Sport

Shahidi calls for more Test matches and one home venue for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s captain Shahidi believes that sticking to only one home venue will make them stronger

Published

2 weeks ago

September 8, 2024

Afghanistan’s skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said Sunday the team needs to play more Tests and have just "one good home venue" in India in order to improve in the red-ball format.

Addressing the media on the eve of Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand, Shahidi said nine games in six years is not enough.

“If we get a lot more chances with the good teams, we will improve.”

“I think if we get more chances on a regular basis, we will improve a lot because if we see as a team and as a country, we are brave people and we always accept challenges,” he said.

“I think it will be very good for us as a side. If you look at our past, we get one Test match and we start preparing for that ten days before. So it's not easy to come to red-ball cricket.

“Playing matches will make us even better on judging the ball and playing good cricket in red-ball format, compared to playing in the nets. So if we play three-four games back to back I think it will be better," he said.

Ranked 12th in the ICC Test rankings, Afghanistan are a force in the white-ball formats, ranked ninth in ODIs and tenth in T20Is.

Apart from hoping to play Test cricket more frequently going forward, Shahidi said he also wants "one good home venue" in India instead of the team having to travel from place to host teams.

For this Test, which starts on Monday, Afghanistan will host New Zealand in Greater Noida, near Delhi. Since becoming a Full Member, their other home Tests have been in Dehradun, Lucknow and Abu Dhabi.

But Shahidi believes that sticking to only one home venue will make them stronger.

He pointed out that while India is considered home, the other nations they have played have had more games in India than Afghanistan has.

"So hopefully we will get one good venue here in India and we stick with that. If we stick with one venue, it will be more effective for us,” he said.

Following their press conference, Shahidi and his New Zealand counterpart Tim Southee unveiled the trophy for their one-off Test - which will hopefully go off as planned as the weather forecast for the coming week points towards rain.

Bangladesh sweep test series in Pakistan in healing touch for troubled nation

Up Next

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran ruled out of New Zealand test due to injury

Don't Miss

Futsal World Cup just 6 days away

Sport

Afghanistan makes history with first ever win over South Africa

The stars of the match were undoubtedly Fazalhaq Farooqi and 18-year-old sensation Mohammad Ghazanfar who shared seven wickets between them

Published

8 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Ariana News

A brilliant bowling display propelled Afghanistan to their first win over South Africa in international cricket on Wednesday night after they bundled their African opponents out for 106 in the first of three ODIs.

The stars of the match were undoubtedly Fazalhaq Farooqi and 18-year-old sensation Mohammad Ghazanfar who shared seven wickets between them.

Having won the toss, South Africa opted to bat first only to be jolted by Farooqi's early strikes. The left-arm pacer came around the wicket to account for Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram early on.

He added the wicket of Tony de Zorzi before Ghazanfar worked his magic on the middle-order, dismissing Tristan Stubbs and debutant Jason Smith for ducks in the same over.

South Africa, reduced to 29/5, soon crumbled to 36/7 as Ghazanfar snared the wicket of Kyle Verreynne and Andile Phehlukwayo succumbed to a run out.

An eighth-wicket partnership of 39 between Wiaan Mulder and Bjorn Fortuin, however, saw them past the danger and threatened to rebuild the innings.

Fortuin was bowled by Rashid Khan, playing his first ODI since last year's World Cup, but Mulder dragged them past the hundred mark, going on to reach his first ODI fifty.

He fell shortly afterwards to Farooqi, his 52 coming from 84 balls with five fours and a six.

Rashid wrapped up the innings in 33.3 overs when he had Lungi Ngidi leg before to finish with 2-30.

Afghanistan will play the second of three ODI’s against South Africa on Friday.

Sport

Argentina beats Afghanistan 2-1 in FIFA Futsal World Cup match

Published

9 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s national team went down 2-1 to Argentina on Wednesday night in their second FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024 match in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan’s goal was scored by Hussain Mohammadi and the Player of the Match went to Afghanistan’s Javad Safari.

Argentina’s win meant the Group C team booked their spot in the knockout phase of the tournament.

Next up for Afghanistan is their clash against Ukraine on Saturday, September 21.

Fans can however tune in to watch Thursday and Friday’s matches live on Ariana Television - the official broadcaster of this year’s FIFA Futsal World Cup.

Sport

Afghanistan ready for ‘exciting’ match against Argentina in Futsal WC clash

Both teams beat their opponents in their opening matches and will each be looking to hold on to their winning streak

Published

20 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Ariana News

Match Day 5, Wednesday September 18, of the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan will see Afghanistan take on Argentina in their Group C match.

The match will kick off at 7.30pm at the Humo Arena, in Tashkent.

While both teams beat their opponents in their opening matches, history favors Argentina, which is ranked 5th in the world. However, supporters favor Afghanistan, which is ranked 30th.

For the masses of Afghan fans who have made their way to Tashkent for the match, fireworks and goals are expected as the two teams tussle it out for a win.

Speaking ahead of the match, Afghan player Akbar Kazemi said: “I think it will be a very exciting spectacle for the supporters. There will be a lot of goals.

“We like to play beautiful futsal and so do Argentina. We will give it our all because we want to finish top of our group.”

Other matches scheduled for Wednesday are Angola v Ukraine, Libya v Kazakhstan, and Spain v New Zealand.

Fans who are not able to experience the thrill of the match tonight in person can tune in to Ariana Television to watch the game.

Ariana Television network is the official broadcaster of this World Cup and is broadcasting matches live each day.