Sport

Mohammadi crowned champion of 2nd season of Ariana Snooker Championship

In the under-17 division, Hasib Sultani delivered a dominant performance to defeat Sobhan Asas 4–1 and claim the youth championship title.

Published

6 months ago

May 22, 2026

Ariana News

Last Updated on: May 23, 2026

Afghan cueist Salih Mohammad Mohammadi claimed the title of the second season of the Ariana Snooker Championship after defeating Reza Hosaini 6–4 in a competitive senior final held on Friday in Kabul.

The final delivered an entertaining contest between two of Afghanistan’s leading snooker players, with both competitors producing tactical and technically disciplined performances across 10 frames.

Mohammadi maintained control during key moments of the match, compiling several impressive breaks and demonstrating consistent shot-making to secure the championship trophy.

Hosaini mounted a strong challenge throughout the encounter, winning four frames and keeping the contest alive until the closing stages, but Mohammadi’s composure under pressure ultimately proved decisive.

In the under-17 division, rising talent Hasib Sultani defeated Sobhan Asas 4–1 to win the youth championship title.

Sultani impressed spectators with his calm approach, accurate potting, and tactical awareness, underlining his status as one of Afghanistan’s emerging snooker prospects.

The second season of the Ariana Snooker Championship began on May 11 and featured 32 players from across Afghanistan who qualified through preliminary competitions held in several provinces. The tournament was played in the increasingly popular six-red snooker format, with group-stage and knockout matches contested over best-of-seven frames.

Snooker has continued to gain popularity in Afghanistan in recent years, particularly among younger players, with national tournaments attracting growing audiences and wider television coverage. Organizers say the competition is intended to help develop local talent and create more opportunities for Afghan players to compete at a higher level.

Under an agreement with Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), four more seasons of the championship are scheduled to be broadcast live and exclusively nationwide, reflecting increasing investment in domestic sporting competitions.

The inaugural edition of the tournament, held in 2025, was won by Naveed Nadery after a dramatic 7–6 victory over Raees Khan Hotak in the final.

ATN has expanded its coverage of national sports in recent years, broadcasting a range of domestic and international events as part of broader efforts to support the growth of sports across Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan trail Zimbabwe by 180 runs at stumps on day two of second Test

Published

10 hours ago

November 14, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan ended the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe at 159 for six after 48 overs, trailing by 180 runs at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Zimbabwe, who resumed day two with a strong position after reaching 250 for five on the opening day, were bowled out for 339 in 114.5 overs in their first innings.

Afghanistan faced a challenging task in reply but managed to score 159 runs while losing six wickets by the close of play.

With a deficit of 180 runs and four wickets remaining, Afghanistan will look to build a stronger batting performance on day three and reduce the gap.

The second Test remains finely poised, with Zimbabwe holding the advantage heading into the third day.

Sport

Debutant Naseer Khan strikes four as Afghanistan fight back against Zimbabwe in second Test

Zimbabwe were well placed at 201 for one after nearly 58 overs, but Naseer triggered a middle-order collapse, taking three wickets in eight overs. Zimbabwe lost 3 for 12 during that period, and slipped from 201 for 1 to 250 for 5 at stumps.

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan fought back against Zimbabwe on the opening day of the second Test in Sharjah, with debutant left-arm spinner Naseer Khan Maroofkhil claiming four wickets to halt Zimbabwe’s strong start.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Zimbabwe made a solid start through Innocent Kaia and Ben Curran, who put together a 98-run opening partnership. Naseer broke the stand with his first delivery after lunch, trapping Curran lbw for 44.

Kaia then combined with Brendan Taylor for another strong partnership, adding 102 runs for the second wicket. Both batters reached half-centuries before Naseer turned the game around.

Kaia, batting on 96, was trapped lbw while attempting a slog sweep. In his next over, Naseer dismissed Zimbabwe captain Brian Bennett for a duck before Ziaur Rahman took a tumbling catch to remove Wessly Madhevere, who was caught at long-off after attempting to loft a delivery that stayed low.

Zimbabwe lost further momentum as Taylor and Antum Naqvi adopted a cautious approach following the three quick wickets. The pair added just 21 runs in nine overs before Naqvi struck a six off Naseer.

Taylor moved into the 90s with a boundary off Naseer, but Ziaur Rahman ended Naqvi’s 44-ball stay on eight runs, having him caught at first slip.

Taylor remained unbeaten on 96 at stumps, while Tafadzwa Tsiga was not out as Zimbabwe closed the day at 250 for five, leaving the second Test finely poised.

Sport

Argentina clinch futsal gold after defeating Portugal in Dakar 2026 final

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2026

Ariana News

Argentina claimed their first-ever men’s futsal gold medal at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Portugal in the final.

The closely contested match at Dakar Arena saw both teams enter the final with perfect records, having won all three of their group-stage matches. However, Argentina emerged victorious, with captain Lorenzo Sampedro scoring the decisive goal six minutes before the end of regular time.

Argentina’s triumph adds another chapter to the country’s Olympic football success, following the gold medals won by its men’s football team at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Argentina head coach Mariano Alberto Gomez praised his players for their performance, saying they had represented their country with pride after a lengthy preparation and participation in several tournaments.

Portugal’s Joao Carvalho expressed disappointment at missing out on gold but praised his team’s journey, saying the final was decided by small mistakes.

Earlier, Morocco secured the bronze medal after defeating Afghanistan 2-1 in the third-place playoff.

Afghanistan came close to forcing a late comeback, scoring with just 13 seconds remaining, but Morocco held on to secure third place.

Morocco coach Zakaria Kairi said winning an Olympic medal was a significant achievement for his young players, despite the team falling short of its original target of reaching the final and winning gold.

The results confirmed Argentina as futsal champions, Portugal as runners-up and Morocco in third place at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.