Sport
All you need to know about the Cricket World Cup Final
This year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup has been a six-week thriller that’s kept cricket fans around the world constantly on edge. But it’s not over yet - there’s still one match to be played - the match that will crown this year’s winner.
With just one day to go before India and Australia meet at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, in front of an expected 100,000 fans, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the final.
How they got to the final
India cruised through the group stage, finishing top on a maximum 18 points having won all nine of their matches. India's net run rate of 2.570 was far and away the best in the group stage.
In the semi-final against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma led a blazing start with the bat, rocketing with fellow opener Shubman Gill, before Virat Kohli cruised to his 50th ODI century, passing Sachin Tendulkar. Posting an imperious 397, New Zealand showed some respite largely through a century from Daryl Mitchell, only to fall 70 runs short.
Australia meanwhile bounced back from defeats to India and South Africa in their opening matches, and sitting in last place on the table, before going on to win the remaining seven matches, and qualify with 14 points.
Pat Cummins' side were slight underdogs in their re-match with South Africa come semi-final time, though the Aussies made an emphatic start, holding South Africa to 24/4. David Miller's century gave the Proteas hope, though it was Cummins and Mitchell Starc who would wield their bats aloft in victory, holding on in a tense three-wicket win.
The Squads
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Suryakumar Yadav.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
Weather
Should the weather pose a problem on Sunday, there is a reserve day in place. But so far, sunny weather is expected with the temperature expected to be around 33°C.
Prize Money
The tournament has a $10 million pot and the winner of the tournament will take home $4 million, with the runners-up winning $2 million.
Teams also collected $40,000 for every group stage win.
Stadium
Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is the largest sports stadium in the world and will host the final. It also hosted the tournament opener on October 5. The stadium has a total capacity of 132,000 people.
The final starts at 1pm Kabul time and the coin toss will take place half an hour earlier.
Previous wins
Australia and India have faced off 13 times at an ODI World Cup, with the Aussies winning eight times and India with five victories to their name.
Australia also holds an advantage across the 150 ODI matches the two nations have played with 83 wins to India’s 57.
Road to the Final
India won nine matches, lost none and has a Net Run Rate of +2.570. India defeated New Zealand by 70 runs in the semi finals.
Australia meanwhile won seven group stage matches, lost two, and has a Net Run Rate: +0.841. Australia defeated South Africa by three wickets in the semi finals.
For the Fans
Having brought this year’s thrilling World Cup ODI tournament into the homes of millions of Afghans, Ariana Television Network (ATN) will once again deliver Sunday’s match.
With exclusive broadcasting rights for Afghanistan ATN will broadcast the final live, from 12.30 Sunday, on Ariana Television, Ariana News and Ariana FM 93.5.
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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