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Afghanistan keep semifinal hopes alive with big win
Afghanistan rose up to fifth above Pakistan – even if only temporarily – and kept their semifinal hopes alive with a big seven-wicket win over Netherlands in Lucknow. After spin and excellent ground fielding helped them keep Netherlands down to just 179, Rahmat Shah and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi hit fifties to power the run chase that was capped off in the 32nd over.
Netherlands had very little to bowl with but made a promising start when Logan van Beek had Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught behind down the leg side in just the sixth over. Ibrahim Zadran, his opening partner, made a slow start but Rahmat Shah walked out and took control of the proceedings. He went after Paul van Meekeren in his first over, hitting him for three fours – one streaky, two glorious – and taking Afghanistan to 55 for 1 in 10 overs. Roelof van der Merwe cleaned up Zadran on the first ball after the PowerPlay, but that brought Rahmat and his captain, Shahidi, together for the match-winning stand.
Scott Edwards needed more wickets and quickly if he planned on making the chase any tougher for Afghanistan and brought back Aryan Dutt, one of his best bowlers in the tournament. But batting just got easier under lights and the two batters saw past the young spinner and every other bowling change to put Afghanistan on course for a victory. By the 20th over, Rahmat reached his half-century and took the team past the 100-run mark. Leg spinner Saqib Zulfiqar, playing in his first World Cup game, found a breakthrough against the run of play when he had Rahmat caught off his own bowling. But the wicket was too little, too late as Azmatullah Omarzai joined Shahidi to take the team home. En route to Afghanistan’s fourth victory of the tournament, Shahidi scored a solid half-century and got the winning runs.
Earlier in the day, his bowlers brought all the solidity that was needed to tie down Netherlands who opted to bat first. Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck in the very first over to remove Wesley Barresi – trapped leg before – to add a 100th ODI wicket to his name. Max O’Dowd then threw caution to the wind with a stroke-filled essay that included him getting nine fours inside the PowerPlay. However, his good work was undone by a brilliant moment on the field from Omarzai, whose direct hit from fine leg sent the opener packing for 42 off 40 balls.
Colin Ackermann and Sybrand Engelbrecht then took it upon themselves to drag Netherlands ahead but a miscommunication on a call for a run led to the former’s run out on 29. Netherlands were truly shaken when captain Edwards became the third run out victim as he went for a sweep, missed and ventured out of the crease unaware of where the ball had gone off the inside edge. As it turned out, it went only as far as wicketkeeper Ikram Ali Khil, who took the bails off on what turned out to be a very busy innings for him.
Netherlands were on a downward spiral since soaring in the first PowerPlay, as they lost their fifth wicket in the 21st over when Bas de Leede was caught behind off Nabi. While Netherlands batters were carefully trying to play out Rashid Khan, Hashmatullah Shahidi introduced his left-handed clone – Noor Ahmad in the 24th over. Saqib Zulfiqar became Noor’s first wicket in the evening when he nicked one to Ali Khil while trying to cut a straight delivery outside the off-stump.
Engelbrecht made up for the earlier mishap that led to Ackermann’s dismissal by scoring a gritty half-century, but he then became the fourth batter to get run out when he took on the arm of Nabi at midwicket. The lower-order couldn’t sustain much longer after Engelbrecht’s exit, as they folded in the 48th over. In what was a poor half of cricket for Netherlands, Afghanistan earned themselves a World Cup stat – the lowest they’ve bowled out an opposition for in the 50-over tournament.
Brief Scores:
Netherland 179 in 46.3 overs (Sybrand Engelbrecht 58, Max O’Dowd 42, Colin Ackerman 29; Mohammad Nabi 3-28, Noor Ahmad 2-31) lost to Afghanistan 181/3 in 31.3 overs (Hashmatullah Shahidi 56*, Rahmat Shah 52, Ibrahim Zadran 20, Azmathullah Omarzai 31*; Roelof van der Merwe 1-27) by 7 wickets
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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at Katunayake today (10th December)
The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).
Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”
The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station, Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)
The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.
Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee has named a 15-member squad to participate in the upcoming ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup (50 Over).
The team will depart for the United Arab Emirates today [0 December 2025] and has been placed in Group B, alongside Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
Showers will occur at times in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Central, and Uva provinces
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