Ireland lastly received their first Test match on Friday once they defeated Afghanistan by six wickets in Abu Dhabi, ending a streak of seven successive losses. Captain Andy Balbirnie led from the entrance with an undefeated 58 as Ireland reached their modest goal of 111 within the ultimate session of the third day. Ireland had performed their first Test again in 2018 once they had been defeated by Pakistan. “We’re absolutely excited. We’ve created history. The monkey is off the back and it’s very special to do that,” stated Balbirnie whose workforce had been wobbling at 13-3 at one stage.

“Obviously there were nerves; we were chasing our first win. You ask this whole group how special this is. A lot of our guys didn’t get to play Test cricket. Hopefully people back home want to be Test cricketers.”

Ireland at the moment are the fourth quickest workforce within the 147 yr historical past of Tests to clinch a win within the format. Australia took one match to win their first Test. England, Pakistan and Afghanistan took two matches to win their first Test. West Indies took six matches whereas Ireland has now taken eight matches. India received their first Test after 25 matches.

We’ll simply go away this right here… pic.twitter.com/BCYZaR7Vxq

— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 1, 2024

Afghanistan resumed their second innings Friday on 134-3 earlier than they had been dismissed for 218.

Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi high scored with 55 whereas Rahmanullah Gurbaz, making his Test debut, hit 46. Mark Adair picked up three wickets to complete with eight for the match. Craig Young and Barry McCarthy additionally claimed three apiece.

Gurbaz, higher identified for his flamboyant and explosive shot-making in restricted overs cricket, clubbed the one two sixes of the innings.

Chasing simply 111 for victory, Ireland had been in bother with three wickets down for simply 13 runs with 18-year-old quick bowler Naveed Zadran clean-bowling opener Peter Moor and Curtis Campher, each with out scoring.

Balbirnie denied {the teenager} a hat-trick however Harry Tector was quickly caught behind by Gurbaz off Nijat Masood for 2. Balbirnie and Paul Stirling, who each performed in Ireland’s debut Test in 2018, briefly steadied dressing room nerves.

Stirling was then caught within the slips off left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman for 14 as Ireland slipped to 39-4 simply after tea.

However, Balbirnie moved watchfully to his fourth Test half-century, which got here from 86 balls, ably supported by Lorcan Tucker (27 not out) in an important successful partnership of 72.

“I think the first day, when we were batting, we let ourselves down,” stated Shahidi.

“The Irish seamers were bowling very well but we threw our wickets away.”

He added: “We have some positives. Gurbaz was very positive on debut. Naveed had had a good Test against Sri Lanka, and in this match also he did very well.”

Irish quick bowler Adair stated he was “buzzing” with the victory.

“Test cricket is pretty difficult. I think we’ve got a really good bowling group,” he stated.

The two groups will now play three one-day internationals and three T20 video games as a part of their multi-format sequence.