Sport
Afghanistan to send over 100 athletes to Asian Games 2023
The Asian Games 2023 is finally happening with the opening ceremony scheduled to take place on September 23 in Hangzhou, China.
The games will run through to October 8 and will include a total of 40 sports across 61 disciplines at 56 venues.
The games were originally scheduled to take place last year but were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday that the country’s athletes in athletics, boxing, Kurash, weightlifting and wrestling left Kabul on Tuesday for China.
It is believed other athletes will depart Kabul on Wednesday for the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Host-nation China will start the games as the most successful nation, having won 3,187 medals in the history of the Asian Games, which includes 1,473 gold medals.
Meanwhile, the Asian Games Village for Hangzhou 2023 was officially opened on Saturday as teams started arriving.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that 17 Afghan female athletes, who are living in exile, including a women’s volleyball team, will participate. However, the Islamic Emirate rejected the reports at the time, and said that all athletes from Afghanistan being sent to Hangzhou are male.
The IEA has imposed strict restrictions on women and girls over the past two years, including a ban on females taking part in sport.
In a recent statement issued by Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports, 17 sports teams, including wushu, soccer, volleyball and cricket, will participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Afghanistan has been invited to send a total of 17 teams, comprising 103 athletes and 23 coaches, to Hangzhou.
In an exciting turn of events, cricket will return to the upcoming Asian Games, eight years after its last inclusion in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. The tournament will include 14 men’s teams, including a team from Afghanistan.
Scheduled to be played in the T20 format, the men’s event will be played between September 27 and October 8. Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field is the host stadium for all the matches.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have already reached the quarter-finals based on their ICC T20I Rankings as of June 1, 2023, while Afghanistan, an ICC Full Member, will participate only in the men’s event. A win against Mongolia will seal a top-eight spot for the squad.
After cricket’s inception in the 2010 edition in Guangzhou, China, the sport was played in the 2014 continental event in Incheon, South Korea. The 2018 games in Jakarta, Indonesia, the previous edition of the Asian Games, did not feature cricket.
At Incheon, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh won medals in the men’s event.
The cricket teams participating at the Asian Games 2023 are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Mongolia, Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Maldives, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bahrain.
Sadly, Afghanistan’s football team has withdrawn from the games due to a funding crisis.
According to the latest figures produced by HAGOC, the number of athletes expected is 12,417 – over 1,000 more than the previous record of 11,300 at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia in 2018.
Sport
13 mountaineers in Balkh summit Alborz at 1,650 meters
The Balkh Mountaineering Federation announced that 13 members of the Alborz Central team, led by Reza Rezaei, the federation’s Technical and Professional Deputy, with coordination from the Olympic and Physical Education Directorate and the provincial Mountaineering Federation, successfully climbed Mount Alborz during their first training program.
The purpose of this spring training and ascent was to strengthen the mountaineers both physically and mentally, as well as to promote the culture of mountaineering in Balkh.
Sport
Myanmar trump Afghanistan 2-1 in Asian Cup Qualifier
The Afghanistan national football team lost 2–1 to Myanmar in the Asian Cup qualifiers in Yangon on Thursday afternoon.
Afghanistan’s national team is scheduled to play its final match of the competition on March 31 against Syria in Saudi Arabia.
Sport
Afghanistan to face Myanmar in crucial AFC clash
Afghanistan enters the fixture with renewed focus, aiming to capitalize on recent improvements in squad cohesion and tactical discipline.
Afghanistan national football team take on Myanmar national football team today, Thursday March 26, in a key AFC competition match, with kickoff scheduled for 3pm local time.
The match, set to be broadcast exclusively on Ariana Television in Afghanistan, is seen as an important test for Afghanistan as they look to build momentum and strengthen their standing in regional competition.
Afghanistan enters the fixture with renewed focus, aiming to capitalize on recent improvements in squad cohesion and tactical discipline.
The team will be hoping to deliver a strong performance in front of fans watching across the country, with particular emphasis on defensive organization and quick transitions in attack.
Myanmar, meanwhile, arrive determined to challenge their opponents and secure valuable points. Known for their pace and structured play, they are expected to provide a competitive contest and test Afghanistan’s resilience throughout the match.
Today’s encounter is more than just a fixture—it represents an opportunity for both sides to assert themselves on the continental stage. For Afghanistan, a positive result would not only boost confidence but also reinforce their ambitions in AFC competition.
With anticipation building, all eyes will be on the pitch as the two sides battle for supremacy in what promises to be an engaging and closely fought contest.
Today’s match between Afghanistan national football team and Myanmar national football team is part of the qualification campaign for the AFC Asian Cup, one of Asia’s premier international football competitions.
Crucial opportunities
The fixture plays a key role in determining which teams advance to the next stage of the qualifiers and ultimately secure a place in the final tournament. For emerging football nations like Afghanistan and Myanmar, these matches are crucial opportunities to compete at a higher level and gain continental recognition.
Afghanistan are aiming to strengthen their position in the group standings, with every point vital in a tightly contested qualification race. A win today would significantly boost their chances of progressing, while also improving their FIFA ranking and regional standing.
For Myanmar, the match carries similar importance, as they look to stay competitive in the group and keep their qualification hopes alive.
With so much riding on the outcome, today’s encounter is not just another game—it is a pivotal step on the road to the AFC Asian Cup.
Fans can meanwhile tune in to Ariana Television from 2.30pm for the preview show. Kickoff is expected to take place at 3pm.
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