Sport
Sluggish Warner under fire in IPL after Delhi lose again
David Warner is under fire in the Indian Premier League after the Australian’s Delhi Capitals lost for a fourth time in as many matches and sit at the bottom of the points table.
Warner, who is opening batsman and skipper, has hit three half-centuries in this year’s edition of the IPL but his runs have come at a sluggish strike rate of 114.83.
At his explosive best, the 36-year-old left-hander is a match-winner, AFP reported. He boasts a strike rate of 141.30 in his 99 T20 innings for Australia.
But he cannot get going in this year’s IPL and his snail-paced 51 runs off 47 deliveries in Tuesday’s last-ball loss to the Mumbai Indians did little to quell concerns about his decline.
The once-destructive Australian appears labored, even nervous.
“Even in the last couple of games, when he has been trying to hit, it’s not been coming off,” deputy skipper Axar Patel told reporters after the agonizing defeat to five-time champions Mumbai.
“As a batsman, I don’t know what he is thinking at that moment.”
Warner’s innings got a boost in a 67-run sixth-wicket stand with Axar, who smashed a 25-ball 54, but Delhi were all out for 172 and their opponents went on to win by six wickets.
Delhi are bottom of the 10 teams in the IPL and the only side yet to win a match.
Axar said that Warner has spoken to Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson, two Australian greats on Delhi’s coaching staff, as he tries to get firing again.
He has also been counseled by former Indian Test captain Sourav Ganguly, Delhi’s director of cricket.
“The conversation about his strike rate also came up. They looked at his videos and he’s working on it,” said Axar.
Pundits have been scathing in their assessment of Warner’s struggles.
“I feel it is time that we tell him in English now so that Warner listens to it and feels hurt,” former India opener Virender Sehwag told Cricbuzz after the weekend’s 57-run loss to Rajasthan Royals.
Warner made 65 in 55 balls before Delhi went down tamely in their chase of 200 in Guwahati.
“David, if you are listening, please play well… If you cannot do that, do not come and play in the IPL,” said Sehwag.
Renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle responded to Tuesday’s knock from the veteran opener by lamenting how difficult it was to watch “the great David Warner struggle”.
The Australian had been a drag on the team, Bhogle said.
“He has been very honest about it, but at the moment, it isn’t helping DC get the momentum they need,” he wrote on Twitter.
Delhi, who have never won the IPL, are now in danger of an early exit from the play-off race.
The franchise suffered an early blow when skipper Rishabh Pant was involved in a car crash in December and was ruled out of the season, propelling Warner into the captaincy.
This year’s IPL has meanwhile provided some exhilarating moments as teams battle it out for the champions titles.
For fans in Afghanistan, there is no need to miss out on all the action as matches can be streamed live daily on Ariana News website.
To stay up-to-date on all the latest matches, visit https://www.ariananews.af/live/
Sport
Omar Zawak thrash Istiqlal Kabul 5-1 in ACL
Omar Zawak secured an emphatic 5-1 victory over Istiqlal Kabul in the 80th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan, delivering an impressive attacking performance.
The match was played in Kabul on Tuesday. Both teams struggled to find the back of the net in the first half, which ended goalless.
However, Omar Zawak stepped up their attacking efforts in the second half, scoring five goals to take control of the match. Istiqlal Kabul managed to score just once as Omar Zawak sealed a convincing 5-1 victory.
Omar Zawak will face Ariana Khost in their next match on November 12, while Istiqlal Kabul will take on Aino Mina Kandahar on the same day.
All matches of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Sport
First Test between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe ends in a draw
Zimbabwe produced a remarkable batting display to secure a draw against Afghanistan in the first Test in Sharjah, with Craig Ervine and Wessly Madhevere scoring unbeaten centuries on the final day.
Resuming the fifth and final day at 164/3, Zimbabwe finished on 523/5 in their second innings, following their first-innings total of 504. This marked the first time in Test cricket history that a team has scored more than 500 runs in both innings of a match.
Craig Ervine remained unbeaten on 206, while Madhevere scored 100 not out, as the pair frustrated Afghanistan’s bowlers throughout the day.
Ervine, aged 41 years and 82 days, became the third-oldest player to score a double century in Test cricket.
Afghanistan had posted 514 in their first innings. Afghanistan needed early wickets to put pressure on the hosts, but Zimbabwe’s batters showed patience and discipline on a pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers.
Brian Bennett scored a half-century before Mohammad Saleem dismissed him, while debutant Antum Naqvi contributed 61 runs. Naqvi and Ervine shared a 140-run partnership before Abdul Malik broke the stand.
However, Madhevere joined Ervine and the pair put together an unbeaten 208-run partnership for the sixth wicket, the highest for that wicket in Zimbabwe’s Test history. Madhevere also registered his maiden Test century during the partnership.
The result leaves the two sides level heading into the second and final Test, which is scheduled to begin in Sharjah on November 13.
Sport
Portugal beat Afghanistan 2-0 in Dakar Youth Olympics futsal semi-finals
Afghanistan’s Under-18 futsal team missed out on a place in the gold medal match at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Portugal in the semi-finals on Monday.
Portugal took the lead through Joao Carvalho, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error by Afghanistan’s Ahmad Esmaeili to score into an unguarded net from inside his own half.
Diego Ferreira doubled Portugal’s advantage before half-time, putting the European side firmly in control of the match.
Afghanistan pushed hard to get back into the game in the second half, creating several opportunities to reduce the deficit. However, they were unable to find the net, with Portugal goalkeeper Bernardo Borges making several important saves.
The victory sends Portugal into the gold medal match, while Afghanistan will now compete for the bronze medal at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
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