Sport

Stage set for intense battle in ILT20 play-offs

Published

1 year ago

February 13, 2024

The stage is set for an exhilarating and intense battle in the DP World ILT20 season 2 play-offs between the teams that clinched the top four slots, starting from Tuesday.

The league stage matches were so fiercely fought that the final four could not be ascertained until the last league match held in Sharjah on Sunday.

All 30 league-stage matches produced the best of cricket with many last over and last ball finishes including a last ball-six smashed by Sikandar Raza that put Dubai Capitals in a commanding position to make the final four ahead of Sharjah Warriors and Desert Vipers who finished at the bottom of the points table.

Cricket buffs in UAE can gear up for an exciting week of action as the top four teams prepare to produce some nail-biting contests starting with the Eliminator on 13 February (Tuesday) between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, followed by the Qualifier 1 between MI Emirates and Gulf Giants to be played at the Dubai International Stadium on 14 February (Wednesday).

Qualifier 2, between the winner of the Eliminator and the loser of Qualifier 1, will be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 15 February (Thursday) while the grand finale will be held at the Dubai’s ‘Ring of Fire’ Stadium on 17 February.

The intensity of the upcoming clashes can be gauged by the fact that except for MI Emirates, who notched up 12 points from six wins, all the other teams had hit the rock bottom of the table and then fought back to qualify for the play-offs. Defending champions Gulf Giants finished second on the points table with 12 points while Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals placed third and fourth respectively with 10 points each.

The DP World ILT20, with a total prize money of $1.3 million, will see the winners walk away with a whopping $700,000 while the runners-up receive $300,000.

The contest for the players who produced their best is also being keenly fought. The best batter with most runs will receive the Green Belt and the bowler with most wickets will win the White Belt while the most valuable player will be awarded the Red Belt.

The contest for the Blue Belt for the best UAE player also has many contenders in this edition. All the belt winners will receive $15,000 each.

In the first edition, Alex Hales won the Green Belt, Chris Jordan bagged both White and Red Belt and Muhammad Waseem had won the Blue Belt.

All Player of the Match winners as well as the Biggest Six of the Match receive $1500 each.

The large turnout for all the matches of this edition reflected the increasing following for this tournament. Cricket lovers are in for a treat over the next few days, and they will look forward to whether Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will be able to ride to victory or whether Dubai Capitals, by capitalizing on their skills, will pull off a victory in the Eliminator.

Qualifier 1 will see whether last year’s winners Gulf Giants can produce their best and walk tall over MI Emirates, which has played brilliant cricket so far in this edition.

MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard, who has the ammunition to hit big runs, said: “Winning is a habit and so is losing. Going forward we need to try and plan well. It is a matter of planning and execution.”

Gulf Giants skipper James Vince, who has shown the way through big scores, and is happy with the way his players have risen to the challenge, remarked: “Our last four games have been magnificent. The last two games, we were in the game and when our opponents were ahead in the game, we showed a lot of character to fight back.”

Vince will want his players to display their same fighting spirit in the play-offs.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders skipper Sunil Narine, after a win, had said about how he goes about to win matches: “We tick a lot of boxes. Start with picking up wickets in the powerplay, and that sets the tone

Sam Billings, skipper of the Dubai Capitals, enters the playoffs, fully aware of his team’s drawbacks and strengths. After his team’s last match, he’d said: “If you look at this tournament, it is about trends. The key area where we have struggled is the powerplay. As regards our bowling, everyone wants the ball and that is always a positive.”

Sport

IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians crush Delhi Capitals to secure playoffs berth

Published

16 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Ariana News

Mumbai Indians stormed into the IPL playoffs with a commanding 59-run victory over Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday night.

Suryakumar Yadav was the star of the show, crafting a masterful 73 from 43 balls, pushing MI to 180-5.

Though Delhi’s bowlers held control for most of the innings, costly final overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera saw MI add 48 runs in a dramatic finish.

During the chase, Delhi never found rhythm, crumbling to 121 all out in just 18.2 overs.

Mitchell Santner’s superb spell (3-11) and Jasprit Bumrah’s expert variations (3-12) led the charge, ensuring a ruthless finish.

MI’s playoff spot is now secured, while Delhi exits the tournament.

