Sport
Afghan cricket team arrives in Pakistan; Ghazanfar ruled out due to injury
The ICC meanwhile said on Wednesday that Afghanistan has confirmed its spinner swap for the event.
Afghanistan’s national cricket team arrived in Lahore, Pakistan, on Wednesday, ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy which gets underway next week.
Players and support staff touched down in the country on Wednesday morning. The team will enjoy a day of rest before starting their practise sessions on Thursday.
Their first match is scheduled for Friday, February 21 at the National Stadium Karachi.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 marks the tournament’s return after an eight-year hiatus and is set to kick off on Wednesday February 19.
As the host nation and defending champions, Pakistan will compete against seven of the world’s best teams to retain their title.
The eight teams are divided into two groups for the tournament’s opening stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
Group A features Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.
The tournament opener will see the home team, Pakistan, face New Zealand on February 19th in Karachi. However, India will play all their matches in Dubai, citing security concerns as the reason for not traveling to Pakistan.
Afghanistan squad
The ICC meanwhile said on Wednesday that Afghanistan has confirmed its spinner swap for the event.
Teenage spinner AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury. Left-armer Nangyal Kharoti has been drafted into the squad as a replacement.
Ghazanfar’s absence is a blow to Afghanistan’s spin department as they are already missing experienced spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
“Afghanistan’s young spin-bowling sensation, AM Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra,” the team confirmed in a statement.
Ghazanfar sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s recent tour to Zimbabwe and is expected to be sidelined for at least four months.
“Nangyal Kharoti, who was part of the reserves pool, has been promoted to the main squad for the Champions Trophy. Additionally, Mujeeb Ur Rahman continues to miss the ODI action, until he has fully recovered,” the statement read.
Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami
Afghanistan’s Group Stage Fixtures:
- 21 February – Afghanistan vs South Africa, Karachi
- 26 February – Afghanistan vs England, Lahore
- 28 February – Afghanistan vs Australia, Lahore
Cricket fans meanwhile can stay tuned with Ariana Radio & Television Network (ATN) as all Champions Trophy matches will be broadcast live across the country.
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.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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