Led by captain Rashid Khan, Afghanistan proved too strong for Ireland with the ball as they won the second T20 international of their three-match series by 10 runs in Sharjah on Friday. Afghanistan's victory ties up the series 1-1 as Ireland's multi-format tour against Afghanistan approaches its end.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A valiant knock of 39 off 18 balls by Gareth Delany was in vain as Ireland failed to score the 18 runs necessary off the last over to win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
One six was not enough as the penultimate ball was stopped for no run and the last saw Delany caught on the boundary off Fazalhaq Farooqi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The visitors started their run chase of 153 strongly as opening pair Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling put on a 49-run stand, before Stirling's dismissal in the sixth over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Irish captain was followed by Lorcan Tucker for 10 and a first-baller for Harry Tector, both courtesy of star spinner Khan, and Ireland's run chase halted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When Balbirnie was dismissed lbw by Nangeyalia Kharote on 45 with just 5.1 overs left, it left Ireland's tail with too much to do, despite Delany's late heroics.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Khan took four wickets for just 14 runs and his double-wicket 16th over effectively won the match for the hosts when he saw off George Dockrell and Mark Adair.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Afghanistan earlier won the toss and elected to bat first, putting on a total of 152-9 in their 20 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mohammad Nabi top-scored for the hosts with 59 off 38, including six fours and three sixes, before he was caught by Stirling from Ben White's bowling.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Adair was the pick of the Irish bowlers and finished with figures of 3-27 as Afghanistan's top order struggled, with numbers four and five Mohammad Ishaq and Azmatullah Omarzai both collecting golden ducks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Opener Sediqullah Atal was the only out-and-out batter to offer serious resistance but was run out on 35 to leave Afghanistan 93-5 with 6.5 overs remaining.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, Khan steadied the ship at number nine, with a fine knock of 25 from 12 balls that took Afghanistan over 150.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Josh Little also put on another good performance with the ball after his three wickets in Friday's first T20I and bowled opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the second over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n