Sport
Ex-Pakistan captain says Rashid is greater than legendary cricketer Wasim Akram
In 2018 he became the youngest cricketer to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings, the youngest man to captain an international side, and the fastest to 100 ODI wickets.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Rashid Latif has boldly stated that Afghanistan’s star cricketer Rashid Khan is a greater cricketer than legendary bowler Wasim Akram.
Akram is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time and is often referred to as The Sultan of Swing. He was part of the Pakistani squad which won the 1992 Cricket World Cup and he was instrumental in shaping Pakistan’s pace attack for over a decade.
Rashid on the other hand made his debut for an inexperienced Afghanistan team in international cricket in 2015 at the age of 17. He quickly rose to almost global superstar status and is now among the first names on wish lists of league teams around the world.
In 2018 he became the youngest cricketer to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings, the youngest man to captain an international side, and the fastest to 100 ODI wickets.
In December 2020, he was named the ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Decade and he has since gone on to notch up countless more records – his latest being the highest wicket-taker in T20 history.
Rashid went past previous record-holder Dwayne Bravo’s tally of 631 wickets during South Africa’s league tournament early this month.
After breaking Trinidadian Bravo’s record, Rashid said: “It’s a great achievement.”
“I never thought about it, if you asked 10 years before this if I would get there. It’s a proud feeling to be from Afghanistan and to be at that level where you top the table.”
And topping the table he certainly is, with cricket experts like Latif noting that Rashid was instrumental in helping the Afghanistan cricket team become more well-known and for putting them on the map.
“He is greater than Wasim Akram. I am sorry to say, but Rashid’s stature is bigger,” said Latif.
“I have only one piece of advice for Rashid Khan — improve your Test team and play more Test matches against Pakistan.”
Latif’s comments come just days before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway in Pakistan. Once again, Afghanistan will be eager to make a mark on the global stage.
Led by key players like Rashid, Mohammad Nabi, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Afghan team will take to the field as a competitive force in world cricket.
Their spin-heavy attack, coupled with an improving batting lineup, makes them a dangerous team capable of causing major upsets.
Cricket fans meanwhile can stay tuned to Ariana Radio & Television Network (ATN) as all Champions Trophy matches will be broadcast live across the country from Wednesday February 19.
Sport
Chennai Super Kings eliminated as Gujarat Titans register record IPL victory
The emphatic victory lifted Gujarat to second place in the standings, while Chennai’s defeat officially ended their playoff hopes.
Gujarat Titans stormed into the Indian Premier League playoffs with a commanding 89-run win over Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on Thursday, handing the five-time champions their exit from the tournament.
Powered by explosive batting and disciplined bowling, Gujarat posted 229 for four before bowling Chennai out for 140 in just 14 overs — sealing the franchise’s biggest victory margin in IPL history.
Captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan gave Gujarat a flying start with a 125-run opening partnership. Gill smashed 64 off 37 balls, while Sai continued his superb form with a brilliant 84 from 53 deliveries.
After Gill’s dismissal, Jos Buttler launched a late assault, hammering an unbeaten 57 off 27 balls to lift Gujarat to a daunting total.
Chennai’s chase collapsed early after fast bowler Mohammed Siraj tore through the top order. Siraj dismissed Sanju Samson for a first-ball duck before removing skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Urvil Patel in a devastating opening spell.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada also impressed with three wickets, while Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan claimed 3-18 to wrap up the innings.
Shivam Dube offered the lone fightback for Chennai with a rapid 47 off 17 balls, but the visitors never recovered from their disastrous start.
The emphatic victory lifted Gujarat to second place in the standings, while Chennai’s defeat officially ended their playoff hopes.
Sport
New dates announced for Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League
Ariana Television Network (ATN), which recently secured exclusive broadcast rights for the league under a five-year agreement with the Afghanistan Wrestling Federation, will air the matches live across the country.
Organizers of the Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League have announced that the inaugural tournament will now be held from July 20 to July 29, 2026, in Kabul.
The competition had originally been scheduled to take place from June 1 to June 10.
Officials said the event will continue to be hosted at the AGDPES Gymnasium in Kabul, with matches expected to take place daily from 18:00 to 21:00.
Ariana Television Network (ATN), which recently secured exclusive broadcast rights for the league under a five-year agreement with the Afghanistan Wrestling Federation, will air the matches live across the country.
The inaugural season of the Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League is expected to feature around 350 wrestlers from across Afghanistan competing in 10 weight categories as part of 10 regional teams.
Organizers say preparations for the tournament are ongoing and that the postponement is intended to ensure better arrangements for teams, athletes and event operations ahead of the league’s launch.
The Wrestling Premier League is regarded as a major step toward creating a more structured national competition for wrestling in Afghanistan, one of the country’s most popular traditional sports.
Officials also hope the tournament will help provide greater exposure for Afghan wrestlers and contribute to the long-term development of the sport nationwide.
Sport
Mexico City Stadium to host opening match of FIFA World Cup 2026
Mexico City Stadium has been confirmed as the venue for the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with hosts Mexico set to kick off the tournament on June 11, 2026.
FIFA announced that the historic stadium in the Mexican capital will become the first venue in history to host three World Cup opening matches, having previously staged the opening games and finals of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the biggest edition of the tournament to date, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Mexico will play all three of its group-stage matches on home soil.
After opening the tournament in Mexico City, the team will play its second group match at Estadio Guadalajara on June 18 before returning to Mexico City Stadium for its final group fixture on June 24.
The stadium will also host a Group K match between Uzbekistan and Colombia, along with one Round of 32 match and one Round of 16 fixture.
Located in Mexico City, the stadium has a capacity of 83,000 and was originally opened in 1966. It is widely regarded as one of world football’s most iconic venues, having hosted legendary players such as Pelé and Diego Maradona during previous World Cup tournaments.
The stadium currently serves as the home ground for Mexican clubs Club América and Cruz Azul, while also hosting matches for the Mexican national team.
Mexico City Stadium also hosted the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2011, where a crowd of nearly 99,000 spectators set a tournament attendance record.
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