Sport
Bairstow, Rossouw help Punjab beat Chennai in IPL
Key knocks by Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw helped Punjab Kings to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the IPL on Wednesday.
Chasing 163 for victory, Punjab depended on Bairstow’s 46 and 43 by Rossouw to achieve victory with 13 balls to spare at Chennai’s M. Chidambaram Stadium, AFP reported.
England’s Bairstow kept up his form from the previous match when he hit an unbeaten 108 as Punjab chased down a record IPL target of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.
Bairstow and Rossouw, a left-handed South African batsman, put on 64 runs for the second wicket to set up the chase.
Shivam Dube had Bairstow caught behind and Shardul Thakur bowled Rossouw to have Punjab in trouble at 113-3 in 12 overs.
Shashank Singh, who made 25, and skipper Sam Curran, who hit 26, then put on an unbeaten stand of 50 to steer the team home for just their fourth win and keep their slim play-off hopes alive.
Five-time winners Chennai have won five and lost five and stay fourth in the 10-team table led by Rajasthan Royals.
The pitch in Chennai was not run-friendly as the hosts posted 162-7 riding on skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 62 and late evening dew added to the home team’s misery.
But bowlers set up victory with spinners Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar taking two wickets each in their miserly spells — both giving away 33 runs in eight overs combined.
Gaikwad put on an opening stand of 64 with Ajinkya Rahane and despite losing wickets the other end kept calm to push the total forward.
Gaikwad surpassed Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Virat Kohli (500) as the leading batsman in the T20 tournament with 509 runs in 10 innings.
Gaikwad built key partnerships in the middle-order with Sameer Rizvi, who hit 21, and Moeen Ali, who made 15, before being bowled by left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh.
Veteran M.S. Dhoni came out to a rousing reception from the home crowd in what is likely his last IPL as player and he hit 14 off 11 balls before being run out on the final ball, AFP reported.
Sport
Countdown begins for inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League
ATN will broadcast every match live across Afghanistan after securing the league’s exclusive broadcasting rights under a five-year agreement with the Afghanistan Wrestling Federation.
The countdown is on for the inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League (AWPL), with just seven days remaining before the country’s newest national wrestling competition gets underway in Kabul.
The tournament will run from July 20 to July 29 at the AGDPES Gymnasium in Kabul, with matches scheduled daily from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) will broadcast every match live and exclusively across Afghanistan after securing the league’s exclusive broadcasting rights under a five-year agreement with the Afghanistan Wrestling Federation.
The inaugural season is expected to feature around 350 wrestlers from across Afghanistan representing 10 regional teams and competing in 10 weight categories, making it one of the largest wrestling competitions ever staged in the country.
The championship was originally scheduled to be held from June 1 to June 10, but organisers postponed the event to allow additional time for preparations and to ensure better arrangements for athletes, teams and tournament operations.
Wrestling remains one of Afghanistan’s most popular traditional sports, and officials believe the launch of the Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League marks a significant step towards establishing a structured national competition that will strengthen the sport’s future.
Organisers also hope the league will provide greater exposure for Afghan wrestlers, create new opportunities for emerging talent and contribute to the long-term development of wrestling across the country.
ATN’s exclusive coverage of the tournament continues the network’s commitment to supporting Afghan sport by bringing major national and international competitions to audiences throughout Afghanistan.
Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television Network’s television channels, website and social media platforms for the full match schedule, team news and tournament updates ahead of the opening day.
The Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League Season 1 will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television Network (ATN) across Afghanistan.
Sport
ATN secures exclusive rights to broadcast Afghanistan vs Ireland cricket tour
Through its exclusive broadcast coverage, ATN will bring the action directly to cricket supporters across Afghanistan, offering match coverage, updates, analysis and highlights throughout the series.
Cricket fans across Afghanistan will be able to follow the national team’s upcoming tour of Ireland after Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) secured the exclusive broadcast rights for the highly anticipated five-match One-Day International (ODI) series.
The Afghanistan national cricket team is scheduled to travel to Ireland in August 2026 for the tour, which forms part of Ireland’s 2026 home international season. The series will provide both teams with valuable international competition as they continue their development and preparations for future global tournaments.
Through its exclusive broadcast coverage, ATN will bring the action directly to cricket supporters across Afghanistan, offering match coverage, updates, analysis and highlights throughout the series.
The agreement further strengthens ATN’s commitment to promoting and supporting sports in Afghanistan by ensuring that fans across the country have access to major international sporting events.
Over the years, ATN has played a leading role in expanding sports broadcasting in Afghanistan, securing exclusive rights to a wide range of local and international competitions and creating opportunities for audiences to connect with their favorite teams and athletes.
From cricket and football to other major sporting events, ATN continues to invest in sports coverage as part of its mission to provide quality entertainment, inspire young athletes and celebrate Afghanistan’s growing presence on the global sporting stage.
Afghanistan cricket has enjoyed significant growth in recent years, with the national team establishing itself as a competitive force in international cricket. The team’s success has helped inspire a new generation of Afghan players and strengthened the passion for the sport among millions of fans nationwide.
Ariana Radio and Television Network encourages fans to follow its official social media platforms for the latest updates, broadcast schedules and coverage details ahead of Afghanistan’s tour of Ireland.
Sport
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