Sport

Rashid cleared to play in ‘home fixture’ against Australia

Published

4 years ago

November 3, 2022

Australia’s chances of posting a massive total against Afghanistan in Friday’s T20 World Cup match have suffered a late blow after star leg-spinner Rashid Khan was cleared to play.

Rashid, the world’s No.1 T20 bowler, got the green light to play on Thursday after twisting his knee in Wednesday’s match against Sri Lanka.

Friday’s match at the Adelaide Oval is also almost a “home fixture” for Rashid who has been a committed Adelaide Strikers member in the BBL since 2017.

Afghanistan’s assistant coach, Rais Ahmadzai, said on Thursday that: “He‘s fine now. He is very good and he’s participating in the net session so he’s OK.”

“Everyone is okay and we want to finish the tournament with some positive things.

“It‘s not going to be an easy game for us to play against Australia in these conditions but they will be under pressure because they want to win,” he said.

Rashid, nor the Afghan team, has ever played a T20 international against Australia. But for the star bowler, he is no stranger to Australia’s players and according to Australian cricket commentators he has been at the center of every discussion about what the team needs to do to win.

“I reckon everyone would have played him a number of times over the years in either BBL or IPL, things like that,” Australian skipper Aaron Finch said.

“Each guy will have their own individual plans but I certainly wasn’t expecting him to miss. I’d be surprised if he did.”

A star performer for the Adelaide Strikers in Big Bash League, Rashid will be right at home on the spin friendly wicket, where he once claimed a hat-trick.

The 24-year-old has over the past six seasons of BBL become so beloved by fans in the South Australia capital that he was reported to have joked that Friday’s match in Adelaide might effectively be a “home” fixture for his team.

“Whenever I have played at the ground, I have got so much love and support from the fans,” Rashid told reporters prior to the start of the World Cup last month.

“Definitely there will be support for Afghanistan and we won’t feel that we are playing in Australia, we will have that feeling that it’s a kind of Afghanistan home game.

“Some other players in our team were discussing that, (saying) ‘Rash, … will the Strikers fans be supporting you, or Australia?’.

“That’s the kind of questions that were going on in the team,” Australia’s cricket.com.au quoted him as saying.

Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie, who has forged a strong bond with Rashid has observed first-hand the reasons why the irrepressible leg spinner and entrepreneurial lower-order hitter has become such a local favorite.

“The reason he’s been embraced is obviously his skills and what he does on the field, but it’s also the way he goes about things, how open he is and how engaging he is with our fans and the wider community,” Gillespie told cricket.com.au.

“He’s always got time for people, and his genuine enthusiasm for playing for the Adelaide Strikers has really endeared him to everyone in South Australia.

“I’m very confident that when Afghanistan play they’ll get some really strong support, not only through the Afghan community in South Australia but across the wider cricket community because Rashid’s played such a big role for the Adelaide Strikers,” he said.

Related Topics:#َAfghanistan #Rashidkhan ArianaNews Australia featured Rashid cleared to play in ‘home fixture’ against Australia

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Sorkh Poshan Khafi rout Istiqlal Kabul 6-0 in ACL season six

Published

5 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Ariana News

Sorkh Poshan Khafi secured a convincing 6-0 victory over Esteqlal Kabul today (Friday) in the 23rd match of the sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League at the Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.

Reza Gholami opened the scoring for Sorkh Poshan Khafi in the fourth minute with a header before Sohrab Afghan doubled the lead in the 21st minute.

Afghan struck again four minutes into the second half to make it 3-0, while Yar Mohammad added the fourth goal in the 52nd minute.

Sorkh Poshan Khafi completed the rout with two further goals in the 68th and 70th minutes, securing a 6-0 win.

The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.

Sport

Afghanistan Champions League: Arman FC and Aino Mina play out goalless draw

Arman FC will return to action on September 28, when they face Sarsabz Yashlar. Aino Mina Kandahar will play their next match on September 29 against Toofan Herat.

Published

8 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Ariana News

Arman FC and Aino Mina Kandahar played out a goalless draw on Friday in the 22nd match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.

Both sides started the match with an attacking approach, creating several opportunities and making efforts to break the deadlock. However, neither team was able to convert their chances as the first half ended without a goal.

The attacking contest continued after the restart, with both Arman FC and Aino Mina looking for an opening goal. Arman FC continued to push forward in search of a breakthrough, while Aino Mina also created opportunities of their own.

Despite the efforts from both sides and several attempts to find the decisive goal, neither team managed to unlock the opposition defense. The match ultimately ended 0–0, with both teams taking a point from the encounter.

The match also saw Aino Mina commit 15 fouls and receive one yellow card. Arman FC committed eight fouls and finished the game without receiving either a yellow or a red card.

Arman FC will return to action on September 28, when they face Sarsabz Yashlar. Aino Mina Kandahar will play their next match on September 29 against Toofan Herat.

Matches in the sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League are broadcast live on Ariana Television.

Sport

Nepal beat Afghanistan in Asian Games cricket

Published

12 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Ariana News

Nepal made a strong start to their Asian Games campaign on Friday, defeating Afghanistan by six wickets after bowling them out for 102.

Afghanistan, who had beaten Japan in their opening match, struggled against Nepal’s disciplined bowling attack after choosing to bat first.

Afghanistan lost their first three wickets for just 16 runs. Faisal Shinozada then steadied the innings with 30 runs from 33 balls, putting together a 39-run partnership with Najibullah Zadran.

However, Shinozada’s dismissal triggered another collapse, with Afghanistan falling from 55 for four to 65 for six. Zadran remained at the crease and scored 30, while Nangeyalia Kharote added 17 runs to help Afghanistan pass 100.

Nepal’s bowlers Lalit Rajbanshi and Kushal Bhurtel were the main contributors. Rajbanshi took three wickets for 13 runs, while Bhurtel claimed four for 21 and came close to a hat-trick.

Chasing 103, Nepal also lost two early wickets to slip to 12 for two. Captain Rohit Paudel and Sundeep Jora then steadied the innings.

Paudel remained unbeaten on 33, while Jora scored 34 as Nepal comfortably moved towards the target and completed the chase with six wickets in hand.

The victory gives Nepal a winning start to their Asian Games campaign, while Afghanistan now have one win and one defeat from their opening two matches.

Nepal will face Japan on September 26, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.