Sport
Three Afghans in ICC’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the ODI team of 2024, with three Afghans namely Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar making the cut to the list.
Other players in the list are from Sri Lanka (4), Pakistan (3) and West Indies (1).
Rahmanullah Gurbaz played 11 ODIs last year, scoring 531 runs, including three centuries and two half-centuries.
Gurbaz continues to produce the game-wrecking performances he’s been known for ever since his famous century on debut in 2021, ICC said on its website.
Afghanistan had a 2024 series against Sri Lanka, Ireland, South Africa and Bangladesh and Gurbaz was productive in all of them.
Azmatullah Omarzai scored 417 runs in the 12 ODIs he played in 2024, including one century and three half centuries. He picked up 17 wickets.
Omarzai’s all-round contribution was of great use to Afghanistan throughout 2024 in ODIs, combining high-end batting production with some very useful bowling performances.
In the third and deciding ODI against Bangladesh in November, with the series locked up at 1-1, he took 4/37 with the ball and followed that up with an innings of 70 not out to steer them to a five-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar took 21 wickets in 11 matches he played last year.
He had an incredible 2024, after making his ODI debut in March against Ireland.
The off-spinner became the fifth-youngest Men’s player to take a five-for in an ODI, picking up 6/26 against Bangladesh in November.
He recorded another five-wicket haul in his last ODI appearance of 2024, grabbing 5/33 against Harare in December.
Ghazanfar has already become an important member of Afghanistan’s team and will be pivotal for their upcoming Champions Trophy claims.
ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024: Charith Asalanka (C) (Sri Lanka), Saim Ayub (Pakistan), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan), Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka), Kusal Mendis (WK) (Sri Lanka), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan), Haris Rauf (Pakistan), AM Ghazanfar (Afghanistan).
Abu Muslim Farah beat Omar Zawak Herat 4-0 in the 30th match of the sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League, delivering an impressive performance.
The match was played today (Wednesday) at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium.
Samiullah Naderi scored Abu Muslim Farah’s opening goal in the final minutes of the first half.
Abu Muslim Farah continued their attacking play in the second half, with Aman Sardari scoring the team’s second goal in the 69th minute with a spectacular header.
Omid Rajabi and Mirois Ghafouri then added two more goals to complete a 4-0 victory for Abu Muslim Farah.
Amanullah Sardari, captain of Abu Muslim Farah, was named Player of the Match against Omar Zawak Herat.
Abu Muslim Farah will face Ariana Khost in their next match on October 2, while Omar Zawak Herat will take on Istiqlal Kabul on the same day.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s High Performance Center is set to launch a nationwide fast-bowling talent identification program, titled “Afghan Thunder,” across several provinces throughout October.
According to the ACB, the program will begin in Kunduz on October 4, with assessments continuing in Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, Khost, Paktia and Kunar before concluding in Nangarhar on October 27.
The board says eligible participants must be between 19 and 26 years old, at least 180 centimeters tall, hold a valid electronic National ID (e-Tazkira) and be capable of bowling at speeds of at least 140 kilometers per hour.
The assessment schedule is as follows: Kunduz on October 4–5, Herat on October 9–10, Kandahar on October 12, Kabul on October 14–15, Khost on October 19, Paktia on October 21, Kunar on October 25 and Nangarhar on October 27.
The ACB has encouraged eligible players who believe they have the potential to develop into high-level fast bowlers to take part in the Afghan Thunder Fast-Bowling Talent Hunt Program on the designated dates.
The board says the initiative aims to identify promising fast-bowling talent from across Afghanistan and provide talented players with a pathway into the country’s high-performance cricket system.
Toofan Herat and Aino Mina Kandahar drew 1-1 in the 29th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan on Tuesday.
Enayatullah Koohi scored the opening goal for Toofan Herat in the first half, but Ahmad Nabi Moqaddas equalized for Aino Mina Kandahar in the 32nd minute.
Both teams created chances to score in the second half, but neither side was able to find the net, and the match ended 1-1.
Toofan Herat committed 12 fouls and received one yellow card, while Aino Mina Kandahar committed 16 fouls and received two yellow cards.
Toofan Herat will face Arman FC in their next match on October 1, while Aino Mina Kandahar will take on Abu Muslim Farah on October 2.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
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