Sport
India beat Afghanistan by 47 runs in Super 8 match of T20 World Cup
Fast bowler Bumrah proved virtually unplayable, taking three for seven runs from his four overs.
India swept to a 47-run victory over Afghanistan in their T20 World Cup Super Eight clash after Suryakumar Yadav struck his second successive half-century and Jasprit Bumrah proved his worth with the ball on Thursday.
Player-of-the-match Suryakumar’s audacious 53 from 28 balls propelled India to a daunting 181-8. In reply, Afghanistan were always behind the required run rate and finished on 134 all out from the final ball of the match, Reuters reported.
Fast bowler Bumrah proved virtually unplayable, taking three for seven runs from his four overs.
Afghanistan left-arm paceman Fazalhaq Farooqi and off-spinner Mohammad Nabi opened the bowling on a hot, humid day at Kensington Oval.
India captain Rohit Sharma survived an impassioned appeal for lbw off Farooqi when he missed with an ungainly heave to the leg side but he lasted only five balls more before skying a catch to Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan at mid-on to be out for eight.
Naveen-ul-Haq replaced Farooqi and Virat Kohli, who had scored only five runs in his previous three matches, whipped him imperiously through the covers and lofted a six straight over the bowler’s head which hit the sight screen.
Rishabh Pant reverse swept Nabi for four and was then dropped on the boundary by Naveen. The ball crossed the boundary and at the end of the powerplay India were 47 for one.
Rashid took the ball and struck in his first over, dismissing Pant for 20 with his final delivery, lbw attempting a reverse sweep.
He struck again in his second over when Kohli on 24 lofted the ball straight to Nabi on the long-off boundary and then dismissed Shivam Dube lbw for 10.
Suryakumar seized the initiative back for India with two boundaries off Azmatullah Omarzai and a straight six.
Hardik Pandya (32) joined in with a four and a straight six off successive balls from Noor Ahmed.
The pair raised their 50 partnership before Suryakumar was caught but Hardik hit a six on to the top of the Terrace Stand to maintain India’s momentum.
Afghanistan lost three wickets in the powerplay, including opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught behind for 11 off Bumrah who also dismissed Hazratullah Zazai for two.
They fell steadily behind the required run and still needed 81 off five overs when Bumrah returned.
He struck immediately by dismissing Najibullah Zadran caught for 19 to quash any Afghanistan hopes of an unlikely victory.
“We adapted well and got 180 which was a great effort from the bowlers,” Rohit said as India remained unbeaten in the tournament.
“We had class bowlers who defended it perfectly. We know Bumrah’s class and what he can do.”
Related stories:
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Afghanistan down PNG to reach Super Eight, end NZ hopes

Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
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