Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan says lack of regular matches against top teams hurt their T20 World Cup campaign after close defeats to New Zealand and South Africa left them on the brink.
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi is the batting fulcrum around whom Afghanistan's Test ambitions revolve.
Shubman Gill's remarkable 84, achieved despite an ankle injury, propelled Gujarat Titans to a dominant victory over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, complemented by Rashid Khan's stellar bowling.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's pursuit of back-to-back Indian Premier League titles will run into the season's most disciplined bowling attack when they face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on Tuesday, with a direct place in the final at stake.
"Captaincy is a huge responsibility. I have the experience of leading my country before, there is a great bunch of guys with whom I have a good understanding and feel pretty comfortable.
Pacer Gurnoor Brar impressed on his international debut before captain Shubman Gill played a regal knock to set up India's seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the rain-hit series opener.
Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara lauded skipper Sanju Samson for his three consecutive sixes off one of the best T20 spinners in the world.
Cameron Green admits Kolkata Knight Riders took too long to figure out the right player roles, but their recent comeback keeps them in playoff contention after defeating Gujarat Titans.
Afghanistan fielding coach John Mooney has urged his team's batters to focus on building longer innings and avoiding soft dismissals against India. He also called for bowlers to be more disciplined, while expressing hope for spin assistance from the Chennai pitch in the upcoming third ODI.
India begin their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations against Afghanistan with Rohit Sharma's fitness and Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities under scrutiny, while Shubman Gill continues to shape his leadership credentials.
Gujarat Titans, eyeing a top-two finish in the IPL, face Chennai Super Kings, who are struggling to stay in playoff contention. Shubman Gill's form and Rashid Khan's spin will be key for GT, while CSK need their top order to fire to overcome injuries and inconsistent bowling.
Gujarat Titans leg-spinner Rashid Khan became only the second overseas spinner in the history of the Indian Premier League to attain the milestone of 100 wickets on Saturday. The Afghanistan spinner accomplished the feat when he snared his first victim during the match against Kolkata Knight Riders at D Y Patil Stadium in Mumbai.
India will look to seal the ODI series against Afghanistan while continuing to test combinations for the 2027 World Cup, with Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal among those pushing for opportunities in the second match.
Rashid Khan practises a lot at the nets.
Rashid Khan lauds Noor Ahmad's impressive IPL debut for Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans' batting coach Matthew Hayden believes the team has a destructive bowling attack and top-order batsmen, contributing to their recent success in the Indian Premier League.
The in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be up against a formidable Gujarat Titans bowling line-up in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 on Friday.
Discover the quirky in-flight seat preferences of cricketers like Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, and Rashid Khan, revealing their travel habits.
Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans prepare for a critical IPL showdown that could prove pivotal in shaping the playoff race.
Sunil Gavaskar defends David Miller's decision not to take a single in the IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans, while Kevin Pietersen praises Rashid Khan's performance.
Gujarat Titans star spinner Rashid Khan stated that he isn't "happy" with his wickets tally in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) but is happy to play "little" roles, which helps his team to clinch victory.
Ibrahim Zadran takes over the reins from Rashid Khan after Afghanistan's early ouster from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
A Delhi court recently acquitted five accused, including an army personnel and a Border Security Force personnel, in an espionage case. While acquitting the accused persons, the court flagged serious lapses in the investigation.
KKR spinner Kuldeep remembers how the Afghan all-round put paid to their hopes of reaching the final in 2018.
In a fascinating battle of ideologies, the well-balanced and bold Royal Challengers Bengaluru will have to subdue a phlegmatic Gujarat Titans to lift their second consecutive IPL title.
Rajasthan Royals secured a thrilling victory against Gujarat Titans thanks to a strategic bowling change suggested by Dhruv Jurel and executed by Jofra Archer and Tushar Deshpande.
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are the favourites to defend their Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2026. He also acknowledged Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans as strong contenders.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2023 after Game 61.
Rashid ruled out of India series but Afghanistan skipper confident others would step up
Shubman Gill missed the Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 match due to a muscle spasm, impacting GT's performance.
Rajat Patidar blasted an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls, before the bowlers ripped through Gujarat Titans' batting as Royal Challengers Bengaluru won Qualifier 1 to reach their second consecutive IPL final.
Karandeep Kochhar, in excellent form with three top-10 finishes this season, will lead a 10-member Indian contingent at the USD 2 million International Series Morocco golf tournament. He will be joined by other prominent Indian golfers including Anirban Lahiri.
Khalin Joshi carded a one-under 70 to extend his lead to three shots at seven-under 206 after round three at the Rs 1 crore Andhra Open 2026.
Rajasthan Royals won the toss and chose to bat first against Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Indian golfer Karandeep Kochhar secured his third Top-10 finish of the season at the USD 500,000 Am Green IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco, rising to 12th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He finished tied 9th with a bogey-free final round.
Teams like India do not offer too many chances and Afghanistan must learn to capitalise on the opportunities that come their way, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said.
IPL 2026 Week 6 featured Rohit Sharma's explosive return, Urvil Patel's record-equalling fifty, Finn Allen's maiden IPL ton and Rashid Khan's brilliant comeback spell.
'We had a long chat here on the boundary talking about it and he's worried: he can't get his family out of Afghanistan and there's a lot of things happening for him.'
The Indian Golf Union has announced a six-member team for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, featuring experienced players like Aditi Ashok and Yuvraj Sandhu, with high hopes for podium finishes given India's strong history in the sport at the Games.
This was Afghanistan's 12th Test in last eight years and the defeat by an innings and 300 runs against India was a humbling experience for the team.
