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Salman Agha named Pakistan captain for T20 series and Asia Cup

Salman Agha has been handed the captaincy for the tri-series against Afghanistan and the UAE on August 29, followed by the Asia Cup starting September 9.

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Pakistan will head into the upcoming Asia Cup and tri-nation T20 series in the UAE without star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.

All-rounder Salman Agha has been handed the captaincy for the tournament, which begins with a tri-series against Afghanistan and the UAE on August 29, followed by the Asia Cup starting September 9.

Babar and Rizwan, who have been central to Pakistan’s T20 setup in recent years, have not featured in the format since December. Head coach Mike Hesson explained the decision, noting that while both remain key players, the current squad members have been delivering strong performances.

“We know what a fine player Babar is,” Hesson said at a press conference. “He has been asked to improve in certain areas, such as handling spin and increasing his strike rate. He is working hard on those aspects. For now, the players in the squad are making a positive impact, and we want to keep that momentum.”

Since Hesson took charge in May, Pakistan have enjoyed mixed results: a 3-0 home series win, a 2-1 loss away to Bangladesh, and a 2-1 victory against the West Indies in the United States. The coach said the current focus is on building towards success in the upcoming competitions.

“Our aim is to win the tri-series and the Asia Cup,” Hesson added. “We want the team to peak in these pinnacle events.”

The squad includes the return of fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza, with Mirza back after his seven-wicket haul in Bangladesh earlier this year. Fakhar Zaman also rejoins the team following an injury that kept him out of the recent ODI series in the West Indies, which Pakistan lost 2-1.

Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim.

Afghanistan has not yet named its squad for the series or the Asia Cup.

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Countdown begins for inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League

ATN will broadcast every match live across Afghanistan after securing the league’s exclusive broadcasting rights under a five-year agreement with the Afghanistan Wrestling Federation.

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The countdown is on for the inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League (AWPL), with just seven days remaining before the country’s newest national wrestling competition gets underway in Kabul.

The tournament will run from July 20 to July 29 at the AGDPES Gymnasium in Kabul, with matches scheduled daily from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) will broadcast every match live and exclusively across Afghanistan after securing the league’s exclusive broadcasting rights under a five-year agreement with the Afghanistan Wrestling Federation.

The inaugural season is expected to feature around 350 wrestlers from across Afghanistan representing 10 regional teams and competing in 10 weight categories, making it one of the largest wrestling competitions ever staged in the country.

The championship was originally scheduled to be held from June 1 to June 10, but organisers postponed the event to allow additional time for preparations and to ensure better arrangements for athletes, teams and tournament operations.

Wrestling remains one of Afghanistan’s most popular traditional sports, and officials believe the launch of the Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League marks a significant step towards establishing a structured national competition that will strengthen the sport’s future.

Organisers also hope the league will provide greater exposure for Afghan wrestlers, create new opportunities for emerging talent and contribute to the long-term development of wrestling across the country.

ATN’s exclusive coverage of the tournament continues the network’s commitment to supporting Afghan sport by bringing major national and international competitions to audiences throughout Afghanistan.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television Network’s television channels, website and social media platforms for the full match schedule, team news and tournament updates ahead of the opening day.

The Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League Season 1 will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television Network (ATN) across Afghanistan.

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ATN secures exclusive rights to broadcast Afghanistan vs Ireland cricket tour

Through its exclusive broadcast coverage, ATN will bring the action directly to cricket supporters across Afghanistan, offering match coverage, updates, analysis and highlights throughout the series.

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Cricket fans across Afghanistan will be able to follow the national team’s upcoming tour of Ireland after Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) secured the exclusive broadcast rights for the highly anticipated five-match One-Day International (ODI) series.

The Afghanistan national cricket team is scheduled to travel to Ireland in August 2026 for the tour, which forms part of Ireland’s 2026 home international season. The series will provide both teams with valuable international competition as they continue their development and preparations for future global tournaments.

Through its exclusive broadcast coverage, ATN will bring the action directly to cricket supporters across Afghanistan, offering match coverage, updates, analysis and highlights throughout the series.

The agreement further strengthens ATN’s commitment to promoting and supporting sports in Afghanistan by ensuring that fans across the country have access to major international sporting events.

Over the years, ATN has played a leading role in expanding sports broadcasting in Afghanistan, securing exclusive rights to a wide range of local and international competitions and creating opportunities for audiences to connect with their favorite teams and athletes.

From cricket and football to other major sporting events, ATN continues to invest in sports coverage as part of its mission to provide quality entertainment, inspire young athletes and celebrate Afghanistan’s growing presence on the global sporting stage.

Afghanistan cricket has enjoyed significant growth in recent years, with the national team establishing itself as a competitive force in international cricket. The team’s success has helped inspire a new generation of Afghan players and strengthened the passion for the sport among millions of fans nationwide.

Ariana Radio and Television Network encourages fans to follow its official social media platforms for the latest updates, broadcast schedules and coverage details ahead of Afghanistan’s tour of Ireland.

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Afghan XI thrash Uzbekistan by 199 runs in Khost T20 friendly

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Afghan XI produced a dominant all-round display to defeat the Uzbekistan National Cricket Team by 199 runs in a one-off T20 friendly played on Friday at the Rahmat Wali Masroor Cricket Ground in Khost province.

After winning the toss, Uzbekistan chose to bowl first, but the Afghan batters posted a huge total of 323/7 from 20 overs. Hasan Eisakhil led the charge with a brilliant 120-run knock, while Imran Mir scored 74, Faisal Khan Shinozada contributed 31, and Noor Rahman added 29.

Uzbekistan struggled in reply as the Afghan bowlers maintained control throughout the innings and bowled them out well short of the target. Naseer Khan Maroofkhel, Imran Mir and Wafadar Momand took two wickets each, while Faridoon Dawoodzai claimed one wicket.

Hasan Eisakhil was named Player of the Match for his match-winning century and overall performance.

The match was held as part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December 2025.

Through hosting such fixtures, the ACB aims to support the growth of cricket in emerging nations by sharing technical expertise and experience. The board has previously conducted development workshops for Uzbekistan’s cricket officials and players and provided training opportunities for Uzbek fast bowlers through its specialized fast-bowling programme.

After the match, Afghanistan T20I captain Ibrahim Zadran visited the Uzbekistan dressing room, praised the team’s efforts and welcomed them to Afghanistan. He expressed hope that Uzbekistan would continue touring Afghanistan in the future to further strengthen cricket ties and cooperation between the two countries.

 
 
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