MI join Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings in the playoffs but there is still room for manoeuvre amidst the top four with just two points separating the teams and a coveted top-two place still available to them all.

Fans can tune in to watch today’s (Thursday May 22) match which will see Gujarat Titans take on Lucknow Super Giants at 6.30pm.

Sport

FIFA Club WC: LAFC and Club América to clash on May 31 for final berth

Published

2 days ago

May 21, 2025

Ariana News

The last FIFA Club World Cup 2025 place will be decided at BMO Stadium when the Concacaf rivals meet in a play-in match.

The final club to qualify for the highly-anticipated FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be determined on Saturday, 31 May, when US side Los Angeles FC and Mexican powerhouse Club América go head-to-head in a high-stakes match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Following the recent Court of Arbitration for Sport decisions, FIFA decided that the final club to be admitted to the tournament will be determined by a play-in match between Los Angeles FC (the runners-up to Club León in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League) and Club América (the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club

World Cup confederation ranking at the conclusion of the Concacaf Champions Cup staged in 2024, the final year of the qualifying period for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025).

In the event that the match is level after 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time, with an interval of five minutes, will be contested. If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the winners will be determined by a penalty shoot-out.

The winners of the play-in will claim the final spot at this year’s global club showpiece and will take their place in Group D alongside Brazil’s CR Flamengo, Tunisian outfit Espérance and English side Chelsea FC.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will bring together 32 elite teams from all six confederations, with the action set to kick off at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, 14 June.

A total of 63 matches will take place across 11 Host Cities – Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. – culminating in what promises to be a spectacular final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 13 July, when the FIFA club world champions will be crowned.

The final spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is still open because Club León was disqualified due to FIFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

This decision follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which dismissed appeals from León and other clubs attempting to challenge their exclusion.

Sport

From underdogs to global contenders: Afghanistan’s futsal rise

Published

2 days ago

May 20, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s national futsal team has been making waves on the global stage in the past few years, proving that resilience and talent can overcome even the toughest challenges.

Their journey from underdogs on the global platform to serious contenders has been nothing short of inspiring.

In line with this, Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has remained committed to helping develop the sport in the country and will once again produce and broadcast Afghanistan Futsal Premier League Season 4, which is scheduled to kick off on June 6 and end on August 12.

Ten teams will take part in this year’s tournament, playing a total of 90 matches in a round-robin format.

While the start of the tournament is still more than two weeks away, anticipation is growing.

First up however is Saturday’s tournament draw which will be broadcast live on Ariana Television and Ariana News from 3pm.

Growing interest

In September 2024, Afghanistan made history by competing in their first-ever Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.

They faced top teams like Argentina, Paraguay, and Ukraine, securing a thrilling 6-4 victory over Angola before narrowly losing to Argentina 2-1 and Ukraine 4-1.

Despite these setbacks, they advanced to the round of 16, where they fought hard against Paraguay but were eliminated 3-1 after extra time.

Their performance ignited national pride and inspired young athletes across the country.

More recently, in April 2025, Afghanistan continued to impress at the Copa BETesporte Intercontinental de Seleções in Brazil and a four-nation tournament in Morocco.

They battled world-class opponents, earning critical wins and proving their ability to compete at the highest level.

Their matches against Brazil and Iran showcased their discipline and determination, while their victories over Greenland highlighted their growing consistency.

Despite limited resources and infrastructure, Afghanistan’s futsal team has demonstrated remarkable progress and their success is a testament to the passion and dedication of their players, coaches, and supporters.

As they continue to rise, they are not just making a name for themselves in futsal but also bringing hope and pride to their nation.

Domestic tournaments key to growing futsal arena

Domestic tournaments, meanwhile, play a crucial role in Afghanistan’s futsal landscape, serving as a platform for talent development, national pride, and international recognition.

In line with this, ATN is committed to supporting the team on its journey to success, and tournaments like the Afghanistan Futsal Premier League provide young players with opportunities to showcase their skills and gain professional experience.

Fan Zone

The games will be held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Futsal Committee Gymnasium.

Two matches will take place each day – both of which will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Fans meanwhile can tune in to Ariana Television and Ariana News at 3pm on Saturday for what will undoubtedly be an exciting tournament draw.