Connect with us

Sport

Netherlands keep World Cup hopes alive with Oman win

Published

on

The Netherlands kept their bid to qualify for the Cricket World Cup alive as Vikramjit Singh’s hundred set up a comfortable victory over Oman on Monday.

The Dutch, who have not played at the global one-day showpiece since 2011, needed to win to stay in contention for a place at the tournament in India later this year.

Singh’s maiden one-day international ton and Wesley Barresi’s 65-ball 97 helped the Netherlands rack up 362-7 from 48 overs after being put in to bat first in a weather-affected match.

Oman never looked likely to complete the run chase despite 105 not out from Ayaan Khan, finishing on 246-6 after 44 overs when play was ended due to bad light.

The Netherlands’ winning margin of 74 runs on DLS method in Harare also boosted their net run-rate, which could prove crucial.

The top two teams in the Super Six table reach the World Cup, with one place still on offer after Sri Lanka qualified by beating Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Hosts Zimbabwe could clinch the second spot with victory over Scotland on Tuesday, but if the Scots win that match, it would all but set up a winner-takes all clash between Scotland and the Netherlands on Thursday.

“Obviously some results that have to go our way. We cannot do anything about it. We will prepare for our next game,” said Dutch captain Scott Edwards.

The 10-team World Cup will take place from October 5-November 19.

The Dutch made a solid start to their innings, trying to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Sri Lanka, until Max O’Dowd was bowled by Ayaan for 35.

Barresi’s arrival quickened the scoring, as the 39-year-old smashed 10 fours and three sixes before falling just short of a hundred.

Singh’s 110 came from 109 balls before he was dismissed by Mohammad Nadeem.

“Amazing. I waited a long time for this, finally getting my maiden ODI hundred, feels unreal,” he said.

Bas de Leede struck 39 off 19 balls and Saqib Zulfiqar 33 from 17 as the Netherlands posted a massive total.

Oman, who have yet to post a Super Six win, slipped to 78-3 in reply before Ayaan’s resistance.

He ended not out from just 92 balls but a strong Dutch bowling display was epitomized by spinner Aryan Dutt’s figures of 3-31 from 10 overs.

Oman will complete their campaign against fellow eliminated side the West Indies on Wednesday.

Pathum Nissanka’s sublime unbeaten 101 propelled Sri Lanka to a place in this year’s Cricket World Cup in India as the 1996 winners trounced hosts Zimbabwe by nine wickets on Sunday.

Sri Lanka had bowled out Zimbabwe for a modest 165 inside 33 overs and Nissanka never gave the hosts a hope of victory with his superb innings lifting Sri Lanka to 169 for one in their Super Six stage match.

Zimbabwe can still qualify if they beat Scotland on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers had performed admirably in skittling the hosts out – man of the match Maheesh Theekshana taking 4-25.

Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka said it was crucial for them to be at the sport’s quadrennial showpiece – another former winner West Indies are missing out for the first time after losing to Scotland on Saturday.

“It was a much-needed thing for Sri Lanka to play on that big stage,” said Shanaka.

“See coming for the qualifiers. It’s always tough but still, if you go through the process…and we knew with the team we’ve got, we were going to qualify for the World Cup.”

The Zimbabweans had been up against it from the start after being put into bat by Shanaka and were left tottering on 30-3 due to a stunning opening spell by Dilshan Madushanka.

The hosts had prided themselves on getting through the first 10 overs in the previous matches in the tournament virtually unscathed – they had lost just the one wicket.

However, a fired-up Madushanka gave them a rude awakening reducing them to 8-2 beginning by dismissing Joylord Gumbie for a duck and then Wessley Madhevere for one.

He snapped up the key wicket of captain Craig Ervine for just 14, the 37-year-old with over 100 ODI appearances for the hosts nicking the ball to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.

Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza steadied the ship – only after the former had escaped when Matheesha Pathirana dropped a simple chance off Madushanka prompting a withering look from Sri Lankan coach Chris Silverwood.

They put on a fluent partnership of 68 but just as they were hitting their boot straps Raza on 31 holed out to Madushanka off the bowling of Shanaka to leave the hosts 98-4.

They recovered briefly thanks to 19 – including three sixes – coming off a Dhananjaya over.

