Sport

Rashid Khan makes waves as he steps into role of IPL all-rounder

Published

4 years ago

May 1, 2022

Rashid Khan is known as one of the best leg-spinners in the world but commentators are starting to wonder if he isn’t fast becoming an impressive all-rounder, especially in the IPL short format.

After having been snapped up by the new team on the block, the Gujarat Titans, Rashid’s batting skills are on the mark in this year’s tournament – skills which have helped his team leap-frog their way up to the top of the points table.

With a reputation of being a wicket-taker formed by playing all these years in IPL, the batters don’t take risks against him. This year however, in IPL 2022, batters have taken a more defensive approach with him – leaving him with fewer wickets than he’d like.

However, he has scalped nine wickets from nine matches with an outstanding economy of 7.11.

Over the years, he has been phenomenal in the IPL taking 102 wickets from 85 matches with an economy of just 6.41 but this year, Rashid has stepped up his game to become a key batter in only a few matches.

Going into the IPL 2022, the responsibility of finishing the innings was going to be in the hands of Rahul Tewatia and Hardik Pandya. David Miller was also in the team but his IPL numbers were not so impressive as he had scored only 124 runs in 2021 while 213 runs in 2019.

This meant the batting not only lacked depth but Hardik started playing in the middle-order for the team.

In came Rashid. In the game against Chennai Super Kings, the team was chasing a target of 170 runs but were reduced to 87/5 at one stage. David Miller went on to rescue the team with his half-century but Rashid played a perfect supporting act by playing a cameo.

His knock was so effective that it turned the game on its head and a tough target was within the team’s reach.

Rashid secured 25 runs from a single over off Chris Jordan, which tilted the game in Gujarat Titans’ favor.

His cameo of 40 runs from 21 balls helped his team win the game by three wickets in the last over but his next appearance with the bat came against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which had been on a winning streak.

Against Sunrisers, it was one of the worst days for him with the ball as he leaked 45 runs without taking any wicket and the rival team went on to post a total of 195/6.

Chasing such a huge target was going to be tough for Gujarat Titans which were reduced to 140/5 when Rashid walked in to bat.

But he was a picture of calmness and produced a remarkable finish.

Speaking to the media about his batting skills this week, Rashid said he has been quietly working on it for the past two to three years.

“From the last two-three years, I’ve been working on my batting. I have that self-belief that I should be there and finishing for the team,” Rashid said,

“I have those skills and talent but it was just about the confidence in myself that I could finish. The best thing is I get more opportunity here in this team to bat,” he said.

Facing his former franchise Hyderabad, Rashid showed how devastating his batting could be, slamming an unbeaten 31 off just 11 balls as Gujarat Titans completed an improbable chase of 195 to halt Hyderabad’s winning run.

Rashid walked in with the Titans 140/5 in 16 overs, all five wickets falling to Umran Malik’s pace. There were 56 runs needed from the last four overs, but in Rashid and Rahul Tewatia, Gujarat had two men familiar with conjuring victories out of nothing.

Rashid finished it off with three sixes in four balls, the last two coming off the final two balls when nine were needed for victory.

“The snake shot” is what he calls it, because of the way the wrists uncoil and strike.

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Afghanistan squad hit by withdrawals ahead of AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

Published

22 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Football Federation has confirmed that several players have withdrawn from the national team ahead of crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifying matches against Myanmar and Syria.

According to the federation, all eligible players were formally invited to join the squad, but a number opted out due to a range of reasons, including family commitments, injuries, security concerns in the Middle East, and club-related obligations.

The players who have withdrawn include Habibullah Askar, Owais Azizi, Abdanjam Haidari, Mohammad Naeem Rahimi, Jabbar Sharza, Faisal Ahmad Hamidi, Jamshid Achakzi, Amid Arzo, Tawfiq Sekandari, and Ramin Safi.

The federation stressed that representing the national team remains both a duty and an honor, urging players to place national commitments at the forefront.

