Sport
Afghanistan to tour UAE for a three-match T20I series late this month
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed Thursday Afghanistan will embark on a tour to the United Arab Emirates later this month to play a series of three T20Is and two 50-over warmup matches against the hosts at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Both teams will first meet in two 50-Over warmup games on the 25th and 27th of December before the start of the three T20I matches, which are scheduled to be played on the 29th of December, 31st of December and 2nd of January in Sharjah.
This will be Afghanistan’s 2nd tour to UAE in 2023, with the Rashid Khan-led side winning the first series 2-1 in Abu Dhabi in February.
The series is being played under the mutual cooperation agreement that was signed last year between Afghanistan and the Emirates Cricket Boards. Based on the agreement, Afghanistan will play a series of three T20I matches with the UAE on an annual basis.
CEO of Afghanistan Cricket Board Naseeb Khan said: “Our collaboration with the UAE Cricket Board has been helpful. The inaugural UAE Series earlier this year offered us an excellent foundation to prepare for the following events throughout the year.
“Banking on our positive previous experience, we eagerly anticipate the upcoming UAE series for the same purpose again,” he said.
“This upcoming tour marks the commencement of our new year which is expected to provide the AfghanAtalan squad with the necessary impetus for an action-packed 2024 season, featuring plenty of T20 cricket to be played.”
The General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board Mubashshir Usmani said: “We are delighted to host the Afghanistan team for the second time this year. We had a hugely competitive T20I series in February and this tour will once again provide excellent opportunities to our seasoned as well as young players against a formidable opponent.
“Afghanistan performed incredibly well in the ODI World Cup, and they are a team on the rise with a strong support base in the UAE. We look forward to welcoming the Afghanistan team,” he said.
The series will conclude Afghanistan’s duties for 2023 and will simultaneously mark the beginning of an eventful and action-packed 2024.
Afghanistan cricket is gearing up for a busy year ahead which encompasses various bilateral commitments alongside the big event, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for June 2024.
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.
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.
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.
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