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Samarawickrama helps Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in Asia Cup

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Sadeera Samarawickrama smashed 93 to set up a 21-run win for Sri Lanka in their opening Super Four clash of the Asia Cup against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Samarawickrama’s knock steered Sri Lanka to 257-9, a total their bowlers defended to put Bangladesh on the brink of elimination in the 50-over tournament, a precursor to the upcoming World Cup in India, AFP reported.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 236 in 48.1 overs despite a valiant 82 by Towhid Hridoy and suffered their second loss in the Super Four stage.

With one match to go, Bangladesh need a mathematical miracle for a place in the final on September 17.

Dasun Shanaka, who turned 32 on Saturday, played a captain’s role with his 24 and three wickets from his medium-pace bowling.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana and fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana also took three wickets each.

“When there’s no frontline bowlers someone needs to chip in and today was my day,” Shanaka said on the absence of injured bowlers including Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga.

“Maheesh bowled and in the end the result matters. Our players, specially Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama played really well, read the wicket very well.”

Sri Lanka, who co-host the tournament with Pakistan, faltered after being invited to bat first with Bangladesh fast bowlers getting regular breakthroughs.

However, Kusal Mendis (50) and then Samarawickrama, who was named man of the match, made sure they reach a competitive and eventually a winning total on an inconsistent pitch.

Samarawickrama reached his 50 in 45 balls and accelerated in a 60-run partnership with Shanaka to rouse the home fans at a largely empty ground.

Turned the tide
Sri Lanka slipped after a brisk start before Pathum Nissanka and Mendis put on 74 runs with some sensible batting, forcing Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan to rotate his bowlers.

Shoriful Islam was brought into the attack and he delivered with the wicket of Nissanka, trapped lbw for 40.

Mendis reached his fifty with a boundary off Shoriful in the next over but the fast bowler had his revenge four balls later to have him caught out.

The bowlers kept up the charge, but Samarawickrama turned the tide with a string of boundaries and finished off well as he surpassed his previous ODI best of 82. He was dismissed on the final ball.

Bangladesh started strongly with Mehidy Hasan Miraz hitting a few boundaries to take on the Sri Lankan attack alongside fellow opener Mohammed Naim.

Shanaka hit back with his medium-pace bowling to send back Miraz for 28.

Pathirana got the big wicket of Shakib, caught behind for three and with Liton Das’ departure Bangladesh slipped to 83-4.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Towhid attempted to raise hopes of a fightback in a stand of 72 before Dunith Wellalage broke through with the wicket of Mushfiqur, who made 29.

“He batted really well. He played LPL (Lanka Premier League) here so he brought that confidence,” Shakib said of Towhid.

“If he could have batted a little longer, but then there are always a lot of ifs and buts. But Sri Lanka played better which is why they won.”

The rest of the batting fell apart in trying to match the rising run-rate and Hridoy’s lbw off Theekshana spelt the end.

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Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost

The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.

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The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.

According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.

The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.

Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.

He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.

Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.

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Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team

Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.

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The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.

Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.

The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.

In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.

The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.

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India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan

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The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.

Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.

Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.

Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.

In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.

India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.

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