Sport
India v Pakistan Asia Cup blockbuster ends in washout
The much-anticipated Asia Cup clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan was abandoned on Saturday as rain played spoilsport in the Group A contest between the heavyweights in Pallekele.
Pakistan bowled out India for 266 in 48.5 overs to nose ahead in the contest but their chase never began as rain kept the players off the ground before the game was eventually abandoned, Reuters reported.
Babar Azam’s team, who thumped Nepal in the opener, are through to the Super Four stage after sharing points with India.
World number one Pakistan dominated whatever limited play was possible with Shaheen Afridi leading their fiery pace attack, which claimed all 10 Indian wickets.
Afridi has tormented India in recent encounters between the sides and it was no different at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
India captain Rohit Sharma was left to rue his decision to bat first as his side slumped to 66-4 in the 15th over.
Rohit managed 11 before Afridi breached his defence and Virat Kohli departed for four after his angled bat deflected the ball onto his stump.
Haris Rauf dismissed Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill to pin India on the mat before Hardik Pandya (87) and Ishan Kishan (82) forged a 138-run partnership to arrest India’s slide.
With both looking set, India reached the 200-mark in the 37th over and a 300-plus total looked well within their reach before Rauf (3-58) dismissed Kishan.
Afridi (4-35) returned to dismiss Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over, while his new ball partner Naseem Shah (3-36) polished off India’s tail.
The neighbours, who play each other only in multi-team events because of their soured political relations, would clash again in the Super Four stage provided India can avoid an upset against Nepal on Monday.
For fans across the country, Ariana Television (ATN) will broadcast all the matches live each day starting at 1:30 pm.
CLICK HERE for the broadcasting schedule
The Morocco national futsal team defeated Afghanistan 4–0 in the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
This was Afghanistan’s third match in the tournament. Earlier, the Afghan team defeated Tajikistan and held Iran to a draw, showing strong form before facing Morocco.
Despite the loss, Afghanistan remains a competitive side in the regional futsal championship, demonstrating growing potential in the sport.
The Islamic Solidarity Games features more than 3,000 athletes from 57 Islamic countries competing across 19 sporting disciplines.
Ariana Television Network (ATN) holds the exclusive broadcasting rights in Afghanistan for the Riyadh 2025 Games.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Friday that it will host West Indies for a three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 19 to 22.
The series will begin on January 19, with the second and third T20Is scheduled for January 21 and 22. It is expected to provide both teams with valuable match practice and will play a key role in their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled less than a month after the series.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said: “Competing against West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance preparations for the upcoming tournament in India and Sri Lanka. We have been closely monitoring the team’s preparation process, and facing a quality West Indies side offers an ideal platform for their buildup.”
CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe added: “This series provides an ideal platform for our preparations. Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, while also giving our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka.”
Series Schedule:
Afghanistan’s national cricket team continued their dominant form in the Hong Kong Sixes tournament on Friday, recording back-to-back victories over Nepal and South Africa.
Against South Africa, Afghanistan posted 148 runs in six overs. Captain Gulbadin Naib starred with 50 runs off just 12 balls, while Karim Janat added 46 from 11 deliveries. South Africa could muster only 99 runs in response, giving Afghanistan a commanding 49-run win.
Earlier on Friday, Afghanistan had defeated Nepal by 17 runs, marking a perfect start to the tournament.
The Hong Kong Sixes features twelve teams, each with six players, competing in a fast-paced, six-over format.
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