Sport
State of the art cricket stadium in New York unveiled ahead of Men’s T20 World Cup
The cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular Nassau County International Cricket Stadium which will host eight ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches in New York was unveiled on Tuesday.
The project in Eisenhower Park, Nassau County, 50 kms east of Manhattan, started this week, with site fencing erected and work to the outfield now underway.
The stadium, which will be completed within three months, will have a capacity for 34,000 fans across premium and general admission seating as well as VIP and hospitality suites.
Though a world first for cricket, modular stadiums are used regularly in other sports, including Formula 1, Golf and the Olympic Games providing fans with every facility they would expect at a global sporting event.
The stadium has been designed by Populous, a world-class sports and entertainment venue architecture firm, that has designed some of the world’s most iconic stadia, including Yankee Stadium in New York; the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad; and English Premier League venue, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
In New York, they are the architect of record for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
Arena Event Services brings expertise from other global sporting events and will provide and install the stadium infrastructure whilst the USA based international sports procurement firm The Parker Company will project manage the build on behalf of T20 Inc.
The venue which is a stone’s throw away from New York City will have a dedicated fan zone with a variety of food and beverage outlets and global leading media and broadcast areas, promising to provide a world-class experience for all guests at the biggest ICC event ever.
Sustainability is key to the project with the grandstands used for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix being repurposed for the T20 World Cup venue with work on the infrastructure scheduled to commence in February.
The wicket, which is a drop-in square – the type used around the world including at Adelaide Oval and Eden Park – is currently being curated in Florida and will be transported by road to New York in early May.
The development of the pitches is being undertaken by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, led by renowned Adelaide Oval Head Curator Damian Hough, while the outfield is being delivered by the LandTek Group, US-based sports turf experts who have worked with the New York Yankees and New York Mets as well as Inter Miami CF on their stadium and training fields.
Fans will have their opportunity to be a part of history by attending a festival of cricket and seeing the world’s best players in action, with eight ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches hosted at the venue between 3 and 12 June including one of the sport’s biggest rivalries India against Pakistan, and host USA versus India.
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “We are excited to be unveiling the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. It is an incredibly important milestone in the lead up to the biggest ICC event ever, with work commencing on the stadium which will be able to accommodate 34,000 cricket fans.
“We are partnering with world-class suppliers to deliver the modular stadium to ensure that players and fans can enjoy an unforgettable experience across the eight matches in New York in June this year.”
Sport
Rashid Khan plans to build cricket academy and stadium in Nangarhar
Afghanistan national cricket team player and Afghan Wireless Brand Ambassador Rashid Khan says he plans to establish a major cricket academy and a stadium in eastern Nangarhar province.
Rashid Khan made the remarks at a press conference held at the AWCC office in eastern Afghanistan.
He said building a well-equipped cricket ground and a large academy in Nangarhar is one of his plans and that he intends to begin the project after completing his other commitments.
“It is my dream to have a good cricket ground in my home province, Nangarhar. I have it in mind. Once I am done with my other work, I will undertake the construction of a large academy and a cricket ground in Nangarhar,” Rashid Khan said.
Rashid Khan also said his biggest dream is to help Afghanistan win the Cricket World Cup.
“My biggest dream is for us to win the World Cup for Afghanistan. It would be a great honor for us,” he said.
Meanwhile, AWCC officials in the east thanked Rashid Khan for his cooperation with the company and for choosing Afghan Wireless as his commercial partner.
Ataullah Sahel, head of AWCC in the eastern zone, said: “Rashid Khan has been the brand ambassador of Afghan Wireless for about two or two and a half years. It was the dream of Afghan Wireless leadership and employees to have national player Rashid Khan as our brand ambassador.”
The head of Nangarhar’s Telecommunications and Information Technology Department, the head of ATRA in the eastern zone and ACB officials also attended the meeting.
Sport
Abu Muslim cruise to 4-0 win over Aino Mina as Panahi hits hat-trick
Abu Muslim Farah will face Arman FC on October 5, while Aino Mina Kandahar will take on Istiqlal Kabul on October 6.
Abu Muslim Farah produced an impressive performance to beat Aino Mina Kandahar 4-0 in the 34th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan in Kabul on Friday.
