Sport
We have planned for Australia, not just Maxwell: Shahidi
Afghanistan cricket team has chalked out plans for the entire Australian side and is not just focused on Glenn Maxwell, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said ahead of their must-win Champions Trophy match scheduled to be held on Friday.
Having knocked England out of the tournament with a stunning eight-run win in Lahore on Wednesday, Afghanistan are now seeking to get the better of Australia at the same venue on Friday and book a semifinal berth.
“You think we will come only to play with Maxwell? Do you think it will be like that? We have planned for entire Australian team, and I know that he (Maxwell) played really well in the 2023 World Cup, but that’s part of the history,” Shahidi said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
Chasing 292, Australia were staring at a certain defeat after losing seven wickets with less than 100 on the board, but then, Maxwell played one of the greatest knocks in history of one-day cricket to steer his side into an unbelievable win, and days later, the Aussies won a record-extending sixth World Cup.
However, the Afghans exacted revenge for that painful defeat with victory against Australia in the T20 World Cup a year later after Maxwell again threatened to take the game away from them.
“After that, we beat them in T20 World Cup, and we think about all opposition team. We are not coming to the ground to plan on individual players. We will try our best to come with the planning, and we are not playing only Maxwell – we are playing Australia,” Shahidi said.
Wednesday’s win was their second in ODIs against England after their stunning victory in the 2023 World Cup in India.
The victory against England sparked wild celebrations in the Afghan capital of Kabul where fireworks were lit and streets were filled with jubilant fans.
Should Afghanistan get past Australia, it will pave the way for their second successive entry into the semifinals of an ICC event in less than a year, following their inspiring run in the T20 World Cup in the Americas in 2024.
Shahidi, however, is not reading much into the prospects of semifinal appearance.
“I think it will be a good game for cricket, and our focus will be to keep things simple and don’t worry much about playing semifinal. We will try to do our basics well, and we will try to come to the ground with good planning,” Shahidi said.
“Afghan people always cheer for us, as you saw (against England) in the ground. There were a lot of our Afghan people. So, their support is always with us, and wherever we go, they support us. They are coming to the stadiums.
“And whenever we play games like this, all Afghanistan, back home watching from TV. When we wake up, we will analyse the opposition team and we will come with good planning.”
Cricket fans across the country can watch all Champions Trophy matches live on Ariana Television.
For updates, fixtures and schedules be sure to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ digital platforms.
Afghanistan’s U18 national futsal team put up a determined fight but narrowly missed out on the bronze medal after suffering a 2–1 defeat against Morocco in the third-place match at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games on Thursday.
The young Afghan players showed great determination and fighting spirit throughout the contest. Morocco took the lead in the first half before doubling its advantage after the break.
Afghanistan refused to give up and fought back, pulling one goal back in the dying seconds of the match.
Despite a late push, the national side could not find an equalizer, as Morocco held on for a 2–1 victory to claim the bronze medal.
Afghanistan’s national youth futsal team competed in four matches at the tournament, making an impressive start with a commanding 5–0 victory over Panama in its opening group-stage fixture.
The young side then faced Argentina, losing 2–1, before suffering a 2–0 defeat against Portugal.
Despite missing out on a medal, Afghanistan’s young futsal players demonstrated determination, resilience and competitive spirit on the international stage.
Portugal and Argentina will face each other in the final to compete for the gold medal.
Arman FC suffered a 1-0 defeat against Abu Muslim Farah in the 83rd match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan in Kabul on Wednesday.
Abu Muslim Farah found the back of the net once in the first half, taking a 1-0 lead into the break.
Despite efforts from both sides in the second half, neither team managed to score, and the match ended in a 1-0 victory for Abu Muslim Farah.
Arman FC will face Kabul Istiqlal on November 15 in their final match of the competition, while Abu Muslim Farah will take on Toofan Herat on November 14.
All matches of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Sorkh Poshan Khafi have mathematically secured the sixth-season Roshan Afghanistan Champions League title after recording a commanding 7-0 victory over Khurasan Faryab in the competition’s 82nd match on Wednesday.
The Herat-based side moved to 47 points from 17 matches, putting the championship beyond the reach of their closest rivals with one fixture still remaining in their campaign.
The title was effectively decided by the result, rather than the conclusion of the competition, as other teams still have matches to play.
Before Wednesday’s encounter, Sorkh Poshan had 44 points, six ahead of second-placed Abu Muslim Farah. Even if Abu Muslim win both of their remaining matches, they can reach only 44 points, leaving Sorkh Poshan uncatchable.
Sorkh Poshan took a 1-0 lead into half-time in Wednesday’s match before producing a devastating second-half display, scoring six additional goals to complete the 7-0 rout.
The victory also confirmed the club’s outstanding consistency throughout the campaign, establishing them as the season’s dominant side.
Sorkh Poshan will play their final league fixture against Omar Zawak on November 15, giving the team an opportunity to finish their campaign on another high note.
Khurasan Faryab, meanwhile, are scheduled to face Sarsabz Yashlar on November 14 as the remaining league fixtures continue.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League features 10 clubs competing in a league format, with the title now decided ahead of the final round of matches.
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) broadcasts all matches of the competition live on Ariana Television.
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