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
Afghanistan’s cricket stars Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai have maintained their positions at the top of the latest ICC Men’s ODI rankings.
Rashid Khan remains the No. 1 ODI bowler in the world with 714 rating points.
Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed is second with 675 points, while South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj has moved up to third with 667 points.
New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner is fourth with 644 points, followed by India’s Kuldeep Yadav on 623.
Meanwhile, Azmatullah Omarzai continues to hold the top position in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings with 337 points, giving Afghanistan two players at No. 1 in different ODI categories. Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe and Mehidy Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh follow him in the list.
Abu Muslim Farah beat Omar Zawak Herat 4-0 in the 30th match of the sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League, delivering an impressive performance.
The match was played today (Wednesday) at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium.
Samiullah Naderi scored Abu Muslim Farah’s opening goal in the final minutes of the first half.
Abu Muslim Farah continued their attacking play in the second half, with Aman Sardari scoring the team’s second goal in the 69th minute with a spectacular header.
Omid Rajabi and Mirois Ghafouri then added two more goals to complete a 4-0 victory for Abu Muslim Farah.
Amanullah Sardari, captain of Abu Muslim Farah, was named Player of the Match against Omar Zawak Herat.
Abu Muslim Farah will face Ariana Khost in their next match on October 2, while Omar Zawak Herat will take on Istiqlal Kabul on the same day.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s High Performance Center is set to launch a nationwide fast-bowling talent identification program, titled “Afghan Thunder,” across several provinces throughout October.
According to the ACB, the program will begin in Kunduz on October 4, with assessments continuing in Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, Khost, Paktia and Kunar before concluding in Nangarhar on October 27.
The board says eligible participants must be between 19 and 26 years old, at least 180 centimeters tall, hold a valid electronic National ID (e-Tazkira) and be capable of bowling at speeds of at least 140 kilometers per hour.
The assessment schedule is as follows: Kunduz on October 4–5, Herat on October 9–10, Kandahar on October 12, Kabul on October 14–15, Khost on October 19, Paktia on October 21, Kunar on October 25 and Nangarhar on October 27.
The ACB has encouraged eligible players who believe they have the potential to develop into high-level fast bowlers to take part in the Afghan Thunder Fast-Bowling Talent Hunt Program on the designated dates.
The board says the initiative aims to identify promising fast-bowling talent from across Afghanistan and provide talented players with a pathway into the country’s high-performance cricket system.
Four members of one family killed in Helmand in Pakistan airstrike
UNAMA acting chief visits Islam Qala border to assess support for returnees
Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai maintain top spots in ICC ODI rankings
Trump: Unlike Afghanistan, US took all equipment from Iraq
Afghanistan, Belarus discuss expanding industrial and trade cooperation
Saudi energy group signs major Afghanistan deals covering gas exploration and pipeline plans
Iranian clubs to face Gulf opponents at neutral venues in Asian Champions League Elite
Khalilzad: Afghanistan ready to attract major investment
Ariana Television Network secures exclusive rights to Afghanistan’s 2026/27 cricket series
El Niño likely to intensify, may become strongest ever recorded, WMO says
Tahawol: Improvement in Afghanistan-China relations discussed
Saar: Expanding ties with regional and global countries discussed
Tahawol: Absence of Afghanistan’s envoy at UNGA discussed
Saar: Assessment of war between Afghanistan and US discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s image at UNGA
-
Sport4 days agoAfghan bodybuilder Ali Bilal finishes runner-up at Mr Olympia for third straight year
-
Latest News4 days agoAfghanistan says 28 killed, 32 captured in Nuristan operation
-
World4 days agoTrump rejects Iranian proposal to open Hormuz and end fighting
-
Sport5 days agoAfghanistan Champions League: Omar Zawak Herat beat Toofan Herat 1-0
-
Sport3 days agoAfghanistan vs India Asian Games quarter-final abandoned without a toss
-
Latest News4 days agoUNDP, UN Women launch financing initiative for Afghan women entrepreneurs
-
Latest News4 days agoGermany reports 488 Afghans for possible deportation, 267 have no criminal convictions
-
Regional4 days agoAimal Wali Khan calls Dera Ismail Khan attack a ‘state failure’