Sport
De Silva steadies Sri Lanka before spinners demolish Dutch
Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga spun through the Dutch batting as Sri Lanka eked out a 21-run victory on Friday in the opening Super Six game for both teams.
The victory kept Sri Lanka tied at the top of the standings with hosts and Sunday’s opponents Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifying tournament and on course for one of two places in India, AFP reported.
“Zimbabwe is a big, big match for us,” said Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka after his side clinched victory.
Shanaka had won the toss and chosen to bat – though it looked as if he had made the wrong choice when Sri Lanka struggled to 213 all out in 47.4 overs.
The Dutch, who upset West Indies in the group stage, seemed on course for another surprise when they reduced Sri Lanka to 67-5 and then 96-6.
Allrounder Dhananjaya de Silva, coming in with five wickets down, helped steer Sri Lanka to a defensible total.
He struck 93 off 111 balls hitting eight fours and two sixes. He was well supported by Hasaranga and Theekshana, who scored 20 and 28 respectively.
“My idea was to bat through the overs,” De Silva said as he collected the Man of the Match award. “I was basically just playing straight.”
“I like to spend time in the middle. This was the opportunity for me to do it. I think I did a good job.”
Medium pacer Logan van Beek was the pick of the Dutch bowlers, taking three wickets for an economical 26 runs in nine overs. Bas de Leede also took three wickets, including De Silva, at a cost of 42.
The Dutch lost opener Vikramjit Singh for nought to the second ball. The other opener, Max O’Dowd also went for a duck five balls later.
Wesley Barresi and De Leede revived the innings. Barresi was run out for 52 attempting a single into the covers. Teja Nidamanuru then fell to Hasaranga for a duck.
Mystery spinner Theekshana bowled De Leede for 41 and in his next over dismissed Saqib Zulfiqar lbw and, for his third wicket in six balls, bowled Van Beek for the fourth Dutch duck.
Shariz Ahmad tried to pinch a single on a misfield by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, who whipped off his glove, pounced on the ball and smashed the stumps at the bowler’s end with a laser throw.
Skipper Scott Edwards attempted to slog his team to victory but ran out of partners.
Hasaranga bowled Ryan Klein for five with a googly that jagged back through the gate.
Then, after an agonizing last-wicket stand of 16, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka bowled Aryan Dutt for seven with 10 overs still to play.
Edwards was left on 67 not out which included four fours and two sixes.
“We bowled really well. A bit disappointing with the bat,” said Edwards.
“We felt we should have got across the line.”
Ariana Television Network will broadcast the matches daily live on TV and Website.
Pre-match shows will start at 11am (Kabul time), while the day’s match will start at 11.30am (Kabul time).
Matches are streamed live on Ariana Television websites simultaneously:
www.arianatelevision.com/live and www.arianatelevision.com/icc-live
CLICK HERE for the broadcast schedule on Ariana Television
Afghanistan’s national cricket team defeated Ireland by three wickets on Monday in the third ODI of the five-match series in Belfast.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Ireland were bowled out for 206 runs in 46.3 overs, setting Afghanistan a target of 207 runs.
Rashid Khan and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar claimed three wickets each for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s batters then produced a solid performance in the second innings, chasing down the target for the loss of seven wickets in 44.5 overs.
Afghanistan had also won the second match by 92 runs.
The fourth match between the two teams will be played on Wednesday, August 12, in Belfast, Ireland.
Fans can watch the fourth match live and exclusively in Afghanistan on Ariana Television.
Sorkh Poshan Khawafi are leading the Afghanistan Champions League U17 standings after week six, having collected 15 points from six matches.
According to the latest standings released by the Afghanistan Football Federation, Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have won five of their six matches and suffered one defeat. They have scored 22 goals and conceded just two, giving them a +20 goal difference.
Sarsabz Yashlar sit second with 14 points, following four wins and two draws, while Aino Mina are third, also on 14 points but with an inferior goal difference.
Arman FC are fourth with 12 points, followed by Khurasan Faryab with 10 points and Toofan Herat with eight.
In the lower half of the table, Ettifaq Khanzadah have six points, Abu Muslim FC have five, while Jawanan Perozi and Istiqlal Kabul are yet to earn a point after six matches.
Istiqlal Kabul have conceded 35 goals, the most in the competition so far, while Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have the tournament’s strongest attack with 22 goals.
The Afghanistan Champions League U17 is being contested by 10 teams and is being held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.
Abasin Defenders produced a dominant bowling performance to defeat Kabul Zalmi in the second match of the Kabul Premier League on Saturday, August 8, at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground in Kabul.
Kabul Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings quickly unravelled as Abasin Defenders’ bowlers struck regularly.
Kabul Zalmi were bowled out for 63 in 7.2 overs, leaving Abasin Defenders with a modest target to chase.
Sediqullah Pacha was the standout performer for Abasin Defenders, claiming the Player of the Match award for his match-winning bowling performance.
Abasin Defenders chased down the target comfortably to secure a convincing victory and get their Kabul Premier League campaign off to a winning start.
The result followed the opening match of the tournament earlier on Saturday, when Pamir Stars defeated Shamshad Eagles by 116 runs.
The Kabul Premier League features six teams — Pamir Stars, Shamshad Eagles, Kabul Zalmi, Speenghar Warriors, Abasin Defenders and Band-e-Amir — competing in the 2026 tournament.
All matches are being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, allowing cricket fans across Afghanistan to follow the competition.
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