An
Overview of the 10th edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket
League 2025, powered by XBull Energy
When,
Where & Result:
The 10th
edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull Energy, was held from July 19 to 31 at the Kabul National Cricket Stadium in Kabul
Province. After 21 games across 13 days, the Azmatullah Omarzai-led Amo Sharks were crowned champions for the second successive time, beating the Mis-e-Ainak
Knights in the Grand Finale.
Teams
and Format:
The
blockbuster 10th edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League
2025, powered by XBull Energy, featured five regional teams: the Amo Sharks, Mis-e-Ainak
Knights, Bost Defenders, Band-e-Amir Dragons and the Speenghar Tigers. All the
participating teams faced each other twice in a double round-robin format,
before the Amo Sharks (12 points) and the Mis-e-Ainak Knights (10 points)
claimed the top two spots in the table and made it to the Grand Finale of the
event.
Teams
Combination:
All the
participating teams at the 10th edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza
Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull Energy, featured top national-level
players, who played alongside their juniors. Rashid Khan led the Speenghar
Tigers, who finished at the bottom of the table, whereas Rahmanullah Gurbaz,
Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Hashmatullah Shahidi led the Mis-e-Ainak
Knights, Bost Defenders, Amo Sharks and the Band-e-Amir Dragons, respectively.
Mohammad Nabi, the icon of Afghanistan Cricket, alongside Fazal Haq Farooqi,
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib, and all other big names featured in
various teams, which created a terrific vibe for the fans and viewers.
Most
Runs:
Hashmatullah
Shahidi, the skipper of the Band-e-Amir Dragons, put on some incredible batting
effort and topped the batting charts at the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League
2025, powered by XBull. He finished the season with 321 runs in 8 games at an
average of 40.12 to be awarded as the Best Batter of the Tournament.
High
Scores:
Amo Sharks’ talented top-order batter Noor Ul Rahman created history on July 30 as he scored the quickest hundred in the history of the Shpageeza Cricket League. He reached the milestone in 40 deliveries and smashed 9 fours and 10 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 115* off just 43 deliveries, which was the highest score in the 10th edition of the SCL.
Most
Sixes (Khan Da Shpageeza):
Band-e-Amir
Dragons’ talented top-order batter, Sediqullah Atal, smashed 17 sixes in 8
innings and grabbed the prestigious "Khan Da Shpageeza" award of the
Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull Energy.
Highest
Total:
The
Mis-e-Ainak Knights create history as they post the highest total on the board
in the Shpageeza Cricket League's history. The Knights, banking on
extraordinary half-centuries from Wafiullah Tarakhil (78* off 35 balls),
Famanullah Safi (72* off 28 balls), and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (70 off 39 balls),
posted a mammoth total of 264/2 runs on the board in the first inning of the 18th
game against the Band-e-Amir Dragons. This was not only the highest total of
the 10th edition but was also the highest inning total in the
history of the league.
Highest
Match Aggregate:
The 18th
match of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull, saw the
highest aggregate of the season. The Mis-e-Ainak Knights were put into bat
first, and they went on to post 264/2 runs on the board in the first inning. The
Band-e-Amir Dragons, in response, went after the target but managed to score
192/9 runs in the second inning. A total of 456 runs were scored in the match
at 12.16 runs per over, which was the highest match aggregate in the event.
Highest
Partnership:
Mis-e-Ainak
Knights' talented pair of Khalid Taniwal and Afsar Zazai put on a terrific and
match-winning partnership to help their team recover from 25/3 and chase down
the 166-run target against the Amo Sharks. The duo shared 141* runs between
them, with Khalid Taniwal finishing on 102* and Afsar Zazai putting on a
crucial role with 47* runs.
Most
Wickets:
Amo Sharks’
talented left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, Sharafuddin Ashraf, topped the
bowling charts at the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull.
He finished the season with 14 wickets in 9 games at an impressive average of
18.71 to be awarded as the Best Bowler of the Tournament.
