pacer Jai Moondra, who is poised to make his ODI debut after an outstanding Player-of-the-Series performance against India in the recent T20Is. With several frontline Irish seamers sidelined through injury, Moondra has an opportunity to establish himself despite having played only nine List-A matches. For Afghanistan, explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz will once again be the key figure. The wicketkeeper-batter enters the series in outstanding form after scoring 87, an unbeaten 107, and 102 in the Shpageeza Cricket League before helping Guyana Amazon Warriors win the Global Super League with a string of consistent performances. Recently appointed vice-captain, Gurbaz will shoulder additional leadership responsibilities alongside his batting and wicketkeeping duties. Injury Concerns for Ireland Ireland's bowling attack has been severely affected by injuries, with Josh Little, Craig Young, Barry McCarthy, Matt Hollard, Jordan Neill, and David Delany all unavailable. The depleted squad could hand ODI debuts to right-arm seamer Byron McDonough and middle-order batter Ben Calitz, while spinner Gavin Hoey is expected to play a vital role. Afghanistan, meanwhile, receive a timely boost with the return of pace bowlers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Yamin Ahmadzai. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has opted out of the series, while spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman remains unavailable due to injury. Pitch and Conditions Bready has hosted only one men's ODI, back in 2019, but recent women's internationals at the venue produced high-scoring contests, with successful run chases of 242 and 270. Similar batting-friendly conditions are expected for the opening two matches, although forecasts suggest a 35 percent chance of rain on Wednesday. Key Statistics Afghanistan have won each of their last six ODIs against Ireland. Ireland's last ODI victory over Afghanistan came in May 2019. George Dockrell needs three wickets to become Ireland's leading wicket-taker in ODI history. In the only previous men's ODI at Bready, Ireland successfully chased 255 against Zimbabwe, with Mark Adair claiming four wickets and Andrew Balbirnie scoring a match-winning century. With both teams embarking on new journeys under fresh leadership, the five-match series promises to be an important test of progress, squad depth, and long-term ambitions in the ODI format.