Afghanistan’s National Cricket Team beat Ireland by 29 runs in the first One-Day International (ODI) of a three-match series in Belfast on Monday night.

The hosts, beaten 2-0 in the recent T20 series, chased a target of 228 to win but were bowled out for 198.

Having slipped to 93 for four, Ireland were relying on Andy Balbirnie, but when he fell for a gritty 55 their hopes evaporated.

Earlier, Ireland's bowlers had restricted Afghanistan to 227 for nine.

Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib ended with 64 and shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 77 with Hashmatullah Shahidi, who hit 54.

Ireland also lost the previous ODI they played against Afghanistan, in the World Cup Qualifier earlier this year. It was a result that gave Afghanistan a berth in the 2019 World Cup, a tournament that Ireland failed to qualify for.

Neither team has played an ODI since that match but Afghanistan has shown tremendous form in the T20Is.

Leading up to this, Afghanistan beat Bangladesh 3-0 and extended the form into the Ireland T20s.