Sport
Liton, Shoriful help Bangladesh avoid Afghanistan whitewash
Liton Das top-scored with 53 not out as Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets to avoid a series whitewash in Tuesday’s third and final one-day international in Chittagong.
The hosts raced to 129-3 in 23.3 overs after Shoriful Islam’s career best 4-21 helped them bowl out Afghanistan for 126 in 45.2 overs.
Tail-ender Azmatullah thanks Omarzai offered some late resistance for Afghanistan to top-score with 56, his maiden ODI fifty, AFP reported.
Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi gave Afghanistan a glimmer of hope, bowling out Naim Sheikh for a duck and Najmul Hossain for 11.
Liton and Shakib Al Hasan put on 61 runs for the third wicket to steady the innings and bring Bangladesh back into control.
Shakib fell to Mohammad Nabi after making a run-a-ball 39, but Liton, who struck three fours and two sixes in his 60-ball innings, took Bangladesh home.
Young Towhid Hridoy hit the winning boundary off Zia-ur-Rehman to stay unbeaten on 22.
Afghanistan earlier won the toss and elected to bat first, but never managed to get their innings going.
Shoriful struck early after taking the field for the first time this series, dismissing Ibrahim Zadran for one and Rahmat Shah for a duck in the third over.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who smashed a career-best 145 in the previous match, saw one catch land in no man’s land but soon top-edged Taskin Ahmed to depart for six.
Shoriful compounded Afghanistan’s woes by trapping Nabi leg-before to leave the tourists teetering at 15-4 inside nine overs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi and Najibullah Zadran stemmed the rot, but Shakib sent back the latter for 10 to stop their partnership from developing.
Shahidi dragged one off Taijul Islam onto his stumps to end his patient knock of 22 from 54 balls.
Omarzai helped Afghanistan past the 100-run mark after the quick departure of debutants Abdul Rahman (four) and Zia (five).
He was the last man dismissed, holing out a catch to Naim Sheikh at long-off off Taskin, who claimed 2-23.
Afghanistan are already only the second team to win an ODI series in Bangladesh in the past seven years, with world champions England being the other.
Victory in the match would have made them the first side to win all three matches of an ODI series in Bangladesh since Sri Lanka in 2014.
Following the ODI series are two T20s in Bangladesh’s northeastern city of Sylhet on July 14 and 16.
Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan have secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 after strong performances at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.
The three Asian sides join hosts Qatar as confirmed representatives from the Asian Football Confederation for the expanded 48-team tournament later this year.
Japan booked their place after defeating Qatar and then beating China 2-1 in Group B. Anthony Motosuna and Maki Kitahara scored the goals that sealed a second straight victory and guaranteed qualification.
Saudi Arabia also advanced from Group A after a 2-0 win over Thailand. Marwan Al Yami opened the scoring early before Hassan Al Okrush added a late second goal, giving the Saudis six points from two matches following their opening win against Myanmar.
Tajikistan joined them after edging Myanmar 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Asadbek Makhtumov. The victory followed Tajikistan’s opening 2-0 win over Thailand and secured their place in Qatar 2026.
More teams could qualify on Sunday as the second round of matches in Groups C and D continues, with the final group-stage fixtures set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A delegation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has traveled to China following an official invitation from the Chinese government, in a move aimed at strengthening sports diplomacy and expanding technical cooperation in cricket between the two countries.
The delegation includes national coach Nawroz Mangal and players Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Faisal Shinozada, and Wahidullah Zadran.
Before their departure, ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan met with the delegation, reaffirming the board’s commitment to developing and globalizing Afghan cricket. He also referenced previous international engagement efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation focused on cricket development and technical collaboration.
Naseeb Khan highlighted existing economic and industrial ties between Afghanistan and China, expressing optimism that sports cooperation—particularly in cricket—could further strengthen bilateral relations. He emphasized that knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and joint development initiatives would support the growth of the sport in both countries.
During their visit, the Afghan delegation is expected to hold discussions on cricket development, community engagement, and the role of sport in society. The program also includes participation in workshops, attendance at a cricket match organized by Chinese cricket authorities, and visits to sports technology and innovation exhibitions.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has increasingly pursued regional partnerships in recent years. Last year, it signed a cooperation agreement with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation covering technical exchange, capacity building, development programs, and educational workshops aimed at expanding cricket infrastructure and expertise in the region.
The United States is set to welcome the world with a major opening ceremony for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as Los Angeles prepares to host a star-powered celebration marking the start of the tournament across North America.
FIFA announced that global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla will headline the ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, June 12.
The event will officially launch what FIFA described as a “historic summer of football” across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Organizers said the ceremony will combine football, music and entertainment in a large-scale production designed to reflect the cultural diversity and global appeal of the tournament.
Gianni Infantino said the ceremony in Los Angeles would showcase the scale and ambition of the 2026 World Cup, adding that the lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the power of music to unite people.
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three opening ceremonies will take place across the three host nations. Mexico City will host the first ceremony on June 11, followed by celebrations in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.
The opening match in the United States will see the U.S. national team face Paraguay. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a record 104 matches across 16 host cities, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Football fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow all the action live on the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. ATN will broadcast matches live on Ariana Television, providing full coverage of the world’s biggest football event for Afghan viewers.
Fans are also encouraged to stay connected with Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for the latest updates, including match schedules, team news, and other FIFA World Cup 2026 developments as the tournament draws closer.
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