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U.S. stun Pakistan in Super Over to seal famous win

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The United States beat Pakistan in a Super Over in Dallas on Thursday to achieve one of the biggest upsets in Twenty20 World Cup history and secure their second win of the tournament.

Pakistan, the 2009 champions, recovered from a poor start to score 159-7 but the U.S. plundered 14 runs from their final over to finish on 159-3 and send the match to a Super Over, Reuters reported.

The tournament co-hosts made 18-1, helped by two wides from Pakistan, before restricting their opponents to 13-1 to seal a famous victory.

“It’s a big achievement beating Pakistan and playing for the first time,” U.S. captain and player of the match Monank Patel said.

“The way we played today I’m really proud of the boys and it was a complete team effort from ball one to the last ball.”

Pakistan captain Babar Azam bemoaned his side’s batting performance.

“We didn’t capitalise with the bat and they took a lot of momentum. Credit to USA, they performed so well today. They were better than us in all aspects of the game,” Babar said.

BLUE SKIES

The match began under blue skies on a sweltering day in Texas with Pakistan soon reeling at 30 for three against an attack including five bowlers born either on the Indian sub-continent or to parents from there.

Mohammad Rizwan (9), Usman Khan (3) and Fakhar Zaman (11) quickly perished and only Babar stood firm to reach 44 before he was caught off medium-pacer Jasdeep Singh.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Nosthush Kenjige, born in Alabama, dismissed Shadab Khan (40) and Azam Khan (0) off successive balls to finish with three for 30 from his four overs.

Tall left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi brought respectability to the scorecard by hitting two sixes and a four to finish on 23 not out.

Afridi took the new ball, conceding three boundaries in his first two overs as the U.S. batsmen went for their shots to reach 44 for one at the end of the powerplay.

South African-born Andries Gous, who scored 65 in his team’s opening win over Canada, was quickly into his stride, driving Rauf through the covers for four.

Gous struck leg-spinner Shadab Khan, Pakistan’s most successful T20 bowler, for six and Patel hit consecutive boundaries off Iftikhar Ahmed and lofted Afridi for six to bring up his 50.

Gaus was bowled by Rauf for 35 and Patel caught behind off Mohammad Amir before Aaron Jones took over with an unbeaten 36.

The U.S. needed 15 runs off their final over to overhaul Pakistan’s 159 for seven with the powerful Jones at the crease facing experienced paceman Haris Rauf.

Jones struck the fourth ball over long-on for six but could squeeze only a single off the fifth to put Nitish Kumar on strike with five needed for victory and four to take the match to a Super Over.

Kumar was up to the challenge, however, stepping outside his leg stump and chipping a full toss over mid-off to the boundary.

Jones and Harmeet Singh collected 18 runs in the Super Over by running hard between the wickets and although Pakistan collected two boundaries, they needed six off the last ball to force another Super Over and could manage only a single.

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Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026

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Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan have secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 after strong performances at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.

The three Asian sides join hosts Qatar as confirmed representatives from the Asian Football Confederation for the expanded 48-team tournament later this year.

Japan booked their place after defeating Qatar and then beating China 2-1 in Group B. Anthony Motosuna and Maki Kitahara scored the goals that sealed a second straight victory and guaranteed qualification.

Saudi Arabia also advanced from Group A after a 2-0 win over Thailand. Marwan Al Yami opened the scoring early before Hassan Al Okrush added a late second goal, giving the Saudis six points from two matches following their opening win against Myanmar.

Tajikistan joined them after edging Myanmar 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Asadbek Makhtumov. The victory followed Tajikistan’s opening 2-0 win over Thailand and secured their place in Qatar 2026.

More teams could qualify on Sunday as the second round of matches in Groups C and D continues, with the final group-stage fixtures set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Afghan cricket delegation travels to China for technical cooperation

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A delegation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has traveled to China following an official invitation from the Chinese government, in a move aimed at strengthening sports diplomacy and expanding technical cooperation in cricket between the two countries.

The delegation includes national coach Nawroz Mangal and players Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Faisal Shinozada, and Wahidullah Zadran.

Before their departure, ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan met with the delegation, reaffirming the board’s commitment to developing and globalizing Afghan cricket. He also referenced previous international engagement efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation focused on cricket development and technical collaboration.

Naseeb Khan highlighted existing economic and industrial ties between Afghanistan and China, expressing optimism that sports cooperation—particularly in cricket—could further strengthen bilateral relations. He emphasized that knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and joint development initiatives would support the growth of the sport in both countries.

During their visit, the Afghan delegation is expected to hold discussions on cricket development, community engagement, and the role of sport in society. The program also includes participation in workshops, attendance at a cricket match organized by Chinese cricket authorities, and visits to sports technology and innovation exhibitions.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has increasingly pursued regional partnerships in recent years. Last year, it signed a cooperation agreement with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation covering technical exchange, capacity building, development programs, and educational workshops aimed at expanding cricket infrastructure and expertise in the region.

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Los Angeles to welcome the world with historic FIFA World Cup 2026 opening event

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The United States is set to welcome the world with a major opening ceremony for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as Los Angeles prepares to host a star-powered celebration marking the start of the tournament across North America.

FIFA announced that global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla will headline the ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, June 12.

The event will officially launch what FIFA described as a “historic summer of football” across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Organizers said the ceremony will combine football, music and entertainment in a large-scale production designed to reflect the cultural diversity and global appeal of the tournament.

Gianni Infantino said the ceremony in Los Angeles would showcase the scale and ambition of the 2026 World Cup, adding that the lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the power of music to unite people.

For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three opening ceremonies will take place across the three host nations. Mexico City will host the first ceremony on June 11, followed by celebrations in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.

The opening match in the United States will see the U.S. national team face Paraguay. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a record 104 matches across 16 host cities, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Football fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow all the action live on the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. ATN will broadcast matches live on Ariana Television, providing full coverage of the world’s biggest football event for Afghan viewers.

Fans are also encouraged to stay connected with Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for the latest updates, including match schedules, team news, and other FIFA World Cup 2026 developments as the tournament draws closer.

 
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