CULTURE — March 14, 2026
Afghan Kun Khmer athletes secure medals in world championships
Afghanistan's Kun Khmer national team won multiple medals in two World Championships despite challenges in the second event, while the Buzkashi team heads to Kazakhstan for an international competition after nine years. Cricketer Ibrahim Zadran received ESPN Cricinfo's ODI bowler of the year award for 2025.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Afghanistan International — 2 min read
The Kun Khmer Federation of Afghanistan reported on the participation and achievements of the country's national athletes in international competitions. Kun Khmer, a traditional Cambodian martial art, has seen significant growth in Afghanistan in recent years.
Nabi Rezai, president and founder of the federation, launched official activities in early 2024. The national team, consisting of seven athletes, competed in the fifth World Kun Khmer Championships on Dec. 6, 2024, in Cambodia. In their debut, they won four gold medals by Mohammad Hasani, Yasin Mirzai, Nawidullah Saadi and Alireza Shidani; one silver by Nabi Rezai; and two bronzes by Amirhossein Ebrahimi and Alireza Khanzadeh. Afghanistan placed third in the team rankings.
Following this, the team signed a cooperation contract with Cambodia's Phnom Penh Camp. Over a year, Afghan athletes won 10 belts and championships in Cambodian professional events, with standout performances by Alireza Shidani, Mohammad Hasani, Amirhossein Ebrahimi and Yasin Mirzai.
The second World Championships, originally scheduled for December 2025 but held Feb. 10-13, 2026, featured 123 athletes, including 81 women, from 20 countries across 50 weight classes. Afghanistan earned two silvers by Hossein Nazari and Musa Honarjo, and three bronzes by Hossein Mobarez, Seyed Mehdi Mousavi and Nader Moradi, placing 13th overall. Federation officials cited visa delays, late arrival after a 24-hour journey, and insufficient recovery time as factors impacting performance.
Separately, the Afghanistan Buzkashi Federation announced the national team's participation in an international Buzkashi event in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, from March 14 to April 1, 2025, after a nine-year hiatus. Teams from nine countries, including Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkey, will compete.
ESPN Cricinfo named Afghan cricketer Ibrahim Zadran the best ODI bowler for 2025 following his performances in the Cricket Champions Cup.
Read the original reporting at Afghanistan International →
Reliability assessment
Single source citing the Kun Khmer Federation of Afghanistan with direct attribution to named president Nabi Rezai, specific athlete names, medal counts, event dates/locations, and checkable details on professional contracts and awards.
The source language reads straight.
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Afghanistan International
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Filed under
Culture — Kun Khmer, Buzkashi, Ibrahim Zadran, Nabi Rezai, Kazakhstan
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