Ireland face Afghanistan in the fifth and final ODI of the Afghanistan tour of Ireland 2026 at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast, on Saturday, August 15. The match starts at 10:45 AM local time, 9:45 AM GMT and 3:15 PM IST. Cricket Ireland’s updated schedule confirms August 15 as the date for the series finale.
Afghanistan enter the final ODI with an unassailable 3-0 series lead. The first match was abandoned, while Afghanistan won the next three completed games. They sealed the series with a 42-run victory in the fourth ODI after scoring 343/9 and bowling Ireland out for 301.
Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran dominated the fourth ODI with centuries. Atal scored 143 and Ibrahim made 107 in a 231-run second-wicket stand. Andrew Balbirnie responded with 109 for Ireland, while Curtis Campher struck 84 from only 46 balls, but Afghanistan’s bowling attack closed out another victory.
IRE vs AFG Match Details
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Ireland vs Afghanistan, 5th ODI |
| Series | Afghanistan Tour of Ireland 2026 |
| Date | Saturday, 15 August 2026 |
| Time | 10:45 AM local / 9:45 AM GMT / 3:15 PM IST |
| Venue | Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast |
| Format | ODI, 50 overs per side |
| Captains | Paul Stirling (Ireland), Rahmat Shah (Afghanistan) |
| Series Position | Afghanistan lead 3-0 with one match remaining. The opening ODI was abandoned. |
| Recent Form | IRE: NR, L, L, L. AFG: NR, W, W, W. |
| H2H | 35 ODIs: Afghanistan 21 wins, Ireland 13 wins, 1 no result/tie. |
The match timing and venue are confirmed by Cricket Ireland and Cricbuzz, while the current ODI head-to-head record stands at 21-13 in Afghanistan’s favour.
Dream11 Team for IRE vs AFG, 5th ODI
Top Picks for IRE vs AFG, 5th ODI
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | AFG | C / WK-Batter | Captain pick in the supplied Dream11 team. He scored 71 from 77 balls in the third ODI and provides additional fantasy value through wicketkeeping. |
| Ibrahim Zadran | AFG | Batter | Comes into the match after scoring 107 from 118 balls in the fourth ODI. He and Atal added 231 for the second wicket to set up Afghanistan’s series-clinching win. |
| Rashid Khan | AFG | Bowler | Rashid is the leading wicket-taker of the series with 12 wickets. He took 3/49 in the fourth ODI and also produced a match-winning all-round performance in the third. |
| Andrew Balbirnie | IRE | Batter | Ireland’s strongest recent batting option after scoring 109 from 119 balls in the fourth ODI. He shared important partnerships with Harry Tector and Curtis Campher. |
| Curtis Campher | IRE | All-Rounder | Campher smashed 84 from 46 balls in the previous match, including eight fours and five sixes. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds fantasy value. |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | AFG | VC / All-Rounder | Vice-captain pick. Omarzai took 2/57 from 10 overs in the fourth ODI, dismissing Harry Tector and Mark Adair, and can also contribute useful lower-order runs. |
Pitch Report
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Venue | Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast |
| Pitch Type | A balanced ODI surface offering opportunities to both batters and bowlers. Batting is easier when the ball is new, but the wicket can slow as the innings develops. |
| Scoring | The last ODI here produced 343/9 and 301, showing that a big total is possible when batters settle. The previous game at the same ground was much lower scoring, with Ireland making 206 before Afghanistan chased 207/7. |
| Pace vs Spin | Pacers can use the new ball early, but spin becomes increasingly important as the surface slows. Rashid Khan and AM Ghazanfar therefore remain major fantasy options. |
| Toss Factor | The changing nature of the wicket makes the toss interesting. Conditions may encourage captains to bat first and use spin later, although the cloud cover could tempt the toss winner to bowl first. |
The fourth ODI showed how different phases of the pitch can play. Afghanistan’s top order scored freely while the ball was hard, before Rashid Khan and the rest of the attack used the older ball effectively during Ireland’s chase.
