Sport
Sri Lanka celebrate 10-wicket Test win against Afghanistan

Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets with a day to spare in the one-off Test in Colombo on Monday with their opening batsmen chasing down an easy target of 56.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 296 in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka the low goal, with Dimuth Karunaratne (32 not out) and Nishan Madushka (22 not out) finishing the job within 7.2 overs.
Afghanistan were playing catch-up after conceding a lead of 241 runs in the first innings, but fought back well in their second dig with Ibrahim Zadran leading the way with a maiden Test hundred.
Rahmat Shah backed up the opening batter with a half-century but once the pair were dismissed, Afghanistan folded quickly.
Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said Afghanistan did well on day two with the ball but his team stuck to their plan.
“When both Angelo (Mathews) and I got dismissed, it might not seem that bad but that was the point that Afghanistan felt they were back in the game,” he said.
“I think that was the crucial moment of the match. But our bowlers stuck to the plan all day (day 3), not giving runs away and keeping it tight.”
Prabath Jayasuriya finished with his seventh five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
“I’m really happy at the moment, the last couple of days were tough,” said Jayasuriya, named man of the match.
“We knew this was a batting-friendly wicket, so we were just trying to do the basics right.”
Afghanistan were looking good to stretch the game to the final day when they resumed on day four at 199 for one in their second innings.
‘Lack of experience’
However, six wickets fell in the morning session for just 52 runs as the second new ball hurt the Afghans.
Seamer Kasun Rajitha dismissed overnight batsman Rahmat for 54 and then left-arm spinner Jayasuriya ran through the middle order as the new ball offered him bounce and turn.
Jayasuriya used his arm ball — which goes straight on — to good effect, foxing batsmen who were playing for turn.
Zadran, who had batted for more than six hours for his hundred, was confused by one such delivery, and was bowled through the gate.
Jayasuriya finished with five for 107, while seamers Asitha Fernando and Kasun Rajitha shared five wickets between them.
Jayasuriya ended the game with eight wickets, having taken three in the first innings.
Despite the loss, Afghanistan’s fast bowlers were impressive, with Naveed Zadran picking up four wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings on his debut.
Hundreds by former captains Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal helped Sri Lanka to their first-innings total of 439.
The pair were involved in a record 232-run stand for the fourth wicket, the highest-scoring partnership at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club for that wicket.
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said he was disappointed because they lost the game despite managing a “good comeback”.
“I think it’s the lack of experience in Test cricket and also not having a lot of opportunities to play red-ball cricket,” Shahidi said.
“We’re new in Test cricket and it’s a learning process for us. I hope that we learn from this game.”
The match was not part of the World Test Championship.
The teams will now move to Kandy for a three-match ODI series, followed by three T20 Internationals in Dambulla. – AFP
Sport
AFPL: Aria Forj 3–2 Omid, Zaitoon 2–7 Zaher Asad

In the 23rd match of the Afghanistan Premier Futsal League (AFPL) held on Wednesday, Aria Forj secured a narrow 3–2 victory over Omid FC in a closely contested match.
In the 24th fixture, Zaher Asad FC delivered a commanding performance, defeating Zaitoon FC 7–2.
All matches are being held at the Futsal Gymnasium of the Afghanistan Football Federation in Kabul.
The 25th match of the league is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday), with Noorzad FC set to face Perozi Panjshir.
In the 26th match, also taking place on Thursday, Sadaqat FC will go head-to-head with Jawanan Maihan.
Futsal fans across Afghanistan can watch the tournament live and exclusively on Ariana Television Network (ATN).
Sport
AFPL: Omid 3-3 Perozi Panjshir; Noorzad 5-3 Zaitoon

The Afghanistan Futsal Premier League (AFPL) delivered another day of high-energy action in the capital on Monday, featuring a dramatic draw and an impressive win that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
In Match 19, Omid and Perozi Panjshir played to a thrilling 3–3 draw in a tightly contested showdown that saw both sides exchange goals and momentum throughout the game.
Match 20 featured an energetic performance by Noorzad Nimroz, who secured a 5–3 victory over Zaitoon, demonstrating clinical finishing and solid team coordination. The win strengthens Noorzad’s position in the standings as the competition intensifies.
Looking ahead, futsal fans can expect more excitement on Tuesday, with two matches lined up at the Kabul arena:
Deyar-e Sanayee vs Jawanan Maihan – 3:30 PM
Etihad vs Sadaqat – 5:45 PM
All matches of the AFPL are broadcast live on Ariana Radio & Television Network (ATN), ensuring that fans across the country remain connected to the pulse of Afghanistan’s premier futsal competition.
Sport
CAFA U-20 Championship: Afghanistan face Turkmenistan in crucial group stage match
The match is scheduled to kick off at 4:30 pm local time at the Central Republican Stadium, as confirmed by the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF).

The Afghanistan Under-20 national football team will take to the field today, Monday June 16, against Turkmenistan in a crucial third group-stage match at the ongoing CAFA U-20 Championship 2025 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 4:30 pm local time at the Central Republican Stadium, as confirmed by the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF).
Afghanistan enters the encounter looking to bounce back after a challenging start to the tournament, having lost their opening two fixtures—first to host nation Tajikistan, followed by a defeat against Kyrgyzstan.
With no points on the board, today’s match represents a key opportunity for the Afghan side to restore confidence and avoid early elimination from the regional competition.
The CAFA U-20 Championship, organized by the Central Asian Football Association, brings together youth national teams from six member countries: Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
The tournament, which kicked off on June 10, aims to provide a competitive platform for developing talent across Central Asia and serves as preparation for future AFC and FIFA youth-level competitions.
Turkmenistan, meanwhile, are also searching for their first win in the tournament, making today’s clash a high-stakes fixture for both sides. A positive result for either team could prove vital in climbing the standings and maintaining hopes of progressing further in the championship.
Afghanistan’s U-20 squad is being closely watched by fans and national selectors alike, as the country continues to rebuild its football development pipeline.
As the teams prepare for kickoff, supporters will be hoping for a spirited performance from the Afghan youth side as they seek their first points in this year’s competition.
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