Image: AFG vs IRE, Test: Ireland beats Afghanistan to register first-ever Test win
Ireland played their first Test in May 2018, almost a year after achieving Test status, against Pakistan. They played two more in 2019 – losing to Afghanistan and England. And played four in 2023, with losses against England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Playing their eighth Test in Abu Dhabi, a one-off encounter, Ireland was put in to bowl by Afghanistan. It was a good toss to lose for the Irish as they rolled over the Afghan batters with a brilliant display.
After 5 years, 10 months, and 20 days, Ireland has finally etched its name in Test cricket history with a thrilling six-wicket victory over Afghanistan at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi. The elation was palpable as Lorcan Tucker struck the winning runs, signaling a breakthrough in red-ball cricket for Ireland – a team often sidelined from longer format matches.
| Team | Matches taken for first Test win |
|---|---|
| Australia | 1 |
| England | 2 |
| Pakistan | 2 |
| Afghanistan | 2 |
| West Indies | 6 |
| Ireland | 8 |
| Zimbabwe | 11 |
| South Africa | 12 |
| Sri Lanka | 14 |
| India | 25 |
| Bangladesh | 35 |
| New Zealand | 45 |
Despite playing fewer Tests, and missing out on the World Test Championship, Ireland's determination shone through. Skipper Andrew Balbirnie led the charge in the 111-run chase, his unbeaten half-century guiding his team to victory on day three. This win puts Ireland ahead of cricketing powerhouses like India, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe in terms of the time it took them to register their first Test win.
One for the fans… ☘️? pic.twitter.com/fvCdSSwF59
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 1, 2024
As far as the Test match is concerned, Afghanistan won a very good toss and opted to bat. But Mark Adair's exceptional bowling skittled them for just 155 runs. Adair took five wickets for just 39 runs even as Ibrahim Zadran scored 53 while Karim Janat remained unbeaten on 41 but no other batter could hang around and play a big knock.
In reply, Ireland was propelled by decent contributions from several batters led by Paul Stirling. They scored 263 runs in their first innings and gained a crucial 108-run lead. Afghanistan put up an improved show in their second essay but again, none of their batters could go big as only skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi mustered 55 runs. Afghanistan were bundled out for 218 runs as they set a target of 111 runs for Ireland who stuttered up front losing three wickets for just 13 runs. But then captain Balbirnie stood strong to smash an unbeaten half-century making sure his team got over the line for the first time in the format.
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