Sport

Shahidi calls for more Test matches and one home venue for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s captain Shahidi believes that sticking to only one home venue will make them stronger

Published

10 months ago

September 8, 2024

Afghanistan’s skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said Sunday the team needs to play more Tests and have just “one good home venue” in India in order to improve in the red-ball format.

Addressing the media on the eve of Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand, Shahidi said nine games in six years is not enough.

“If we get a lot more chances with the good teams, we will improve.”

“I think if we get more chances on a regular basis, we will improve a lot because if we see as a team and as a country, we are brave people and we always accept challenges,” he said.

“I think it will be very good for us as a side. If you look at our past, we get one Test match and we start preparing for that ten days before. So it’s not easy to come to red-ball cricket.

“Playing matches will make us even better on judging the ball and playing good cricket in red-ball format, compared to playing in the nets. So if we play three-four games back to back I think it will be better,” he said.

Ranked 12th in the ICC Test rankings, Afghanistan are a force in the white-ball formats, ranked ninth in ODIs and tenth in T20Is.

Apart from hoping to play Test cricket more frequently going forward, Shahidi said he also wants “one good home venue” in India instead of the team having to travel from place to host teams.

For this Test, which starts on Monday, Afghanistan will host New Zealand in Greater Noida, near Delhi. Since becoming a Full Member, their other home Tests have been in Dehradun, Lucknow and Abu Dhabi.

But Shahidi believes that sticking to only one home venue will make them stronger.

He pointed out that while India is considered home, the other nations they have played have had more games in India than Afghanistan has.

“So hopefully we will get one good venue here in India and we stick with that. If we stick with one venue, it will be more effective for us,” he said.

Following their press conference, Shahidi and his New Zealand counterpart Tim Southee unveiled the trophy for their one-off Test – which will hopefully go off as planned as the weather forecast for the coming week points towards rain.

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Afghan cricket umpire Bismillah Shinwari passes away aged 41

Shinwari, aged 41, played a key role in the development of Afghan cricket, both domestically and on the international stage.

Published

1 day ago

July 8, 2025

Ariana News

Bismillah Shinwari, one of Afghanistan’s most experienced and respected cricket umpires, has passed away after a period of illness, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced.

Shinwari, aged 41, played a key role in the development of Afghan cricket, both domestically and on the international stage.

A member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires “Bismillah Jan was a great servant of Afghan cricket,” the ACB said Tuesday.

Shinwari began his umpiring career in the early 2000s and steadily rose through the ranks as Afghanistan’s presence in world cricket grew. Over the years, he became known for his professionalism, calm demeanor, and deep understanding of the game.

He officiated in 34 One Day Internationals (ODIs), 26 T20 Internationals, 31 First-Class matches, 51 List A games, and 96 domestic T20 matches—making him one of the most active and experienced umpires in the country’s cricketing history.

The ACB described Shinwari’s passing as “a great and irreparable loss” to the sport in Afghanistan, noting his contributions not just on the field, but also as a mentor to younger officials and a supporter of cricket’s growth across the country.

His legacy is deeply woven into the rise of Afghan cricket over the past two decades. (edited)

Sport

Afghanistan’s group stage opponents confirmed for CAFA Nations Cup 2025

Published

6 days ago

July 3, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s national football team will face Tajikistan, Iran, and Malaysia in Group B of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) announced on Thursday that Group B matches will be hosted by Tajikistan.

Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Oman will compete in Group A of the tournament.

The tournament, featuring eight teams, will take place from August 9 to September 8, 2025, with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan serving as co-hosts.

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First half of Afghanistan Futsal League Season 4 concludes with Etihad victory

Published

1 week ago

July 1, 2025

Ariana News

In the continuation of Afghanistan Premier Futsal League, Etihad FC delivered a spectacular performance in the 45th and final match of the first half of the season on Tuesday, defeating Deyar Sanayee with an impressive score of 10–2.

The 45 first-leg matches of Afghanistan Premier Futsal League Season 4 came to an end on Tuesday with exciting and entertaining games.

The second half of the season, the return leg of these 45 matches will kick off on July 8.

Futsal fans across the country are encouraged to stay tuned and watch the matches live and exclusively on Ariana Radio & Television Network (ATN) starting July 8.