Sport

How net run rate could decide fate of teams in Group 1 of World Cup

Published

4 years ago

October 29, 2022

Everybody now knows that net run rate is almost certain to be a huge factor in Group 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, but with two must-win rounds of the tournament left it’s too early to focus on only that.

England and Australia’s washout in Melbourne has left both teams on three points and with all six teams in Group 1 still able to qualify.

Results are still the most important thing, with all teams knowing they will need to win each of their remaining two games to qualify for the next round. But one eye will have to be kept on the issue of the net run rate.

The net run rate situation

Of the teams who have played three games in Group 1, it is England who have the superior NRR. But margins are small.

England: +0.239

The loss to Ireland and a tentative chase against Afghanistan has left England with a lower run rate than they would have hoped for at this stage.

Afghanistan: -0.620

Two no-result games have left Afghanistan behind on points but still in with an outside chance of qualifying if results go their way. A big win is needed though.

Ireland: -1.169

With fixtures against Australia and New Zealand to come, Ireland face a tricky task to reach the semi-finals. And they’ll probably need a decent margin of victory in one of those games to overturn the damage of the nine-wicket loss to Sri Lanka

Australia: -1.555

The hammering by New Zealand dented Australia’s NRR right from the off, but Marcus Stoinis’ flurry against Sri Lanka improved it a little.

England’s qualification equation

This is a position neither side wanted to be in, with England arriving at this point thanks partly to two games being impacted by rain.

“Unfortunately we’ve had two games affected by weather,” England captain Jos Buttler said after the points were shared against Australia following the shock loss to Ireland on DLS Method.

“You don’t want to be involved in those games, but it’s going to happen wherever you play, you’re generally going to be affected by some weather at some point.”

It was put to Buttler in his post-match media conference that the team’s next match against New Zealand is now effectively a World Cup Final for the English.

“We’d do well to live up to that one, wouldn’t it?” Buttler said, referring back to England’s 2019 triumph over New Zealand at Lord’s.

“For us, we knew, having lost the game against Ireland, the way the format is anyway, every game is pretty much a must-win.”

If England beat New Zealand in that “must-win” game, they will have the advantage of playing last in the final round of matches, meaning they will know exactly what they need in terms of net run rate to qualify.

“It could be a small advantage, but to make use of that, of course, we need to win the game against New Zealand,” Buttler said, keen not to look too far ahead.

“We’ll travel up to Brisbane, everyone’s rested and ready to go. There’s a lot of frustration as well from the last game. People want to right that performance. So we’ll train well and look forward to a tough challenge against New Zealand.”

Australia look for big wins

Australia’s task is simple: win twice and win big.

Two large margins of victory against the two lowest-ranked teams in the group, Ireland and Afghanistan, could be enough in themselves to send Australia through.

But that fact won’t impact player selection, according to coach Andrew McDonald.

“Net run rate is going to come into it,” he said. “We knew that at the start of the tournament.

“When you only play five games, net run rate can decide and influence who goes through into the final four,” McDonald continued. “We feel as though we’ve been here before.

“I don’t think it will shift team selection too much. We’ve picked a pretty powerful batting line-up, and we’ve got bowlers that we think in certain conditions against certain opposition can do the job. So we feel as though we’re pretty well covered for the options we have.”

Even if Australia win their two remaining games heavily, that may not be enough given England and Sri Lanka play last in this group, handing them a potential advantage. But that scenario is some way off still.

“It depends on England and New Zealand really, doesn’t it?” McDonald said.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s next match is on Tuesday, against Sri Lanka in Brisbane where they will be hoping for a resounding win after Friday’s disappointment – where the match against Ireland was abandoned due to rain.

For all the fun and excitement of this year’s T20 World Cup, fans in Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana TV to watch the matches live.

Click Here for the full broadcasting schedule

Related Topics:#َAfghanistan #T20WorldCup Australia Cricket featured T20

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All eyes on Jeddah as AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 kicks off

Adding to the tournament’s reach, Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has confirmed it will broadcast matches live and exclusively on Ariana News for the duration of the tournament, which runs through until May 22.

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Ariana News

The Asian football spotlight shifts to Jeddah this week as the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 kicks off on Tuesday May 5, with 16 of the continent’s top youth teams competing for regional glory and qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026.

All matches will be staged at King Abdullah Sports City, where a centralized tournament model will see four stadiums within a single complex host every fixture — a format designed to streamline operations and enhance the experience for players and fans alike, alongside dedicated fan zones and entertainment activities.

The tournament features a blend of traditional powerhouses and emerging sides. Hosts Saudi Arabia headline Group A alongside Tajikistan, Thailand and Myanmar, while Group B includes former champions Japan, Indonesia, China and Qatar. In Group C, South Korea face Yemen, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates, while defending champions Uzbekistan lead Group D with Australia, India and North Korea.

Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, with all eight quarter-finalists automatically qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Opening day fixtures will see Saudi Arabia take on Myanmar as the hosts aim to build on last year’s runner-up finish, while Tajikistan face Thailand in the other Group A clash. In Group B, four-time champions Japan meet Qatar, with Indonesia set to play China.

