Sport

Kolkata Knight Riders hammer Delhi Capitals in heatwave-hit IPL

Published

2 years ago

April 30, 2024

Phil Salt’s attacking 68 and bowling figures of 3-16 by Varun Chakravarthy helped Kolkata Knight Riders hammer Delhi Capitals by seven wickets at a hot and humid Eden Gardens in the IPL on Monday.

Chakravarthy, a mystery spinner, led Kolkata’s disciplined bowling to restrict Delhi to 153-9 as players, who remained drenched in sweat, and fans braved the intense heat in the colonial-era capital.

Players from all the 10 IPL teams are keen to impress their national selectors with just one day left for countries to name their teams for the T20 World Cup in June.

The in-form Salt, an England wicketkeeper-batsman, led the chase with an opening stand of 79 with Sunil Narine and the two-time champions reached their target with 3.3 overs to spare.

“It is high-risk but it is also about putting the odds in your favor and not taking the risks you don’t want to,” Salt said of his attacking game.

“You just have to keep backing yourself and keep taking the right options.”

The mercury in the afternoon soared above 41 degrees Celsius for the third time this month, forcing the normally bustling streets to stay empty at noon.

But the sports-mad city witnessed a near-packed house at the 66,000 capacity stadium for the evening game and their home team did not disappoint with their sixth win in nine matches to move closer to booking a play-off spot.

Most of India’s eastern states and southern peninsula have remained under government heatwave alerts since last week, with relief not expected for several more days.

‘Learn from mistakes’
Delhi elected to bat first but lost regular wickets including Prithvi Shaw for 13 and fellow opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, out for 12 off let-arm quick Mitchell Starc.

Skipper Rishabh Pant attempted to resist the slide in his unconvincing knock of 27 before he was dismissed by man of the Chakravarthy.

Chakravarthy rattled the middle and lower-order to make Delhi slip to 111-8 before number nine Kuldeep Yadav claimed an unbeaten 35.

“I think that (batting first) was a good option but as a batting unit, we did not bat well enough. 150 was definitely below par,” said Pant.

“That is part and parcel of cricket. We have a long break ahead, where we can learn from our mistakes.”

Salt, who moved into the top five batsmen this IPL season with 392 runs, put the chase on track along with fellow opener Narine as the two clobbered 23 runs off the first over from Lizaad Williams.

He reached his fourth half-century of the season in 26 balls with a six off Khaleel Ahmed but fell to spinner Axar Patel after his 33-ball knock laced with seven fours and five sixes.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer, who made 33, and Venkatesh Iyer, who hit the winning six in his 23, steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 57.

The match was a complete contrast to the previous game at the venue when Punjab Kings chased down an IPL record of 262 on another hot day. – AFP

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Excitement builds as ATN gears up for live coverage of Afghanistan Champions League

The Afghanistan Champions League is one of the country’s most prestigious football tournaments, featuring top clubs and elite players from across the provinces. The event aims to elevate the standard of Afghan football, inspire young players, and celebrate national unity through sport.

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2025

Ariana News

The countdown has begun! With just nine days left before the kickoff of the Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) Season 5, excitement is growing among football fans across the country.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) has secured exclusive rights to produce, host and broadcast the entire tournament live across Afghanistan, bringing every match, goal, and moment of drama straight to fans’ screens.

This year’s event will kick off on Saturday, November 22 and run for a month.

The draw will meanwhile take place on Sunday evening, November 16, from 7pm Kabul time and will be broadcast and streamed live on Ariana Radio & Television Network (ATN), Ariana News, as well as on Ariana Sport’s YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.

According to organizers, preparations are in full swing for what promises to be a thrilling season. Teams are finalizing their squads, stadiums are being readied, and fans are eagerly awaiting the first whistle. The competition will feature intense matchups, highlighting both established

stars and emerging talents from Afghanistan’s rapidly growing football scene.

An ATN spokesperson said the network is fully prepared to deliver comprehensive live coverage throughout the tournament. “Ariana Television Network is proud to bring the excitement of the Afghanistan Champions League to every corner of the country. Football unites us all, and ATN is committed to showcasing the best of Afghan sport,” the spokesperson said.

The Afghanistan Champions League stands as a symbol of the nation’s resilience and passion for sport — and with only nine days to go, the stage is set for a celebration of skill, teamwork, and national pride, all broadcast live only on Ariana Television.

This year, 10 teams will battle it out for the trophy. The teams are as follows:

Istiqlal Kabul FC
Khurasan Faryab FC
Sorkh Poshan Khafi
Abu Muslim Farah FC
Aino Mina FC
Arman FC
Sarsabz Yashlar FC
Jawanan Pirozi
Sarafan Herat
Ettifaq Khanzada

Sport

Afghanistan crushes India 93–26 at IWBF Asia Oceania Championships

Published

4 days ago

November 10, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s wheelchair basketball team earned its second consecutive victory at the 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships on Monday, defeating India 93–26.

Earlier, Afghanistan had triumphed over New Zealand in their opening match.

The tournament features men’s teams from 14 countries, including Australia, China, Iran, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

Afghanistan is set to play Iraq next on Tuesday.

Sport

Türkiye leads Riyadh 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games medal table

Uzbekistan sits in second place with a total of 16 medals – 4 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze.

Published

4 days ago

November 10, 2025

Ariana News

Türkiye is currently dominating the medal table at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games – Riyadh 2025, with 36 in total, including 26 gold medals, 6 silvers and 4 bronze

Uzbekistan sits in second place with a total of 16 medals – 4 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze.

Nigeria, Indonesia and Kazakhstan are in third, fourth and fifth place respectively.

Afghanistan has not yet clinched a medal but with 69 athletes representing the country, across 13 sports, spirits are high that some medals will be brought home with the team.

Afghanistan’s athletes at the Games will participate in in athletics (2), boxing (2), futsal (14), ju-jitsu (7), karate (3), muay thai (2), swimming (4), table tennis (2), taekwondo (5), volleyball (12), weightlifting (4), wrestling (9), and wushu (3).

This marks Afghanistan’s largest-ever team at the Islamic Solidarity Games, reflecting renewed national investment in sports development and international competition.

The 2025 edition of the Games will also mark the 25th anniversary of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association, underscoring the event’s role in promoting unity, cultural exchange, and peace among Muslim nations.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) is Afghanistan’s official broadcaster for the Games, and fans across the country can tune in daily to watch this exciting tournament live.

The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 officially got underway in Riyadh on Friday, November 7, and will close on November 21.

The games will feature approximately 3,500 athletes from 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation competing in 21 sports and 2 para sports. The event returns to Saudi Arabia after 20 years, as the inaugural games were held there in 2005.