Desert Vipers eliminated Sharjah Warriorz from playoff contention with a five-wicket victory in their final International League T20 (ILT20) group-stage match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The win made the Vipers the first team in the tournament to win eight group-stage matches.

Sharjah Warriorz were sent in to bat and were restricted to 140 for seven. Naseem Shah and Qais Ahmad led a disciplined bowling effort. Naseem finished with three wickets, while early strikes from David Payne and Khuzaima Tanveer reduced the hosts to 6 for two.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles added 61 runs for the third wicket, rebuilding the innings through the powerplay. But Kohler-Cadmore was bowled by Naseem in the 10th over, and Qais struck twice soon after, dismissing Charles for 43 and captain Sikandar Raza for a golden duck.

The Warriorz were left at 79 for five. James Rew and Ryan Burl tried to stabilize the innings, but the Vipers restricted them to a below-par total.

The chase began shakily for Desert Vipers. Raza and Richard Ngarava reduced the team to 28 for two in the powerplay by dismissing Fakhar Zaman and Andries Gous.

Max Holden and Sam Curran steadied the innings with a 64-run partnership, gradually increasing the run rate.

Warriorz bowler Harmeet Singh briefly revived the attack, removing Curran, Dan Lawrence, and Jason Roy, but Holden remained composed.

His unbeaten 66 from 46 balls, supported by Hasan Nawaz’s 25 from 14 deliveries, guided the Vipers to victory with overs to spare.

The Vipers’ victory confirmed their position at the top of the table. The final playoff berth will be decided between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Gulf Giants in Sunday’s last league fixture.

The winner of the MI Emirates vs. Dubai Capitals clash on Saturday night will finish in the top two.

Fans across Afghanistan can watch ILT20 matches live on Ariana Television.

As FC Goa prepare to host FC Istiklol at the iconic Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in India, football fans are gearing up for an exciting AFC Champions League Two Group D clash.

In their previous encounter earlier in the tournament, Istiklol secured a 2‑0 victory over FC Goa in Tajikistan, with goals from Rustam Soirov and Reza Dehghani giving the visitors all three points.

Istiklol enter this rematch with strong momentum from their earlier win, while FC Goa are determined to claim their first points in the group. Goa will aim to turn the tables at home, leveraging the support of their fans at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to challenge Istiklol’s attacking threat.

The two teams have faced each other only a handful of times in continental competition. So far, Istiklol hold the edge in the head-to-head record, with the previous 2‑0 victory representing their only meeting in this season’s tournament. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated rematch as both clubs vie for crucial group points.

Experts say the midfield battle will be pivotal, determining possession and the tempo of the match. Istiklol’s continental experience may give them an edge, but Goa’s speed and technical skill — especially on home turf — could prove decisive in overturning their previous defeat.

Fans can expect a high-intensity clash and can tune in to Ariana Television at 1pm tomorrow, Thursday December 25, to watch the match.

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has secured the exclusive rights to broadcast both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games live across Afghanistan, marking a major milestone for sports fans nationwide and reaffirming ATN’s position as the country’s home of world-class sport.

The first global spectacle to arrive on Afghan screens will be the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, set to take place in Milano–Cortina, Italy, from February 6 to 22, 2026.

For the first time, viewers across Afghanistan will be able to follow the winter Olympic experience live on Ariana Television, from alpine skiing and ice hockey to skating and snowboarding, as the world’s best athletes compete across iconic Italian venues.

That excitement will be followed by the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States, scheduled for July 14 to 30, 2028. The LA Games will bring together more than 200 nations and thousands of athletes across dozens of sports, showcasing the pinnacle of global athletic achievement on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages.

With these landmark rights, ATN will deliver comprehensive, free-to-air Olympic coverage to millions of viewers across Afghanistan. The broadcasts will connect Afghan audiences to moments of inspiration, unity and sporting excellence that define the Olympic movement.

The Olympic deals further strengthen ATN’s rapidly growing sports portfolio, which already includes major international football, futsal and cricket competitions, and reflect the network’s ongoing commitment to bringing premium global content to Afghan viewers.

From the snow-covered mountains of Italy to the sunlit stadiums of Los Angeles, ATN is set to take Afghanistan on an unforgettable Olympic journey — celebrating sport, perseverance and the power of shared global moments, live on ATN.

Fans can stay informed by following Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages where details including match times and dates of all sporting events broadcast are posted.