Rashid Khan's fifer takes Afghanistan close to maiden Test win

Afghanistan require a further 118 runs with nine wickets remaining to win their one-off Test with Ireland, after star leg-spinner Rashid Khan took five-for on day three in DehraDun.

Dehradun:Spinner Rashid Khan's five-wicket haul helped Afghanistan bowl out Ireland for 288 and put the team in sight of a maiden Test win on the third day of the one-off Test on Sunday.

Pic Courtesy: twitter.com/ICC

Chasing 147 for victory, Afghanistan were 29 for one with Ihsanullah Janat batting on 16 and Rahmat Shah unbeaten on 11 at the close of play.

• The Test will continue into day four!
  
  Some disciplined bowling from Ireland has seen to Afghanistan finishing the day on 29/1, having batted for 16 overs. Afghanistan will begin tomorrow needing 118 more runs for victory. #AFGvIRE SCORECARD ⬇️ https://t.co/mV1o12EBt1 pic.twitter.com/VaXjp04Dzy

  — ICC (@ICC) March 17, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  The Test will continue into day four!
  
  Some disciplined bowling from Ireland has seen to Afghanistan finishing the day on 29/1, having batted for 16 overs. Afghanistan will begin tomorrow needing 118 more runs for victory. #AFGvIRE SCORECARD ⬇️ https://t.co/mV1o12EBt1 pic.twitter.com/VaXjp04Dzy

  — ICC (@ICC) March 17, 2019

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  The Test will continue into day four!
  
  Some disciplined bowling from Ireland has seen to Afghanistan finishing the day on 29/1, having batted for 16 overs. Afghanistan will begin tomorrow needing 118 more runs for victory. #AFGvIRE SCORECARD ⬇️ https://t.co/mV1o12EBt1 pic.twitter.com/VaXjp04Dzy

  — ICC (@ICC) March 17, 2019

Afghanistan lost one wicket in the form of Mohammad Shahzad, but Janat and Shah, who made 98 in Afghanistan's first innings total of 314, ensured there was no more damage when the stumps were drawn.

Earlier in the day, Andy Balbirnie (82) and Kevin O'Brien (56) scored half-centuries each but Khan came up with career-best figures of five for 82 to bundle out Ireland in the final session of play.

Khan accounted for the wickets of James McCollum, O'Brien, Stuart Thompson, George Dockrell and Andrew McBrine to put Afghanistan in a commanding position.

Brief scores:

Ireland: 172 & 288 all out in 93 overs (Andy Balbirnie 82, Kevin O'Brien 56; Rashid Khan 5/82).

Afghanistan: 314 & 29/1 in 16 overs (Ihsanullah Janat batting 16, Rahmat Shah batting 11 ).