Sport
ICC World Cup: Afghanistan only get it ’70-80%’ right, says Trott
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott admitted Saturday that his team “get it 70-80% right” but need to find an extra gear quickly if they are to end a demoralizing run of 14 successive World Cup defeats.
Afghanistan have so far suffered convincing losses to Bangladesh and India at this 10-nation tournament.
They lost all nine matches at the 2019 World Cup while winning just one against Scotland on their 2015 debut, AFP reported.
It doesn’t get easier for Afghanistan who tackle defending champions England in New Delhi on Sunday.
“At times we get 70-80% of it right, but the other 20-30% that we don’t get right really ends up costing us,” said Trott, a former England international batsman.
“Starting the game well is going to be crucial against a very strong England side.
“But going forward for the rest of the competition as well, we need to start better with bat and ball and set the standard of how we want to play our cricket.”
Against India, eight Afghanistan batsmen reached double figures with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi making 80 and Azmatullah Omarzai 62 in a total of 272.
But India coasted to an eight-wicket win with spin wizard Rashid Khan claiming both victims.
In the opener against Bangladesh, it was the batting which eventually misfired as Afghanistan collapsed from 83-1 to 156 all out in a six-wicket loss.
Trott backed Rashid to play a key role in Sunday’s game.
The leg-spinner, a mainstay of Twenty20 franchise cricket around the world, has just two wickets from two games for the cost of 105 runs.
He has 174 ODI wickets in his career but managed only six at the 2019 World Cup.
Against England at Old Trafford he went 0-110 as his team were routed by 150 runs.
“Rashid, can’t speak highly enough about the guy, the way that he performs and his passion for playing for this side,” said Trott.
“I know that he puts a lot of pressure on himself as well to perform and lead the attack. But it’s the job of all the other guys who have the ball in their hand to cause mayhem and put a bit of pressure on England.
“It’s a case of the other bowlers making sure that they are on just as a high level and as switched on as Rashid normally is.”
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
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