Sport
Mumbai eliminate Gujarat to keep alive IPL final hopes
Powerhouse Mumbai Indians kept alive their hopes of reaching the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a 20-run victory against Gujarat Titans in the eliminator of the 10-team league on Friday.
Electing to bat, Mumbai racked up a commanding 228-5 after their frontline batters hit a combined 17 sixes.
Gujarat managed 208-6 in reply despite defiant knocks by opener Sai Sudharshan (80) and all-rounder Washington Sundar (48).
Five-time champions Mumbai will play Punjab Kings on Sunday for a place in Tuesday’s final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
After Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya elected to bat, Jonny Bairstow, replacing Ryan Rickelton, smashed 47 off 22 balls in his first match of the season in a blistering opening stand of 84 with Rohit Sharma.
Rohit, dropped twice early in his knock, struck 81 to punish Gujarat.
Suryakumar Yadav (33), Tilak Varma (25) and Pandya (22 not out) produced whirlwind cameos to take Mumbai past the 200-mark.
The chase was steep and Gujarat stuttered early in their reply losing skipper Shubman Gill trapped lbw by Trent Boult in the opening over of the innings.
Kusal Mendis (20) fell hit wicket but Sudharsan, the tournament’s leading scorer, revived Gujarat’s chase with his sixth fifty of the tournament.
He found an able ally in Sundar who smashed Boult for back-to-back sixes to turn the pressure back on Mumbai.
Pandya brought back Jasprit Bumrah and the pace bowler slipped in a yorker between Sundar’s legs to flatten his leg stump.
South African Richard Gleeson bowled Sudharsan as Mumbai reclaimed control of the contest through their seamers.
Sunday, June 1: Qualifier 2
Sunday’s match will see Mumbai Indians take on Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad.
Fans in Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television from 5:30pm to watch the match live.
In the 27th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Sorkh Poshan Khafi edged out Arman FC 1-0 in a tightly contested clash.
On Saturday, Sarafan Herat secured a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq Khanzadah, keeping the league race intense and unpredictable.
Looking ahead to Monday, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 2:00 p.m., promising another thrilling showdown for fans.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, allowing football enthusiasts across Afghanistan to follow the action and enjoy the excitement of the Champions League season.
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.
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