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Afghans eagerly gear up to watch their team face off against Scotland in T20 World Cup match

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Amid all their concerns and economic woes, Afghans have something to look forward to on Monday night when their national team take on Scotland in the ICC World Cup T20 tournament in the UAE.

The national cricket team is scheduled to face Scotland in their first official match at about 6.30pm Kabul time.

For Afghans in the country, the match can be viewed live on Ariana TV, which has the rights to broadcast the tournament. For online viewers click here to watch the match.

Cricket fans across the country have high hopes that their team will do well – especially as Afghanistan is ranked number eight in T20 cricket – and many said Monday that a win would bring some much needed joy to the nation amid trying times.

“In these difficult and anxious days, our only joy is this sport and we support the Afghan national cricket team and we hope that our players can achieve a good result for Afghanistan in these competitions,” said Zabiullah Zadran, a resident of Paktia.

“It is sports and athletes who bring happiness to the people, and we are very happy that our national cricket team qualified for the World Cup.” said Khaibar Sharifi, a resident of Kabul.

“I urge all cricket fans to pray for the victory of the Afghan national cricket team in the World Cup. It is a great honor for Afghanistan and a very happy time, we are a very upset people,” said Hayatullah Durani, another Kabul resident.

Meanwhile, national cricket team players say they will put every effort into the match in order to secure a win for their countrymen.

Mohammad Nabi, captain of the Afghan team, says currently, cricket is collectively the only source of happiness for Afghans. Nabi added that the team is in good spirits and that Afghans back home are hoping for a win.

“Afghans all talk a lot about the team squad on social media, and Inshallah (God willing), the players will try to shine well, also the team’s morale is very good,” Nabi added.

“In this round of the World Cup, we promise our compatriots to play [well and] display best performances,” said Najibullah Zadran, a national cricket team player.

Afghanistan, which was an automatic qualifier, is in the second group with Scotland, Pakistan, Namibia, India and New Zealand.

Ariana Television Network has broadcasting rights of the T20 Cricket World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

This is the Afghan team’s third appearance at the T20 World Cup but won only two matches at the 2016 event. This year, the team is looking to win more matches and progress further in the competition.

Already last week, Afghanistan beat reigning World Cup holders West Indies in a warm up match.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MATCH LIVE AT 6.30PM KABUL TIME

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IPL double-header delivers drama: GT seal dominant win, KKR win Super Over

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) served up a thrilling Sunday double-header, with Gujarat Titans producing a dominant victory over Chennai Super Kings before Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants in a dramatic Super Over finish.

In the opening match of the day, Gujarat Titans produced a clinical all-round performance to defeat Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

After winning the toss, Gujarat captain Shubman Gill elected to field first, and the decision paid immediate dividends as the Titans bowlers kept the hosts under pressure throughout the innings.

Chennai found stability through skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 74 off 60 balls. Late hitting from Jamie Overton, who struck 18 from just six deliveries, helped lift CSK to 158/7 from their 20 overs.

The innings also featured a major milestone for Sanju Samson, who became the fastest Indian batter to reach 5,000 IPL runs.

However, Gujarat pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada starred with the ball, claiming 3/25 in a superb spell.

In reply, Gujarat’s openers made an aggressive start, racing to 55 without loss in the Powerplay. Gill scored 33 before being stumped off Noor Ahmad, but Chennai’s brief hope quickly disappeared.

Sai Sudharsan then took complete control with a magnificent 87 off just 46 balls, striking boundaries all around the ground. He shared a decisive 97-run stand with Jos Buttler, who remained unbeaten on 39, as Gujarat reached 162/2 in 16.4 overs.

Player of the Match: Kagiso Rabada for his figures of 3/25.

Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders

The evening contest in Lucknow delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the season as Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over.

Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant chose to bowl first and saw paceman Mohsin Khan produce a sensational spell.

The left-armer ripped through Kolkata’s top order, dismissing Tim Seifert, Ajinkya Rahane and Rovman Powell before later removing Cameron Green and Anukul Roy.

His superb figures of 5/23 left KKR struggling at 93/7 in the 15th over.

