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Ireland and Afghanistan will face each other in the fifth and final ODI of their 2026 series at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on August 14. With Afghanistan already holding an unassailable lead in the series, the visitors will have their eyes on completing a dominant campaign, while Ireland will be hoping to finish the contest on a positive note in front of their home supporters.

The previous encounter produced a high-scoring thriller, with Afghanistan posting their highest-ever ODI total of 343/9 before eventually defeating Ireland by 42 runs. Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran starred with the bat, while Ireland received major contributions from Andrew Balbirnie and Curtis Campher during the chase. With both sides possessing several match-winners, the final ODI promises another competitive contest in Belfast.

IRE vs AFG, 5th ODI: Match details

• Date and Time: August 14, 10:45 am Local / 9:45 am GMT / 3:15 pm IST
• Venue: Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast

IRE vs AFG Head-to-Head Record in ODIs

Matches played: 36 | Ireland won: 13 | Afghanistan won: 21 | No result: 2

Civil Service Cricket Club Pitch Report

The surface at the Civil Service Cricket Club is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers could get some movement with the new ball, with swing and seam likely to test the batters during the early stages. Once the batters settle in, the pitch should become easier to score on, while spinners could become more influential during the middle overs as the surface begins to offer some grip. Teams may prefer chasing at this venue, particularly if there is movement available to the seamers early in the innings. Batters who spend some time at the crease before attacking could play a key role in determining the final outcome.

Squads

Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Benjamin Calitz, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Jai Moondra, Gavin Hoey, Cade Carmichael, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough

Afghanistan: Rahmat Shah (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Nangeyalia Kharoti, Ikram Alikhil

IRE vs AFG, 5th ODI: Today’s match prediction

Case 1:

• IRE wins the toss and bowls first
• AFG’s powerplay score: 55-60
• AFG’s total score: 290-300

Case 2:

• AFG wins the toss and bowls first
• IRE’s powerplay score: 45-50
• IRE’s total score: 260-270

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest.