Sport

Gurbaz 151 in vain as Pakistan edge Afghanistan by 1 wicket in 2nd ODI

Published

3 years ago

August 25, 2023

Pakistan’s tailenders kept their nerves and edged out Afghanistan by one wicket in a tense high-scoring second one-day international on Thursday.

No. 10 batter Naseem Shah (10 not out) edged seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi for a winning boundary off the penultimate ball as Pakistan reached 302-9 and got a decisive 2-0 lead in the three-match series, AP reported.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s epic 151 and a meaningful 80 by his opening partner Ibrahim Zadran had earlier provided Afghanistan a formidable total of 300-5.

“All credit to the boys,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said. “We just tried to build the partnership when me and Imam were playing, just wanted to play long and see where we stand after 40 overs. We knew we could chase 80 or 90 in the last 10 overs.”

Shadab Khan, who made 48 off 35 balls, brought Pakistan back in the chase off the last two balls in the penultimate over when he smashed two full tosses of fast bowler Abdul Rahman for a boundary and a six.

Needing 11 off the final over, Farooqi ran out Shadab at the non-striker’s end as the batter moved out of his crease before the bowler had bowled. But Shah and No. 11 Haris Rauf kept their nerves and shattered Afghanistan’s dream to beat Pakistan for the first time in an ODI.

“It is hurting because we had enough runs, but at the last moment they took the game away from us,” Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahid said. “There were some easy balls (in the death overs) to the batsmen and they smashed it. We weren’t able to control the pressure.”

Earlier, Gurbaz and Zadran raised Afghanistan’s second highest-ever stand for any wicket in an ODI when they raised an authoritative 227-run opening-wicket partnership.

It was a sea change in Afghanistan’s batting performance after it was bundled out for 59 inside the 20 overs in the first game on Tuesday and lost by 142 runs.

Both young openers played almost 40 overs and scored at a brisk pace on a wicket which had some grass and bounce. Gurbaz was more aggressive of the two and didn’t hesitate to use his feet against Shah and Shaheen Afridi before he struggled with pain in his forearm soon after completing his half century off 72 balls.

He needed a further 50 balls to complete his century and then upped the scoring rate by smashing fast bowler Haris Rauf for four successive boundaries in one over. Zadran missed out on his deserved century when he holed out in the deep off legspinner Usama Mir after hitting six fours and two sixes.

An exhausted Gurbaz finally got a thick edge off Afridi in his return spell in the 45th over. Gurbaz’s run-a-ball career-best knock included 14 fours and three sixes but Afghanistan was always in sight to post a challenging total.

Openers Imam-ul-Haq (91) and captain Babar Azam (53) kept Pakistan in the run-chase by combining in a 118-run second wicket stand after Fakhar Zaman (30) was bowled by Farooqi.

Ace legspinner Rashid Khan should have got the wickets of both batters, but first he dropped a low catch of Imam off his own bowling and then Mohammad Nabi couldn’t react in time in the lone slip when he had a chance of ending Babar’s knock.

Farooqi turned the game around when he got the big wicket of Babar in the 31st over as the Pakistan skipper holed out at mid-on soon after completing his half century. Nabi then chipped in with two wickets in one over before he took a well judged running catch at mid-on to get Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed in the 47th over.

But Shadab and Shah’s late assault provided Pakistan a nail-biting victory as Afghanistan seamers bowled wayward in the death overs.

The final match of the series will be played on Saturday at Colombo before both teams compete in next week’s Asia Cup.

Related Topics:#َAfghanistan Cricket featured ODI Pakistan

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Afghanistan squad hit by withdrawals ahead of AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

Published

22 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Football Federation has confirmed that several players have withdrawn from the national team ahead of crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifying matches against Myanmar and Syria.

According to the federation, all eligible players were formally invited to join the squad, but a number opted out due to a range of reasons, including family commitments, injuries, security concerns in the Middle East, and club-related obligations.

The players who have withdrawn include Habibullah Askar, Owais Azizi, Abdanjam Haidari, Mohammad Naeem Rahimi, Jabbar Sharza, Faisal Ahmad Hamidi, Jamshid Achakzi, Amid Arzo, Tawfiq Sekandari, and Ramin Safi.

