Sport

Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe in second match of T20I

Published

2 years ago

December 13, 2024

Afghanistan defeated Zimbabwe by 50 runs in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club on December 13, Friday.

Zimbabwe won the first T20I by 4 wickets but the visitors made a stunning comeback to level the three-match series at 1-1. The series decider will be played on December 14, Saturday.

Afghanistan opted to bat first in the second T20I but the decision backfired quickly as Gwandu removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz on 11 runs in the fourth over of the powerplay while Muzarbani dismissed Sediqullah Atal on 19 runs in the next over.

Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai stitched a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rasooli 58 runs off 42 balls. He smacked six boundaries and one maximum during his sensational knock. Azmatullah also scored 28 runs off 23 balls. Gulbadin Naib also amassed an unbeaten 26 runs off 21 balls as Afghanistan scored 153 in 20 overs.

Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan shine with the ball

Chasing the target of 154 runs, Zimbabwe got off to a poor start as Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah removed Marumani and Myers cheaply in the powerplay. Brian Bennet scored 27 runs off 26 balls but the middle order failed to make any contribution with the bat in the run chase.

Naveen Ul Haq (3/19), Rashid Khan (3/20), and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/30) put on a terrific bowling effort to help Afghan players beat Zimbabwe by 50 runs and draw level the three-match T20I series 1-1

Skipper Sikandar Raza scored 35 runs off 30 balls but Afghani bowlers picked wickets at regular intervals to put pressure on the hosts. Naveen-ul-Haq completed a significant milestone by taking his 250th T20 wicket in the shortest format. Zimbabwe bowled out for 103 runs in the 17.4 overs. Rashid and Naveen took three wickets each while Mujeeb Ur Rahman also picked up two wickets. Omarzai and Fareed Ahmed also took one wicket each.

Related Topics:Afghanistan ArianaNews featured T20Is Zimbabwe

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Afghanistan U-15 team qualifies for FIFA U-15 World Cup

Published

15 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Afghanistan’s under-15 national football team has qualified for the FIFA U-15 World Cup, marking a significant achievement for the country’s youth football development.

According to the federation, the qualification comes as a result of sustained efforts and strategic planning aimed at strengthening grassroots football across Afghanistan.

The federation said the successful organization of under-14 competitions in different zones of the country helped pave the way for the U-15 national team to secure a place in the global tournament.

In a statement, the federation said the achievement also follows efforts by its leadership, particularly Mohammad Yousuf Kargar, who held discussions with officials of FIFA while emphasizing the development of youth football in Afghanistan.

The tournament, part of FIFA’s global talent development program, aims to nurture young players, improve technical ability, provide international exposure, and prepare the next generation of footballers.

The competition will take place in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026, with under-15 teams from FIFA member nations set to participate.

Players born in 2011 and 2012 will be eligible for the tournament.

Matches will be played in an 8-versus-8 format designed to maximize ball involvement, develop individual skills, improve decision-making, and provide young players with valuable international competition experience.

Afghanistan’s participation is being seen as a major opportunity for the country’s emerging football talent to compete on the world stage and further elevate the profile of Afghan youth football.

Sport

Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost

The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.

Published

3 days ago

June 28, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.

According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.

The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.

Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.

He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.

Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.

Sport

Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team

Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.

Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.

The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.

In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.

The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.