Best
Bowling Figures in an Inning:
Noor Ahmad was on show on a terrific Kabul Afternoon, who was unplayable against the
Band-e-Amir Dragons in the 10th match of the event, returning to the
hut with terrific figures of 5/22. This was the only five-wicket haul in the
event, which is regarded as the best bowling numbers in an inning in the SCLX.
Most Catches:
Qais Ahmad
grabbed the most outfield catches during the event. He took 7 catches in 7
innings, which is a maximum of three catches in an inning. However, the Best Catch
of the SCLX award was taken home by Nangyal Kharoti for his incredible diving catch
in the deep against the Speenghar Tigers in the 7th match of the
event.
Most
Valuable Player of the Tournament:
Karim
Jannat was impressive with the bat and ball as he scored 3 half-centuries on
his way to a total of 255 runs at 32.87 and has also picked up 7 wickets with
an ER of 8.3 to grab the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament award. He
finished 7th among the batters and 11th on the bowling
leaderboard.
Best
Wicket Keeper:
Afsar
Khan Zazai was the best wicket keeper of the tournament, who finished with the most
dismissals in the event. He took 10 catches behind the stumps and also did 3
stumpings, and with a total of 13 dismissals, he finished as the best
wicket-keeper of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull
Energy.
Emerging
Player of the Tournament:
Khalid
Taniwal, a young top-order batter of the Mis-e-Ainak Knights, scored 279 runs
in 8 innings at 34.87, including a century and a half-century, and was awarded
the Emerging Player of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by
XBull Energy.
Sponsors:
The
Afghanistan Cricket Board has signed several commercial partners for the 10th
Edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League – XBull Cup. Etisalat
Afghanistan, the country's leading telecommunications company, has secured the
title sponsorship rights for the event.
Additionally, Super Cola Beverages Manufacturing
Company was granted the "powered by" sponsorship rights. Azizi Bank
acquired the Sleeve Partner rights, while Milat Steel was awarded Associate Sponsorship
rights for the second consecutive year. Amart Group served as the ad-hoc
sponsor for the event.
Besides
these sponsors, Amir Hajizada Hospital extended its support to the ACB as
medical partner, AfghanTelecom served as the IT partner, and VANY supported the
event as the clothing partner. In
addition, Chinar Media Production was responsible for broadcast production, and
Lemar TV handled the television broadcast of the matches.
In
total, the ACB had six financial sponsors and four technical/operational
partners for the 10th Edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League – XBull
Cup, all of whom played key roles in ensuring the tournament's success. A major
highlight from the event was that this year's league broke all previous revenue
records, setting new benchmarks for revenue generated at a single event.
Production
and Broadcasting Rights:
Afghanistan
Cricket Board’s Commercial Department, in close coordination with various
relevant departments, held extensive discussions with several production
companies regarding the broadcast production of the 10th Edition of the
Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League, powered by XBull Energy. As a result, the
ACB signed a contract with Chinar Media Production and granted them the
official production and media rights for the tournament. Under this agreement,
the matches were produced by 16 high-quality cameras and broadcasted live on
Lemar TV.
National
and Global Broadcasters:
All
matches of the 10th edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025,
powered by XBull Energy, were broadcast live in Afghanistan on Lemar TV. The
matches were also streamed through the Etisalat app and on the Afghanistan
Cricket Board's official YouTube channel. Additionally, the live stream of the
matches was available via FanCode in India exclusively and through Styx Sports
globally on a non-exclusive basis.
Extensive
Social Media Coverage:
In
addition to live television broadcasts, the Afghanistan Cricket Board ensured
comprehensive media coverage through its social media platforms. This included
photography and videography of the teams’ preparations and practice sessions,
as well as interviews with players and officials, and promotional content
related to the tournament.
Throughout
the league, high-quality photo and video content were consistently shared on
social media, featuring live match reels, player performance packages, short
clips, highlights, and post-match interviews with players and officials.
Moreover, the live streams of all matches on ACB’s YouTube channel received widespread
viewer engagement and appreciation, and broke previous concurrent and overall
viewership records for all domestic cricket competitions.
