Sport
IPL: Lucknow Super Giants earn first win after beating Punjab Kings by 21 runs
Lucknow Super Giants registered a 21-run win over Punjab Kings on Friday in Lucknow to pick up their first win of the IPL 2024 campaign.
Lucknow posted a target of 200 for Punjab to chase thanks to a Quinton de Kock half-century and quick knocks from Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya. The hosts managed to limit PBKS to 178/5 as debutant Mayank Yadav starred with a three-wicket haul, while Mohsin Khan picked up two wickets.
PBKS were given a brilliant start to the chase by skipper Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow as the pair put up a 100-run partnership before Bairstow fell to Mayank Yadav.
The Debutant pacer shook the Punjab batting order by going on to scalp Prabhsimram Singh and Jitesh Sharam.
Dhawan’s 70-run knock came to an end as he was scalped by Mohsin Khan, who removed Sam Curran in the very next ball to rattle Punjab.
Liam Livingstone and Shashank Singh remained unbeaten at 28 and 9 respectively, but the Punjab side were limited to 178 by the Lucknow bowling unit.
Lucknow Super Giants’ opening pair of Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul managed to start off the batting powerplay steadily. But just as Rahul looked to pick up the pace, Arshdeep Singh got the dismissal. This was followed by the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal who started strong but was unable to stick around for long.
Marcus Stoinis who came in at number four, de Kock and the skipper Nicholas Pooran took charge of the innings as the pair managed to hit the boundaries in regular intervals with the South Africa keeper-batter bringing up his first fifty of the season.
Arshdeep struck for the second tome as he got the big wicket of de Kock who looked to be settled for a big knock. Pooran on the other hand picked up the pace but was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada who got the big wicket of the skipper.
Krunal Pandya looked to be in fine touch with the bat as he helped the side finish with a total of 199/8 on the board. Despite the lack of specialist batters on the other end, he managed to take charge and score some crucial runs, finishing with a score of 43 off 22 deliveries.
Sunday, March 31, will see Gujarat Titans take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals face Chennai Super Kings.
IPL fans in Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television, or stream live at www.arianatelevision.com, to watch these matches.
(With inputs from CNN-News 18)
Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan have secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 after strong performances at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.
The three Asian sides join hosts Qatar as confirmed representatives from the Asian Football Confederation for the expanded 48-team tournament later this year.
Japan booked their place after defeating Qatar and then beating China 2-1 in Group B. Anthony Motosuna and Maki Kitahara scored the goals that sealed a second straight victory and guaranteed qualification.
Saudi Arabia also advanced from Group A after a 2-0 win over Thailand. Marwan Al Yami opened the scoring early before Hassan Al Okrush added a late second goal, giving the Saudis six points from two matches following their opening win against Myanmar.
Tajikistan joined them after edging Myanmar 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Asadbek Makhtumov. The victory followed Tajikistan’s opening 2-0 win over Thailand and secured their place in Qatar 2026.
More teams could qualify on Sunday as the second round of matches in Groups C and D continues, with the final group-stage fixtures set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A delegation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has traveled to China following an official invitation from the Chinese government, in a move aimed at strengthening sports diplomacy and expanding technical cooperation in cricket between the two countries.
The delegation includes national coach Nawroz Mangal and players Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Faisal Shinozada, and Wahidullah Zadran.
Before their departure, ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan met with the delegation, reaffirming the board’s commitment to developing and globalizing Afghan cricket. He also referenced previous international engagement efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation focused on cricket development and technical collaboration.
Naseeb Khan highlighted existing economic and industrial ties between Afghanistan and China, expressing optimism that sports cooperation—particularly in cricket—could further strengthen bilateral relations. He emphasized that knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and joint development initiatives would support the growth of the sport in both countries.
During their visit, the Afghan delegation is expected to hold discussions on cricket development, community engagement, and the role of sport in society. The program also includes participation in workshops, attendance at a cricket match organized by Chinese cricket authorities, and visits to sports technology and innovation exhibitions.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has increasingly pursued regional partnerships in recent years. Last year, it signed a cooperation agreement with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation covering technical exchange, capacity building, development programs, and educational workshops aimed at expanding cricket infrastructure and expertise in the region.
The United States is set to welcome the world with a major opening ceremony for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as Los Angeles prepares to host a star-powered celebration marking the start of the tournament across North America.
FIFA announced that global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla will headline the ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, June 12.
The event will officially launch what FIFA described as a “historic summer of football” across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Organizers said the ceremony will combine football, music and entertainment in a large-scale production designed to reflect the cultural diversity and global appeal of the tournament.
Gianni Infantino said the ceremony in Los Angeles would showcase the scale and ambition of the 2026 World Cup, adding that the lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the power of music to unite people.
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three opening ceremonies will take place across the three host nations. Mexico City will host the first ceremony on June 11, followed by celebrations in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.
The opening match in the United States will see the U.S. national team face Paraguay. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a record 104 matches across 16 host cities, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Football fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow all the action live on the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. ATN will broadcast matches live on Ariana Television, providing full coverage of the world’s biggest football event for Afghan viewers.
Fans are also encouraged to stay connected with Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for the latest updates, including match schedules, team news, and other FIFA World Cup 2026 developments as the tournament draws closer.
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