Head coach Jose Antonio Nogueira acknowledged the challenges but indicated a shift in long-term strategy. “After the next two matches, we will place greater focus on domestic Afghan players,” he said, outlining plans to build a squad centered on locally based talent to ensure greater availability, cohesion, and commitment.

Key qualifier details

Afghanistan’s upcoming match against Myanmar in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers will take place at the Thuwunna Youth Training Centre in Yangon on 26 March at 5pm.

The fixture was originally scheduled for November 2025 but was postponed due to Afghanistan’s lack of a home venue. It had initially been set to take place in Qatar before the Asian Football Confederation approved Myanmar as the host, with both federations agreeing to the change.

Myanmar has already secured a 2-1 victory over Afghanistan in the first match.

Group standings and outlook

In Group E, Syria have already secured qualification with 15 points from five matches. Myanmar sit second with six points from four games, while Afghanistan and Pakistan have two points each, although Afghanistan have played fewer matches.

Myanmar are set to face Pakistan in their final group match on 31 March.

Despite the current setbacks, the Afghanistan Football Federation says it remains committed to rebuilding and strengthening the national side, with future decisions aimed at supporting the long-term development of football in the country.

Sport

IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan named Sunrisers’ interim captain ahead of opening clash

Kishan, 27, arrives at the leadership role on the back of strong recent form and growing stature in international cricket.

Published

2 days ago

March 23, 2026

Ariana News

With just days to go before the curtain rises on the Indian Premier League 2026 season, anticipation is building among fans worldwide for what promises to be another high-octane edition of cricket’s most lucrative T20 competition.

The 2026 campaign is set to get underway on Saturday, March 28, meaning there are less than five days remaining until the opening match.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, kicking off a tournament expected to deliver fresh rivalries, emerging stars, and dramatic finishes.

New leadership shift at Sunrisers

In one of the major developments ahead of the new season, Sunrisers Hyderabad—champions of the 2016 edition—have appointed Ishan Kishan as interim captain. The decision comes as regular skipper Pat Cummins continues his recovery from injury and is set to miss the opening matches.

Kishan, 27, arrives at the leadership role on the back of strong recent form and growing stature in international cricket. The explosive left-handed batter was a key contributor to India’s victorious campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has quickly become one of the most dynamic players in the shortest format.

He joined Sunrisers for INR 11.25 crore (about $1.2 million) during the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season and made an immediate impact.

Last season, Kishan scored 354 runs in 14 matches at an average of 35.40, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 152.58. He also announced himself in style with a blistering unbeaten 106 off just 47 deliveries in his debut match against Rajasthan Royals.

Young Indian talent Abhishek Sharma has been named vice-captain and will support Kishan in leading the side during the early phase of the tournament.

Opening clash and season expectations

Sunrisers face a tough start as they take on the defending champions RCB in the tournament opener, a match that is already generating significant buzz. With several teams undergoing squad reshuffles and strategic changes following recent auctions, IPL 2026 is expected to showcase a new competitive balance across franchises.

Broadcast details for Afghanistan

Fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow every moment of the action live, as Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. Matches will be aired live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Viewers are also encouraged to follow Ariana TV and Ariana News across social media platforms for the latest updates, breaking news, and in-depth coverage throughout the tournament.

Sport

Afghanistan secures third place at 2026 World Kokpar Championship

Published

3 days ago

March 22, 2026

Ariana News

The national buzkashi team of Afghanistan delivered an impressive performance to claim third place at the 2026 World Kokpar Championship in Kazakhstan.

Afghanistan dominated the group stage with commanding victories—thrashing Hungary 14–0, defeating Russia 5–0, and overcoming Mongolia 7–0—to top Group B and advance to the semi-finals.

Despite a strong effort, Afghanistan fell 4–2 to Uzbekistan in the semi-finals. However, the team responded emphatically in the third-place playoff, beating Russia 6–0 to secure the bronze medal.

Alongside their podium finish, Afghanistan was awarded 4,500,000 Kazakh tenge (around 9,400 US dollars) by the International Kokpar Federation, capping off a successful campaign on the global stage.