International Sports
IPL Auction: Key players sold to each team on Day 1
The auction process will resume on Monday afternoon and will be broadcast live on Ariana News
The first day of the two-day IPL player auction, in Jeddah, on Sunday, saw record-breaking bids as franchises fiercely competed for the best talent, “purchasing” a total of 84 players.
Rishabh Pant emerged as the most expensive player, bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for ₹27 crore ($3.2million).
Sunrisers Hyderabad invested ₹10 crore in Mohammed Shami; adding Ishan Kishan for ₹11.25 crore. In addition, Harshal Patel (₹8 crore) and Adam Zampa (₹2.4 crore) also joined the team.
Kolkata Knight Riders made the second most expensive purchase of the auction, acquiring Venkatesh Iyer for ₹23.75 crore.
KKR added Quinton de Kock (₹3.6 crore) and Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz (₹2 crore). Anrich Nortje was also snapped up for ₹6.5 crore.
Royal Challengers Bangalore signed Phil Salt for ₹11.5 crore. Jitesh Sharma joined for ₹11 crore, along with all-rounder Liam Livingstone at ₹8.75 crore.
Josh Hazlewood was secured for ₹2.5 crore.
Rajasthan Royals focused on all-round capability with the addition of Jofra Archer for ₹12.5 crore and Wanindu Hasaranga for ₹5.25 crore.
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana also joined the squad for ₹4.4 crore.
Chennai Super Kings added Devon Conway for ₹6.25 crore, Ravichandran Ashwin for ₹9.75 crore, and Afghanistan’s young spinner Noor Ahmad for ₹10 crore. Other signings include Rahul Tripathi (₹3.4 crore) and Khaleel Ahmed (₹4.8 crore).
Mumbai Indians’ key buy was Trent Boult, who went for ₹12.5 crore.
Punjab Kings emerged as big spenders, acquiring Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore. Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh were retained at ₹18 crore each. Marcus Stoinis (₹11 crore) and Glen Maxwell (₹4.2 crore).
Delhi Capitals signed KL Rahul for ₹14 crore. T Natarajan joined for ₹10.75 crore, while Harry Brook (₹6.25 crore) and Mitchell Starc (₹11.75 crore) strengthened their squad.
Lucknow Super Giants made Rishabh Pant the highest-priced wicketkeeper in this auction at ₹27 crore. Other significant buys include Avesh Khan (₹9.75 crore) and David Miller (₹7.5 crore).
Gujarat Titans made key acquisitions, signing Jos Buttler for ₹15.75 crore, Mohammed Siraj for ₹12.25 crore, and Kagiso Rabada for ₹10.75 crore.
Prasidh Krishna also joined the squad for ₹9.5 crore.
The auction process will resume on Monday afternoon and will be broadcast live on Ariana News.
England batter Jordan Cox struck an unbeaten 61 as defending champions Dubai Capitals secured a six-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz to book their place in the International League T20 play-offs.
Cox’s 50-ball knock included six boundaries and a six, helping Capitals chase down a target of 135 with five deliveries remaining. Opener Shayan Jahangir also played a key role, scoring 51 from 39 balls.
Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi were both removed by Sikandar Raza, while Leus du Plooy departed cheaply, leaving Capitals at 114-4 in the 18th over. Cox then took charge to guide his team to victory.
Earlier, Sharjah Warriorz posted 134-8 from their allotted 20 overs, with West Indies batter Johnson Charles top-scoring with 43.
The Warriorz remain in contention for the final play-off spot alongside Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Meanwhile, Dubai Capitals can still finish second in the standings, giving them two opportunities to qualify for the final on 4 January.
Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and Desert Vipers on Ariana Television tomorrow, Friday, December 26, from 7pm.
International Sports
Ariana News to broadcast key AFC Champions League Two clash
The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr will take on Iraq’s Al-Zawraa in a crucial AFC Champions League Two group-stage encounter tomorrow, Wednesday December 24, as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the competition.
The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.
With a squad packed with international stars and attacking depth, the Saudi club will be targeting another positive result to move closer to qualification for the knockout stages.
Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq’s most successful clubs, arrive determined to bounce back and keep their continental hopes alive.
Known for their discipline and resilience, the Baghdad-based side will be looking to frustrate the hosts and capitalize on any opportunities on the counterattack.
The encounter is expected to draw significant attention from football fans across the region, as the AFC Champions League Two continues to showcase competitive clashes between leading clubs.
The match will be broadcast across Afghanistan live and exclusively on Ariana News from 8:30pm.
The Dubai Capitals secured a crucial six-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday, climbing to second place in the ILT20 standings and handing the Giants a fourth straight defeat.
Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball, taking three wickets in a decisive over to help restrict the Giants to 156 all out, despite solid knocks from Azmatullah Omarzai (43) and James Vince (36).
In reply, Shayan Jahangir’s steady 48 and an unbeaten 47 from Rovman Powell guided the Capitals to victory with four balls to spare. Mohammad Nabi added a quick 25 not out to seal the chase.
In Dubai, MI Emirates continued their strong form with a composed four-wicket win over table-toppers Desert Vipers, registering their third consecutive victory of the season.
Shakib Al Hasan delivered an outstanding all-round performance, claiming 2 for 14 to limit the Vipers to 124 before anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 17. Kieron Pollard’s brisk 26 swung the momentum decisively as MI Emirates reached the target with 15 balls remaining.
Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and MI Emirates on Ariana Television today, Monday, December 22, from 2pm.
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