Sport
World Cup draw reveals U.S. to face England and Iran, as Spain meet Germany
The World Cup draw revealed on Friday (April 1) that United States will face England and Iran in Group B at the World Cup finals while Spain will take on Germany in a clash of former winners in Group E, Reuters reported.
Holders France will meet Denmark and Tunisia in Group D while the tournament will kick off on Nov. 21 with hosts Qatar playing Ecuador.
For the U.S., the draw pits them against their former colonial rulers England and the Iranians, a country they have had long-running political disputes with.
The U.S. faced Iran at the 1998 World Cup in France, losing 2-1 to the Gulf nation, read the report.
Group G was one of the toughest, pitting five-times World Cup winners Brazil against Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon.
According to Reuters the draw came after a 45 minute musical and video show as FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised the event would “simply be the best tournament ever”.
The decision in 2010 to hand the hosting rights to Qatar was heavily criticised and there has been intense scrutiny of the human rights situation in the country.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed the guests who included national team coaches, World Cup-winning players and football officials all waiting to discover the group stage match-ups during a ceremony presented by British actor Idris Elba and broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury.
The tournament will run from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18 — the first time soccer’s top prize has been competed for in the Middle East and there was a distinct Arabian feeling to the show, Reuters reported.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
Sport
2nd ODI: India crush Afghanistan by 170 runs to seal series lead
The Indian national cricket team registered a dominant 170-run victory over Afghanistan in the second One Day International, delivering a commanding all-round performance.
Batting first, India piled up 402 all out in 49.5 overs, setting a daunting 403-run target for Afghanistan.
In reply, Afghanistan were never able to settle into the chase and were eventually bowled out for 232 in 44.3 overs, falling well short of the required total.
India’s innings was powered by a sensational top-order display. Shubman Gill led the charge with a brilliant 154 off 110 balls, striking 22 fours and 2 sixes, while Ishan Kishan lit up the innings with a rapid 125 off 79 deliveries, smashing 14 fours and 7 sixes. The duo laid the foundation for a massive total.
Afghanistan’s bowling effort saw some resistance from Rashid Khan, who picked up 3 wickets, but lacked support from the other end.
Set under pressure from the outset, Afghanistan’s batting lineup failed to build partnerships and was unable to sustain the required run rate against disciplined Indian bowling.
The match was played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, where India’s dominant performance secured a comfortable win and momentum in the series.
Afghanistan had also lost the opening ODI by 7 wickets, giving India a strong 2–0 position in the series.
-
Latest News3 days agoPakistani truckers return home after 9 months stranded in Afghanistan
-
International Sports3 days agoIran goalkeeper shines in heroic draw against Belgium at FIFA World Cup 2026
-
Latest News4 days agoTurkish report uncovers ISIS-K media unit in Pakistan’s Balochistan
-
International Sports4 days agoFIFA Fan Festival tops 2 million visitors so far during World Cup 2026
-
International Sports3 days agoMessi, David, and Undav lead thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race
-
Latest News3 days agoEarthquake of magnitude 5.2 strikes Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region
-
Business4 days agoAfghanistan and Kazakhstan seal 25 private sector MoUs for cooperation
-
Latest News5 days agoKhalilzad calls on Pakistan to explain why talks with Afghanistan have failed
