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Rashid Khan named one of five players to watch during this year’s IPL

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The Indian Premier League cricket got underway Saturday for its 15th edition as 10 teams battle it out for the Twenty20 title.

This year, all matches will be played in Mumbai and Pune, in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.

For local cricket fans, Ariana Television will bring the matches to them live throughout the tournament after ATN secured the rights to broadcast in Afghanistan.

Today, Sunday, fans can tune in to Ariana Television from 2pm to watch Delhi Capitals take on Mumbai Indians.

On Sunday, AFP Sport highlighted the five players to watch in the two-month extravaganza.

Among the five is Afghan cricketing hero, Rashid Khan, who continues to make his country proud.

The five players to watch, according to AFP Sport, are:

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

The recently dethroned India captain will be desperate to end his recent dry run with the bat, having not scored an international century since November 2019, and finally win an IPL title.

Kohli, who has also stepped down as Bangalore skipper, has been the team's go-to batsman alongside the now-retired AB de Villiers. This season they will have veteran fellow South African Faf du Plessis.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle believes Bangalore will be in contention for their maiden title if "King Kohli" delivers 75 percent of his 973 runs in 2016 when his team finished runners-up.

Liam Livingstone (Punjab Kings)

Punjab broke the bank for the England batsman and occasional spinner as the 28-year-old became the most expensive player in this season's auction at $1.52 million.

Livingstone, who hit England's fastest T20 century, in 42 balls, in a game against Pakistan last year, adds muscle to a Punjab batting line-up that includes skipper Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan and England teammate Jonny Bairstow.

But former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar said having Livingstone, who had an ordinary last season with Rajasthan Royals, will be a "gamble" for Punjab.

David Warner (Delhi Capitals)

The swashbuckling opener parted ways with Sunrisers Hyderabad after a poor season last year and joins Delhi Capitals under coach and fellow Australian Ricky Ponting.

The 35-year-old silenced his critics with a key role in Australia's maiden T20 World Cup triumph.

With 5,449 runs in 150 IPL matches, Warner will boost the batting-line up for Delhi, led by wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who are still searching for their maiden IPL title.

Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans)

It was a coup for the IPL newcomers to get the Afghan spin wizard for $2.3 million in the draft pick ahead of the auction.

He has bagged 105 wickets in 58 T20 internationals with his leg-spin and was a key player for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 93 scalps in 76 IPL matches.

Rashid is one of the hottest properties in world cricket and beats the best with a deadly googly. He is also an excellent fielder and useful lower-order batsman.

Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders)

A veteran of nearly 400 T20 matches, the bowling all-rounder will be key to Kolkata's hopes of going one better than their runners-up finish last year.

Narine's mystery spin and his ability to score quick runs as a left-handed batsman in the top or middle order helped Kolkata to title wins in 2012 and 2014.

The 33-year-old was retained along with fellow West Indian Andre Russell by Kolkata.

Pundit Harsha Bhogle called him a "T20 franchise beast".

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Afghanistan clinches ODI series victory against Zimbabwe

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Afghanistan's national cricket team triumphed over Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) to claim the series victory.

In a dominant bowling display, Afghanistan dismissed Zimbabwe for just 127 runs in 30.1 overs. The Afghan batsmen then chased down the target comfortably in 26.5 overs, losing only 2 wickets along the way.

The standout performer of the match was Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who took a remarkable 5 wickets, while Rashid Khan supported with 3 wickets. Azmatullah Omarzai and Farid Ahmad each claimed 1 wicket.

The first match of the series was abandoned due to rain, but Afghanistan bounced back strongly in the second match, securing a commanding 232-run victory.

This series win follows Afghanistan's earlier success in the T20I series against Zimbabwe, further cementing their dominance in international cricket.

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Bangla Tigers lift Lanka T10 Super League title

Player of the match and player of the series was Titan’s skipper Dasun Shanaka.

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Hambantota Bangla Tigers beat favorites Jaffna Titans by 26 runs in Thursday’s Lanka T10 Super League final at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.

The Tigers produced a fine all-round performance to beat the Titans, who had won all their matches in the lead up to the final.

Player of the match and player of the series was Titan’s skipper Dasun Shanaka.

Hambantota Bangla Tigers, put into bat first, posted 133 for seven from their allotted 10 overs through some useful contributions from their top order batsmen.

The openers Mohammad Shahzad and Kusal Perera added 35 runs from 2.4 overs before they suffered a middle order collapse and reached 59 for three at the halfway stage of the innings.

However, skipper Dasun Shanaka and Shevon Daniel revived the innings with a fourth-wicket partnership of 44 runs in three overs.

Shanaka made 21 with two sixes and two boundaries while Daniel struck 26 with one six and three boundaries before Kennar Lewis and Dhananjaya Lakshan added the finishing touches.

Chasing 133 runs for victory, Jaffna Titans lost wickets at regular intervals and they eventually finished at 107 for six despite a fighting unbeaten half century from middle order batsman Tom Abell.
Richard Gleeson wrecked the Hambantota Bangla Tigers’ innings with excellent figures of three wickets for 21 while Shanaka captured two wickets for four runs.

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Afghanistan crush Zimbabwe by 232 runs in second ODI

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Afghanistan defeated Zimbabwe by 232 runs in the second ODI on Thursday to secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Sent to bat first by Zimbabwe who won the toss, Afghanistan posted 286-6 in Harare.

Sediqullah Atal scored 104, his first hundred in an international match. Abdul Malik followed with 84.

In reply, Zimbabwe scored 54 runs before being bowled out in the 17.5 overs.

Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and Naweed Zadran took three wickets each. Fazlullah Farooqi picked up two wickets and Azmatullah Omarzai one.

This was the second match of the ODI series between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. The first was abandoned due to rain.

The third and final game of the series will be played on Saturday.

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