Sport
Sri Lanka decides to field first in one-off test against Afghanistan
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva has won the toss and elected to field in the only cricket test against Afghanistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Friday.
It was the first ever test match to be played between the two nations since Afghanistan was admitted as a test-playing nation in 2018.
De Silva leads the test team for the fist time after taking over from long-time captain Dimuth Karunaratne, who plays in the match as an opening batsman.
Afghanistan handed test caps to Noor Ali Zadran, who has played 51 one-day internationals, Zia ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem and Naveed Zadran.
Seamer Chamika Gunasekara is making his test debut for Sri Lanka.
___
Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Chamika Gunasekara, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Nasir Jamal, Ikram Alikhil, Zia-ur-Rehman, Qais Ahmad, Nijat Masood, Mohammad Saleem, Naveed Zadran
(AP)
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
FIFA confirms all 12 groups for 2026 World Cup
Five civilians killed in firing by Pakistani forces on Kandahar’s Spin Boldak
Tawsia: Kabul’s conditions for trade with Pakistan discussed
ACL: Abu Muslim Farah and Jawanan Perozi 6-0; Istiqlal Kabul and Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1
IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi
Islamic Development Bank to build standard cardiac hospital in Kabul
Pakistan will lose big market in both Afghanistan, Central Asia: Sarhadi
Afghanistan records $580m in fruit exports in six months
Türkiye leads Riyadh 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games medal table
Tashkent: Central Asian leaders say regional stability hinges on Afghanistan
Tawsia: Kabul’s conditions for trade with Pakistan discussed
Tahawol: Kabul’s terms for trade with Islamabad discussed
Saar: Strengthening Afghanistan-Iran economic ties discussed
Saar: US reviewing its withdrawal from Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Moves toward peace between Kabul-Islamabad discussed
-
International Sports4 days agoStar-studded squads set to ignite DP World ILT20 Season 4
-
Latest News4 days ago10 Afghans killed in Farah border shooting by Iranian forces
-
Sport5 days agoAfghanistan deepens ties with Uzbekistan through new cricket development partnership
-
Business4 days agoAriana Airlines deepens cooperation with Turkish Airlines
-
Latest News4 days agoUN Security Council to review rising Afghanistan–Pakistan tensions
-
Latest News4 days agoChina urges Tajikistan to protect citizens after border attack
-
Latest News3 days agoSituation along Afghan-Tajik border “not stable,” says Dushanbe
-
Latest News3 days agoNew meeting between Afghanistan and Pakistan held in Saudi Arabia