Sport

Seven Afghan cricketers to feature in inaugural Lanka T10 league

Published

1 year ago

December 10, 2024

With just one day to go before the start of the inaugural Lanka T10 Super League in Kandy, foreign players, coaches and support staff have started arriving in the Sri Lankan capital.

Seven Afghan players were snapped up for this exciting new event, and will feature in four of the six teams.

Najibullah Zadran is playing for Colombo Jaguars; and left-arm spinner Hamza Hotak is in Kandy Bolts’ lineup.

Nuwara Eliya Kings snapped up two Afghans, Zubaid Akbari; and right-arm pacer Aftab Alam.

Hambantota Banga Tigers in turn have three players from Afghanistan in their squad.

They are Hazratullah Zazai, who famously hit 162 off 62 balls, the highest in a T20I, in Dehradun in February 2019 against Ireland; Karim Janat, the younger brother of Asghar Afghan; and one of the country’s most celebrated batsmen, Mohammad Shahzad.

Lanka T10 Super League 2024 will get underway on Wednesday, December 11. The first match will be played between Jaffna Titans and Hambantota Tigers at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Pallekele.

Below is the complete 2024 Lanka T10 Super League squad details for all six participating teams.

Colombo Jaguars

Angelo Mathews, Azam Khan, Kamindu Mendis, Matheesha Pathirana, Tymal Mills, Asif Ali, Angelo Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Ali Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Isitha Wijesundara, Ramesh Mendis, Aamer Jamal, Ranuda Somarathne, Jewel Andrew, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Garuka Sanketh

Galle Marvels

Shakib Al Hasan, Maheesh Theekshana, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Andre Fletcher, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Alex Hales, Binura Fernando, Luke Wood, Jeffrey Vandersay, Zahoor Khan, Sandun Weerakkody, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kesrick Williams, Dumindu Sewmina, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Sadisha Rajapaksa

Hambantota Bangla Tigers

Dasun Shanaka, Qasim Akram, Kusal Perera, Isuru Udana, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Dushmantha Chameera, Richard Gleeson, Tharindu Rathnayake, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Nishan Peiris, Soumya Sarkar, Shevon Daniel, Brian Bennett, Sahan Arachchige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Chamath Gomez

Jaffna Titans

Wanindu Hasaranga, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Nuwan Thushara, Kusal Mendis, Johnson Charles, Dwaine Pretorius, Charith Asalanka, Babar Azam, Dunith Wellalage, David Wiese, Pramod Madushan, Pavan Rathnayake, George Garton, Trevin Mathew, Kevin Wickham

Kandy Bolts

George Munsey, Thisara Perera, Mohammad Huraira, Milinda Siriwardana, Amir Hamza, Dinesh Chandimal, Pathum Nissanka, Saim Ayub, Chaturanga de Silva, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shehan Jayasuriya, Chamika Gunasekara, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Danal Hemananda, Arinesto Vezha, Seekkuge Prasanna

Nuwara Eliya Kings

Kyle Mayers, Avishka Fernando, Saurabh Tiwary, Danushka Gunathilaka, Oshane Thomas, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Benny Howell, Lahiru Madushanka, Sediqullah Atal, Nimasara Atharagalla, Yashodha Lanka, Zubaid Akbari, Vishen Halambage, Rivaldo Clarke, Chamika Karunaratne, Pulindu Perera

Lanka T10 Watch Live

Cricket fans across the country can tune in to Ariana Television from 2pm on Wednesday December 11 to watch the event live.

The league will wrap up on December 19.

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Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2026

Ariana News

Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan have secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 after strong performances at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.

The three Asian sides join hosts Qatar as confirmed representatives from the Asian Football Confederation for the expanded 48-team tournament later this year.

Japan booked their place after defeating Qatar and then beating China 2-1 in Group B. Anthony Motosuna and Maki Kitahara scored the goals that sealed a second straight victory and guaranteed qualification.

Saudi Arabia also advanced from Group A after a 2-0 win over Thailand. Marwan Al Yami opened the scoring early before Hassan Al Okrush added a late second goal, giving the Saudis six points from two matches following their opening win against Myanmar.

Tajikistan joined them after edging Myanmar 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Asadbek Makhtumov. The victory followed Tajikistan’s opening 2-0 win over Thailand and secured their place in Qatar 2026.

More teams could qualify on Sunday as the second round of matches in Groups C and D continues, with the final group-stage fixtures set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sport

Afghan cricket delegation travels to China for technical cooperation

Published

2 days ago

May 9, 2026

Ariana News

A delegation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has traveled to China following an official invitation from the Chinese government, in a move aimed at strengthening sports diplomacy and expanding technical cooperation in cricket between the two countries.

The delegation includes national coach Nawroz Mangal and players Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Faisal Shinozada, and Wahidullah Zadran.

Before their departure, ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan met with the delegation, reaffirming the board’s commitment to developing and globalizing Afghan cricket. He also referenced previous international engagement efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation focused on cricket development and technical collaboration.

Naseeb Khan highlighted existing economic and industrial ties between Afghanistan and China, expressing optimism that sports cooperation—particularly in cricket—could further strengthen bilateral relations. He emphasized that knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and joint development initiatives would support the growth of the sport in both countries.

During their visit, the Afghan delegation is expected to hold discussions on cricket development, community engagement, and the role of sport in society. The program also includes participation in workshops, attendance at a cricket match organized by Chinese cricket authorities, and visits to sports technology and innovation exhibitions.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has increasingly pursued regional partnerships in recent years. Last year, it signed a cooperation agreement with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation covering technical exchange, capacity building, development programs, and educational workshops aimed at expanding cricket infrastructure and expertise in the region.

Sport

Los Angeles to welcome the world with historic FIFA World Cup 2026 opening event

Published

2 days ago

May 9, 2026

Ariana News

The United States is set to welcome the world with a major opening ceremony for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as Los Angeles prepares to host a star-powered celebration marking the start of the tournament across North America.

FIFA announced that global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla will headline the ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, June 12.

The event will officially launch what FIFA described as a “historic summer of football” across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Organizers said the ceremony will combine football, music and entertainment in a large-scale production designed to reflect the cultural diversity and global appeal of the tournament.

Gianni Infantino said the ceremony in Los Angeles would showcase the scale and ambition of the 2026 World Cup, adding that the lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the power of music to unite people.

For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three opening ceremonies will take place across the three host nations. Mexico City will host the first ceremony on June 11, followed by celebrations in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.

The opening match in the United States will see the U.S. national team face Paraguay. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a record 104 matches across 16 host cities, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Football fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow all the action live on the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. ATN will broadcast matches live on Ariana Television, providing full coverage of the world’s biggest football event for Afghan viewers.

Fans are also encouraged to stay connected with Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for the latest updates, including match schedules, team news, and other FIFA World Cup 2026 developments as the tournament draws closer.