Sport
Shankar, Miller power Gujarat to top of IPL table
A smashing partnership between Vijay Shankar and David Miller steered holders Gujarat Titans to the top of the IPL table with a seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.
Chasing 180 for victory, Gujarat were in trouble at 93-3 when Shankar (51) and the left-handed Miller (32) combined to achieve victory with 13 balls to spare at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
Bowlers Mohammed Shami, Josh Little and Noor Ahmad set up victory after they kept down Kolkata to 179-7 despite a sparkling 81 by Rahmanullah Gurbaz in a match which started 45 minutes late due to rain and wet outfield.
In the chase, skipper Hardik Pandya fell for 26 and Shubman Gill departed on 49 when Miller, who survived a dropped catch on 26, took on the bowlers with a couple of sixes.
Shankar, an Indian all-rounder, soon took over from his South African partner in their unbeaten stand of 87 with a six-hitting blitz as he reached his fifty in 24 balls.
Gujarat, who had a fairytale debut season when they clinched the Indian Premier League title last year, moved top of the 10-team table with six wins in eight matches.
Two-time champions Kolkata, led by Nitish Rana, stay seventh with six losses in nine matches.
Regular wickets hurt Kolkata’s chances of getting to a bigger total as they fell to 88-4, but Gurbaz, who made the team in place of injured England batsman Jason Roy, held firm.
Afghanistan’s Gurbaz smashed seven sixes in his attacking knock and put on 47 for the fifth wicket with Rinku Singh before he fell to Ahmad’s wily left-arm wrist spin, AFP reported.
Kolkata slipped again after Gurbaz’s departure but Andre Russell took on the opposition attack in his 19-ball 34 despite disciplined bowling from Shami, Little and Ahmad in the final five overs.
Little, a left-arm quick from Ireland, was named man of the match for his figures of 2-25.
Majid Mortezaei, head coach of the country’s national futsal team, says Asia must believe that there is still a power called “Afghanistan” in futsal.
In a press conference on Saturday ahead of Afghanistan match against Kyrgyzstan, Mortezaei said the national team will do its best to go to the World Cup.
“Tomorrow, we will do our best to go to the World Cup. If it doesn’t happen, nothing will decrease from our values, because we have done many great things so far,” he said.
“Kyrgyzstan is a good team. They won against Japan. We have the experience of facing them in CAFA, but this Kyrgyzstan team is a different team,” he added.
According to Mortezaei, Afghan players have done intensive training and know how to play in difficult and sensitive conditions.
It should be noted that Afghan futsal team won 5-3 against Iraq on Friday.
The Kyrgyz team has also reached this stage of the competition by winning against Vietnam.
Afghanistan has a chance to advance to the Futsal World Cup 2024 by winning against Kyrgyzstan tomorrow (Sunday, April 28th).
Khurasan Faryab FC was thrashed 5-0 by Attack Energy FC in the 13th match of Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) in Kabul on Friday. In this match, a Nigerian football player for Attack Energy was named man of the match.
In the 14th match of today’s ACL, Abu Muslim Farah FC beat Aino Mina FC 2-1. Nematullah Karimi and Sohrab Afghan scored two goals in this game.
Tomorrow’s matches will see Sarsabz Yashlar FC take on Mawj Sahil FC at 1:00 PM, while Sorkh Poshan Khafi face Maiwand FC at 3:30 PM.
The matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television every day.
Afghanistan defeated Iraq 5-3 on Friday and moved closer to the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup qualification.
Afghanistan’s goals were scored by Akbar Kazemi (1), Farzad Mahmoodi (1), Mehran Ghulami (1), and Jawad Safari (2).
In the other match of playoff in Thailand on Friday, Kyrgyzstan beat Vietnam 3-2.
Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan will face off for a spot at the Futsal World Cup on Sunday at the Playoff final.
Saar: 32nd anniversary of Mujahidin’s Victory Day discussed
Asia must believe Afghanistan’s power in futsal: Mortezaei
Hamas says it received Israel’s response to its ceasefire proposal
Three road construction projects launched in Kabul
Russian defense minister says main threat for SCO countries emanates from Afghanistan
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
ATN secures rights to produce, broadcast second season of KPL
Yadav hits 156.7 km/h as Lucknow trump Bengaluru in IPL match
Afghanistan’s national futsal team ‘ready for’ group stage of Asian Cup
Afghanistan, Pakistan agree to abandon barter trade, establish banking relationships
Saar: 32nd anniversary of Mujahidin’s Victory Day discussed
Saar: 46th anniversary of 7th Saur coup in Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Pakistan’s security concerns from Afghan soil discussed
Saar: Visits by foreign diplomats to Kabul discussed
Tahawol: Calls for handing over Afghanistan’s seat to IEA discussed
-
Latest News4 days agoRashid Khan named AWCC’s brand ambassador
-
World4 days agoMalaysian navy helicopters collide in mid-air, 10 killed
-
Sport4 days agoJaiswal ton powers Rajasthan to big IPL win
-
World4 days agoNorth Korea officials visit Iran in a rare public trip
-
Latest News5 days agoAt least 1,500 families affected by recent floods: IRW
-
Sport4 days agoMawj Sahil player scores stunning halfway line goal in 1-0 win over Jawanan Wahedi
-
Sport3 days ago‘Serious talent’ Fraser-McGurk bonds with Warner to light up IPL
-
Latest News4 days agoUS report cites ‘significant deterioration’ in Afghan women’s rights last year