A brilliant all-round performance by Afghanistan A guided them to the final of the ongoing ACC Emerging Asia Cup as they defeated India A by 20 runs at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1) on Friday.
Afghanistan A will now face Sri Lanka A in the final of the competition on Sunday at the same ground. Chasing a mammoth total of 207 runs, the Tilak Varma-led side was reduced to just 186 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs.
The highest scorer for the side was Ramandeeop Singh who scored 64 runs off just 34 balls which was laced with eight boundaries and two maximums in his innings.
Ayush Badoni (31 runs off 24 balls, with 2 fours and 1 six), Nishant Sindhu (23 runs from 13 balls, with three fours), and Nehal Wadhera (20 runs in 14 balls, with three fours and a six) scored valuable knocks but they were not enough as their side ended up on the losing side.
For the Afghanistan side, two wickets each were snapped by Allah Ghazanfar and Abdul Rahman in their spells where they conceded 14 and 32 runs respectively. One wicket was bagged by Sharafuddin Ashraf in his spell of two overs where he gave away 13 runs.
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan A skipper Darwish Rasooli won the toss and elected to bat first. Batting first, the Afghanistan side scored 206 runs for the loss of four wickets in their 20 overs.
The highest scorer for the side was Sediquallah Atal who scored 83 runs off 52 balls with the help of seven fours and four sixes in his innings. Zubaid Akbari also scored a valuable fifty for his team. He went back to the pavilion after scoring 64 runs from 41 balls which included five boundaries and four maximums in his innings.
For India, the pick of the bowler was Rasikh Salam who picked three wickets and conceded 25 runs in his spell of four overs. One wicket was taken by Aaqib Khan in his spell of four overs where he leaked 48 runs.
Brief Score: Afghanistan A 206/4 in 20 overs (Sediquallah Atal 83, Zubaid Akbari 64, Rasikh Salam 3/25) vs India A 186/7 in 20 overs (Ramandeep Singh 64, Ayush Badoni 31, Allah Ghazanfar 2/14) .
T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan has stunned cricket experts by reaching the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024 after defeating Bangladesh by 8 runs (DLS) in their Super 8 match on Tuesday, June 25, at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St.Vincent. This victory knocked Australia, the 2021 champions, out of the tournament following their losses to India and Afghanistan. Despite rain interruptions in the second innings, Afghanistan kept their cool.
Finishing second in the table with 4 points and a net run rate of -0.267, Afghanistan secured two wins from three games. After a heavy 47-run loss to India, Rashid Khan’s team made a strong comeback. They will now play against Aiden Markram’s South Africa in the first semi-final on June 27 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.
Afghanistan chose to bat first but struggled, posting 115 for 5 in 20 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran added 59 runs for the first wicket but couldn’t accelerate. Rishad Hossain dismissed Ibrahim, who scored a slow 18 from 29 balls. Gurbaz managed 43 runs with a strike rate of 78.18.
The middle-order batsmen, including Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, and Karim Janat, also struggled. Skipper Rashid Khan’s unbeaten 19 off 10 balls, including three sixes, gave the innings some late momentum.
Bangladesh’s chase was interrupted by rain, but with their score at 31 for 3 in 3.3 overs, they had a challenging target. Soumya Sarkar and Towhid Hridoy scored 10 and 14 runs respectively before falling to Rashid Khan. Despite Litton Das’s fighting 54 not out from 49 balls, Bangladesh fell short, being bowled out for 105 in 17.5 overs, chasing a revised target of 114 in 19 overs.
Naveen-ul-Haq Gets Emotional
Afghanistan’s pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, named Player of the Match, expressed his emotions, saying, “We have worked so hard over the past few years and we were dreaming and working for this day. I’m lost for words. (On his spell) We always knew that they were going hard in the powerplay to chase the total down in 12.1 overs so we knew we were in the game as long as we kept picking wickets. We had confidence that these wickets are not high-scoring wickets. As long as we don’t give easy runs we knew we would have a chance.”
Afghanistan vs South Africa T20 WC 2024
Group 2 winners South Africa will play against Afghanistan in the first semi-final, while Group 1 leaders India will face England in the second semi-final. South Africa vs. Afghanistan match will start at 8:30 PM local time on Wednesday, June 26, at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. The India vs. The England match will be at 10:30 AM local time on Thursday, June 27, at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
More than 300 people reportedly died on Saturday due to flash floods in Afghanistan that destroyed over 1000 houses, according to AP, citing the UN Food Agency. The floods primarily struck the northern province of Baghlan; the region has suffered the most damage.
