Sport

Afghanistan announce squads for white-ball tour of Zimbabwe

Published

12 months ago

December 1, 2024

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Sunday announced the nation’s squads for the white-ball leg of the Zimbabwe tour which consists of three T20Is and as many ODIs, scheduled to begin on December 11 in Harare.

Promising young left-handed top-order batter Zubaid Akbari has earned his maiden call-up to the T20I squad. Akbari put on some stellar performances in the domestic season and was also a major contributor to Afghanistan A’s glory at the Emerging Asia Cup. Additionally, Darwish Rasooli returns to the T20I side after an impressive domestic season. He also led the Afghanistan A lineup to their maiden title at the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Asia Cup in Oman, earlier this year.

Afghanistan will continue to miss the services of prolific top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran, who is still recovering from the ankle surgery he recently underwent in England. However, there’s good news for Afghan fans as frontline spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has fully recovered from his right phalanx sprain, and has been added to the side for both the T20I and ODI series during the Zimbabwe tour.

“The calendar year 2024 has been both busy and successful for the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the AfghanAtalan (Afghanistan A) lineup, with a packed schedule of home and away games and some remarkable achievements,” ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said. “As part of this action-packed year, the AfghanAtalan (Afghanistan A) lineup will be touring Zimbabwe for a full and all-format series, which we eagerly anticipate and look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

“AfghanAtalan (Afghanistan A) have a rich history of playing in Zimbabwe over the years and have performed exceptionally well there. Playing against Zimbabwe on their home soil is always challenging and brings immense joy. I believe the group of players selected for this series will rise to the occasion and make this tour a memorable one.”

ACB Interim Chief Selector, Ahmad Shah, remarked, “It’s a great feeling to see our frontline spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, recover from his injury and be available for selection. He is an essential member of our squad, and we hope he continues to shine brightly for Afghanistan. Additionally, Zubaid Akbari and Darwish Rasooli have been consistent performers, not only in domestic cricket but also in the recently concluded ACC Emerging Teams Cup, where Afghanistan claimed the title. We have included both players in the T20I squad and wish them the very best for the upcoming series.”

Afghanistan T20I Squad for the Zimbabwe Tour:

Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Mohammad Ishaq (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, Darwish Rasooli, Zubaid Akbari, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad and Naveen Ul Haq.

Afghanistan ODI Squad for the Zimbabwe Tour:

Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.

ACB noted that white-ball leg of the tour has also seen a slight shift and a change in dates to help the spectators attend the key games during weekends. As per the revised schedule of matches, the three T20Is, which were originally slotted to be played on December 9, 11 and 12, have now been pushed back to Wednesday, 11 December, Friday, 13 December, and Saturday, 14 November.

These adjustments have also affected the ODIs, with the first game now scheduled for Tuesday, 17 December. The second and third ODI match will follow on Thursday 19 December and Saturday, 21 December, respectively. All these matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club.

Related Topics:Afghanistan Cricket featured ODI T20I Zimbabwe

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Excitement builds as ATN gears up for live coverage of Afghanistan Champions League

The Afghanistan Champions League is one of the country’s most prestigious football tournaments, featuring top clubs and elite players from across the provinces. The event aims to elevate the standard of Afghan football, inspire young players, and celebrate national unity through sport.

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November 13, 2025

Ariana News

The countdown has begun! With just nine days left before the kickoff of the Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) Season 5, excitement is growing among football fans across the country.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) has secured exclusive rights to produce, host and broadcast the entire tournament live across Afghanistan, bringing every match, goal, and moment of drama straight to fans’ screens.

This year’s event will kick off on Saturday, November 22 and run for a month.

The draw will meanwhile take place on Sunday evening, November 16, from 7pm Kabul time and will be broadcast and streamed live on Ariana Radio & Television Network (ATN), Ariana News, as well as on Ariana Sport’s YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.

According to organizers, preparations are in full swing for what promises to be a thrilling season. Teams are finalizing their squads, stadiums are being readied, and fans are eagerly awaiting the first whistle. The competition will feature intense matchups, highlighting both established

stars and emerging talents from Afghanistan’s rapidly growing football scene.

An ATN spokesperson said the network is fully prepared to deliver comprehensive live coverage throughout the tournament. “Ariana Television Network is proud to bring the excitement of the Afghanistan Champions League to every corner of the country. Football unites us all, and ATN is committed to showcasing the best of Afghan sport,” the spokesperson said.

The Afghanistan Champions League stands as a symbol of the nation’s resilience and passion for sport — and with only nine days to go, the stage is set for a celebration of skill, teamwork, and national pride, all broadcast live only on Ariana Television.

This year, 10 teams will battle it out for the trophy. The teams are as follows:

Istiqlal Kabul FC
Khurasan Faryab FC
Sorkh Poshan Khafi
Abu Muslim Farah FC
Aino Mina FC
Arman FC
Sarsabz Yashlar FC
Jawanan Pirozi
Sarafan Herat
Ettifaq Khanzada

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Afghanistan crushes India 93–26 at IWBF Asia Oceania Championships

Published

3 days ago

November 10, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s wheelchair basketball team earned its second consecutive victory at the 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships on Monday, defeating India 93–26.

Earlier, Afghanistan had triumphed over New Zealand in their opening match.

The tournament features men’s teams from 14 countries, including Australia, China, Iran, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

Afghanistan is set to play Iraq next on Tuesday.

Sport

Türkiye leads Riyadh 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games medal table

Uzbekistan sits in second place with a total of 16 medals – 4 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze.

Published

3 days ago

November 10, 2025

Ariana News

Türkiye is currently dominating the medal table at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games – Riyadh 2025, with 36 in total, including 26 gold medals, 6 silvers and 4 bronze

Uzbekistan sits in second place with a total of 16 medals – 4 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze.

Nigeria, Indonesia and Kazakhstan are in third, fourth and fifth place respectively.

Afghanistan has not yet clinched a medal but with 69 athletes representing the country, across 13 sports, spirits are high that some medals will be brought home with the team.

Afghanistan’s athletes at the Games will participate in in athletics (2), boxing (2), futsal (14), ju-jitsu (7), karate (3), muay thai (2), swimming (4), table tennis (2), taekwondo (5), volleyball (12), weightlifting (4), wrestling (9), and wushu (3).

This marks Afghanistan’s largest-ever team at the Islamic Solidarity Games, reflecting renewed national investment in sports development and international competition.

The 2025 edition of the Games will also mark the 25th anniversary of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association, underscoring the event’s role in promoting unity, cultural exchange, and peace among Muslim nations.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) is Afghanistan’s official broadcaster for the Games, and fans across the country can tune in daily to watch this exciting tournament live.

The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 officially got underway in Riyadh on Friday, November 7, and will close on November 21.

The games will feature approximately 3,500 athletes from 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation competing in 21 sports and 2 para sports. The event returns to Saudi Arabia after 20 years, as the inaugural games were held there in 2005.