Afghanistan takes down South Africa in cricket stunner

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Talk about Afghanistan and two words that spring to mind are war and turmoil.

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The country has in the past three years endured a deepening and increasingly humanitarian crisis and there’s just one bright light that shines through all that gloom.

It’s the country’s national cricket squad that continues to make waves on the world stage.

It created quite a stir at the World Twenty20 Cup earlier this year when it surprised the big names of the sport to reach the semifinals against all odds. But that is where its glorious run was ended by South Africa, who is turn choked in the final against eventual champion India.

Afghanistan has proven it can take on the best and deliver the knockout punch despite the problems at home.

In the first series since then, Afghanistan silenced South Africa 2-1 in a Test series. One has to take one’s hats off to this nomadic squad that doesn’t have a field to call home.

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Since no team will travel to Afghanistan, it has been forced to play as host in India, Sri Lanka and the U.A.E. Now it has settled on staging its matches in the emirates, where international teams have no problem travelling to.

Afghanistan galloped to a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series before South Africa saved some face by taking the third. Afghanistan carved out a six-wicket victory in the first encounter in Sharjah with fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi (four for 35) and 18-year-old off-spinner AM Ghananfar (three for 20) dismissing the South Africans for 106 and Afghanistan replied with 107 for four.

In the second encounter the Afghans posted a challenging 311 for four with Rahmanullah Gurbaz leading the way with 105 and Azmatullah Omarzai making an unbeaten 86.

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Then star spinner Rashid Khan grabbed five for 19 and Nangeyalia Kharote took four 26 to send South Africa crumbling to 134.

In the finale, the Proteas bundled out Afghanistan for 169 and chased down the target with seven wickets in hand.

CANADA ON FIRE

Canada is enjoying one of its finest moments in recent years as it chases down a World Cup spot in the 14-country final to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027.

The 10 Test-playing nations are guaranteed a spot while the others like Canada and the United States have a long, meandering road to make it to the dance floor.

While South Africa and Zimbabwe are in as host nations, it is surprising that Namibia will have to go through a qualifying route. While matches will be played in Namibia, it could well be without a team in the final.

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But back to qualifying, where Canada and seven other teams will be playing 36 ODIs spread across nine triangular series between now and Dec. 2026.

Canada’s latest victory came on the weekend when it successfully chased down Nepal’s 182 in 42 overs in losing just five wickets in King City.  Previously, Canada thrashed Nepal by 103 in the first triangular match series, which also involves Oman.

Navneet Dhaliwal and Pragat Singh both scored half centuries and were involved in a 122-run stand for the second wicket. Dhaliwal’s 87 came off 113 balls and was laced with eight fours and four sixes while Pragat hoisted two sixes and had seven fours in his 83-ball 64.

Fast bowler Kaleem Sana led Canada’s attack with three wickets and he received excellent support from Harsh Thaker and Dilon Heyliger, who chipped in with two each.

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Meanwhile, the U.S. thrashed the United Arab Emirates by a whopping 136 runs at Windhoek, Namibia, on Tuesday. Milind Kumar smashed an unbeaten 155 and Saiteja Mukkamall hit 107 to help the Americans post 339 for four. U.A.E. was bundled out for 203 with fast bowler Saurabh Netravalker taking three for 32.

ASHWIN STARS FOR INDIA

Bangladesh arrived in India on a high following that surprise 2-0 Test series victory away to Pakistan, but it was brought down to earth with a mighty thud in the first Test in Chennai when it crashed to a 280-run loss.

The star of the show was Ravichandran Ashwin, who spun a web around the Bangladeshi batsmen to finish with six for 88 and then used his bat to club a brilliant 116 in India’s first innings total of 339 for six. Bangladesh was dismissed for 149 thanks to fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah taking four for 50.

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In the second innings, Shubman Gill carried his bat for 119 and Rishabh Pant hit 109 in India’s 287 for four.

Chasing an unlikely target of 515 the visitors were dismissed for 234 with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto making 82 in a losing cause.

It is the third time in his Test career Ashwin has scored a century and taken five or more wickets in an innings in a match. The previous two were against West Indies.

Ashwin has tied the late Shane Warne with 37 fifers and now ranks second only to Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan who leads the way with an incredible 67.

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