Sport
Yadav hits 156.7 km/h as Lucknow trump Bengaluru in IPL match
Speedster Mayank Yadav bowled the quickest ball of the new IPL season at 156.7 km/h in a fiery spell to power Lucknow Super Giants to a 28-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Lucknow rode Quinton De Kock’s 56-ball 81 and an unbeaten 40 by Nicholas Pooran to post 181-5 at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
New pace sensation Yadav then turned up the heat with his thunderbolts to return figures of 3-14, which included removing Glenn Maxwell for a duck and bowling Cameron Green for nine, AFP reported.
Bengaluru were bowled out for 153 and suffered their third loss in four matches this season. Lucknow won their second straight match after an opening defeat.
The 21-year-old Yadav surpassed his previous top speed, having sent down a ball at 155.8 km/h on his IPL debut in Lucknow’s first win of the season on Saturday.
Shaun Tait bowled IPL’s fastest ever ball in 2011 at 157.71 km/h.
Bengaluru lost the wickets of Virat Kohli, skipper Faf du Plessis and Maxwell in the space of nine deliveries and three runs.
Left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth, who came in as impact substitute in place of De Kock, got Kohli as his debut wicket as the star batsman miscued a shot to backward point and walked back after his 22 off 16 balls.
Du Plessis was run out in the next over off a direct throw and three balls later Yadav had Maxwell out caught at mid-on with his searing pace.
Wickets kept tumbling and despite cameos from Rajat Patidar, who made 29, and Mahipal Lomror, who hit 33 off 13, the chase ended tamely.
De Kock set up victory at the top of the order with an attacking knock featuring eight fours and five sixes, and put on a key 56-run stand with Marcus Stoinis, who hit 24 off 15 balls.
Bengaluru slowed the surge with disciplined bowling in the middle overs before Pooran, who was dropped on two, hit back with three sixes off Reece Topley.
Next match!
Delhi Capitals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday, April 3. Fans across Afghanistan can tune in from 6.30pm on Ariana Television to watch the match live. Alternatively, fans in the country can stream the match live on www.arianatelevision.com
The Afghanistan Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Afghanistan’s under-15 national football team has qualified for the FIFA U-15 World Cup, marking a significant achievement for the country’s youth football development.
According to the federation, the qualification comes as a result of sustained efforts and strategic planning aimed at strengthening grassroots football across Afghanistan.
The federation said the successful organization of under-14 competitions in different zones of the country helped pave the way for the U-15 national team to secure a place in the global tournament.
In a statement, the federation said the achievement also follows efforts by its leadership, particularly Mohammad Yousuf Kargar, who held discussions with officials of FIFA while emphasizing the development of youth football in Afghanistan.
The tournament, part of FIFA’s global talent development program, aims to nurture young players, improve technical ability, provide international exposure, and prepare the next generation of footballers.
The competition will take place in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026, with under-15 teams from FIFA member nations set to participate.
Players born in 2011 and 2012 will be eligible for the tournament.
Matches will be played in an 8-versus-8 format designed to maximize ball involvement, develop individual skills, improve decision-making, and provide young players with valuable international competition experience.
Afghanistan’s participation is being seen as a major opportunity for the country’s emerging football talent to compete on the world stage and further elevate the profile of Afghan youth football.
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
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.
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