Sport
Kabul Premier League gets underway with high-scoring opener
The 2026 Kabul Premier League got underway in Kabul on Saturday, with Pamir Stars producing a dominant batting performance to defeat Shamshad Eagles by 116 runs in the opening match of the tournament.
The 20-over match was played at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground, where Shamshad Eagles won the toss and elected to field first.
Pamir Stars made the most of the opportunity, posting a formidable 307 for six from their 20 overs.
Abdul Malik led the way with a spectacular 117 from just 48 balls, while Haroon Khan added 59 from 29 deliveries to help Pamir Stars set a huge target.
Shamshad Eagles fought back with the bat but could only reach 191 for seven in their 20 overs, falling 116 runs short of the target.
Hayatullah top-scored for Shamshad Eagles with 55 from 35 balls, while Samiullah Shinwari contributed 40 from 27 deliveries.
Amir Zazai and Wakeel Ahmad took two wickets each for Pamir Stars, while Muslim Musa and Mohammad Gul Alizai claimed two wickets apiece for Shamshad Eagles.
Abdul Malik was named Player of the Match for his explosive century, giving Pamir Stars an emphatic start to their campaign.
The Kabul Premier League features six teams — Pamir Stars, Shamshad Eagles, Kabul Zalmi, Speenghar Warriors, Abaseen Defenders and Band-e-Amir. The tournament provides a platform for domestic players to compete at a high level and showcase their abilities.
All matches in the 2026 Kabul Premier League are being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, giving cricket fans across Afghanistan the opportunity to follow the tournament.
Afghanistan won two bronze medals in wushu at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with Mohammad Khalid Hotak and Hamid Ashrafi securing podium finishes.
Hotak won the bronze medal in the 70kg weight category, while Ashrafi claimed bronze in the 65kg category.
Hotak won his opening bout against a Yemeni opponent and defeated an Indonesian fighter in his second bout. He was then defeated by his Chinese opponent in the third round.
Ashrafi also won his first bout against an opponent from Macau, China, before defeating an Indonesian fighter in his second bout. He lost to a Chinese opponent in the third bout.
The 20th Asian Games began on Saturday in Nagoya, Japan, with athletes from 45 Asian countries competing across 43 sports.
Afghanistan is represented by athletes in nine sports at the Games.
Toofan Herat secured a 2–1 victory over Khurasan Faryab in the Afghanistan Champions League on Thursday, earning three points in the sixth season of the competition.
Enayatullah Kohi was named Man of the Match in Thursday’s game.
The result gives Toofan a second win of the campaign after the Herat side opened the season with a 3–1 victory over Istiqlal Kabul.
Toofan subsequently lost 2–0 to Ariana Khost and 3–1 to Sorkh Poshan Khafi before returning to winning ways against Khurasan.
The sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League features 10 teams and is being played in a two-stage, home-and-away format, with the competition scheduled to run until November 21.
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) is broadcasting all Afghanistan Champions League matches live and exclusively in Afghanistan. Fans can follow ATN’s social media platforms for schedules, results, updates and highlights.
Ariana Khost defeated Sarsabz Yashlar Faryab 2–1 in the 20th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan on Thursday in Kabul.
Neither side managed to find the net in the first half despite several attempts, with the opening 45 minutes ending goalless.
In the second half, Sarsabz Yashlar defender Feroz Rahmani accidentally headed the ball into his own net while attempting to clear it in the 74th minute, giving Ariana Khost the lead.
Three minutes later, Waris Shirzai doubled Ariana Khost’s advantage in the 77th minute.
Sarsabz Yashlar pulled one back in the 87th minute when Farid Ahmad Hussainzada scored a spectacular long-range goal, but Ariana Khost held on to secure a 2–1 victory.
Ariana Khost’s Alireza Rahimi was named Player of the Match after an impressive performance.
Ariana Khost will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi on September 28, while Sarsabz Yashlar will take on Arman FC on the same day.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
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