Sport
Namibia defeat Oman in T20 World Cup after super over thriller
Namibia scored a nerve-shredding victory over Oman in their T20 World Cup Group B clash in Barbados on Sunday after a low-scoring thriller was decided by a super over.
David Wiese was the hero for Namibia, contributing 13 runs in his team’s super over total of 21 before restricting Oman to 10 runs with the ball in hand to seal a crucial win at Kensington Oval.
The match had gone to a decisive extra over after a tense duel saw both teams finish with 109 runs from their allotted 20 overs, AFP reported.
Oman had looked to be heading for defeat after a superb four-wicket bowling display from Ruben Trumpelmann saw them all out for 109 off 19.4 overs.
But Oman's bowlers responded with a disciplined performance to contain Namibia's bats, with Mehran Khan conjuring a superb spell to leave the match on a knife edge.
Khan finished with figures of three wickets for seven runs off three overs.
The veteran Oman bowler took two wickets in the final over to frustrate Namibia, who had needed just five runs from the over to clinch victory.
But Khan was bizarrely overlooked for the super over bowling duties by Oman, with Bilal Khan handed the ball instead.
That move backfired spectacularly, though, with Wiese blasting a four off the first ball and then crushing a full toss for six off Khan's second delivery.
Wiese took three more runs off the next two balls before Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus hit back-to-back fours to set Oman a daunting victory target of 22 off their super over.
Wiese took over the bowling duties for Namibia and after conceding just two runs from his first two deliveries, took the wicket of Naseem Khushi.
Two more singles left Oman needing 18 from the last delivery to win, meaning Wiese could allow Zeeshan Maqsood to blast a six knowing victory was assured.
"I definitely aged a couple of years tonight," the 39-year-old Wiese said. "And I don't have a lot of years left in me. It was an emotionally draining evening."
Wiese said he had been confident of steering Namibia to victory with bat and ball in the super over, AFP reported.
"It helped that I had a feel of the game and knew if I get a few hits out in the Super Over .... then with the ball, felt like taking the ball and executing.
"The pitch was difficult and didn't play the way we thought. But we adapted well."
Oman captain Aqib Ilyas was left lamenting an agonising near-miss -- but defended the decision to opt for Bilal as the super over bowler over the in-form Khan.
"I think Bilal is one of the best bowlers you can have at this level," Aqib said. "But there are days where you plan and it doesn't execute.
"He was clear, we were clear, but maybe the ball was wet and he couldn't execute."
Earlier, Trumpelmann had given Namibia a dream start with two wickets from the first two deliveries of the match, part of a four-wicket performance. Wiese also impressed in the regulation 20 overs with 3-28 off 3.4 overs.
Namibia made hard work of the run chase, however, with Jan Frylinck (45) and Niko Davin (24) top scoring as the southern Africans came up just short of their victory target.
Sport
Ariana News to broadcast IPL auction live and exclusively in Afghanistan
The highly anticipated TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) Player Auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday November 24 and Monday November 25 - an event that will be broadcast to Afghanistan’s cricket fans live and exclusively by Ariana Television and Radio Network (ATN).
The two-day event will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana News.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this year. It will be the second time that the IPL mega auction is held outside India after last year's event in Dubai.
This year's mega auction will have 1,574 players registered, of which 574 names will go under the hammer.
Of those 574, a total of 366 players will be Indian and 208 will be foreign cricketers.
A number of big names will be in fray, with as many as 81 players choosing to register themselves under the highest base price bracket of Rs 2 crore ($237,000).
Afghan players
Eighteen Afghan players have been shortlisted for the IPL mega auction.
Two hundred and four (204) slots will be up for grabs with 70 available slots for overseas players.
Full list of Afghan players shortlisted for the auction:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Noor Ahmad
Waqar Salamkheil
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Azmatullah Omarzai
Naveen-ul-haq
Zahir Khan Pakten
Sediqullah Atal
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Najibullah Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran
Qais Ahmad
Karim Janat
Faridoon Dawoodzai
Nangyal Kharote
For cricket fans across the country, the IPL mega auction broadcast will be on Sunday and Monday from 1.30pm Kabul time on Ariana News. For more information and updated stories be sure to watch this space and follow us on social media.
Sport
Pakistan trumps Afghanistan by only 13 runs in U19 Tri-Series One Day match
Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket
Afghanistan’s U-19 cricket team went down to Pakistan by only 13 runs on Wednesday in their third tri-nation series One Day match at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
This was Pakistan’s first win over Afghanistan in the ongoing tournament after the Afghans defeated their opponents by 100 runs at the same venue on Friday.
Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket.
After Faisal’s departure, Uzairullah soon followed with Afghanistan at 142 for three in 26.5 overs.
Afghanistan were bundled out for 231 in 46.4 overs.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pakistan’s opening pair Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan provided a solid 129-run stand to Pakistan.
Left-handed Usman, who scored a century against Afghanistan in the previous match, scored an 88-ball 77, which included eight fours.
Shahzaib meanwhile top-scored for the side with 78 off 101 balls, hitting seven boundaries.
For Afghanistan, Abdul Aziz Khan and Khatir Khan Stanikzai bagged three wickets apiece, while Naseer Khan Maroofkhil snapped two wickets.
Pakistan will take on the hosts UAE U19 in their last group match on Friday, 22 November.
In a post on X, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said late Wednesday: “Not the result we would have wanted but Afghanistan Future Stars will look to bounce back in the next match.”
Afghanistan will take on UAE U19 on Sunday, November 24.
Sport
Afghanistan beat UAE by 169 runs in U19 tri-series
Afghanistan under-19 cricket team defeated the United Arab Emirates under-19 team by 169 runs in their second match of the tri-nation series in Dubai on Monday.
Batting first after winning the toss, Afghans posted 359-5 as they played all the mandated 50 overs in the ICC Academy in Dubai.
Faisal Khan scored 156 runs while captain Mehboob Khan made 141.
In reply, UAE made 190 before they were all out in the 45.4 overs.
It is Afghanistan U19's second consecutive win in the two matches they have played so far in the tri-series.
Afghanistan U19 defeated Pakistan by 100 runs in their first match.
Afghanistan U19 will meet Pakistan U19 again on Wednesday.
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