Sport
KPL: Kabul Zalmi defeats Abasin Defenders by 4 wickets
The Kabul Premier League (KPL) is well underway and drawing much excitement among cricket supporters around the country.
Wednesday’s matches kept Pamir Stars on top of the log after they secured their second win of the tournament against Shamshad Eagles.
While Shamshad Eagles won the toss and elected to bowl first, Pamir Stars held on to their winning streak with the help of Shahzad Mohammadi’s century. They defeated the Eagles by 38 runs.
So far Pamir Stars have two wins and zero losses to their name, while the Eagles sit at the bottom of the table with no wins after two games.
In Wednesday’s second match of the day, Kabul Zalmi defeated Abasin Defenders by 4 wickets. Both matches were held at the Ayobi Sports Complex in Kabul.
Kabul Zalmi meanwhile put in an incredible batting show in the 2nd inning as they chased down Defenders’s 156-run target.
On Tuesday, day two of the exciting league tournament, Shamshad Eagles lost to Abasin Defenders by six wickets while the other match saw Kabul Zalmi and Shaheen Hunters share a point after the match was rained out.
On Monday Pamir Stars beat Shaheen Hunters in the opening match.
On Thursday, July 27, Pamir Stars will take on Kabul Zalmi in the first of two matches. This early morning match will be followed by the second match of the day between Shamshad Eagles and Shaheen Hunters.
Tune in to enjoy each match live
Ariana Television Network (ATN) has the rights to produce and broadcast the new T20 domestic cricket league tournament, which will run through to August 2
The new league, aptly named Kabul Premier League – or KPL2023 – will be played at the Ayobi Sports Complex and consists of five franchises. Teams will play through the season with the top four going through to the playoffs and then the finals.
Each team will comprise 16 players and the tournament will run for at least eight days in July each year.
In support of local cricket development, ATN is excited to have secured the rights to film, produce and broadcast this tournament, which is certain to help improve the skills of individual players.
For the most part, two matches will be held a day and ATN will broadcast both.
This includes terrestrial broadcasts and digital.
This latest scoop is one of a growing list of exciting sporting events that ATN has lined up for its loyal fans and supporters.
To watch tomorrow’s exciting matches be sure to tune in to Ariana Television from 8am on Thursday morning.
CLICK BELOW for the full broadcasting schedule:
In the twenty-ninth match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Aino Mina edged past Jawanan Perozi 1–0.
In Tuesday’s thirtieth fixture, Abu Muslim Farah claimed a 2–1 victory over Khurasan Faryab.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s thirty-first match, Arman FC will take on Istiqlal Kabul at 10:00 a.m. Meanwhile, in the thirty-second encounter, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 p.m.
All matches are being broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the chance to follow all the excitement and drama of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
Sport
ILT20: Desert Vipers edge Gulf Giants in historic super over thriller
Gurbaz and James Vince (25 off 22) added another 54, but the scoring slowed dramatically. Only 38 runs came off the final five overs, with the Giants finishing on 179/5.
The Desert Vipers clinched a dramatic victory over the Gulf Giants in the DP World ILT20’s first-ever Super Over, extending their dominance with a sixth straight win over the Giants.
Chasing 180, the Vipers were rescued by a superb partnership between Dan Lawrence (56 off 31) and Sam Curran (44 off 36), who dragged the innings back from early trouble and levelled the scores off the final ball to force a Super Over.
Despite Azmatullah Omarzai’s impressive 4 for 32 and early blows that left the Vipers reeling at 14/2, the lower order held firm. Khuzaima Tanveer struck a crucial six in the final over before Vriitya Aravind guided the game into the tie-breaker.
Giants set the tone early
Batting first, the Gulf Giants made a strong start as Pathum Nissanka (56 off 29) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (41 off 31) blasted 58 in the powerplay. Their 73-run opening stand put the Giants in control before Noor Ahmad struck back, removing Nissanka immediately after his fourth six.
Gurbaz and James Vince (25 off 22) added another 54, but the scoring slowed dramatically. Only 38 runs came off the final five overs, with the Giants finishing on 179/5.
Vipers fight back
Omarzai and Mark Adair dismantled the top order, but Curran and Lawrence rebuilt with a 60-run stand. Lawrence brought up a brisk half-century, while late cameos from Shimron Hetmyer (16 off 8) and Hasan Nawaz (11 off 4) kept the chase alive. Omarzai again swung momentum back in the 18th over, dismissing both Hetmyer and Lawrence.
With 13 needed off the last over, Tanveer’s six and Aravind’s nerveless batting carried the match into the Super Over.
Vipers dominate the tie-breaker
Lawrence smashed 10 runs as the Vipers posted 13/1 in the Super Over. Naseem Shah then bowled a tight over, restricting the Giants to just nine and sealing the Vipers’ third consecutive win of the season.
Reactions
Sam Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain, praised his side’s resilience:
“Three wins from three — I’m not complaining. Tanveer has worked incredibly hard. To hit a six under pressure and then bowl well shows how far he has come.”
Giants’ stand-in skipper Moeen Ali lamented missed opportunities:
“We made mistakes at the wrong time and let them back in. In this format, the game is never over — this was one we could easily have won.”
Brief Scores
Desert Vipers beat Gulf Giants (Super Over)
Gulf Giants 179/5 (20 ov): Nissanka 56, Gurbaz 41; Tanveer 2/23, Noor 2/47
Desert Vipers 179/9 (20 ov): Lawrence 56, Curran 44; Omarzai 4/32, Thushara 2/33
Super Over
Vipers 13/1: Lawrence 10, Hetmyer 3*; Thushara 1/13
Giants 9/0: Moeen 5*, Moores 1*; Naseem 0/9
Player of the Match: Dan Lawrence
Sorkh Poshan Khafi secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Sarsabz Yashlar in the Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) on Monday in Kabul.
The fifth match of the tournament had originally been scheduled for November 24 but was postponed following the death of former player Farhad Adil. Adil, who previously served as captain of Sarsabz Yashlar and also played for Sorkh Poshan Khafi, was found dead in Herat on November 23.
In Monday’s match, Sorkh Poshan Khafi’s goals were scored by Yasir Safi (1), Khalil Tajik (1), and Khalil Ahmad Ahmadi (2), leading their team to a decisive win.
All ACL matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television Network, giving football fans across Afghanistan the opportunity to follow the season’s action.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, Aino Mina will face Jawanan Perozi, while Abu Muslim Farah will take on Khurasan Faryab.
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