Azmatullah Omarzai delivered a match-winning all-round performance, taking four wickets and scoring an unbeaten 40, to lead Afghanistan to a five-wicket victory over UAE in the T20 World Cup.
Abhishek Sharma roared back to form with a blistering 84 off 32 balls, while Arshdeep Singh's superb 3 for 19 helped India cruise to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the opening T20I in Delhi on Sunday.
Afghanistan restricted United Arab Emirates to 160 for nine in their T20 World Cup match, with Azmatullah Omarzai claiming four wickets and Sohaib Khan scoring a half-century for UAE.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan in the upcoming Test and ODI tour of India, while IPL star Allah Ghazanfar earns a call-up after his impressive season with Mumbai Indians.
Ibrahim Zadran has been appointed captain of Afghanistan's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against India, which will be played in New Delhi. The squad sees the return of fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq and all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, featuring a blend of experienced players like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, alongside uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman.
Indian Pacer Prasidh Krishna took a career-best 5/23 to restrict Afghanistan to 218 in the third ODI, despite a valiant maiden century from skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi
India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
India is set to face Afghanistan in the second T20I, aiming to clinch the series despite ongoing concerns about a reliable fifth bowling option in the absence of Hardik Pandya. The team delivered a dominant performance in the first match, securing a seven-wicket victory.
Sanju Samson smashed a quick 57 as India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
Following a disappointing performance against Afghanistan, Sanju Samson's inconsistent form has once again put his place in India's T20I squad under intense scrutiny.
Rashid Khan's exceptional bowling performance, taking 6 wickets for 34 runs, was instrumental in Afghanistan's 92-run victory over Ireland in the second ODI, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Sanju Samson has been appointed Brand Ambassador of Jan Kaushal Kendra, Moti Nagar, with Delhi CM Rekha Gupta highlighting his connection with the capital and role inspiring youth.
Sony Sports Network has secured exclusive television broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan, scheduled from September 13 to 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will feature India led by Shreyas Iyer and Afghanistan led by Ibrahim Zadran, with both teams showcasing aggressive T20 cricket. This acquisition strengthens Sony's sports portfolio and offers a platform for Afghanistan to demonstrate its talent against a top-tier team.
IMAGES from the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.
Tilak Varma steered Mumbai Indians to victory with a blistering 75 not out from 33 balls, as the visitors chased down 201 with one ball to spare in a thrilling finish in Dharamsala.
Afghanistan cricketers Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri, among others, have expressed their profound condolences following the passing of former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran at the age of 38 due to a prolonged illness.
Ishan Kishan explained how he switches from long-format cricket to T20s within days, stressing quick adaptation, a calm mindset and understanding his role during partnerships with teammates.
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting supports Marco Jansen's late arrival for the IPL, acknowledging logistical challenges faced by South African players after the T20 World Cup.
India, having already secured the T20 series against Afghanistan, is likely to experiment with its playing XI in the third and final match in New Delhi. This provides an opportunity for players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and others on the bench to get game time before the Asian Games, while Afghanistan aims for an improved performance to boost morale.
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has shared his preferred batting lineup for India's first T20I against Afghanistan, advocating for Shreyas Iyer to retain his number four spot and Sanju Samson to open the innings. Razdan emphasized performance over the left-right batting combination, highlighting Samson's recent T20 form. The series opener will also see a selection dilemma with multiple openers available and marks Iyer's first home series as captain.
"Unlucky to be part of the losing team": Rashid Khan after Afghanistan's narrow defeat in Super Over
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai won the first-ever ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award for his war-torn country.
Tilak Varma's unbeaten 75 guided Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in a crucial IPL 2026 match.
Afghanistan unit will be heading into the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka with hopes of replicating their historic performance during the 2024 edition
Manav Suthar made a sensational Test debut, claiming a six-wicket haul against Afghanistan in the first innings before Washington Sundar took four wickets in their 2nd innings, as India outplayed Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs on day 3 of the one-off Test.
Ibrahim Zadran takes over the reins from Rashid Khan after Afghanistan's early ouster from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
Afghanistan and Canada, already out of contention, are set to clash in their final T20 World Cup match, both eager to secure a morale-boosting victory.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board hosted 'Koh-E-Zafar' in New Delhi to celebrate the strong cricketing friendship between India and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan on Sunday unveiled a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, scheduled from September 9 to 28 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
UAE will look to shore up their middle-order batting against spin as they face Afghanistan in a crucial T20 World Cup Group D match. Both teams need a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to exploit Punjab Kings' bowling vulnerabilities to secure a playoff berth in the Indian Premier League. Virat Kohli's presence is a major draw for fans in Dharamsala.
Manav Suthar starred on Test debut with figures of 6 for 33 as India bowled out Afghanistan for 152 and enforced the follow-on. The Rajasthan spinner registered the second-best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut.
India reduced Afghanistan to 113 for five at stumps after declaring their first innings on 564 for 8 on Day 2 of the one-off Test at Mullanpur on Sunday.
Bangladesh pipped Afghanistan by eight runs in a group league match to keep their hopes of reaching the Asia Cup Super Fours alive, in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's thrill-a-second 103, the third fastest IPL hundred off 36 balls, was eclipsed by a collective batting effort by Sunrisers Hyderabad as the visitors etched a commanding five-wicket win in Jaipur on Saturday.
South Africa registered one of the most thrilling victories in T20 Internationals when they edged past Afghanistan in a tense finish in the second Super Over.
Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai made blazing fifties while the bowlers supported them with a tidy effort as Afghanistan easily tamed Hong Kong by 94 runs to start their Asia Cup campaign on a winning note
Afghanistan will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai.
Ibrahim Zadran's unbeaten 95 and Mohammad Nabi's four-wicket haul steered Afghanistan to an 82-run win over Canada in their final T20 World Cup match in Chennai, finishing on a high despite both teams being eliminated.
Afghanistan and Punjab Kings all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai is determined to translate his remarkable ODI achievements into the T20 format.