Williams brought up his half century with a beautifully executed four in Shanaka’s next over.

However, his elation was to turn to despair soon afterwards.

Shanaka made an inspired bowling change bringing on Theekshana for his second spell in place of the the expensive Dhananjaya and with just his fifth ball bowled Williams for 56.

Theekshana struck again dismissing Burl for 16 with a similar type delivery to reduce the hosts to 130-6 and it became 144-7 when he trapped Luke Jongwe lbw for 10.

The Zimbabwe tail failed to wag with the unpredictable Matheesha Pathirana taking two of the remaining three wickets in one over.

Ervine said despite the heavy defeat they would stick to their gameplan for Tuesday’s match.

“I don’t think we need to prepare any differently from what we have been doing in this tournament (against Scotland),” said Ervine.

“We have been playing some very good cricket. Sri Lanka were much better than us today.”

Sport

Afghanistan beat Ireland by 3 wickets in third ODI

Published

on

Afghanistan’s national cricket team defeated Ireland by three wickets on Monday in the third ODI of the five-match series in Belfast.

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Ireland were bowled out for 206 runs in 46.3 overs, setting Afghanistan a target of 207 runs.

Rashid Khan and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar claimed three wickets each for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s batters then produced a solid performance in the second innings, chasing down the target for the loss of seven wickets in 44.5 overs.

Afghanistan had also won the second match by 92 runs.

The fourth match between the two teams will be played on Wednesday, August 12, in Belfast, Ireland.

Fans can watch the fourth match live and exclusively in Afghanistan on Ariana Television.

Continue Reading

Sport

Sorkh Poshan Khawafi lead Afghanistan U17 Champions League after week six

Published

on

Sorkh Poshan Khawafi are leading the Afghanistan Champions League U17 standings after week six, having collected 15 points from six matches.

According to the latest standings released by the Afghanistan Football Federation, Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have won five of their six matches and suffered one defeat. They have scored 22 goals and conceded just two, giving them a +20 goal difference.

Sarsabz Yashlar sit second with 14 points, following four wins and two draws, while Aino Mina are third, also on 14 points but with an inferior goal difference.

Arman FC are fourth with 12 points, followed by Khurasan Faryab with 10 points and Toofan Herat with eight.

In the lower half of the table, Ettifaq Khanzadah have six points, Abu Muslim FC have five, while Jawanan Perozi and Istiqlal Kabul are yet to earn a point after six matches.

Istiqlal Kabul have conceded 35 goals, the most in the competition so far, while Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have the tournament’s strongest attack with 22 goals.

The Afghanistan Champions League U17 is being contested by 10 teams and is being held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.

Continue Reading

Sport

Abasin Defenders stun Kabul Zalmi in Kabul Premier League

Published

on

Abasin Defenders produced a dominant bowling performance to defeat Kabul Zalmi in the second match of the Kabul Premier League on Saturday, August 8, at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground in Kabul.

Kabul Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings quickly unravelled as Abasin Defenders’ bowlers struck regularly.

Kabul Zalmi were bowled out for 63 in 7.2 overs, leaving Abasin Defenders with a modest target to chase.

Sediqullah Pacha was the standout performer for Abasin Defenders, claiming the Player of the Match award for his match-winning bowling performance.

Abasin Defenders chased down the target comfortably to secure a convincing victory and get their Kabul Premier League campaign off to a winning start.

The result followed the opening match of the tournament earlier on Saturday, when Pamir Stars defeated Shamshad Eagles by 116 runs.

The Kabul Premier League features six teams — Pamir Stars, Shamshad Eagles, Kabul Zalmi, Speenghar Warriors, Abasin Defenders and Band-e-Amir — competing in the 2026 tournament.

All matches are being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, allowing cricket fans across Afghanistan to follow the competition.

 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Ariana News. All rights reserved!


Warning: Undefined array key "slug" in /var/www/vhosts/ariananews.af/httpdocs/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json.php on line 2117

Warning: Undefined array key "slug" in /var/www/vhosts/ariananews.af/httpdocs/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json.php on line 2117

Warning: Undefined array key "slug" in /var/www/vhosts/ariananews.af/httpdocs/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json.php on line 2117