Weather Report
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Around 17°C at 11:00 AM, rising to approximately 18°C during the afternoon. |
| Sky | Intermittent clouds are expected around the start, with mostly cloudy to cloudy conditions through the afternoon. |
| Rain Chance | The available hourly forecast does not currently indicate rain during the scheduled match period. |
| Humidity | A reliable match-hour humidity figure is not provided in the available forecast. |
| Overall | Cool and cloudy conditions are expected. The cloud cover could offer some early movement to seam bowlers, while the temperature should remain comfortable throughout the match. |
IRE vs AFG Toss Prediction
The surface at Stormont has offered runs with the newer ball before slowing down later. That makes batting first a reasonable option for the fifth ODI, especially for a team with quality spinners capable of defending a total.
Ireland chose to bowl first in the fourth ODI, but Afghanistan responded by posting 343/9. That result may encourage both captains to consider batting first this time rather than chasing on an older, slower surface.
If Paul Stirling (Ireland) wins the toss, he could choose to bat first and give Andrew Balbirnie, Cade Carmichael, Harry Tector and Curtis Campher the chance to establish a total. Balbirnie’s 109 and Campher’s rapid 84 in the previous game showed Ireland can challenge Afghanistan when their batting unit clicks.
If Rahmat Shah (Afghanistan) wins the toss, batting first also looks attractive. Afghanistan scored 343 in the previous ODI through centuries from Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal, before Rashid Khan and Yamin Ahmadzai combined for seven wickets.
Injury and Team News
Ireland
Ireland have endured significant injury problems during this series. Josh Little, Matt Hollard, Craig Young, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neill and David Delany were all unavailable when the ODI squad was announced. Paul Stirling returned from his own injury to captain the side.
Cricket Ireland subsequently confirmed that its squad would remain unchanged for the fourth and fifth ODIs. That means the hosts continue with the same injury-hit group for the series finale.
Ireland’s batting showed clear improvement in the fourth ODI. Andrew Balbirnie scored 109, Curtis Campher made 84 from 46 balls and Harry Tector contributed 34. However, their bowling struggled to contain Afghanistan’s top order as Ibrahim and Atal shared a 231-run partnership.
Key players: Andrew Balbirnie (109 in the fourth ODI), Curtis Campher (84 from 46), Paul Stirling (captain and opener), Gavin Hoey (four wickets in the third ODI), Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper-batter) and Mark Adair (experienced seam option).
Predicted Ireland XI: Paul Stirling (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Cade Carmichael, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, Mark Adair, Gavin Hoey, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough.
This is based primarily on the XI Ireland used in the fourth ODI. Jai Moondra, George Dockrell and Andrew McBrine were among the available bench options, so a change remains possible for the final match.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan have already secured the series and automatic qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Their 42-run fourth-ODI victory gave them an unassailable 3-0 lead, with Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran both scoring centuries.
Their spin attack remains a major strength. Rashid Khan leads the series with 12 wickets and took 3/49 in the fourth ODI. AM Ghazanfar has also played an important role, including taking three wickets for 29 runs in the third ODI.
The major confirmed injury absence is Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was ruled out of the Ireland series when Afghanistan announced their squad. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Yamin Ahmadzai returned to the ODI group for the tour.
Key players: Sediqullah Atal (215 series runs according to the current preview), Ibrahim Zadran (107 in the previous ODI), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (71 in the third ODI), Rashid Khan (12 wickets), Azmatullah Omarzai (all-round option) and AM Ghazanfar (middle-overs spin threat).
Predicted Afghanistan XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmat Shah (c), AM Ghazanfar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
This combination follows Afghanistan’s fourth-ODI XI, although the visitors could rotate players after already sealing the series. Their full squad also includes Ikram Alikhil, Nangyal Kharoti, Saleem Safi and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