The World Food Program announced that it is distributing fortified biscuits to individuals affected by recent floods in Afghanistan. A state-owned media outlet in neighboring Takhar province reported that the floods killed at least 20 people.
The chief spokesperson for the Taliban government, Zabihullah Mujahid, posted on the social media platform ‘X’ that “hundreds… have succumbed to these calamitous floods, while a substantial number have sustained injuries.”
Mujahid said that the extensive devastation has led to significant financial losses. He added that the worst-hit provinces were Badakhshan, Baghlan, Ghor, and Herat.
He said that the administration has been ordered to mobilize all available resources to rescue people, transport the injured, and recover the dead.
As per the Associated Press, the Taliban Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the country’s air force has already begun evacuating people in Baghlan and has rescued a large number of people stuck in flooded areas and transported 100 injured people to military hospitals in the region. .
In April, at least 70 people died from heavy rains and flash flooding in the country. Around 2,000 homes were also damaged.
After a resounding 2-0 lead in the ongoing IND vs AFG T20I series, the India cricket team stars, including Tilak Verma, Washington Sundar, Jitesh Sharma, and Ravi Bishnoi, embarked on a spiritual journey to seek blessings at the revered Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti. The cricketers actively participated in the sacred ‘Bhasma Aarti,’ a ritual performed between 3:30 AM and 5:30 AM at the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Expressing their joy, the players shared with ANI, “It was a pleasure to be here and to take the blessings of Lord Shiva.”
Tilak, Sundar, Jitesh and Bishnoi attend ‘Bhasma Aarti’ performed at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain.pic.twitter.com/jI7EO0zaNw
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 15, 2024 Bhasma Aarti: A Unique Tradition
The ‘Bhasma Aarti’ involves ash offerings and holds significant religious importance. Conducted during the auspicious Brahma Muhurta, it is believed that the wishes of the devotees who participate in this ritual are fulfilled. The temple priest, Sanjay Sharma, explained the elaborate ceremonies performed, including a holy bath of Lord Mahakal with Panchamrit.
Cricket Stars’ Testimony
The cricket players, seated in the temple’s Nandi Hall, expressed their gratitude, stating that it was a pleasure to be present and receive the blessings of Lord Shiva. This spiritual visit came on the heels of their victorious encounter against Afghanistan in Indore.
Cricket Triumph at Holkar Stadium
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube showcased stellar performances as India chased down 173 to secure victory in the IND vs AFG 2nd T20I at Holkar Stadium. Despite an early setback with the dismissal of skipper Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal, along with contributions from Virat Kohli and Dube, led India to a commanding win.
Bhasma Aarti Goes Viral
A video capturing the four cricketers, Ravi Bishnoi, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, and Jitesh Sharma, participating in the ‘Bhasma Aarti’ went viral on social media. The unique ritual, symbolizing the transient nature of life, resonated with fans.
Tilak Varma’s Challenge
While the cricketing stars soaked in the divine vibes, Tilak Varma faced cricketing challenges. Despite a commendable T20I record, competition within the Indian side, including the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, poses a challenge for him to secure a permanent spot in the playing XI.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are clashing in the ICC World Cup 2023 on Monday in Chennai. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first and gave Afghanistan a target of 283 runs to win. during pakistan’s innings mohammed nabi Pakistani captain Babar Azam Gave a warning to. When Nabi was bowling, Babar was trying to come out of the crease at the striker end. Nabi did not dismiss Babar at the non-striker’s end, but he warned Babar not to leave the crease before the ball was bowled. This video has gone viral on social media.
The prophet warned
The world cricket fraternity is divided when it comes to bowlers running out batsmen in mid-action at the non-striker’s end. Where some believe that this will prevent batsmen from taking unfair advantage. At the same time, others are of the opinion that it is against the spirit of the game. However, the Prophet did not kill Babar and left him only after giving a warning. There was no argument between the two players on this incident.
The opener gave a better start to Pakistan
Talking about the match, Pakistan’s openers Abdullah Shafiq and Imam ul Haq gave a good start to the team. The first blow to the team came in the form of Imam on the score of 56. After this captain Babar Azam came to the crease. Babar made a good partnership with Shafiq. Babar played an inning of 74 runs. Mohammad Nabi caught the ball of Noor Mohammad. Earlier, Shafiq was out after scoring 58 runs and was bowled by Noor Ahmed.
