Sport

Theekshana and Sams bowl out Dubai Capitals for 104 and lift Sharjah Warriors to nine-wicket win

Published

2 years ago

January 30, 2024

A happy Sharjah Warriors skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore said on Monday after beating Dubai Capitals by nine wickets in their ILT20 match that his team played brilliantly.

“The guys were brilliant in the first innings and made our job easier. This isn’t the easiest place to play spin, and to have someone (Maheesh Theekshana) who can bowl three overs in the powerplay is brilliant. Everyone’s chipping in, just about finding consistency.”

Sharjah Warriors’ Johnson Charles received the green belt for the highest run getter of the tournament so far with 200 runs from five matches whereas Theekshana received the white belt for most wickets (11).

Theekshana weaved magic with the ball producing unplayable deliveries to bag four wickets for 20 runs.

His guile and artistry with the ball resulted in Dubai Capitals being bowled out for 104 runs in 18.2 overs.

Theekshana was well-backed by Daniel Sams, who bagged 3 for 28 with his accurate left-arm medium pace. Together they helped Warriors register an emphatic nine-wicket win in the 14th match of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Chasing the moderate target, Warriors raced to victory in 13.1 overs.

Warriors won the match with 41 balls to spare.

Capitals had come into this match after a defeat to defending champions Gulf Giants and surprised everyone by opting to bat first after winning the toss, unlike all other teams that had elected to bowl.

On the other hand, Warriors, fresh from a win over Desert Vipers the day before this match, carried the momentum and have now shot up the points table to the second slot from the fifth position while Capitals slipped to the fourth slot.

Speaking after the match, Capitals captain Warner admitted that his team did play poorly: “We weren’t good enough with the bat. We are all accountable for that. The wicket played a bit different than we expected, and we need to give credit to them for the way they bowled. Our shot selection wasn’t good enough.

“We need to go back to the drawing board and be brave. We are being a bit too conservative, need to show more intent. We’ll be back in Dubai where we are a bit more confident about the conditions,” he said.

Talking about his spell, Player of the Match, Theekshana said: “The surface was a bit slower than yesterday and it got better for me. We have got experienced players, and we are performing well as a team. In Abu Dhabi (next match), I have bowled in the T10 and the 2021 World Cup as well. I know the wickets there, so hopefully I can get better out there too.”

Tuesday’s match

Tuesday, January 30, will see Desert Vipers take on MI Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The match will start at 7pm and will be broadcast live on Ariana Television.

Fans across Afghanistan can however tune in at 6:30 pm to watch the pre-match show.

Sport

IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan named Sunrisers’ interim captain ahead of opening clash

Kishan, 27, arrives at the leadership role on the back of strong recent form and growing stature in international cricket.

Published

18 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Ariana News

With just days to go before the curtain rises on the Indian Premier League 2026 season, anticipation is building among fans worldwide for what promises to be another high-octane edition of cricket’s most lucrative T20 competition.

The 2026 campaign is set to get underway on Saturday, March 28, meaning there are less than five days remaining until the opening match.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, kicking off a tournament expected to deliver fresh rivalries, emerging stars, and dramatic finishes.

New leadership shift at Sunrisers

In one of the major developments ahead of the new season, Sunrisers Hyderabad—champions of the 2016 edition—have appointed Ishan Kishan as interim captain. The decision comes as regular skipper Pat Cummins continues his recovery from injury and is set to miss the opening matches.

Kishan, 27, arrives at the leadership role on the back of strong recent form and growing stature in international cricket. The explosive left-handed batter was a key contributor to India’s victorious campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has quickly become one of the most dynamic players in the shortest format.

He joined Sunrisers for INR 11.25 crore (about $1.2 million) during the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season and made an immediate impact.

Last season, Kishan scored 354 runs in 14 matches at an average of 35.40, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 152.58. He also announced himself in style with a blistering unbeaten 106 off just 47 deliveries in his debut match against Rajasthan Royals.

Young Indian talent Abhishek Sharma has been named vice-captain and will support Kishan in leading the side during the early phase of the tournament.

Opening clash and season expectations

Sunrisers face a tough start as they take on the defending champions RCB in the tournament opener, a match that is already generating significant buzz. With several teams undergoing squad reshuffles and strategic changes following recent auctions, IPL 2026 is expected to showcase a new competitive balance across franchises.

Broadcast details for Afghanistan

Fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow every moment of the action live, as Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. Matches will be aired live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Viewers are also encouraged to follow Ariana TV and Ariana News across social media platforms for the latest updates, breaking news, and in-depth coverage throughout the tournament.

Sport

Afghanistan secures third place at 2026 World Kokpar Championship

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2026

Ariana News

The national buzkashi team of Afghanistan delivered an impressive performance to claim third place at the 2026 World Kokpar Championship in Kazakhstan.

Afghanistan dominated the group stage with commanding victories—thrashing Hungary 14–0, defeating Russia 5–0, and overcoming Mongolia 7–0—to top Group B and advance to the semi-finals.

Despite a strong effort, Afghanistan fell 4–2 to Uzbekistan in the semi-finals. However, the team responded emphatically in the third-place playoff, beating Russia 6–0 to secure the bronze medal.

Alongside their podium finish, Afghanistan was awarded 4,500,000 Kazakh tenge (around 9,400 US dollars) by the International Kokpar Federation, capping off a successful campaign on the global stage.

Sport

Ireland to host Afghanistan for ODI series in August

Published

3 days ago

March 21, 2026

Ariana News

Ireland cricket officials have announced that they will host Afghanistan for a five-match ODI series from August 5–14.

Other international teams including Australia and England have either cancelled or avoided scheduling bilateral series against Afghanistan since the Islamic Emirate regained power in 2021.

“Cricket Ireland has made a decision to play Afghanistan in Belfast this year,” CI chief executive Sarah Keane said on Friday. “I’m not going to fob you off by saying that there’s financial reasons and there’s legal reasons. There aren’t. This has been a decision by Cricket Ireland in what it believes is the best interest of the organisation as a whole, and the decision was made by the board this week.”