Sport

Afghanistan A edge India A by four runs in rain-hit Tri-Nation opener

Published

2 months ago

June 11, 2026

Afghanistan A defeated India A by four runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the opening match of the Tri-Nation A Series in Sri Lanka on Thursday.

The one-day tournament, which features Afghanistan A, India A and Sri Lanka A, got underway earlier this week, with Afghanistan A making a winning start in a match ultimately decided by rain interruptions.

Chasing India A’s target, Afghanistan A were 177 for 2 in 25.5 overs when rain forced players from the field for the final time. At that stage, Afghanistan A were ahead of the DLS par score, giving them a four-run victory when officials called off the match.

The result capped a strong batting performance from Afghanistan A, who recovered from the early loss of two wickets to build a solid partnership between Bahir Shah and Imran. The pair steadily kept the chase on track, rotating the strike effectively while finding timely boundaries.

Imran brought up a well-crafted half-century during the innings, reaching the milestone with a boundary through point. Bahir Shah also reached his fifty shortly before rain halted play, sweeping Vipraj Nigam for four to complete the landmark.

The partnership accelerated as conditions improved. Imran struck a six over square leg off Arshad, while Bahir mixed conventional and reverse sweeps to keep the scoreboard moving. Afghanistan A were 177/2 and three runs ahead of the DLS par score when the weather intervened again.

Despite hopes of a resumption, persistent rain prevented any further play, handing Afghanistan A victory and valuable points in the tournament standings.

The Tri-Nation A Series continues in Sri Lanka with all three sides using the competition to provide international exposure to some of their most promising emerging players.

Named Player of the Match, Afghanistan A captain Imran credited the team’s belief and positive approach.

“It was our first match, and we played natural cricket. Believed in myself and the team for the run chase,” he said.

India A captain Tilak Varma admitted that the rain-affected conditions and DLS calculations ultimately worked against his side.

“We batted well. But unfortunately, the way DLS works… Afghanistan A batted well but at the same time we thought chasing 294 in 38 overs was going to be tough. Bowling isn’t a concern, but we’ll go back to the drawing board. Our goal is to win the next couple of games and make the final,” Tilak said.

Related Topics:Afghanistan ArianaNews Cricket featured India

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Afghanistan futsal team heads to Thailand for Continental Championship

Published

3 hours ago

July 29, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan national futsal team has departed for Bangkok, Thailand, to compete in the 2026 Continental Futsal Championship.

According to the Afghanistan Football Federation, the tournament will be held from August 1–6 and will feature Afghanistan, Thailand, Russia, Vietnam, and New Zealand.

Afghanistan will kick off its campaign against host nation Thailand on August 2.

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Afghanistan set for crucial five-match ODI series against Ireland

The first two matches will be played at Bready on August 5 and 7 before the series moves to Stormont in Belfast for the remaining three ODIs on August 10, 12 and 15.

Published

4 hours ago

July 29, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan will return to international one-day cricket next week when they take on Ireland in a five-match ODI series, with the opening match scheduled for August 5 at Bready Cricket Club in Northern Ireland. The series will run through August 15 and forms an important part of both teams’ preparations for future ICC competitions.

The first two matches will be played at Bready on August 5 and 7 before the series moves to Stormont in Belfast for the remaining three ODIs on August 10, 12 and 15.

Afghanistan will be led by newly appointed ODI and Test captain Rahmat Shah, with explosive wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz serving as vice-captain. The squad features a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talent as the team looks to continue its strong record against Ireland in the 50-over format.

Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has not been included as Afghanistan continues planning for the future, while left-arm fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi returns to strengthen the pace attack. Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan is expected to play a key role alongside rising spinner AM Ghazanfar.

Afghanistan squad:

Rahmat Shah (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (vice-captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Nangyal Kharotai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Saleem Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.

Reserve players: Qais Ahmad, Fareed Malik, Bilal Sami and Bashir Ahmad.

Ireland, meanwhile, has named an injury-hit squad for the opening three matches of the series, with several first-choice players unavailable. The hosts are expected to confirm their squad for the final two ODIs closer to the matches, depending on player fitness.

The five-match series is expected to provide valuable match practice for both teams as they continue preparations for upcoming international commitments and the ICC qualification pathway.

Series schedule:

August 5: 1st ODI – Bready Cricket Club
August 7: 2nd ODI – Bready Cricket Club
August 10: 3rd ODI – Stormont, Belfast
August 12: 4th ODI – Stormont, Belfast
August 15: 5th ODI – Stormont, Belfast

Watch the series

Fans across Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) to watch the series live on Ariana Television.

Fans are also encouraged to follow Ariana Television, Ariana Sport and Ariana News’ social media pages for updated schedules, news and other exciting information.

Sport

Qosh Tepa and Akhawat to face off in AWPL final

Published

23 hours ago

July 28, 2026

Ariana News

Qosh Tepa secured its place in the final of the inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League (AWPL) after defeating Setareha on the eighth day of the competition in Kabul on Monday.

The league, which has brought together some of Afghanistan’s top wrestlers, continued with a series of closely contested bouts as teams battled for a place in the championship match.

Qosh Tepa made a strong start when Masihullah Nazari defeated Sayed Omar Zazi of Setareha in the 61kg weight category.

In the second bout, Najibullah Hassani extended Qosh Tepa’s advantage with a 6-2 victory over Murtaza Ayobi in the 65kg division.

The day’s third contest featured Mohammad Sarwar Sarwari of Akhawat, who produced one of the most dominant performances of the tournament, defeating Mohammad Ali Turkmanwal of Fath 14-1.

Qosh Tepa continued its winning momentum in the fourth bout as Shams Qureshi overcame Abdul Salim Qaderi of Setareha 7-1 in the 70kg weight category.

The team went on to claim three more victories, sealing an emphatic overall win and booking its place in the league final. The defeat ended Setareha’s hopes of competing for the inaugural championship.

The Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League will pause on Wednesday before returning for its final day of competition on Thursday, when Qosh Tepa will face Akhawat in the championship match to determine the first-ever AWPL title winners.

The final will be followed by the league’s closing ceremony.