Sport

Afghanistan cricket team will never be taken lightly again: Trott

Published

9 months ago

February 27, 2025

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott said no side would “ever again” take Afghanistan lightly after they knocked England out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday.

Ibrahim Zadran’s heroic 177 helped Afghanistan post 325 against England in Lahore, before bowlers held their nerve to seal an eight-run victory.

The win comes in a series of Afghanistan’s victories against established cricketing nations at major ICC events. In 2024, they defeated New Zealand and Australia en route to the T20 World Cup semi-finals, and eased past England and Pakistan at the 2023 World Cup.

Trott felt that collective body of work has permanently altered perceptions of Afghanistan’s cricket side. “What happened in the World Cup, T20 World Cup, and [now], I say this to the players: Afghanistan’s never going to be taken lightly ever again.

“In the past, perhaps people would have seen the fixture and thought it was a little bit easier than playing a historic Test nation. But in this format, in these conditions, I don’t see that. I see every game that we play is going to be competitive and every game we go into I expect to win. Australia aren’t going to take us lightly.”

That Trott’s focus has shifted immediately to Afghanistan’s final group game on Friday demonstrates his side is focused on the tournament as a whole and not just the odd upset win. The clash against England was an eliminator for both sides but crucially, not a qualifier.

“Since I’ve been coach we’ve played against Australia three times and we’ve been in the game each of those games,” Trott said. “I’ll tell the players to enjoy tonight. I’m going to make sure when they wake up tomorrow, they’re ready for Australia immediately. The focus is on Australia. That’s how the players are going to be and that’s what I’ll tell the fans.”

On Ibrahim Zaran who scored 177 off 146 balls, the highest score in the tournament’s history, Trott said that it was a “memorable knock for him and one that he ‘ll remember for a long time.

“This innings showed the quality of Ibrahim as a player,” Trott said. “I think he played some fantastic cricket shots, certainly the straight six off Jofra Archer comes to mind, and some various other shots. I’m really pleased for him. He’s been out for a little bit of time and he’s looked a little bit out of rhythm. But hopefully he’s found it now. He’s certainly found it, but hopefully he can continue this form, which is a memorable knock for him and one that he’ll remember for a long time but hopefully he can repeat it again on Friday.

“When I took over, there was a rawness to the side. A lot of it is to do with preparation and how they think about themselves and the work they do off the field, with which you give yourself the best chance on the field. The guys play a lot of cricket, they play a lot of franchise cricket, which is good because they’re developing and playing with the world’s best players and seeing how they perform. They bring that experience back to the Afghanistan side and throw it in the melting pot and we get nights like this.”

Cricket fans across the country can watch all Champions Trophy matches live on Ariana Television.

For updates, fixtures and schedules be sure to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ digital platforms.

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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 hours 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.

Sport

Morocco defeats Afghanistan 4–0 in Islamic Solidarity Games futsal tournament

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2025

Ariana News

The Morocco national futsal team defeated Afghanistan 4–0 in the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.

This was Afghanistan’s third match in the tournament. Earlier, the Afghan team defeated Tajikistan and held Iran to a draw, showing strong form before facing Morocco.

Despite the loss, Afghanistan remains a competitive side in the regional futsal championship, demonstrating growing potential in the sport.

The Islamic Solidarity Games features more than 3,000 athletes from 57 Islamic countries competing across 19 sporting disciplines.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) holds the exclusive broadcasting rights in Afghanistan for the Riyadh 2025 Games.

Sport

Afghanistan to host West Indies for three-match T20I series in January 2026

Published

3 days ago

November 7, 2025

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Friday that it will host West Indies for a three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 19 to 22.

The series will begin on January 19, with the second and third T20Is scheduled for January 21 and 22. It is expected to provide both teams with valuable match practice and will play a key role in their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled less than a month after the series.

ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said: “Competing against West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance preparations for the upcoming tournament in India and Sri Lanka. We have been closely monitoring the team’s preparation process, and facing a quality West Indies side offers an ideal platform for their buildup.”

CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe added: “This series provides an ideal platform for our preparations. Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, while also giving our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka.”

Series Schedule: