Sport
Asia Cup: Setback for Sri Lanka as 4 key players possibly out with injuries, COVID
Sri Lanka on Friday suffered a major setback just days ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 as four of their cricketers, including pacer Dushamantha Chameera and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, were rendered doubtful for the upcoming tournament because of injuries and COVID-19.
Chameera could be ruled out of the Asia Cup because of a shoulder injury that he suffered during the recent Lanka Premier League (LPL) while leading spinner Hasaranga, who picked up a thigh injury ahead of the LPL final, could miss at least two matches, ESPNCricinfo reported.
Sri Lanka will begin their Asia Cup campaign with a match against Bangladesh on August 31 at Pallekele.
Adding to Sri Lanka’s woes, batters Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando have been tested positive for COVID-19. Both Perera and Fernando are currently under observation and their inclusion in the squad will depend on the speed of their recovery.
The Sri Lankan team management said the duo contracted COVID-19 during the latter stages of the LPL 2023. They will have to return a negative test result to get included in the squad for the Asia Cup.
This year’s Asia Cup will be the 16th edition of the tournament, with matches to be played as One Day Internationals (ODIs). It will be jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Six teams will take part.
Originally, the tournament was scheduled to take place in 2021, but it was postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For fans across the country, Ariana Television (ATN) will broadcast all the matches live each day starting at 1:30 pm on Wednesday August 30. Live matches will be broadcast daily through to the final, which will take place in Colombo on September 17.
Six teams will take part in this year’s tournament – three teams in two groups. India, Nepal, and Pakistan are in Group A; while Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in Group B.
Afghanistan’s first match in the Group Stage will be on September 3 in Lahore, Pakistan, against Bangladesh. The team will then play Sri Lanka, also in Lahore, on September 5.
CLICK HERE for the broadcasting schedule
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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