Sport
ACB appoints Younis Khan as Mentor for Champions Trophy 2025
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Wednesday it has appointed former Pakistan batter Younis Khan as mentor for the Afghanistan National team for the Champions Trophy 2025.
The tournament gets underway on 19 February in Pakistan and Khan will accompany the team during their conditioning and preparation camp in Pakistan.
He will remain with the team for the duration of the tournament.
This isn’t Khan’s first time with the national team; he previously served as a batting coach during a 15-day camp in April 2022 in the UAE.
With a prolific career, Younis Khan has played 265 ODIs, scoring over 7,000 runs, and has participated in 118 Test matches, amassing more than 10,000 runs for his country.
The Afghanistan team had previously benefited from the expertise of players from host nations in major tournaments, achieving commendable results in the last ODI and T20 World Cups and hope that this assignment will lead the national team to exceptional outcomes in the upcoming Champions Trophy, the ACB said.
CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board Naseeb Khan said that ACB is pleased to sign a contract with Younis Khan as interim mentor of the national team for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Naseeb Khan said: “Since the Champions Trophy is being held in Pakistan, it was required to assign a talented and experienced player as mentor from the hosting country.
“We already had efficient experience with hosting countries’ mentors in ODI World Cup 2023 and T20I World Cup 2024. Observing the conditions, therefore, we have appointed Younis Khan as mentor for our national team for the upcoming mega event and wish him best of luck in his crucial assignment.”
Ariana Television and Radio Network (ATN) has the rights to broadcast the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy live in Afghanistan.
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
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