Sport
ACB confirms all-format tour to Sri-Lanka and home series against Ireland
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Monday confirmed dates for the all-format tour to Sri Lanka and the all-format home series against Ireland in the United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan will first tour Sri Lanka for a one-off test, three ODIs, and three T20I matches from February 2 to 21, and will then host Ireland for as many matches from February 28 to March 18 in the UAE.
AfghanAtalan’s away tour to Sri Lanka begins with a solitary test match at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo from February 2 to 6.
The one-off test match will be followed by three ODI matches which are scheduled for February 9, 11, and 14 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, followed by three T20Is on February 17, 19, and 21 at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
From Sri Lanka, Afghanistan will travel to the UAE where they will host Ireland for an all-format series comprising a test, three ODIs, and three T20Is from February 28 to March 18.
AfghanAtalan’s home series against Ireland will also begin with a one-off test match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from February 28 to March 3. This will be followed by three ODI matches on March 7, 9, and 12, and three T20I matches on March 15, 17, and 18 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Mirwais Ashraf, Chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, on Monday said fruitful discussions with Sri Lanka cricket officials led to the inclusion of three ODIs in this tour, which already included three T20Is and a Test match.
He said: “The addition of these three ODIs is a significant move to ensure a complete and comprehensive tour which not only provides good exposure to Afghanistan Cricket but will also foster stronger relations between the two nations. Playing Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka is always tricky but is a challenge that AfghanAtalan can easily embrace.”
Meanwhile, Naseeb Khan, the CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, expressed his pleasure over the action-packed season for AfghanAtalan for the next few months which will help in the run up to the upcoming ICC Men’s T20I World Cup in the Caribbean & USA in June.
“The year 2024 is a very busy and full of high voltage competitions for the Afghanistan national team which is a very good and positive sign for Afghanistan cricket. The upcoming tours of India, and Sri Lanka, and then the home series against Ireland will help us to prepare the team for the much-important T20 World Cup. Eagerly looking for the multiple series upfront.”
The confirmation of the dates for these two tours comes just days ahead of the start of Afghansitan’s T20I series against India.
The event kicks off on Thursday, January 11, with the first T20I scheduled to be staged in Mohali’s Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, followed by the second on January 14 in Indore and the final on the 17th in Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Cricket fans in Afghanistan will get to watch all three matches against India live on Ariana Television after ATN secured exclusive rights to broadcast the series.
Thursday’s cricket fest will start at 5pm Kabul time so be sure to stay tuned!
The Afghanistan Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Afghanistan’s under-15 national football team has qualified for the FIFA U-15 World Cup, marking a significant achievement for the country’s youth football development.
According to the federation, the qualification comes as a result of sustained efforts and strategic planning aimed at strengthening grassroots football across Afghanistan.
The federation said the successful organization of under-14 competitions in different zones of the country helped pave the way for the U-15 national team to secure a place in the global tournament.
In a statement, the federation said the achievement also follows efforts by its leadership, particularly Mohammad Yousuf Kargar, who held discussions with officials of FIFA while emphasizing the development of youth football in Afghanistan.
The tournament, part of FIFA’s global talent development program, aims to nurture young players, improve technical ability, provide international exposure, and prepare the next generation of footballers.
The competition will take place in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026, with under-15 teams from FIFA member nations set to participate.
Players born in 2011 and 2012 will be eligible for the tournament.
Matches will be played in an 8-versus-8 format designed to maximize ball involvement, develop individual skills, improve decision-making, and provide young players with valuable international competition experience.
Afghanistan’s participation is being seen as a major opportunity for the country’s emerging football talent to compete on the world stage and further elevate the profile of Afghan youth football.
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.
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