The Afghan National Cricket Team thrashed Ireland by 138 runs in the first One Day International (ODI) match in Sharjah on Tuesday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The Afghan cricket players Nasir Jamal and Rahmat Shah notched half centuries to lead their team to 238-9 in their 50 overs after they were put in to bat by Ireland, while Rashid Khan added 48.

Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Zadran, the 16-year-old off-spinner of the national team, was the chief architect of the victory, returning magnificent figures of 4 for 24 in his 10 overs. 

Mujeeb accounted for Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, Gary Wilson and Kevin O'Brien to cripple Ireland, which never looked on track in the chase once the new Afghan star picked up four of the first five wickets.

Mujeeb’s returns were the joint-best for an Afghanistan bowler on debut, matching Shapoor Zadran’s 4 for 24 against the Netherlands in Amstelveen in August 2009.

Six out of the top seven Irish batsmen failed to reach double-figures, and even Porterfield, who fought till the 23rd over despite no support from the other end, couldn't carry on for too long. Porterfield's 35 off 63 balls was the only bit of resistance from Ireland, and had it not been for Stuart Poynter's unbeaten 27 off 42 balls from No. 8, Ireland might not have reached the three-figure mark.

It wasn’t just Mujeeb and Rashid Khan, the star leg-spinner, also returned 3 for 28, but Mujeeb had only left the lower-order wickets for him to pick, which he did expertly after having made a telling contribution with the bat in the first half. Dawlat Zadran, meanwhile, picked up two wickets.

The second match is also in Sharjah on Thursday.