Sport
Afghanistan A beat India A to reach final of Emerging Teams Asia Cup
Atal made 83 runs off 52 balls, while Akbari scored 64 off 41.
Afghanistan A defeated India A by 20 runs on Friday to advance to the final of ACC T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024.
Electing to bat first, Afghanistan A rode on half-centuries by Zubaid Akbari and Sediqullah Atal to post a massive 206/4 on the board, the highest total in the ongoing Emerging Teams Asia Cup edition.
Atal made 83 runs off 52 balls, while Akbari scored 64 off 41.
Karim Janat contributed 41 off 20, and Afghanistan A’s innings eventually ended at 206/4 in the 20 overs.
Needing a blistering start in order to chase down the big score, India A were dealt a double blow by Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who removed both Indian openers – Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh – in his first two overs.
Abdul Rahman also accounted for Indian captain Tilak Varma in the final over of powerplay as India were left reeling at 48/3 after six overs.
Ayush Badoni and Nehal Wadhera tried to steady the ship but the duo’s partnership added only 32 more to the board before Wadhera was run out.
Badoni, too, had to walk back just after helping India reach the 100-run mark.
Just when it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Afghanistan would wrap up the affair, in stepped Ramandeep Singh. Batting on five off seven when Badoni departed, Ramandeep took up the responsibility of keeping India in the contest and reached his half-century in just 26 balls.
He had good company from Nishant Sindhu, who scored a quickfire 23 off 13, before being run out.
Despite Ramandeep’s fortitude, though, India were still left with a tall yet doable task and needed to get 38 off the final two overs. However, a miserly penultimate over by Janat, which yielded just eight, gave Abdul Rahman 30 to defend off the last over.
Ramandeep managed two boundaries in the final over before being dismissed off the very last delivery. India’s chase stopped 20 short of the Afghan total.
The result means Afghanistan A have reached the final of the ACC T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup for the first time and will play Sri Lanka A, two-time champions, in the final. Sri Lanka A beat Pakistan A in the other semi-final clash earlier in the day.
The final will be played on Sunday.
Sport
Omar Zawak thrash Istiqlal Kabul 5-1 in ACL
Omar Zawak secured an emphatic 5-1 victory over Istiqlal Kabul in the 80th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan, delivering an impressive attacking performance.
The match was played in Kabul on Tuesday. Both teams struggled to find the back of the net in the first half, which ended goalless.
However, Omar Zawak stepped up their attacking efforts in the second half, scoring five goals to take control of the match. Istiqlal Kabul managed to score just once as Omar Zawak sealed a convincing 5-1 victory.
Omar Zawak will face Ariana Khost in their next match on November 12, while Istiqlal Kabul will take on Aino Mina Kandahar on the same day.
All matches of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Sport
First Test between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe ends in a draw
Zimbabwe produced a remarkable batting display to secure a draw against Afghanistan in the first Test in Sharjah, with Craig Ervine and Wessly Madhevere scoring unbeaten centuries on the final day.
Resuming the fifth and final day at 164/3, Zimbabwe finished on 523/5 in their second innings, following their first-innings total of 504. This marked the first time in Test cricket history that a team has scored more than 500 runs in both innings of a match.
Craig Ervine remained unbeaten on 206, while Madhevere scored 100 not out, as the pair frustrated Afghanistan’s bowlers throughout the day.
Ervine, aged 41 years and 82 days, became the third-oldest player to score a double century in Test cricket.
Afghanistan had posted 514 in their first innings. Afghanistan needed early wickets to put pressure on the hosts, but Zimbabwe’s batters showed patience and discipline on a pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers.
Brian Bennett scored a half-century before Mohammad Saleem dismissed him, while debutant Antum Naqvi contributed 61 runs. Naqvi and Ervine shared a 140-run partnership before Abdul Malik broke the stand.
However, Madhevere joined Ervine and the pair put together an unbeaten 208-run partnership for the sixth wicket, the highest for that wicket in Zimbabwe’s Test history. Madhevere also registered his maiden Test century during the partnership.
The result leaves the two sides level heading into the second and final Test, which is scheduled to begin in Sharjah on November 13.
Sport
Portugal beat Afghanistan 2-0 in Dakar Youth Olympics futsal semi-finals
Afghanistan’s Under-18 futsal team missed out on a place in the gold medal match at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Portugal in the semi-finals on Monday.
Portugal took the lead through Joao Carvalho, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error by Afghanistan’s Ahmad Esmaeili to score into an unguarded net from inside his own half.
Diego Ferreira doubled Portugal’s advantage before half-time, putting the European side firmly in control of the match.
Afghanistan pushed hard to get back into the game in the second half, creating several opportunities to reduce the deficit. However, they were unable to find the net, with Portugal goalkeeper Bernardo Borges making several important saves.
The victory sends Portugal into the gold medal match, while Afghanistan will now compete for the bronze medal at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
-
Regional4 days agoIran sent nuclear proposal to the US via Qatar, senior Iranian official tells Reuters
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan’s record partnership highlights fourth day of Test against Zimbabwe
-
World3 days agoHouthi-run health ministry says airstrikes kill 33 near Yemen capital
-
Sport3 days agoToofan Herat defeat Arman FC 2–0 in Afghanistan Champions League
-
Sport4 days agoAbu Muslim Farah claim convincing 3-0 win over Omar Zawak in ACL
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan thrash Senegal 6-0 to reach Dakar Youth Olympics futsal semi-finals
-
Regional4 days agoPakistan’s leaders dread US Democrats’ win but its households are praying for it
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan trail Zimbabwe by 391 runs at stumps on day two of first test
