Sediqullah Atal hit 143 off 120 balls on his 25th birthday in the fourth one-day international at Stormont.

Afghanistan 343-9 (50.0 overs): Sediqullah 143 (120), Zadran 107 (118); McDonough 3-84.

Ireland 301 (48.0 overs): Balbirnie 109 (119), Campher 86 (46); Rashid 3-49.

Afghanistan won by 42 runs, leading the five-game series 3-0. Afghanistan sealed series victory over Ireland with a game to spare at Stormont thanks to their record tally in the one-day format.

Ibrahim Zadran and Sediq Atal both hit centuries in their second-wicket stand as Afghanistan reached 343-9 to leave Ireland with what would have been their record ODI chase.

After the opener of the series was washed out in Bready last week, the tourists took control of proceedings with 92-run and three-wicket victories in games two and three respectively. Despite leaking runs in the late overs, this was another comfortable victory.

Opener Andrew Balbirnie did provide a century of his own in response for Ireland before becoming the 11th of Rashid Khan's 12 wickets to date in this series.

Curtis Campher’s aggressive 84 from 46 balls kept faint Irish hopes alive but chances of a home victory never felt more than remote and they were bowled out for 301.

The series concludes on Saturday with a final game at Stormont. Ireland have not beaten Afghanistan in an ODI since 2019 and will have felt if that unwanted run was to end, the wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz would be key.

When the Afghanistan opener, who put his side in control of Monday's contest with an authoritative 71 of 77 balls, spent just 10 minutes at the crease before being caught off the bowling of Byron McDonough, Irish optimism of ending an eight-game losing streak against their opponents ticked upwards.

It would, however, be more than 36 overs before the next wicket fell. The 231-run partnership between Ibrahim and Sediq, Afghanistan's third largest in ODI cricket, was notable not only for its duration and productivity, but the lack of opportunity afforded Irish fielders.

By the time Ibrahim was eventually outfoxed by the spin of Gavin Hoey, Ireland were already facing what would have been a record ODI chase at the Belfast ground.

Hoey would ultimately also account for Sediq, who top scored with 143 off 120 balls on his 25th birthday. Thereafter, the innings concluded with six wickets for just 58 runs but Afghanistan's final tally of 343 was still four more than their previous best in the format against Sri Lanka two years ago.

This series, the first in charge for new head coach Gary Wilson, ostensibly marked the start of Ireland's preparations for February's World Cup qualifiers. Their first fixtures in the format since May 2025 were always likely to display some 50-over rust but to have already lost the series without coming within a sniff of a victory will hardly raise hopes of making next year's tournament for the first time since 2015.

While Saturday's conclusion of the home summer still offers an opportunity to salvage something from the series, at present Wilson is left looking at more measured positives.

In taking the two most stubborn of Afghanistan wickets on Wednesday, Hoey continued to stake his claim to serve Ireland as a wicket-taking spinner in the middle overs.

Added to four wickets and 36 runs on Monday, the 24-year-old is one who has pressed his case through the series.

Balbirnie's century - his 10th in ODI cricket which leaves him behind only Paul Stirling and William Porterfield in Irish colours - has of course been the best knock of the series for the hosts so far.

For a player not in Ireland's T20 side, it was a timely reminder of his importance at the top of the order as captain Paul Stirling continues to search for a score.

All-rounder Curtis Campher was in the same category coming into Wednesday but provided the desired x-factor in the middle order as he accelerated to 84 before targeting one boundary too many.

Still, after June's T20 2-0 victory over world champions India, this series has already brought Irish cricket back down to earth with something of a bump.