Sport
West Indies miss out on World Cup after Scotland loss
The West Indies failed to qualify for the Cricket World Cup for the first time as the two-time champions slumped to a seven-wicket thumping by Scotland at the qualifying event on Saturday.
The Caribbean side, needing a win to keep their slim qualification hopes alive, were bowled out for 181 in their 50 overs before Scotland chased down the target with 6.3 overs to spare in Harare, AFP reported.
Shai Hope’s men have zero points with only two matches remaining in the Super Six stage in Zimbabwe after previous defeats by the hosts and the Netherlands.
The global one-day showpiece, which will be held in India from October 5 until November 19, will be notable for the absence of one of the sport’s traditional powerhouses.
Scotland exacted revenge for an agonizing and controversial loss by the West Indies at the previous World Cup Qualifier in 2018 which saw them miss out on the main tournament with a first one-day international win over their opponents.
They now sit just two points behind Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, with the top two to qualify for the 10-team event, ahead of their final two games against Zimbabwe on Tuesday and the Dutch two days later.
The damage was done early on by the Scottish seam bowlers as they reduced the Windies to 81-6 after winning the toss and electing to field first.
Young allrounder Brandon McMullen dismissed the West Indies top three of Brandon King, Johnson Charles and Shamarh Brooks and finished with 3-32 from nine overs.
Scotland’s spinners kept the squeeze on despite a brief fightback from Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd.
Shepherd was brilliantly caught by Safyaan Sharif off the bowling of Mark Watt for 36 and Holder was trapped lbw by Chris Greaves three balls later, as the Windies lost their last four wickets for 23 runs.
Holder sent back Scotland opener Christopher McBride from the very first delivery of the Scots’ innings to give his team hope.
But a 125-run partnership for the second wicket between McMullen and Matthew Cross put Scotland firmly on course for victory.
McMullen holed out off Shepherd for 69 but the game was already all but won.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein removed George Munsey with 20 required, leaving it up to Cross to guide Scotland home with an unbeaten 74 from 107 balls.
The West Indies had previously played at every World Cup, winning the first two editions in 1975 and 1979.
Ariana Television Network will broadcast the matches daily live on TV and Website.
Pre-match shows will start at 11am (Kabul time), while the day’s match will start at 11.30am (Kabul time).
Matches are streamed live on Ariana Television websites simultaneously:
www.arianatelevision.com/live and www.arianatelevision.com/icc-live
CLICK HERE for the broadcast schedule on Ariana Television
Abu Muslim Farah beat Omar Zawak Herat 4-0 in the 30th match of the sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League, delivering an impressive performance.
The match was played today (Wednesday) at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium.
Samiullah Naderi scored Abu Muslim Farah’s opening goal in the final minutes of the first half.
Abu Muslim Farah continued their attacking play in the second half, with Aman Sardari scoring the team’s second goal in the 69th minute with a spectacular header.
Omid Rajabi and Mirois Ghafouri then added two more goals to complete a 4-0 victory for Abu Muslim Farah.
Amanullah Sardari, captain of Abu Muslim Farah, was named Player of the Match against Omar Zawak Herat.
Abu Muslim Farah will face Ariana Khost in their next match on October 2, while Omar Zawak Herat will take on Istiqlal Kabul on the same day.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s High Performance Center is set to launch a nationwide fast-bowling talent identification program, titled “Afghan Thunder,” across several provinces throughout October.
According to the ACB, the program will begin in Kunduz on October 4, with assessments continuing in Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, Khost, Paktia and Kunar before concluding in Nangarhar on October 27.
The board says eligible participants must be between 19 and 26 years old, at least 180 centimeters tall, hold a valid electronic National ID (e-Tazkira) and be capable of bowling at speeds of at least 140 kilometers per hour.
The assessment schedule is as follows: Kunduz on October 4–5, Herat on October 9–10, Kandahar on October 12, Kabul on October 14–15, Khost on October 19, Paktia on October 21, Kunar on October 25 and Nangarhar on October 27.
The ACB has encouraged eligible players who believe they have the potential to develop into high-level fast bowlers to take part in the Afghan Thunder Fast-Bowling Talent Hunt Program on the designated dates.
The board says the initiative aims to identify promising fast-bowling talent from across Afghanistan and provide talented players with a pathway into the country’s high-performance cricket system.
Toofan Herat and Aino Mina Kandahar drew 1-1 in the 29th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan on Tuesday.
Enayatullah Koohi scored the opening goal for Toofan Herat in the first half, but Ahmad Nabi Moqaddas equalized for Aino Mina Kandahar in the 32nd minute.
Both teams created chances to score in the second half, but neither side was able to find the net, and the match ended 1-1.
Toofan Herat committed 12 fouls and received one yellow card, while Aino Mina Kandahar committed 16 fouls and received two yellow cards.
Toofan Herat will face Arman FC in their next match on October 1, while Aino Mina Kandahar will take on Abu Muslim Farah on October 2.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
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