Abu Dhabi Knight Riders all-rounders Andre Russell and Sherfane Rutherford have been fined for separate breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct following their DP World ILT20 Season 4 match against Sharjah Warriorz in Abu Dhabi on Monday night.

The sanctions were imposed by match referee Simon Taufel.

Rutherford was fined 50 percent of his match fee after being found guilty of breaching Article 2.2 for a second time this season. As a repeat offence, the incident was classified as a Level 2 breach.

Russell received a fine of 10 percent of his match fee for breaching Article 2.2, which relates to the abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, or ground fixtures during a match.

Sharjah Warriorz meanwhile held their nerve to secure a dramatic four-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on the final ball at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Chasing 135, the Warriorz were guided by an unbeaten 42 off 29 balls from James Rew, while Sikandar Raza added 28 as the pair stitched together a crucial partnership to take the team home. The win lifted Sharjah to six points with two matches remaining, tightening the race for the final playoff spots.

Earlier, Taskin Ahmed and Wasim Akram ripped through the Knight Riders’ top order, reducing them to 10/4 inside four overs. Sherfane Rutherford top-scored with 44 off 36, while late hitting from Andre Russell and Jason Holder pushed the total to 134/9. Adil Rashid starred with the ball for Sharjah, claiming three wickets.

Despite a tense finish that left 12 runs required from the final over, Rew and Rashid calmly saw the chase through to seal a vital victory for the Warriorz.

ILT20 is being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television across Afghanistan. Fans can tune in from 2pm today, Tuesday December 24, to watch MI Emirates take on Dubai Capitals.

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr will take on Iraq’s Al-Zawraa in a crucial AFC Champions League Two group-stage encounter tomorrow, Wednesday December 24, as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the competition.

The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.

With a squad packed with international stars and attacking depth, the Saudi club will be targeting another positive result to move closer to qualification for the knockout stages.

Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq’s most successful clubs, arrive determined to bounce back and keep their continental hopes alive.

Known for their discipline and resilience, the Baghdad-based side will be looking to frustrate the hosts and capitalize on any opportunities on the counterattack.

The encounter is expected to draw significant attention from football fans across the region, as the AFC Champions League Two continues to showcase competitive clashes between leading clubs.

The match will be broadcast across Afghanistan live and exclusively on Ariana News from 8:30pm.

Afghanistan has participated in the Global Handball Congress held in Cairo, Egypt, with the head of the Afghanistan Handball Federation attending the international gathering alongside representatives from 107 member countries of the International Handball Federation (IHF).

The congress took place from December 19 to 22 and included elections for leadership positions within both the global and Asian handball governing bodies.

At the conclusion of the voting process, Egypt’s Hassan Moustafa was re-elected as President of the International Handball Federation, securing another four-year term.

At the continental level, Badr Mohammed Diyab Saleh Al-Diyab was elected President of the Asian Handball Federation.

Officials from the Afghanistan Handball Federation said that several meetings were held on the sidelines of the congress with senior international handball officials, including the newly elected Asian federation president.

According to the officials, the Asian handball chief reaffirmed continued support for the development and advancement of handball in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s participation in the global congress is being viewed as an important step toward strengthening international sports relations, attracting broader institutional support, and promoting the growth of handball in the country—a sport that has faced significant challenges and limitations in recent years.