Ireland ended a run of eight successive Twenty20 international defeats after beating Afghanistan with just one ball remaining in a seven-wicket win in Belfast on Tuesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
George Dockrell struck the match-clinching boundary off the penultimate ball as Ireland, chasing 169, finished on 171-3.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The result was Ireland's first win in any form of international cricket this season, with the side also having suffered three one-day defeats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ireland openers Paul Stirling (31 off 29 balls) and captain Andrew Balbirnie (51 off 38) got the hosts' chase off to a good start with a stand of 61 in 7.3 overs at Stormont.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker maintained the momentum with 50 off 32 balls before Harry Tector (25 not out) and Dockrell (10 not out) gave Ireland a much-needed success.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, spinner Dockrell took 2-7 and paceman Barry McCarthy 3-34, with opener Usman Ghani top-scoring with 59, including six fours and two sixes for Afghanistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The tourists' total of 168-7 was bolstered by 30 runs off the final two overs, with Ibrahim Zadran hitting an unbeaten 29 off 18 balls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n