Sport
Bangladesh won’t take Afghanistan lightly: chief selector
As Afghanistan are set to face Bangladesh in an all-format tour, Bangladesh’s chief selector has said that they are currently giving their full focus on the series and are planning to set up teams for it.
“We’re not thinking about what is being talked outside. The World Cup is still four months away. We have series against Afghanistan and we are thinking of these back-to-back series,” Minhaju Abedin said, Bangladesh’s New Age newspaper reported.
“We will be hosting Afghanistan in all three formats so we are now organizing our teams for that. I think we are the only Test-playing side who are discussing the World Cup now. We have to make a team for the World Cup keeping the fitness and performance of the players in mind,” he said.
The former national captain also informed that they will finalise the squads for Afghanistan series by next week and the players will start their preparation for that series on May 29.
“We are now preparing the squad for the Afghanistan series and we are hopeful to form the squads and inform the BCB next week. The practice session will start on 29th [May],” he said, adding that there had been no discussion regarding resting all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in the series.
“We didn’t have any discussion about it. He [Shakib] will need six-week time for recovery as there was a fracture. He might miss the Test series. But as there is a long gap before the ODI series, I expect him to return to the ODI squad,” said Minhajul.
Meanwhile, Minhajul also denied to make any experiment against Afghanistan in the upcoming series and was hopeful to field the best possible side.
Bangladesh don’t have a good record against the Afghans, especially in the longer format, as they lost the only Test between the two sides by a massive 224-run margin in Chattogram in 2019.
“We won’t do any experiments. Afghanistan are a very good side. We had a bad experiment against them as we lost the last Test. We won’t take them lightly. We will try to name the best possible side against Afghanistan,” he concluded.
Afghanistan will play the one-off Test in Dhaka from June 14 to 18, after which they will leave for India. They will return to Bangladesh on July 1 to play three ODIs in Chattogram from July 5 to 11.
They will also play two T20Is in Sylhet on July 14 and 16, which will conclude the series.
Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan have secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 after strong performances at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.
The three Asian sides join hosts Qatar as confirmed representatives from the Asian Football Confederation for the expanded 48-team tournament later this year.
Japan booked their place after defeating Qatar and then beating China 2-1 in Group B. Anthony Motosuna and Maki Kitahara scored the goals that sealed a second straight victory and guaranteed qualification.
Saudi Arabia also advanced from Group A after a 2-0 win over Thailand. Marwan Al Yami opened the scoring early before Hassan Al Okrush added a late second goal, giving the Saudis six points from two matches following their opening win against Myanmar.
Tajikistan joined them after edging Myanmar 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Asadbek Makhtumov. The victory followed Tajikistan’s opening 2-0 win over Thailand and secured their place in Qatar 2026.
More teams could qualify on Sunday as the second round of matches in Groups C and D continues, with the final group-stage fixtures set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A delegation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has traveled to China following an official invitation from the Chinese government, in a move aimed at strengthening sports diplomacy and expanding technical cooperation in cricket between the two countries.
The delegation includes national coach Nawroz Mangal and players Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Faisal Shinozada, and Wahidullah Zadran.
Before their departure, ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan met with the delegation, reaffirming the board’s commitment to developing and globalizing Afghan cricket. He also referenced previous international engagement efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation focused on cricket development and technical collaboration.
Naseeb Khan highlighted existing economic and industrial ties between Afghanistan and China, expressing optimism that sports cooperation—particularly in cricket—could further strengthen bilateral relations. He emphasized that knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and joint development initiatives would support the growth of the sport in both countries.
During their visit, the Afghan delegation is expected to hold discussions on cricket development, community engagement, and the role of sport in society. The program also includes participation in workshops, attendance at a cricket match organized by Chinese cricket authorities, and visits to sports technology and innovation exhibitions.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has increasingly pursued regional partnerships in recent years. Last year, it signed a cooperation agreement with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation covering technical exchange, capacity building, development programs, and educational workshops aimed at expanding cricket infrastructure and expertise in the region.
The United States is set to welcome the world with a major opening ceremony for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as Los Angeles prepares to host a star-powered celebration marking the start of the tournament across North America.
FIFA announced that global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla will headline the ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, June 12.
The event will officially launch what FIFA described as a “historic summer of football” across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Organizers said the ceremony will combine football, music and entertainment in a large-scale production designed to reflect the cultural diversity and global appeal of the tournament.
Gianni Infantino said the ceremony in Los Angeles would showcase the scale and ambition of the 2026 World Cup, adding that the lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the power of music to unite people.
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three opening ceremonies will take place across the three host nations. Mexico City will host the first ceremony on June 11, followed by celebrations in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.
The opening match in the United States will see the U.S. national team face Paraguay. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a record 104 matches across 16 host cities, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Football fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow all the action live on the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. ATN will broadcast matches live on Ariana Television, providing full coverage of the world’s biggest football event for Afghan viewers.
Fans are also encouraged to stay connected with Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for the latest updates, including match schedules, team news, and other FIFA World Cup 2026 developments as the tournament draws closer.
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