Sport
Gujarat end Rajasthan’s winning streak with IPL thriller
Gujarat Titans celebrated ending Rajasthan Royals’ IPL four-match winning streak in a nail-biting thriller to win by three wickets on Wednesday.
While Rajasthan cling on to their table-topping position above Kolkata Knight Riders, the Titans clawed their way back to a dramatic victory in the final five overs, needing 73 off the final 30 balls, AFP reported.
The pressure fell on the shoulders of bowling all-rounder Rashid Khan from Afghanistan to win the match on the final ball — thumping it to the boundary for four to end on top with 199-7.
“You just have to be positive,” Rashid said. “The more positive you are thinking inside, the better the result comes out.”
Asked where the Royals had lost, skipper Sanju Samson laughed and said “the last ball of the game”, adding it was “very hard” to speak after the defeat.
But he still handed out praise for the Titans’ play.
“You have to give credit to the Gujarat Titans, to the way they batted, bowled and fielded,” Samson said.
Rajasthan had looked confident going into the game, after being invited to bat first at their home ground of Jaipur.
‘We had belief’
After initial wobbles, with Yashasvi Jaiswal caught on 24, and England’s Jos Buttler going for eight, 22-year-old Riyan Parag helped build a daunting total.
He celebrated his third fifty in five innings, this time in a knock off 34 balls.
Parag fell for 74 to a juggled but successful catch by Vijay Shankar.
But Samson, who made 68, and Shimron Hetmyer, unbeaten on 13, guided Rajasthan to 196-3 — keeping their hopes that they were heading for their fifth straight victory alive.
As Gujarat came into bat, the Royals seemed to have taken charge, with the chase crumbling as speedster Kuldeep Sen ripped through the Titans’ top order, posting figures of 3-41.
Sen trapped Sai Sudharsan lbw for 35 before bowling Matthew Wade and Abhinav Manohar cheaply.
“We lost a few wickets back-to-back”, said Gujarat’s Sudharsan. “But we had belief and we won the game.”
Skipper Shubman Gill made 72 to push Gujarat’s total up before being stumped, while Rahul Tewatia made 22 before he was run out.
But it was Rashid who brought the Titans across the winning threshold, making 24 in the frantic final balls, AFP reported.
“This victory was much-needed for us and gives us momentum,” Sudharsan added. “Hopefully we play a few more good games and have a good season.”
Sport
Sorkh Poshan Khafi and Sarafan Herat edge out 1-0 wins in ACL
In the 27th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Sorkh Poshan Khafi edged out Arman FC 1-0 in a tightly contested clash.
On Saturday, Sarafan Herat secured a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq Khanzadah, keeping the league race intense and unpredictable.
Looking ahead to Monday, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 2:00 p.m., promising another thrilling showdown for fans.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, allowing football enthusiasts across Afghanistan to follow the action and enjoy the excitement of the Champions League season.
Sport
FIFA confirms all 12 groups for 2026 World Cup
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
Sport
ACL: Abu Muslim Farah and Jawanan Perozi 6-0; Istiqlal Kabul and Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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