Sport

India edge Pakistan in low-scoring nailbiter at T20 World Cup

India beat Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring but tense T20 World Cup Group A encounter on Sunday at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium where more than 34,000 fans were in attendance at the temporary arena despite the early rain.

Published

12 months ago

June 10, 2024

Ariana News

The result moved India to the top of Group A with two wins from their opening two matches while Pakistan have zero points from two defeats following their upset by the hosts, the United States.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first on a two-paced pitch where rain interruptions made things difficult for India who struggled to get going and were dismissed for 119.

Mohammad Rizwan laid the platform for the chase with a patient knock of 31 but Pakistan fell short after losing wickets at regular intervals

In response, Mohammad Rizwan laid the platform for the chase with a patient knock of 31 but Pakistan fell short after losing wickets at regular intervals while India’s Jasprit Bumrah (3-14) made crucial breakthroughs and bowled 15 dot balls.

“We felt that we were a little under par and when the sun came out, the wicket did get a little better,” player of the match Bumrah said.

“So we had to be really disciplined with what we were trying to do and we are very happy with the win.”

Chasing a run-a-ball 120 to win, Pakistan lost skipper Babar Azam (13) when he edged Bumrah to the slips while Usman Khan and Fakhar Zaman also fell for 13.

But Rizwan, who was dropped in the third over by Shivam Dube near the boundary, made a patient knock of 31 before Bumrah made another crucial breakthrough when he had the opener bowled.

The game suddenly turned India’s way when Rishabh Pant took a second running catch to dismiss Shadab Khan as Pakistan’s required run rate crept up and left them needing 21 runs off the last two overs.

Bumrah was saved for the penultimate over where the pace spearhead conceded only three runs and finished his spell with his third wicket when Iftikhar Ahmed was caught in the deep.

Naseem Shah smashed two boundaries in the final over but Arshdeep Singh ensured there were no fireworks at the end as India held on for a narrow win.

WATCH: Fans in Jalalabad gather in the city to watch the match

HUGE ROAR

In the first innings, which was delayed by rain, Rohit set the tone in the first over when he launched a Shaheen Afridi delivery into the stands behind midwicket to draw a huge roar from the crowd.

Spirits were briefly dampened in the 34,000-capacity stadium when the rain returned and the players walked off but play restarted 35 minutes later with no overs lost.

Virat Kohli kicked things off with a boundary but he played a loose shot to fall to Naseem Shah when he smashed a wide ball straight to the covers before Afridi dismissed Rohit when he skied a ball to deep square leg.

Axar Patel and Pant accelerated the scoring rate, but Shah struck again to remove Axar when the all-rounder charged down the pitch only to see the ball crash into the stumps.

Pant continued to live dangerously as he refused to take his foot off the gas, throwing his body around the crease to play unorthodox yet trademark shots to all corners of the ground, but he was losing partners at the other end.

The wicketkeeper’s luck finally ran out when he fell for 42 while the middle and lower order collapsed, with none of the last seven batters getting into double digits as India were all out for 119.

“We didn’t bat well enough. At 10 overs we were in a good position and you expect the guys to stitch together partnerships. We fell 15-20 runs short, every run matters on a pitch like that,” Rohit said.

“The bowlers did the job for us… The never-say-die attitude in the team with 119 on the board, we didn’t make early inroads but we got together and said if it can happen to us, it could happen to them.” – Reuters

RELATED STORIES

Rashid thanks fans at home for all their ‘support, love and prayers’

Afghanistan shock New Zealand by 84 runs for first win in history

Up Next

Pakistan keep Super Eight hopes alive with seven-wicket win over Canada

Don't Miss

Kabul Knight Riders beat Kabul Zalmi by 2 wickets in KPL

Sport

IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians crush Delhi Capitals to secure playoffs berth

Published

13 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Ariana News

Mumbai Indians stormed into the IPL playoffs with a commanding 59-run victory over Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday night.

Suryakumar Yadav was the star of the show, crafting a masterful 73 from 43 balls, pushing MI to 180-5.

Though Delhi’s bowlers held control for most of the innings, costly final overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera saw MI add 48 runs in a dramatic finish.

During the chase, Delhi never found rhythm, crumbling to 121 all out in just 18.2 overs.

Mitchell Santner’s superb spell (3-11) and Jasprit Bumrah’s expert variations (3-12) led the charge, ensuring a ruthless finish.