But Rinku Singh then produced a remarkable rescue act. Calm under pressure before exploding at the death, Rinku smashed four sixes in the final over and finished unbeaten on a stunning 83 from 51 balls, lifting Kolkata to 155/7.

Lucknow’s reply was led by Pant’s 42, with Aiden Markram contributing 31 and Ayush Badoni adding 24. Kolkata’s bowlers kept striking at vital moments, with Vaibhav Arora taking 2/24 and Varun Chakaravarthy claiming 2/33.

The drama peaked on the final ball when Lucknow needed seven runs to win. Mohammed Shami launched a sensational six over long-off to tie the scores at 155/8 and force a Super Over.

Kolkata dominated the tie-breaker.

Sunil Narine bowled a superb Super Over, dismissing Nicholas Pooran with the first ball before Markram also fell. Lucknow managed just one run.

Needing only two to win, Rinku Singh smashed the first delivery of the chase to the boundary to seal a memorable victory.

Player of the Match: Rinku Singh for his unbeaten 83 and outstanding fielding display.

Attention now turns to today’s clash as Delhi Capitals take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in another crucial contest in the race for the playoffs.

The match will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television.

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Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan secure top spots at Kabul wrestling festival

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An international traditional wrestling festival hosted by Afghanistan has concluded in Kabul after three days of competition involving athletes from seven countries.

The event brought together 160 athletes from Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey, along with Afghan competitors, competing across multiple weight categories.

The tournament featured three disciplines: Kurash, Rustami wrestling, and Kushtingiri, showcasing a mix of regional traditional combat sports.

In the Kurash category, Uzbekistan secured first place, Tajikistan came second, and Afghanistan finished third.

In Rustami wrestling, Afghanistan achieved first place, followed by Uzbekistan in second and Tajikistan in third.

In Kushtingiri, Tajikistan took first place, Uzbekistan placed second, and Afghanistan finished third.

Officials said the results highlight strong regional competition and growing cooperation among participating countries through traditional sports, as Afghanistan continues efforts to promote cultural and athletic exchange in the region.

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Kohli, Padikkal fire Bengaluru into IPL top two with win over Gujarat

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A blistering knock from Virat Kohli and a rapid half-century by Devdutt Padikkal powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru into the top two of the Indian Premier League standings after a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans on Friday.

Chasing a formidable 206, Bengaluru rode on Kohli’s fluent 81 off 44 balls — an innings that began with a reprieve off the very first delivery — and Padikkal’s explosive 55 to reach 206-5 in 18.5 overs. The duo stitched together a decisive 115-run partnership for the second wicket, putting Gujarat’s bowling attack under sustained pressure.

Earlier, Gujarat posted 205-3, anchored by a superb century from Sai Sudharsan, who struck an even 100 off 58 balls — his third IPL hundred. The left-hander also etched his name in the record books, becoming the fastest player to reach 2,000 IPL runs, surpassing the previous mark held by Chris Gayle.

Kohli capitalized on an early dropped chance by Washington Sundar and went on to hit eight fours and four sixes. Padikkal, the more aggressive of the pair, raced to his half-century in just 20 balls, hammering six sixes and two boundaries. Together, they took on Gujarat’s key bowlers, including Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan.

Despite a brief wobble that saw Bengaluru lose four wickets in quick succession — including Padikkal to a Rashid googly and Kohli to a slower ball from Jason Holder — the hosts regained control. Krunal Pandya and Tim David calmly guided the chase home.

Earlier in the innings, Sudharsan dominated proceedings, sharing a 128-run opening stand with captain Shubman Gill, who contributed 32. Sudharsan’s innings featured 11 fours and five sixes before he was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood.

Late fireworks from Holder helped Gujarat cross the 200-run mark after a change in bowling plans saw Pandya deliver the final over.

With the win, Bengaluru climbed to second in the table, marking their fourth home victory, while Gujarat slipped to seventh on net run rate.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s action, where Rajasthan Royals will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 36th match of the tournament, as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the league standings.

Fans in Afghanistan can watch the match live and exclusively on Ariana Television, which continues to bring IPL 2026 coverage to viewers across the country.

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