Afghanistan have named Darwish Rasooli as captain of their 15-member cricket squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as they prepare to give several emerging players an opportunity on the international stage.

Rasooli has led Afghanistan once before, in a T20I against Qatar, where his 66 helped the team secure a victory.

The new captain has 33 international appearances, while Karim Janat and Najibullah Zadran bring 80 and 199 caps respectively. Nangeyalia Kharote is the only other player in the squad with more than 10 international appearances.

Kharote is expected to spearhead the spin department alongside legspinner Arab Gul Momand. Farmanullah, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Faridoon Dawoodzai form the pace options, with allrounders Ismat Alam and Janat also capable of contributing with the ball.

A number of players have been rewarded for their performances in the Shpageeza Cricket League, Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competition.

Mohammad Akram, who finished as the SCL’s second-highest run-scorer in the latest season, earns a place after a consistent campaign. Khalid Taniwal has also been selected following his impressive scoring rate.

Ismat was one of the tournament’s leading performers, collecting the Player of the Tournament award after scoring 294 runs at a strike rate of 168 and taking nine wickets at an average of 16.77. He has previously played two Tests for Afghanistan.

Faisal Shinozada is included after hitting a century against India in the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup semi-final in February. Hassan Eisakhil, son of former Afghanistan star Mohammad Nabi, has also been selected.

The Asian Games cricket competition will be played in Japan from September 24 to October 3.

Afghanistan squad: Darwish Rasooli (capt), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Shinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

Juma Khan Fateh and his forces have surrendered to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Nusay district of Badakhshan province following several days of pressure and encirclement, security sources told Ariana News.

Sources said increasing pressure on Fateh’s group left them with no option but to surrender. Fateh and his fighters reportedly laid down their weapons at positions held by IEA forces in Nusay.

Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, the IEA’s Army Chief of Staff, had travelled to Nusay to oversee the situation and the operation against Fateh’s group.

According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.

The reported surrender marks the latest development in the security situation in Nusay, although further details about the terms of the surrender and the number of fighters involved were not immediately available.

Afghanistan’s Supreme Court says the country’s courts have addressed the legal and Sharia-based rights of 118,869 women over the past five years.

Mansoor Ahmad Hamza, deputy spokesman for the Supreme Court, said the cases covered a range of issues, including inheritance, property, maintenance, documentation and other legal matters.

Hamza said courts handled 12,976 cases involving women’s inheritance and property rights during the five-year period. Another 9,021 inheritance-related cases were registered for information gathering and review.

He added that 18,750 cases involving the registration, verification and certification of women’s property and related documents were addressed, while 22,703 cases concerned the processing of inheritance and property documents.

The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.

He said inheritance, property, dowry, maintenance and other rights granted to women under Islamic Sharia are recognized as established rights, and that courts are required to examine such cases carefully and impartially in accordance with Sharia and applicable laws.

Hamza added that judicial proceedings involving women’s rights will continue, with the aim of ensuring that eligible individuals receive their legal and religious rights and preventing those rights from being denied or lost.