Sport
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ODI Series: All you need to know
Afghanistan will lock horns with Sri Lanka on Friday, February 9, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in the first of three ODIs, just days after coming off a 10-wicket loss to their hosts in the one-off Test.
This is part of Afghanistan’s tour to Sri Lanka, which included the one-off Test earlier this week and a three-match T20I series that’s still to come.
Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan will not however take to the field as he is still recovering from back surgery. Qais Ahmad will fill in for him.
This will be the team’s first ODI series since the ICC World Cup 2023.
Sri Lanka meanwhile are coming off a 2-0 ODI series win over Zimbabwe in January.
For Afghanistan, reserve players in World Cup 2023, Gulbadin Naib and Fareed Ahmad, have made the squad for this series. Naveed Zadran, the pacer who did well in the Test against Sri Lanka, is also part of the squad as an uncapped player.
However, Najibullah Zadran is a notable absentee.
The two sides have played 12 times in ODIs, with Sri Lanka winning seven and Afghanistan four. One game ended without a result.
The last time the two sides locked horns in ODIs was in the ICC World Cup 2023, where Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets.
ODI schedule:
Match 1 – Friday February 9
Match 2 – Sunday February 11
Match 3 – Wednesday February 14
Ariana Television will broadcast the matches live from Friday. More details can be found on our social media platforms.
Squads:
Afghanistan
Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad
Reserves: Sharafuddin Ashraf, Shahidullah, Abdul Rahman, Bilal Sami
Sri Lanka
Kusal Mendis (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Akila Dananjaya, Wanindu Hasaranga
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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