Captain Andy Balbirnie would have breathed a huge sigh of relief as Ireland pulled off an emotional victory in their first-ever Test win. It was a long time coming for the associate nation after 7 previous failures.
Chasing a meager 111 for victory on the third day in Abu Dhabi, Balbirnie led from the front with an unbeaten 58 to guide his team over the line. The tense run chase went down to the wire, but Ireland finally got their hands on the elusive win.\
It capped off a gritty performance over the four days. Facing the top associate side of Afghanistan was never going to be easy. But Ireland used all their experience and resolved to bow out winners in their most important Test.
The victory will no doubt be celebrated extensively back home. It validates Ireland’s growing credentials in multi-day cricket. More importantly, it should inspire the next generation of Irish players to dream big in the purest format.
A well-deserved triumph it was for Balbirnie and his men against a spirited Afghan opponent. The win drought is over, and Ireland can now look to kick on from this historic moment.
