Sport
Zimbabwe rout USA and Netherlands crush West Indies in World Cup Qualifier
Sean Williams hit 174 off 101 balls as Zimbabwe crushed the United States by 304 runs on Monday at the Cricket World Cup qualifiers, the second biggest winning margin in terms of runs in ODI history.
Hosts Zimbabwe made their highest one-day total with a mammoth 408-6 off 50 overs and then bowled out the USA for just 104 to seal a fourth straight win in Group A.
They narrowly missed breaking the record for the biggest margin of victory in a one-day international, set at the start of the year when India thrashed Sri Lanka by 317 runs in Thiruvananthapuram.
Wicketkeeper Joylord Gumbie struck a steady 78 at the top of the order but Williams played the starring role as Zimbabwe stepped on the accelerator once the stand-in captain arrived at the crease.
Williams hit 21 fours and five sixes before he was caught in the deep in the penultimate over, with Sikandar Raza scoring 48 off 27 balls and Ryan Burl hammering 47 off just 16 deliveries.
Only three USA batters reached double figures as Richard Ngarava and Raza both took two wickets while three run outs compounded a dismal performance from the Americans.
Van Beek smashes record for biggest Super Over score to seal famous win
Prior to Monday 26 June, the biggest Super Over score in the history of cricket had jointly been held by West Indies Men and West Indies Women, at 25 runs apiece.
But this time it was the West Indies who were on the receiving end of a thunderous six-ball effort, as they were beaten in the Super Over by Netherlands in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Logan van Beek was the man to do all of the damage, hitting every single ball of the Super Over to the boundary, with three fours and three sixes setting a new all-time record of 30 runs.
It was an extraordinary effort and helped the Netherlands to a famous win over West Indies, coming after the Dutch side had produced a phenomenal run chase of 374/9 to finish the regulation overs with a tie.
That score was comfortably the highest ever scored by the Netherlands in their ODI history, but they needed another record to complete the famous win.
Jason Holder was the unfortunate bowler on the receiving end of Van Beek’s fireworks.
Holder had been the pick of the West Indies bowlers earlier in the match, going for just 59 runs from his ten overs, with comfortably the best economy rate across the team.
And the match had only been tied thanks to Holder’s excellent catch off the very last ball of the Netherlands innings, with the scores already tied.
But he didn’t hit his yorkers in the Super Over, offering up two full tosses in the first two deliveries. And a confident Van Beek went 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4 to make history in Harare.
Riding that wave of adrenaline, it was Van Beek who took the ball for Netherlands in the Super Over too.
And although his first delivery disappeared for a maximum, two singles were followed by two wickets as he completed an exceptional individual effort on a famous day for his team.
Ariana Television Network will broadcast the matches daily live on TV and Website.
Pre-match shows will start at 11am (Kabul time), while the day’s match will start at 11.30am (Kabul time).
Matches are streamed live on Ariana Television websites simultaneously:
www.arianatelevision.com/live and www.arianatelevision.com/icc-live
CLICK HERE for the broadcast schedule on Ariana Television
Sport
Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026
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.
Sport
Afghan cricket delegation travels to China for technical cooperation
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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