ICC Awards: 5 best knocks of Mohammad Shahzad in 2016

#5 81 vs Ireland, Belfast

Shahzad stroked another 50 in a losing cause

Afghanistan has always looked upon Mohammad Shahzad for a rollicking start to the innings and Shahzad kept on obliging to the needs of the team. Ireland and Afghanistan were fighting it out in an ODI at Belfast in July with Afghanistan lead the series by 1-0.

The Afghans looked to pile on the agony for the Irish and it was commenced by yet another remarkable beginning by the hulking Mohammad Shahzad. Though the Afghans couldn’t manage a win, but it was thanks to Shahzad’s knock that they were able to give some sort of respectability to the score.

Shahzad contributed to one-third of Afghanistan’s total of 236 runs with 10 fours and astonishingly, no 6’s. The fact that Shahzad curbed himself from going for the colossal strokes showed a versatile version of him. Ireland levelled the series, but it was Shahzad, who reinforced his prominence in the Afghan batting line-up.