CricketEurope reports:

Ireland's wait to break Afghanistan's winning sequence against them in T20s goes on as Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran steer their side home with an 86 run unbeaten partnership for the sixth wicket as they chased down Ireland's 132 with 4 balls to spare. Asked to bat Ireland's skipper Paul Stirling started in style with a flurry of boundaries after surviving a difficult chance to slip but with Kevin O'Brien out to his first 'big' shot Ireland's middle would soon be exposed to a trial by spin as Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan tightened their grip on the proceedings.

The wickets of Balbirnie, lbw playing across the line, Simi Singh running down the pitch and offering a defensive prod to Khan, Thompson exposing all three stumps behind his legs and Getkate sweeping over a full delivery from Khan meant that once again Ireland were in deep trouble, 66-6 at the end of the 12th over. Only the batting of George Dockrell and Stuart Poynter who showed he was much more than a one-hit wonder clawed Ireland to 132 at the end of their allotted overs. Doubling that 66-6 in the last eight and scoring 47 unbroken in the final five.

In the end that total was insufficient and Ireland will have to find a way to post a more challenging total next time. In the field Ireland had gained the early advantage Chase with an early wicket and Rankin with two in an over to have Afghanistan 30-3 at the end of the fourth over.

Wickets for Little and Getkate reduced them to 50-5 but that was as good as it got for the Irish. Getkate and Thompson were bowling a tight spell which was ended only when Thompson pulled up with a right hamstring injury halfway through his third over. Simi Singh was asked to complete the over but not to bowl again and with Dockrell bowling only one over Ireland's spinners contributed only 9 deliveries in the game.

Nabi and Zadran were able to keep the board ticking over and ease their side to victory both finishing in the forties at better than a run a ball sharing an 86run unbroken partnership to see their side to an eighth consecutive T20 win against Ireland.

Thompson must be a doubt for the next game on Saturday and who takes his place will be interesting. With the spinners bowling only 9 balls today it would be strange if McBrine came in although it has been the case for some time that Dockrell appears to be playing more for his batting than his bowling.