Sport
Ariana Television to broadcast Olympics opening ceremony live
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and declare the Games open on Friday in China – at an event that will be broadcast live by Ariana Television.
In addition to opening the ceremony, Xi will also hold a welcoming banquet for foreign heads of state, heads of government, members of royal families and heads of international organizations attending the opening ceremony, said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Thursday.
Among the foreign dignitaries attending the opening ceremony are President Vladimir Putin of Russia, King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan, Secretary-General António Guterres of the United Nations, among others.
The Beijing Winter Olympics will take place from Friday, February 4 to February 20, followed by the Paralympic Winter Games from March 4 to 13.
ATN has secured the rights to broadcast this year’s games on Ariana Television and both opening and closing ceremonies will be broadcast live.
ATN has also secured the rights to broadcast this year’s Paralympics, which will also take place in Beijing from March 4 to 13.
Beijing meanwhile is set to become the first city in the world to have hosted both the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games.
ATN will broadcast the opening ceremony on Tuesday 4 February from 4pm. This will be broadcast live.
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.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
Sport
2nd ODI: India crush Afghanistan by 170 runs to seal series lead
The Indian national cricket team registered a dominant 170-run victory over Afghanistan in the second One Day International, delivering a commanding all-round performance.
Batting first, India piled up 402 all out in 49.5 overs, setting a daunting 403-run target for Afghanistan.
In reply, Afghanistan were never able to settle into the chase and were eventually bowled out for 232 in 44.3 overs, falling well short of the required total.
India’s innings was powered by a sensational top-order display. Shubman Gill led the charge with a brilliant 154 off 110 balls, striking 22 fours and 2 sixes, while Ishan Kishan lit up the innings with a rapid 125 off 79 deliveries, smashing 14 fours and 7 sixes. The duo laid the foundation for a massive total.
Afghanistan’s bowling effort saw some resistance from Rashid Khan, who picked up 3 wickets, but lacked support from the other end.
Set under pressure from the outset, Afghanistan’s batting lineup failed to build partnerships and was unable to sustain the required run rate against disciplined Indian bowling.
The match was played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, where India’s dominant performance secured a comfortable win and momentum in the series.
Afghanistan had also lost the opening ODI by 7 wickets, giving India a strong 2–0 position in the series.
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