Sony Pictures Network acquires TV rights for Afghanistan-India T20Is

Sony Sports Network has acquired the exclusive television broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan starting here on September 13.

The two teams will play the first T20I on September 13, followed by the second and third matches on September 15 and 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here. The contest is dubbed as a ‘home series’ for Afghanistan.

India will be led by Shreyas Iyer, while Afghanistan will be led by Ibrahim Zadran.

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Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer-led Team India are getting ready to defend their gold medal from men’s cricket that they won at the Asian Games 2026 in Hangzhou three years back. Indians are the defending world champions in the T20 format of the game having won the World Cup in March this year. The Asian Games 2023 gold medalists have been given a ‘bye’ through to the quarterfinals in the 2026 edition which will take place at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan.

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One of the concerns raised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the Asian Games 2026 was the accommodation for the men’s cricket team led by Shreyas Iyer. However, the BCCI have now clarified that Team India cricketers will be staying at the designated accommodation arranged by the Asian Games 2026 Organising Committee – although they won’t be their usual ‘five-star’ hotels.

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the issue over the accommodation for the cricketers had arisen due to the scarcity of five-star hotels in Nagoya. “Whatever they (organisers) are providing, we are staying there and we are keeping a watch what kind of accommodation is being given so that our players are comfortable. Definitely those are not of five-star but a good accommodation,” Shukla said at the send-off ceremony of the Indian contingent in New Delhi on Tuesday.

#WATCH | Delhi: On Indian cricket teams participating in the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla says, “Our team will definitely register a win, which will be a good thing. People in Japan will get to watch cricket. The earlier complaints were that the… pic.twitter.com/kYoPzQW0Se

— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2026

“Whatever has been offered to our cricketers that accommodation we have got the photographs all the way and the videos also of that, so I think it’s comfortable. They (cricketers) will be going and staying there because otherwise the options were to make them stay in Osaka or Tokyo that’s far away,” Shukla added.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha also added that the problem had been sorted out but there still remains some lack of clarity over who booked the rooms for the cricketers. “No problem, I think. We have already booked (the hotels). For every player, we cannot book hotel rooms because the accommodation is (not) like (Athletes) Village. They (organisers) are providing a ship and small villas also,” PT Usha was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

“We also booked the hotel rooms for the players (other athletes). And the cricketers, BCCI, also have booked the hotel for them. Whatever the best hotel is there in Nagoya or Japan, whatever it is, the best one, the cricketers will get it, just like others (other athletes) get,” she added.

The BCCI vice-president informed that the cricketers will not be staying at the twin-sharing rooms but in separate ones. The team will leave for Tokyo on September 20 and play a historic T20I against Japan on September 22. India will open their Asian Games 2026 campaign on September 28 with their quarterfinal match.

“The problem was that Nagoya hasn’t got many hotels. Tokyo is one and a half hour by bullet train, so is Osaka. But in the Asian Games, all the participants are like families, it doesn’t look nice that some teams stay in Tokyo and some in Osaka so it has been decided that our players will live at hotel accommodation there (at Nagoya),” Shukla said.

Cricket ground in Japan is bigger concern: BCCI vice-president

Shukla downplayed the accommodation issue, saying the main issue was the condition of the ground, the pitch and the dressing rooms.

“The big issue big issue was the ground, wicket and dressing rooms. They (organisers) have addressed those things. Asian Cricket Council’s team had gone there and now they (ACC team) are satisfied with the ground, the wickets and dressing rooms, everything is fine,” Shukla informed.

Asked who has arranged the accommodation of the cricketers, Shukla said, “That’s being organized by Indian Olympic Association, Asian Games Organising Committee and Japan Cricket Association. At the ACC meeting in Bangkok, which I had also participated, 52 representatives from various countries were there. We had a full presentation by Japanese representative and he has assured us that all the arrangements will be made keeping in mind the comfort of the players. They have provided the hotels. If there are gaps or loopholes we will address it.”

India are the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s competition from the last Asian Games in China.

“India will definitely do well there. We also have a match on September 22 (India vs Japan for Suzuki Cup). It will be the first match in Japan. It’s being organized very well as far as Asian Games are concerned. We sending our B team is complete rumour. Our full contingent is going with the most talented players and I hope that we’ll definitely win,” Shukla informed.

New York [US], September 9 (ANI): World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka kept her bid for a third consecutive US Open title alive after rallying from a 4-2 deficit in the deciding set to defeat Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7) and reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.

The top seed sealed the hard-fought quarterfinal victory in two hours and 22 minutes, extending her winning streak at the US Open to 18 matches, according to the WTA website.

Sabalenka is now through to her sixth consecutive US Open semifinal and 15th Grand Slam semifinal overall. She is two victories away from becoming the first woman since Serena Williams, who won three straight US Open titles from 2012 to 2014, to achieve the feat in New York.

10-0 in tiebreaks at the US Open since 2022

Aryna Sabalenka stays fearless in the clutch. pic.twitter.com/CcJQA6PKGC

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2026

Noskova produced 46 winners, including 18 aces, and saved seven of nine break points. Sabalenka responded with 42 winners and 12 aces, clinching the match on her first match point with a second-serve ace out wide.

The victory marked Sabalenka’s first win over a Top 10 opponent since defeating Coco Gauff in the Miami final in March and her sixth such victory of the 2026 season.

It was also Sabalenka’s first three-set win at a Grand Slam this year after she lost to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final and Diana Shnaider in the Roland Garros quarterfinals.

Sabalenka also ended Noskova’s six-match winning streak in third-set tiebreaks and improved her own record in deciding-set tiebreaks this season to 2-1.

The match was the first meeting between reigning Grand Slam champions since the Miami final and the first clash between two Top 10 players at this year’s US Open.

Sabalenka will next face either third seed Jessica Pegula or 26th seed Emma Navarro in the semifinals. A meeting with Pegula would be the 14th encounter between the two players, with Sabalenka having defeated the American at the US Open in each of the last two years. ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Pacers Mohammed Shami (2-17) and Mukesh Kumar’s (2-36) decisive blows helped East Zone close in on the Duleep Trophy title, reducing South Zone to 242 for six on the third day of the final here on Tuesday.

Skipper Tilak Varma (56, 133b) and CV Milind (0) were batting at stumps after Shreyas Gopal (26) got out in the closing minutes of the day. Earlier, Devdutt Padikkal chipped in with 62. South trail by 466 and overhauling East’s humongous 708 is nearly impossible from this point

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever