IRE vs AFG Match Prediction : 3rd ODI, Afghanistan tour of Ireland, 2026

Ireland and Afghanistan will face off in the third ODI of the five-match series on Monday. The match will be played at Stormont in Belfast, with Afghanistan looking to strengthen their position after taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The first ODI at Bready was abandoned without a ball being bowled, while Afghanistan won the second match by 92 runs.

Ireland vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head Record

Afghanistan have enjoyed the better record in recent ODI meetings between the two teams and will enter this contest with considerable confidence after their commanding victory in the second ODI.

Ireland vs Afghanistan Live-streaming and Broadcast

The match will be broadcast and streamed across multiple regions as follows:

IRE vs AFG Team Previews

Ireland

Ireland will be disappointed with their performance in the second ODI, particularly after Afghanistan's bowlers dismantled their batting line-up. The hosts will now return to Stormont, where they will hope home conditions can help them bounce back.

Paul Stirling has returned to captain the side after recovering from his knee injury and provides Ireland with valuable experience at the top of the order. He will be expected to lead from the front alongside Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector. Curtis Campher is another important part of the batting line-up, while Lorcan Tucker provides stability with the gloves.

The bowling attack will need to improve significantly after struggling to contain Afghanistan in the second ODI. Mark Adair remains one of Ireland's most experienced pace bowlers, while Gavin Hoey and Andrew McBrine provide spin options. The hosts will need to take wickets regularly if they are to prevent Afghanistan from building another sizeable total.

Ireland Expected Playing 11

Paul Stirling (C), Andy Balbirnie, Cade Carmichael, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (WK), Ben Calitz, Mark Adair, Gavin Hoey, Jai Moondra, Byron McDonough

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Afghanistan

Afghanistan come into this contest full of confidence after producing an impressive all-round performance in the second ODI. They posted 299 for 8 before bowling Ireland out for 207, securing a comfortable 92-run victory.

Ibrahim Zadran was the star with the bat, scoring 84 to anchor the innings, while Sediqullah Atal also provided valuable support at the top of the order. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hashmatullah Shahidi add further quality to an experienced batting line-up, while Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai provide plenty of depth.

The biggest difference between the two sides, however, was Afghanistan's bowling. Rashid Khan produced a sensational six-wicket haul in the second ODI and completely changed the game once Ireland's chase appeared to be under control. Fazalhaq Farooqi and the other Afghanistan seamers will also look to exploit any movement available at Stormont.

Afghanistan Expected Playing 11

Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmat Shah (C), Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem, Fazalhaq Farooqi

IRE vs AFG Toss Prediction

The team winning the toss will likely opt to bowl first.

Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The match moves to Stormont after the first two ODIs were played at Bready. Stormont has traditionally offered assistance to seamers, particularly when the ball is new, and the overcast Northern Irish conditions could make the opening overs challenging for the batsmen. However, the surface should become easier to bat on once the ball gets older. The spinners could also become important during the middle overs, particularly if the pitch begins to slow down.

A first-innings score of around 270-280 should be competitive.

IRE vs AFG : Who Will Win?

We are backing Afghanistan to win this match. They were clearly the better side in the second ODI, with both their batting and bowling units performing at a high level. Rashid Khan's six-wicket haul was the highlight, but the contributions from Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal and the rest of the bowling attack showed that Afghanistan have plenty of match-winners.

Bet on Afghanistan to win.

IRE vs AFG win percentage stands at 64% in favor of AFG.