Sayed Naseem Sadat, spokesperson for the Afghanistan Cricket Board, said on Sunday the national cricket team has arrived in Birmingham, England, to begin its preparations for the upcoming five-match ODI series against Ireland.

According to Sadat, the Afghan squad will continue training in England until August 1 before traveling to Ireland for the One-Day International (ODI) series.

The opening match of the series will be played on August 5 in Bready, Ireland.

Fans can watch the matches live on Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN).

Fath and Qosh Tepa recorded impressive team victories on the third day of the inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League (AWPL), as the country’s top wrestlers continued to showcase their talent in Kabul on Wednesday.

The league, which brings together leading wrestling clubs from across Afghanistan in a team-based competition, aims to promote one of the country’s most popular traditional sports while providing a national platform for elite athletes.

In the opening team contest, Spin Ghar’s Farzad Chailabagh defeated Qaribullah Kazemi of Fath in the 57kg category. Fath responded strongly, winning the next two bouts as Mohammad Ali Turkmanwal defeated Suhail Mirzai in the 61kg division and Siawash Samani overcame Abdul Sattar Alamiyar in the 65kg category, helping guide Fath to victory.

The second fixture featured Kahkashan against Qosh Tepa. Kahkashan made the perfect start when Mohammad Ramiz Ahmadi defeated Bilal Hakimi in the 57kg category.

Qosh Tepa, however, dominated the remainder of the contest, winning the next five bouts. Masihullah Nazari defeated Murtaza Rustami in the 61kg division, while Najib Hasani overcame Jawad in the 65kg category.

In the heavier weight classes, Shams Quraishi beat Sher Hussain in the 70kg division, Romal Rajabi defeated Mohammad Hadi at 74kg, and Osman Azimi completed the clean sweep by overcoming Farhad Haidari in the 79kg category.

The Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League continues in Kabul, with clubs from across the country competing for the inaugural championship in a tournament designed to strengthen the sport and provide greater exposure for Afghanistan’s leading wrestlers.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) is broadcasting every match of the Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League live and exclusively across Afghanistan, with daily coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m., bringing the competition to wrestling fans nationwide.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has appointed experienced middle-order batter Rahmat Shah Zurmati as the new captain of Afghanistan’s Test and One-Day International (ODI) teams following the resignation of Hashmatullah Shahidi.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, a day after Shahidi stepped down from the leadership role. The ACB also named star wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz as vice-captain for both formats.

Rahmat Shah is one of Afghanistan’s most experienced cricketers and has been a key member of the national team for more than a decade. Renowned for his calm temperament and dependable batting, he has played a pivotal role in Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket, particularly in the longer formats of the game.

The 32-year-old has represented Afghanistan in Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals, scoring thousands of international runs and becoming the country’s first batter to score a century in Test cricket. His consistency at the top of the order and wealth of experience made him a natural candidate to lead the national side.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, meanwhile, has established himself as one of Afghanistan’s most explosive opening batters. The 24-year-old has become a regular feature in franchise leagues around the world and is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in international cricket. His appointment as deputy captain is seen as part of the board’s long-term leadership planning.

The leadership change comes as Afghanistan prepares for a busy international schedule, including the upcoming tour of Ireland, where the team will play a white-ball series as part of its preparations for future ICC tournaments and bilateral engagements.

Hashmatullah Shahidi led Afghanistan through a significant period in the team’s development, including appearances in major ICC competitions. Under his captaincy, Afghanistan recorded several memorable victories and continued to strengthen its reputation as one of the leading emerging nations in world cricket.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board thanked Shahidi for his leadership and expressed confidence that Rahmat Shah and Gurbaz would guide the national team into its next chapter.

The new leadership duo will begin their tenure as Afghanistan looks to build on recent successes and continue its progress across the Test and ODI formats.