Sport
Pathirana-inspired Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in Asia Cup

Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana returned impressive figures of 4-32 to help Sri Lanka to a comprehensive five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup match on Thursday.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana struck early before Pathirana joined forces to dismiss Bangladesh for 164 in the opener of the Sri Lanka leg of the 50-over tournament, a precursor to October’s ODI World Cup in India, AFP reported.
Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made 54, and Charith Asalanka, unbeaten on 62, guided the chase in their key stand of 78 after Sri Lanka lost their openers early and slipped to 43-3.
Samarawickrama registered his fourth ODI half-century to raise the noise of the sparse crowd at the scenic venue.
He finally fell stumped off spinner Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan soon sent back Dhananjaya de Silva, but the left-handed Asalanka pulled the team home in 39 overs with a winning boundary.
Asalanka reached his 50 in 85 balls to play a patient knock on a pitch where run-scoring did not seem easy. Skipper Dasun Shanaka stood unbeaten on 14.
The bowlers set up victory with Pathirana, whose yorkers have earned him comparisons to Lasith Malinga, picking up key wickets including skipper Shakib and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim.
Top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto made 89 to play a lone hand in Bangladesh’s innings after they elected to bat first but lasted for only 42.4 overs.
Theekshana struck first when he trapped debutant Tanzid Hasan lbw for nought while De Silva soon sent back fellow opener Mohammad Naim for 16.
Shanto, who bats at number three, stood calm after Bangladesh lost their openers and put on key partnerships including a 59-run fourth-wicket stand with Towhid Hridoy, who was next best with 20.
He registered his fourth ODI half-century and hit seven boundaries but the rest of the batting fell flat.
Pathirana got skipper Shakib caught behind for five with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking a diving catch to his left.
Later he returned to wipe off the tail after Theekshana bowled Shanto with his mystery spin to end the left-hander’s 122-ball knock.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s run-out only added to Bangladesh’s woes, after a mix-up with Shanto.
Sri Lanka, who won the T20 edition of the tournament in Dubai last year, are co-hosting with Pakistan and will next play Afghanistan in Lahore.
Pakistan, who won the tournament opener against Nepal, will clash with arch-rivals India in Pallekele on Saturday.
AFP
Sport
IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians crush Delhi Capitals to secure playoffs berth

Mumbai Indians stormed into the IPL playoffs with a commanding 59-run victory over Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday night.
Suryakumar Yadav was the star of the show, crafting a masterful 73 from 43 balls, pushing MI to 180-5.
Though Delhi’s bowlers held control for most of the innings, costly final overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera saw MI add 48 runs in a dramatic finish.
During the chase, Delhi never found rhythm, crumbling to 121 all out in just 18.2 overs.
Mitchell Santner’s superb spell (3-11) and Jasprit Bumrah’s expert variations (3-12) led the charge, ensuring a ruthless finish.
MI’s playoff spot is now secured, while Delhi exits the tournament.
MI join Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings in the playoffs but there is still room for manoeuvre amidst the top four with just two points separating the teams and a coveted top-two place still available to them all.
Fans can tune in to watch today’s (Thursday May 22) match which will see Gujarat Titans take on Lucknow Super Giants at 6.30pm.
Sport
FIFA Club WC: LAFC and Club América to clash on May 31 for final berth

The last FIFA Club World Cup 2025 place will be decided at BMO Stadium when the Concacaf rivals meet in a play-in match.
The final club to qualify for the highly-anticipated FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be determined on Saturday, 31 May, when US side Los Angeles FC and Mexican powerhouse Club América go head-to-head in a high-stakes match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
Following the recent Court of Arbitration for Sport decisions, FIFA decided that the final club to be admitted to the tournament will be determined by a play-in match between Los Angeles FC (the runners-up to Club León in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League) and Club América (the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club
World Cup confederation ranking at the conclusion of the Concacaf Champions Cup staged in 2024, the final year of the qualifying period for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025).
In the event that the match is level after 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time, with an interval of five minutes, will be contested. If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the winners will be determined by a penalty shoot-out.
The winners of the play-in will claim the final spot at this year’s global club showpiece and will take their place in Group D alongside Brazil’s CR Flamengo, Tunisian outfit Espérance and English side Chelsea FC.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will bring together 32 elite teams from all six confederations, with the action set to kick off at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, 14 June.
A total of 63 matches will take place across 11 Host Cities – Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. – culminating in what promises to be a spectacular final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 13 July, when the FIFA club world champions will be crowned.
The final spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is still open because Club León was disqualified due to FIFA’s multi-club ownership rules.
This decision follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which dismissed appeals from León and other clubs attempting to challenge their exclusion.
Sport
From underdogs to global contenders: Afghanistan’s futsal rise

Afghanistan’s national futsal team has been making waves on the global stage in the past few years, proving that resilience and talent can overcome even the toughest challenges.
Their journey from underdogs on the global platform to serious contenders has been nothing short of inspiring.
In line with this, Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has remained committed to helping develop the sport in the country and will once again produce and broadcast Afghanistan Futsal Premier League Season 4, which is scheduled to kick off on June 6 and end on August 12.
Ten teams will take part in this year’s tournament, playing a total of 90 matches in a round-robin format.
While the start of the tournament is still more than two weeks away, anticipation is growing.
First up however is Saturday’s tournament draw which will be broadcast live on Ariana Television and Ariana News from 3pm.
Growing interest
In September 2024, Afghanistan made history by competing in their first-ever Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.
They faced top teams like Argentina, Paraguay, and Ukraine, securing a thrilling 6-4 victory over Angola before narrowly losing to Argentina 2-1 and Ukraine 4-1.
Despite these setbacks, they advanced to the round of 16, where they fought hard against Paraguay but were eliminated 3-1 after extra time.
Their performance ignited national pride and inspired young athletes across the country.
More recently, in April 2025, Afghanistan continued to impress at the Copa BETesporte Intercontinental de Seleções in Brazil and a four-nation tournament in Morocco.
They battled world-class opponents, earning critical wins and proving their ability to compete at the highest level.
Their matches against Brazil and Iran showcased their discipline and determination, while their victories over Greenland highlighted their growing consistency.
Despite limited resources and infrastructure, Afghanistan’s futsal team has demonstrated remarkable progress and their success is a testament to the passion and dedication of their players, coaches, and supporters.
As they continue to rise, they are not just making a name for themselves in futsal but also bringing hope and pride to their nation.
Domestic tournaments key to growing futsal arena
Domestic tournaments, meanwhile, play a crucial role in Afghanistan’s futsal landscape, serving as a platform for talent development, national pride, and international recognition.
In line with this, ATN is committed to supporting the team on its journey to success, and tournaments like the Afghanistan Futsal Premier League provide young players with opportunities to showcase their skills and gain professional experience.
Fan Zone
The games will be held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Futsal Committee Gymnasium.
Two matches will take place each day – both of which will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television.
Fans meanwhile can tune in to Ariana Television and Ariana News at 3pm on Saturday for what will undoubtedly be an exciting tournament draw.
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