Sport
Rashid says South Africa heartbreak echoes 2023 Australia loss: ‘It never leaves your mind’
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan says his team’s dramatic Super Over loss to South Africa in Ahmedabad has reopened memories of their painful defeat to Australia at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023—a result he admits “never goes out of the mind.”
Rashid, speaking in Delhi ahead of Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against UAE, said the team tried to unwind after the nail-biting defeat by ordering Peshawari food late at night, Espncricinfo reported.
”We were in Ahmedabad and we told the manager to order food. Peshawari food: their dal bukhara, dal makhani, I told him to order that and bring some tandoori chicken so that we can vent our anger on that,” Rashid said.
“No one should say that he did this or he did that because it brings negativity in the team,” he said. “No one has lost, just our team has lost. We put in a lot of effort, but we never blame any player for being in a Super Over. I always tell everyone that as a captain I don’t want to hear any of these things. It disappoints me more than the game when you’re blaming the players. We all put in the effort.”
Rashid admitted the loss has been difficult to shake.
“To be honest, it’s pretty hard,” he said. “It’s very, very hard to lose that game where we had it in our hand a couple of times and then it just slips off your hand and it disappoints you. It doesn’t go away from your mind. Like, the game we played against Australia in the 2023 World Cup at Wankhede, it never goes out of the mind, until we won against them in the 2024 World Cup. And then slowly it got out of the mind.”
He recalled gathering the team that night in Mumbai for a late dinner and a message of unity. “We had a good dinner and just talked positively, just to keep supporting each other. I feel like this is so important.”
Rashid said maintaining performance levels despite setbacks is part of the challenge. “It is quite challenging, I feel like out of 100 times, if you got the success 99 times, the one time you don’t get it, people will talk about that one time, and they forget (the good results) and that’s something which is more challenging.”
A reporter’s suggestion that he visit Lajpat Nagar for Afghan food brought a final smile. “Before, we used to go when we weren’t very famous,” Rashid joked. “Now it’s a bit difficult.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on April 13.
After posting an imposing total of 216/6, Hyderabad’s bowlers backed up the effort with a clinical display, dismissing Rajasthan for 159 in 19 overs.
The standout performer was Ishan Kishan, who was named Player of the Match for his explosive 91 off 44 balls, anchoring SRH’s innings and setting up the victory. On the bowling side, Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge delivered decisive spells, each claiming four wickets to dismantle the Royals’ batting line-up.
Despite a fighting 69 from Donovan Ferreira, Rajasthan struggled to keep pace with the required run rate and ultimately fell well short.
CSK vs KKR – Action Continues Today
Attention now turns to today’s IPL fixture as Chennai Super Kings take on Kolkata Knight Riders in what promises to be a high-stakes clash.
Chennai will look to capitalize on their experienced core, while Kolkata aim to continue their strong campaign with an aggressive batting approach and versatile bowling attack.
Fans in Afghanistan can watch the match live and exclusively on Ariana Television, which continues to bring IPL 2026 coverage to viewers across the country.
With both teams pushing for crucial points in the standings, another thrilling contest is expected.
Sport
ACB holds high-level meeting with new national team head coach
Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has held a comprehensive introductory meeting with newly appointed national team head coach Richard Pybus, bringing together senior officials and key technical departments to discuss the future direction of Afghan cricket.
The meeting was led by ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan and included heads of domestic cricket, international cricket, the selection committee, and the high-performance centre. National team captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran also took part in the discussions.
According to the board, the first part of the session focused on outlining the long-term strategic vision for Afghanistan cricket, including performance goals and development pathways for the national team.
The head coach then led detailed technical discussions with department heads, seeking input on planning and execution for the upcoming national team training camp in Kabul. Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The ACB described the meeting as productive, noting that it reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen communication between coaching staff and technical units as the team prepares for a busy international schedule.
Afghanistan’s under-17 national football team concluded their 2026 CAFA U-17 Championship campaign with a 3–2 defeat against Tajikistan in their final match.
The team had previously registered two losses and one draw in their earlier three fixtures of the tournament.
The Central Asian competition, featuring five countries including Afghanistan, is being hosted by Uzbekistan and is scheduled to conclude on April 13.
The championship serves as a development platform for youth football in the region, offering players valuable international exposure while allowing national federations to evaluate emerging talent.
Fans across Afghanistan can follow the matches live on Ariana Television.
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