The federation stressed that representing the national team remains both a duty and an honor, urging players to place national commitments at the forefront.

Head coach Jose Antonio Nogueira acknowledged the challenges but indicated a shift in long-term strategy. “After the next two matches, we will place greater focus on domestic Afghan players,” he said, outlining plans to build a squad centered on locally based talent to ensure greater availability, cohesion, and commitment.

Key qualifier details

Afghanistan’s upcoming match against Myanmar in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers will take place at the Thuwunna Youth Training Centre in Yangon on 26 March at 5pm.

The fixture was originally scheduled for November 2025 but was postponed due to Afghanistan’s lack of a home venue. It had initially been set to take place in Qatar before the Asian Football Confederation approved Myanmar as the host, with both federations agreeing to the change.

Myanmar has already secured a 2-1 victory over Afghanistan in the first match.

Group standings and outlook

In Group E, Syria have already secured qualification with 15 points from five matches. Myanmar sit second with six points from four games, while Afghanistan and Pakistan have two points each, although Afghanistan have played fewer matches.

Myanmar are set to face Pakistan in their final group match on 31 March.

Despite the current setbacks, the Afghanistan Football Federation says it remains committed to rebuilding and strengthening the national side, with future decisions aimed at supporting the long-term development of football in the country.

Sport

IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan named Sunrisers’ interim captain ahead of opening clash

Kishan, 27, arrives at the leadership role on the back of strong recent form and growing stature in international cricket.

Published

2 days ago

March 23, 2026

Ariana News

With just days to go before the curtain rises on the Indian Premier League 2026 season, anticipation is building among fans worldwide for what promises to be another high-octane edition of cricket’s most lucrative T20 competition.

The 2026 campaign is set to get underway on Saturday, March 28, meaning there are less than five days remaining until the opening match.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, kicking off a tournament expected to deliver fresh rivalries, emerging stars, and dramatic finishes.

New leadership shift at Sunrisers

In one of the major developments ahead of the new season, Sunrisers Hyderabad—champions of the 2016 edition—have appointed Ishan Kishan as interim captain. The decision comes as regular skipper Pat Cummins continues his recovery from injury and is set to miss the opening matches.

Kishan, 27, arrives at the leadership role on the back of strong recent form and growing stature in international cricket. The explosive left-handed batter was a key contributor to India’s victorious campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has quickly become one of the most dynamic players in the shortest format.

He joined Sunrisers for INR 11.25 crore (about $1.2 million) during the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season and made an immediate impact.

Last season, Kishan scored 354 runs in 14 matches at an average of 35.40, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 152.58. He also announced himself in style with a blistering unbeaten 106 off just 47 deliveries in his debut match against Rajasthan Royals.

Young Indian talent Abhishek Sharma has been named vice-captain and will support Kishan in leading the side during the early phase of the tournament.

Opening clash and season expectations

Sunrisers face a tough start as they take on the defending champions RCB in the tournament opener, a match that is already generating significant buzz. With several teams undergoing squad reshuffles and strategic changes following recent auctions, IPL 2026 is expected to showcase a new competitive balance across franchises.

Broadcast details for Afghanistan

Fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow every moment of the action live, as Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. Matches will be aired live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Viewers are also encouraged to follow Ariana TV and Ariana News across social media platforms for the latest updates, breaking news, and in-depth coverage throughout the tournament.

Sport

Afghanistan secures third place at 2026 World Kokpar Championship

Published

3 days ago

March 22, 2026

Ariana News

The national buzkashi team of Afghanistan delivered an impressive performance to claim third place at the 2026 World Kokpar Championship in Kazakhstan.

Afghanistan dominated the group stage with commanding victories—thrashing Hungary 14–0, defeating Russia 5–0, and overcoming Mongolia 7–0—to top Group B and advance to the semi-finals.

Despite a strong effort, Afghanistan fell 4–2 to Uzbekistan in the semi-finals. However, the team responded emphatically in the third-place playoff, beating Russia 6–0 to secure the bronze medal.

Alongside their podium finish, Afghanistan was awarded 4,500,000 Kazakh tenge (around 9,400 US dollars) by the International Kokpar Federation, capping off a successful campaign on the global stage.