International Commentators:
One of
the highlights of the 10th Edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League
2025, powered by XBull Energy, widely appreciated by fans, was the live
commentary segment, enriched by the presence of international commentators. To
enhance the tournament's appeal, the Afghanistan Cricket Board invited four
international commentators to Afghanistan. The panel included Mr. Farveez Maharoof,
a former Sri Lankan cricketer and commentator; Mr. Suhaas Vedam, a renowned
Indian presenter and commentator; Mr. Devender Kumar, another prominent Indian
commentator; and Mr. Ahmad Farhad Fidai, an experienced Afghan commentator
currently based in the United States.
In
addition to the commentators, a prominent Indian journalist and influential
social media figure, Shubhankar Mishra, who has a combined audience of nearly
60 million followers across various platforms, also visited Afghanistan. He
produced various reports and conducted exclusive interviews with players during
the tournament.
The
participation of these international commentators and media personalities not
only provided expert insights but also helped project a positive global image
of the Shpageeza Cricket League, showcasing the domestic cricket structure in
Afghanistan, the hospitality of the Afghan people, and the prevailing peace and
stability in the country.
Tournament Trophy:
Afghanistan
Cricket Board unveiled a unique and exquisite trophy for the 10th edition of
the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull Energy. The design
of the trophy incorporated Islamic calligraphic patterns and elements inspired
by Afghanistan’s traditional hand-woven carpets. A particularly striking
feature was the replica of the iconic "Minaret of Jam" from Ghor
Province, which was placed at the center of the trophy.
The top
of the trophy was adorned with a beautifully crafted cricket ball, which added
elegance and uniqueness to the overall design.
This
was the first time such a high-value and artistically designed trophy was
created for a domestic cricket tournament in Afghanistan. The trophy received
widespread media attention and was unveiled at various scenic locations in
Kabul prior to the start of the tournament. Photos and videos of the trophy
tour were shared on the ACB's official social media platforms, receiving an
overwhelmingly positive response from fans across the country.
Super
Fan Segment:
The
Shpageeza Cricket League has an unparalleled fan base in Afghanistan. Every
day, thousands of fans and spectators flock to the Kabul National Cricket
Stadium to watch their favorite players and teams compete live and enjoy the
vibrant atmosphere of the venue.
To
express appreciation for this overwhelming love and support, the ACB introduced
the “Super Fan” segment for the event. For each match, a special fan, known as
the "Super Fan," was selected from the crowd. These individuals often
stood out due to their unique outfits or were adorable children who would
attend with their families to watch the games.
The
selected Super Fan was invited to the post-match ceremony at the end of each
game, where they had the chance to meet their favorite players. In addition to
this, they would receive a special cricket gift set, including a bat, ball, and
stumps, which was presented to them live on TV by the captain of the winning
team.
Furthermore,
the Super Fan was given the opportunity for a short interview on Lemar TV,
where they could share their love for cricket and their admiration for meeting
the Afghanistan Cricketing stars, as well as express their excitement about
being selected as the Super Fan.
This
thoughtful and interactive initiative added a new layer of fun, engagement, and
diversity to the tournament, and enhanced its appeal for fans of all ages.
Active
Involvement of Local Media:
The
10th Edition of the Etisalat Shpageeza Cricket League 2025, powered by XBull
Energy, was not only a major attraction for cricket fans but also a focal point
for media coverage across Afghanistan. The event received widespread attention
from both national and regional media outlets, with comprehensive reporting and
live coverage.
In
addition to the official coverage provided by the ACB Media Department, nearly
30 media organizations, including national and regional TV channels, radio
stations, print outlets, YouTube channels, and leading social media
influencers, offered consistent coverage of the tournament. These media
professionals conducted interviews with top players, coaches, ACB officials,
and spectators while providing live reports, expert analyses, and daily updates
from the field.
This
extensive media presence helped keep not only domestic audiences but also
Afghan cricket fans worldwide fully informed and engaged with every aspect of
the tournament.
Not to
forget, the Afghanistan Cricket Board fully supported media coverage by providing
designated workspaces at the stadium, equipped with all necessary facilities.
The board also ensured full cooperation in facilitating interviews with
players, captains, international commentators, and ACB officials as needed,
demonstrating its commitment to transparent and inclusive tournament coverage.