Beyond the competition, the tournament is a key test event for Saudi Arabia ahead of the AFC Asian Cup 2027, offering an opportunity to refine tournament delivery, coordination and infrastructure at scale.

With scouts, fans and broadcasters closely watching, the competition is expected to showcase some of Asia’s brightest young talents — many of whom will be aiming to take their first step onto the global stage.

Fans across Afghanistan are meanwhile encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated information and broadcast schedules on this tournament.

Sport

Afghanistan set for Maldives four-nation tournament

The tournament is scheduled to run from early June through June 10 and will feature regional opposition, including Pakistan national football team and the host nation, while Bangladesh national under-23 football team will also take part.

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan national football team will compete in a four-nation tournament in the Maldives next month, as part of efforts to boost match readiness and international competitiveness, the Afghanistan Football Federation announced.

Officials say the competition is designed to provide valuable game time and assess player performance against familiar regional rivals, as Afghanistan continues to rebuild its football program.

In recent years, the team has faced ongoing challenges, including limited training resources and financial constraints. Despite these setbacks, Afghanistan has remained active internationally through tournaments and training camps.

As a member of the Asian Football Confederation, Afghanistan continues to compete in regional events such as Asian Cup qualifiers and the SAFF Championship, aiming to improve both results and rankings.

Participation in multi-nation tournaments like this is considered vital for teams with limited exposure, offering a platform to build cohesion, test tactics and regain match sharpness.

With South Asian football becoming increasingly competitive, the upcoming tournament presents another opportunity for Afghanistan to regain momentum and strengthen its standing in the region.

Sport

Big wins for CSK and DC in latest IPL 2026 action

This marks the third time CSK have completed a league double over MI, after 2014 and 2023.

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2026

Ariana News

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Mumbai Indians (MI) by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, completing a league double over their arch-rivals in the TATA IPL 2026.

A disciplined bowling display, led by Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad, restricted MI to a below-par total before a composed chase anchored by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kartik Sharma sealed a comfortable win for the home side.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, MI started briskly despite the absence of Rohit Sharma. Ryan Rickelton led the early charge, helping MI cross 50 in the powerplay. However, Noor Ahmad shifted momentum by dismissing Rickelton, halting MI’s early surge.

Naman Dhir and Suryakumar Yadav kept the innings steady, but debutant Ramakrishna Ghosh struck to remove Suryakumar for his maiden IPL wicket. Noor Ahmad later returned to dismiss Tilak Varma, finishing with impressive figures of 2/26.

Dhir fought valiantly with a gritty 57 off 37 balls, but MI lost momentum in the death overs as Anshul Kamboj’s incisive spell (3/28), including the key wicket of skipper Hardik Pandya, triggered a collapse. MI finished on 159/7.

In reply, CSK suffered an early setback when Sanju Samson (11) was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad anchored the innings with an unbeaten 67 off 48 balls, supported by Urvil Patel’s quick 24 off 12.

The decisive phase came through Gaikwad’s partnership with Impact Player Kartik Sharma. Sharma played with freedom, attacking MI’s spinners and bringing up a maiden IPL half-century in style. He finished the match with a boundary off Trent Boult as CSK reached the target with 11 balls to spare.

This marks the third time CSK have completed a league double over MI, after 2014 and 2023.

The earlier match of the day saw Delhi Capitals (DC) producing a record-breaking batting performance to complete their highest successful chase in IPL history, defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in a high-scoring thriller at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

In a match that produced 451 runs, DC chased down a daunting target of 226 with five balls to spare.

RR skipper Riyan Parag elected to bat first on a flat surface, but DC struck early through Mitchell Starc, who removed Yashasvi Jaiswal in his comeback spell. Kyle Jamieson soon dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, leaving RR under pressure at 12/2.

Parag and Dhruv Jurel rebuilt the innings with a brilliant 102-run partnership. Parag starred with a fluent 90 off 50 balls, while Jurel added 42 before falling to Axar Patel.

Late fireworks from Donovan Ferreira changed the complexion of the innings, as he smashed an unbeaten 47 off just 14 balls, helping RR finish on 225/6.

In response, DC openers KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka produced a stunning 110-run stand to seize control early. Nissanka scored a rapid 62 off 33 balls, while Rahul anchored the chase with a superb 75 off 40.

Despite late wickets, contributions from Nitish Rana (33 off 17), Tristan Stubbs (18*), and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) ensured DC crossed the line comfortably in 19.1 overs. KL Rahul was named Player of the Match for his match-defining innings.

Today’s IPL Matches

IPL 2026 continues today with two exciting fixtures that are expected to further shape the points table as the league stage intensifies.

The action begins with Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, followed by Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Fans can look forward to another action-packed day of cricket, featuring top international and domestic stars battling for crucial points in the race to the playoffs.

All matches will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television, bringing full coverage of every boundary, wicket, and turning moment to viewers nationwide.