Sport
Afghanistan announce squad for Asia Cup 2023
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced the 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 starting from 30th August 2023.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain the team, which includes experienced players such as Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Nabi among others.
The batting looks strong with the likes of Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Akhil, and Gulbdain Naib in the team. The pace bowling department comprises Fazalhaq Farooqi, Karim Janat, and Abdul Rahman while the spin bowling looks extremely potent with the likes of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmed, and Mohammad Nabi.
The tournament, which gets underway on Wednesday promises to be an exciting event as Afghanistan will no doubt look to take lessons from the 3-match ODI series against Pakistan that finished on Saturday. Pakistan clinched the series 3-0.
Afghanistan will start their campaign against Bangladesh at Gaddafi Stadium, in Lahore on 3rd September.
This year’s Asia Cup will be the 16th edition of the tournament, with matches to be played as One Day Internationals (ODIs). It will be jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Six teams will take part.
Originally, the tournament was scheduled to take place in 2021, but it was postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For fans across the country, Ariana Television (ATN) will broadcast all the matches live each day starting at 1:30 pm on Wednesday August 30. Live matches will be broadcast daily through to the final, which will take place in Colombo on September 17.
Six teams will take part in this year’s tournament – three teams in two groups. India, Nepal, and Pakistan are in Group A; while Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in Group B.
Afghanistan’s first match in the Group Stage will be on September 3 in Lahore, Pakistan, against Bangladesh. The team will then play Sri Lanka, also in Lahore, on September 5.
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Afghanistan squad for the Asia Cup 2023
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Riaz Hasan, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Akhil, Gulbdain Naib, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, S Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, S Safi, Fazallahq Farooqi.
Sport
Historic T20 World Cup Thriller: South Africa beat Afghanistan after second Super Over
In the decisive shootout, the Proteas held their nerve to secure victory, producing one of the most unforgettable finishes of the tournament.
In one of the most dramatic matches in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history, South Africa edged Afghanistan by 5 runs on Wednesday, February 11, after the game went to a second Super Over at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Both sides scored 187 in regulation, forcing the first Super Over, which ended in a tie after Afghanistan posted 17 runs. South Africa matched the total in a tense final over, leading to a rare second Super Over.
In the decisive shootout, the Proteas held their nerve to secure victory, producing one of the most unforgettable finishes of the tournament.
The match showcased South Africa’s batting depth and tight death bowling under extreme pressure, while Afghanistan’s relentless fight pushed the 2024 finalists to the very brink in a stunning display of resilience.
Sport
Early medal leaders emerge as Winter Olympics continue in Italy
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games continued to build momentum over the weekend as the early medal race took shape and athletes delivered standout performances across venues in northern Italy.
After the first days of competition, Italy, Japan and Norway sit among the early leaders on the medal table, each with three medals apiece, including one gold, one silver and one bronze. Sweden follows with two medals, while Switzerland, Slovenia, Canada and China have each secured one medal so far.
Host nation Italy provided one of the Games’ early highlights with its first gold medal, sparking celebrations among home supporters and boosting confidence as competition intensifies.
Elsewhere, traditional winter sports powerhouses have begun asserting themselves in disciplines including speed skating, alpine skiing and cross-country skiing, while team sports such as curling and ice hockey are settling into early round-robin play.
Attention now turns to Monday’s schedule, which features another full day of competition and several medal events. Athletes are set to compete across alpine skiing, speed skating, luge, cross-country skiing and figure skating, while preliminary and group-stage action continues in curling and ice hockey.
With qualification battles tightening, results on Monday are expected to further reshape the standings.
As the Winter Games move deeper into their opening week, storylines are rapidly emerging around defending champions, rising stars and nations looking to build early momentum in the medal race.
Ariana Television holds the exclusive rights to broadcast Winter Olympic events across Afghanistan, providing live coverage to viewers nationwide throughout the Games.
Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated schedules, programming information, highlights and results as the competition continues in Milan and Cortina.
Sport
Champions League Elite action continues as qualification race tightens
The AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 returns with an action-packed slate of matches today as top Asian clubs continue their battle for qualification in the league stage of the continent’s premier club competition.
With the margin for error narrowing, teams across the region are expected to approach today’s fixtures with urgency as the race toward the knockout rounds intensifies.
Monday’s scheduled matches include:
Al-Wahda vs Al AhliNasaf Qarshi vs Al-ShortaAl Duhail vs SharjahShabab Al-Ahli vs Al Hilal
The fixtures bring together established continental contenders and ambitious challengers, promising a day of tactical contests, attacking football and high-stakes drama as clubs look to strengthen their positions in the standings.
All Champions League Elite matches scheduled for today, February 9, will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, giving fans across Afghanistan and the region full access to Asia’s top club football action.
Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated match schedules, kickoff times and programming information, as well as highlights and post-match coverage.
As the road to continental glory continues, today’s Champions League Elite fixtures are expected to deliver another compelling chapter in the 2025/26 season.
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