Afghanistan v Ireland 1st T20I: Afghanistan win opener

First T20I scores

Afghanistan won by six wickets

Ireland: 165-5 (Thompson 56, Wilson 41, Porterfield 39; Hamza 2-23)

Afghanistan: 171-4 (Shenwari 56, Shahzad 47).

Match report

Samiullah Shenwari's half-century saw Afghanistan beat Ireland by six wickets in the first Twenty20 international.

Opener Stuart Thompson hit 56 from 35 balls as Ireland made 165 for five in their 20 overs at Greater Noida in India.

Thompson and captain William Porterfield (39) put on 82 after the early loss of Paul Stirling, and wicketkeeper Gary Wilson gave the innings late impetus with 41 not out from 27 balls.

Spinner George Dockrell then took the new ball but saw his first over go for 15, including a six off the first ball as Najeeb Tarakai muscled 27 from 15 balls.

Mohammad Shahzad was run out three short of a half-century - in the process becoming the fifth-highest T20I run-scorer of all time, passing JP Duminy, David Warner and Umar Akmal and moving to just six runs behind India captain Virat Kohli.

Shenwari did make 50, matching Thompson's score before falling to the latter's bowling, and Asghar Stanikzai (20no) and Shafiqullah, who hit the only ball he faced for six, saw Afghanistan over the line with two overs to spare.

The match is the first of three T20s, to be followed by five one-day internationals and a four-day game.