MI’s playoff spot is now secured, while Delhi exits the tournament.

MI join Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings in the playoffs but there is still room for manoeuvre amidst the top four with just two points separating the teams and a coveted top-two place still available to them all.

Fans can tune in to watch today’s (Thursday May 22) match which will see Gujarat Titans take on Lucknow Super Giants at 6.30pm.

Sport

FIFA Club WC: LAFC and Club América to clash on May 31 for final berth

Published

1 day ago

May 21, 2025

Ariana News

The last FIFA Club World Cup 2025 place will be decided at BMO Stadium when the Concacaf rivals meet in a play-in match.

The final club to qualify for the highly-anticipated FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be determined on Saturday, 31 May, when US side Los Angeles FC and Mexican powerhouse Club América go head-to-head in a high-stakes match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Following the recent Court of Arbitration for Sport decisions, FIFA decided that the final club to be admitted to the tournament will be determined by a play-in match between Los Angeles FC (the runners-up to Club León in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League) and Club América (the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club

World Cup confederation ranking at the conclusion of the Concacaf Champions Cup staged in 2024, the final year of the qualifying period for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025).

In the event that the match is level after 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time, with an interval of five minutes, will be contested. If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the winners will be determined by a penalty shoot-out.

The winners of the play-in will claim the final spot at this year’s global club showpiece and will take their place in Group D alongside Brazil’s CR Flamengo, Tunisian outfit Espérance and English side Chelsea FC.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will bring together 32 elite teams from all six confederations, with the action set to kick off at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, 14 June.

A total of 63 matches will take place across 11 Host Cities – Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. – culminating in what promises to be a spectacular final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 13 July, when the FIFA club world champions will be crowned.

The final spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is still open because Club León was disqualified due to FIFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

This decision follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which dismissed appeals from León and other clubs attempting to challenge their exclusion.

Sport

From underdogs to global contenders: Afghanistan’s futsal rise

Published

2 days ago

May 20, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s national futsal team has been making waves on the global stage in the past few years, proving that resilience and talent can overcome even the toughest challenges.

Their journey from underdogs on the global platform to serious contenders has been nothing short of inspiring.

In line with this, Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has remained committed to helping develop the sport in the country and will once again produce and broadcast Afghanistan Futsal Premier League Season 4, which is scheduled to kick off on June 6 and end on August 12.

Ten teams will take part in this year’s tournament, playing a total of 90 matches in a round-robin format.

While the start of the tournament is still more than two weeks away, anticipation is growing.

First up however is Saturday’s tournament draw which will be broadcast live on Ariana Television and Ariana News from 3pm.

Growing interest

In September 2024, Afghanistan made history by competing in their first-ever Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.

They faced top teams like Argentina, Paraguay, and Ukraine, securing a thrilling 6-4 victory over Angola before narrowly losing to Argentina 2-1 and Ukraine 4-1.

Despite these setbacks, they advanced to the round of 16, where they fought hard against Paraguay but were eliminated 3-1 after extra time.

Their performance ignited national pride and inspired young athletes across the country.

More recently, in April 2025, Afghanistan continued to impress at the Copa BETesporte Intercontinental de Seleções in Brazil and a four-nation tournament in Morocco.

They battled world-class opponents, earning critical wins and proving their ability to compete at the highest level.

Their matches against Brazil and Iran showcased their discipline and determination, while their victories over Greenland highlighted their growing consistency.

Despite limited resources and infrastructure, Afghanistan’s futsal team has demonstrated remarkable progress and their success is a testament to the passion and dedication of their players, coaches, and supporters.

As they continue to rise, they are not just making a name for themselves in futsal but also bringing hope and pride to their nation.

Domestic tournaments key to growing futsal arena

Domestic tournaments, meanwhile, play a crucial role in Afghanistan’s futsal landscape, serving as a platform for talent development, national pride, and international recognition.

In line with this, ATN is committed to supporting the team on its journey to success, and tournaments like the Afghanistan Futsal Premier League provide young players with opportunities to showcase their skills and gain professional experience.

Fan Zone

The games will be held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Futsal Committee Gymnasium.

Two matches will take place each day – both of which will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Fans meanwhile can tune in to Ariana Television and Ariana News at 3pm on Saturday for what will undoubtedly be an exciting tournament draw.