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Ireland trail Afghanistan by 55 runs after first day of play in one-off Test
Electing to bat first on the opening day of the one-off Test against Ireland at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, Afghanistan were shot out for 155 while Ireland ended at 100 for four at close of play.
Opener Ibrahim Zadran was the top scorer for Afghanistan with an innings of 53 off 83 balls that included nine fours. Karim Janat, in the middle order, chipped in with a useful 41 not out.
“The wicket was not easy in the first 10-15 overs,” Zadran said at the end of the day.
“I wanted to take time by not chasing every ball. Focus was on watching the ball. I wanted to go longer to be honest, I told myself not to throw my wicket.
“I think we are in a good position. We will try to get them out early, put good partnerships and a total on the board.”
The Test in Abu Dhabi this week will be followed by three ODIs and three T20Is.
Much of the squad is similar to the one picked for the Sri Lanka tour but while Rashid Khan moves closer to a return, Afghanistan remain without him for now.
There was a late change of venue for this Test match. Originally scheduled for the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, the game will now be played at the Tolerance Oval adjacent to the bigger ground.
A press release confirmed that the change was because the Sheikh Zayed Stadium will instead be hosting the Abu Dhabi Schools Sports Championship, between March 1 and 3.
Ireland, who selected their initial squad on the assumption the Sheikh Zayed Stadium doesn’t take too much red-ball turn, only learned of the change after arriving in the UAE.
With this being the first Test at the Oval, conditions are a bit of a mystery, though weather is not expected to play spoilsport, ESPNcricinfo reported.
Pakistan says communities living along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Durand Line want peace and stability, despite ongoing security concerns in the region.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said there are no major issues between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that residents on both sides of the Durand Line want peaceful relations and greater regional stability.
However, Andrabi claimed that terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to undermine peace efforts.
He said Islamabad believes militant activity crossing from Afghanistan remains a significant obstacle to improving regional security and bilateral ties.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, maintaining that no militant group is allowed to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
Andrabi also said Pakistan remains diplomatically engaged on regional matters involving Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Somalia, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain Islamabad’s preferred means of resolving disputes.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
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