Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, a foundational figure in the country's cricketing journey, has passed away at the age of 38 after a battle with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Zadran, who received intensive medical treatment in New Delhi, was instrumental in bringing Afghan cricket to the international stage.
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.
Afghanistan spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar urged the international community, including India, to intervene after a Pakistani military airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul on Monday killed nearly 400 people.
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi is the batting fulcrum around whom Afghanistan's Test ambitions revolve.
India's men's cricket team, along with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, has secured direct entry into the knockout stage of the 2026 Asian Games, with preliminary rounds set for other nations.
Afghanistan relying on seasoned spin trio to script first ever win over India
Hashmatullah Shahidi has resigned as Afghanistan's One Day International captain, citing a personal decision, though he will continue to play in the 50-over format.
'We are committed to leveraging our influence constructively to support the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in fostering cricket development and ensuring playing opportunities for both men and women in Afghanistan'.
Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus admitted his team's "rusty" performance in making correct DRS calls, citing a lack of conviction and poor decision-making during matches against India, which cost them crucial wickets. He also offered insights into the rigorous review process for on-field umpires.
Former cricketers raise concerns over ICC's policy of awarding Test status based on limited-overs performance, following Afghanistan's heavy defeat to India.
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.
Sunil Gavaskar praised India's team-first approach and clinical chase against Afghanistan in the opening ODI, highlighting KL Rahul's selfless batting and the contributions of Nitish Kumar Reddy and debutant Gurnoor Brar. Former England spinner Graeme Swann warned of a tougher challenge in the second ODI in Lucknow due to Afghanistan's strong spin attack.
Manav Suthar took 7 wickets as India recorded their biggest Test victory with an innings and 300 runs against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Monday.
India will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test from June 6 onwards at New Chandigarh. This comes after the Men in Blue suffered a 0-2 clean sweep loss to South Africa at home last year, marking back-to-back series whitewashes in two years in a row, after a 0-3 whitewash loss to New Zealand in 2024, which marked the end of India's 12-year unbeaten streak at home.
India produced a record-breaking batting display, piling up 402 runs against Afghanistan in the second ODI of the three-match series in Lucknow on Wednesday, in a match filled with major individual milestones.
India begin their 2026 Test season against Afghanistan with several selection questions to answer, including the No. 3 spot and Ravindra Jadeja's long-term successor, as they build towards key World Test Championship assignments.
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.
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.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has replaced injured Virat Kohli in India's ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, with selectors hopeful the veteran batter will recover in time for the England tour next month.
Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus discussed the upcoming one-off Test against India, highlighting the crucial role of spin bowling on the Mullanpur pitch. He also confirmed star spinner Rashid Khan's absence due to a long-standing back problem and workload management.
KL Rahul and Shubman Gill struck centuries as India dominated Afghanistan on a sweltering opening day in Mullanpur, finishing at 368/3 in the one-off Test after Rahul's third consecutive Test ton.
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.
Indian cricketers, including Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, underwent an intense practice session in Mullanpur ahead of their one-off Test against Afghanistan. The session focused on bowler fitness, emerging talent, and assessing all-round capabilities, with key players like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill also participating.
Team India began preparations for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, with Shubman Gill leading the side and new spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule joining the support staff.
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.
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.
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
Ishan Kishan's wicket-keeping drills ahead of the series opener suggested India could be considering a revised role for KL Rahul in the ODI setup.
A compelling all-round performance helped India A thrash Afghanistan A by 101 runs and qualify for the One-day tri-series final in Dambulla on Wednesday.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya was on Wednesday ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan after picking up a fresh quadriceps strain.
Skipper Shubman Gill battled the oppressive heat and cramps to produce a magnificent 154 while Ishan Kishan ended a three-year wait for an ODI hundred as India beat Afghanistan by 170 runs in the second ODI to take 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series, in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi Dar, whose non-selection in the Indian Test squad caused controversy, has been summoned to bowl in the nets ahead of the Test against Afghanistan, along with six others.
It's a dream come true for young Manav Suthar. His maiden India call up for the one-off Test against Afghanistan came after learning the ropes through street cricket and ignoring constant discouragement from people not to pick the game as career option.
India has provided Afghanistan with 2.5 tons of medical supplies to assist those injured in a recent airstrike by Pakistan, which resulted in numerous casualties. This act underscores India's commitment to supporting the Afghan people during a difficult time.
Ishan Kishan's recent good form makes him the ideal candidate to take over the crucial No 3 slot in Virat Kohli's absence.
Shubman Gill praised pacer Gurnoor Brar and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey for their impressive debuts in India's one-sided victory over Afghanistan in the rain-curtailed first ODI.
Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and senior batter Rohit Sharma have been cleared by the Sports Science team of BCCI's Centre of Excellence to participate in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, starting in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Afghanistan A caused a major upset by eking out a four-run win over star-studded India A via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-marred tri-nation series match in Dambulla on Thursday.
Sunil Gavaskar has urged the BCCI to give India's senior cricketers a mandatory one-month break every year, warning that excessive rotation is devaluing the India cap and affecting both players and fans.
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.