Alireza Panahi opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a close-range finish before doubling Abu Muslim Farah’s lead six minutes later. The Farah-based side went into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
Abu Muslim Farah continued to dominate after the break, with captain Sharif Mohammad extending the lead in the 79th minute with a stunning long-range free kick.
Panahi completed his hat-trick late in the match, scoring Abu Muslim Farah’s fourth goal and sealing a convincing 4-0 victory.
Aino Mina Kandahar were unable to find the back of the net in either half.
Abu Muslim Farah will face Arman FC on October 5, while Aino Mina Kandahar will take on Istiqlal Kabul on October 6.
The sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan is being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television Network.
Sport
ACB announces Afghanistan squads for Bangladesh, Zimbabwe series
For cricket fans across Afghanistan, Ariana Television Network (ATN) will broadcast all these series live and exclusively.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced Afghanistan’s Test, ODI and T20I squads for a busy international schedule against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Afghanistan will face Bangladesh in a one-off Test from October 9 to 13 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The match will be followed by an ODI Tri-Nation Series featuring Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, scheduled for October 17 to 23.
The first two matches of the tri-series will be played in Abu Dhabi, while the remaining two matches will take place in Sharjah.
Afghanistan will then play a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe on October 27, October 29 and November 1, followed by a two-match Test series from November 5 to 9 and November 13 to 17. All five matches will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Rahmat Shah will lead Afghanistan in both Test and ODI cricket after recently being appointed captain in the two formats. He guided Afghanistan to a 4-0 ODI series victory over Ireland in August. The upcoming Test against Bangladesh will be his first assignment as Afghanistan’s full-time Test captain.
Fast-bowling all-rounder Ismat Alam returns to the Test squad after missing the recent Test against India. Middle-order batter Shahidullah Kamal and fast bowler Yamin Ahmadzai have also been recalled following strong performances in the ongoing Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Tournament.
Shahidullah has scored 538 runs at an average of 76.85, while Yamin has taken 42 wickets at an average of 12.73, with both currently leading the respective batting and bowling charts in the tournament.
Experienced left-arm spinner Zia Ur Rahman Akbar also returns to the Test squad after being sidelined by injury for almost a year. Leg-spinner Khalil Gurbaz, who was part of Afghanistan’s Test squad for the Ireland Test in 2024, has also been recalled.
Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran remain rested from Test cricket following medical advice against their participation in the longer format at this stage.
In white-ball cricket, middle-order batter Darwish Rasooli has been left out of both the ODI and T20I squads, while Mohammad Nabi has been omitted from the T20I squad.
Mohammad Akram, who recently made his T20I debut at the 2026 Asian Games, has earned a place in the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series. Young fast-bowling all-rounder Abdullah Tarakhil has also been rewarded for his performances in the 11th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League.
Ijaz Ahmadzai and Shahidullah Kamal have also been recalled to the T20I squad, while Fareed Ahmad Malik, who was among the reserves for Afghanistan’s recent T20I series against India, has been promoted to the main 15-member squad.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said Test cricket remains a major priority for Afghanistan and described the upcoming matches against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as important opportunities for the team, particularly its emerging players, to gain experience in the longer format.
He also said the ODI Tri-Nation Series will form part of Afghanistan’s preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, while emphasizing the ACB’s commitment to providing the national team with regular, high-quality international cricket.
Afghanistan Test squad
Rahmat Shah (Captain), Ikram Alikhil (Vice-Captain & WK), Afsar Zazai (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Khalil Gurbaz, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Yamin Ahmadzai.
Reserves: Baheer Shah Mahboob, Naseer Khan Maroofkhil, Bilal Sami, Bashir Ahmad.
Afghanistan ODI squad
Rahmat Shah (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Vice-Captain & WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyalai Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Yamin Ahmadzai.
Travelling reserve: Qais Ahmad.
Afghanistan T20I squad
Ibrahim Zadran (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor Rahman (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Mohammad Akram, Shahidullah Kamal, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Abdullah Tarakhil, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Farid Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Faridoon Dawoodzai, Qais Ahmad, Nangyalai Khan.
Series Schedule:
For cricket fans across Afghanistan, Ariana Television Network (ATN) will broadcast all these series live and exclusively.
Stay tuned to Ariana Television Network for the latest news, updates, and live coverage of these exciting cricket events.
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