Moment when Muhammad Nabi warned Babar Azam to stay in crease.#PAKvsAFG
Mohammad Rizwan’s bat did not work. He returned to the pavilion after scoring 8 runs. Saud Shakeel contributed 25 runs. From time to time, Afghanistan’s bowlers troubled Pakistan by taking wickets. But the pair of Shadab Khan and Iftihar Ahmed made an excellent partnership. Naveen Ul Kah broke this partnership by getting Iftikhar caught by Nab Azmatullah.
Pakistan scored 282 runs
At one time it seemed that Pakistan team would be limited to the score of 250, but Shadab Khan scored runs at a fast pace and took the team’s score to 282. Pakistan team is at fifth position in the points table after winning two out of its four matches. Whereas Afghanistan has won only one match out of four and is at the bottom of the table at number eight. Afghanistan had defeated England.
Afghanistan has once again made a big upset. After defeating England, Afghanistan has defeated Pakistan by 8 wickets. Pakistan team was not seen even once in the match. Afghanistan has defeated Pakistan for the first time in the World Cup. Earlier, Afghanistan had to face defeat in seven out of seven matches.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Afghanistan defeated Pakistan by 8 wickets in the ICC World Cup match on Monday. Batting first, Pakistan scored 282 runs for 7 wickets. Afghanistan won by scoring 286 runs for two wickets in 49 overs. Former Team India cricketer Ajay Jadeja is the coach of this team and this victory shows how much women there is among the Indian cricketers.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Earlier, Babar, who had struggled to score runs in the last few matches, scored 74 runs in 92 balls which included four fours and a six. Shafiq played an innings of 58 runs on 75 balls while Shadab Khan (40 on 38 balls) and Iftikhar Ahmed (40 on 27 balls) made a useful partnership of 73 runs for the sixth wicket in the later overs. With this, Pakistan was successful in scoring 282 runs for seven wickets, but Afghanistan proved it to be dwarf.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Zadran and Gurbaz presented a good example of alertness and aggression from the beginning. By taking 10 runs in the first over of Pakistan’s leading bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, he had indicated that he would not allow the bowlers to dominate. After this, when Haris Rauf came to bowl his first over, the batsmen scored 17 runs with the help of four fours. Afghanistan scored 60 runs without any loss in the first 10 overs.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Gurbaz completed his fourth half-century on 38 balls while Zadran had reached this milestone on 54 balls before him. Afridi gave the first success to Pakistan by dismissing Gurbaz in the 22nd over, but by then this opening pair had played the second highest partnership for Afghanistan in the World Cup. Gurbaz hit nine fours and one six in his innings.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Zadran added 60 runs for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah but he could not complete his fifth century in ODIs due to being caught behind the wicket by Hasan Ali. Zadran’s innings included 10 fours. Rahmat Shah completed his half-century on 58 balls and even after this, along with Shahidi, he did not give any chance to Pakistan’s bowlers and gave his team its third overall win in the World Cup.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Rahmat Shah hit five fours and two sixes in his innings while Shahidi hit four fours, including the winning four. Earlier, on a pitch suitable for slow bowlers, Afghanistan included four spinners in their playing eleven. Among these, left arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmed was the most successful. He took three wickets for 49 runs. Fast bowler Naveen Ul Haq took two wickets for 52 runs.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Off-spinner Mohammad Nabi (1 wicket for 31 runs) bowled economically while leading spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rehman did not get any success. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first and scored 56 runs without any loss in 10 overs of the first powerplay. The contribution of Shafiq was important in this, who hit five fours and two sixes in his innings.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
His opening partner Imam Ul Haq, however, could score only 17 runs and immediately after the powerplay, he was caught at midwicket on the first ball of medium pace bowler Azmat Umarzai (1 wicket for 50 runs in five overs). Babar and Shafiq also made a half-century partnership (52 runs) for the second wicket. Noor Ahmed took his first wicket by trapping Shafiq LBW.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
After this, he gave important success to Afghanistan by getting Mohammad Rizwan (08), who was in excellent form, caught at short fine leg. When Babar was on his way to play a big innings, Noor Ahmed, the youngest player of the World Cup, tried to spoil Pakistan’s death overs strategy by getting him caught out in the covers. Meanwhile, Nabi did not allow Saud Shakeel (25) to take advantage of the good start.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
However, Shadab and Iftikhar scored runs quickly in the last overs. Naveen Al Haq dismissed both of them in the last over of the innings. Iftikhar hit four sixes in his innings.
