All posts by h716a5.icu

Nielsen will coach a 15-man squad against India Under-19s in Australia next month but Ollie Peake is not available due to Australia A duty

Alex Malcolm08-Aug-2025Former Australia coach Tim Nielsen will take over as Australia’s Under-19s coach ahead of the upcoming series against India Under-19s with the World Cup on the horizon but Australia’s squad won’t feature star batter Oliver Peake as he will be touring with the Australia A team.Cricket Australia announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming home series against India Under-19s in Brisbane and Mackay starting next month, which will feature three 50-over matches and two four-day games. The three Youth ODIs will be played on September 21, 24 and 26 at Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane. The first Youth Test will be held at the same venue starting on September 30 while the second will played in Mackay from October 7.Nielsen, 57, coached Australia’s men’s team between 2007 and 2011, having been a long-time assistant to former Australia coach John Buchanan before that, as well as being head coach of CA’s Centre of Excellence, a position that no longer exists.Related

Mhatre to lead India U-19 in multi-format tour of Australia

Konstas, Peake, McSweeney named in Australia A squad for India tour

Weatherald 'ready' for Test cricket, excitement around teen-prodigy Peake

Following his stint with Australia’s men, Nielsen was South Australia and Adelaide Striker’s long-time high performance manager before resigning in February 2024. He took up a brief post as Pakistan’s high-performance red-ball coach alongside close friend and long-time colleague Jason Gillespie when the latter was Pakistan’s Test coach in 2024.Nielsen returns to a development role at CA after Lachlan Stevens resigned as CA’s development coach earlier this year and his first duty will be to lead an Under-19s squad in their last bilateral series before the Under-19s World Cup in January in Zimbabwe and Namibia.Australia’s 15-player squad looks very different to the one CA sent to India in September and October last year, where they were beaten soundly 2-0 in the Youth Test series and 3-0 in the Youth ODI series. Only four players, Simon Budge, Steve Hogan, Hayden Schiller and Alex Lee Young, remain from that tour where India batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi announced himself with a 58-ball century in the first Youth Test.Oliver Peake made an impressive 52 on first-class debut aged 18•Getty ImagesSuryavanshi has been named in India’s Under-19 squad to tour Australia. But Peake, who made a century in the second youth Test in India last year, has been selected on Australia A’s tour of India that will occur at the same time, following an impressive first-class debut for Victoria in March and scoring 92 for Australia A against Sri Lanka A last month. Peake, 18, is still eligible to play in the Under-19s World Cup next year but it remains to be seen whether he will given he is contracted to Melbourne Renegades in the BBL and a key part of Victoria’s plans for the upcoming Sheffield Shield season.”We’re excited to continue our preparation for the ongoing ICC U19 World cup cycle, with an exciting squad of emerging players,”CA’s Head of National Development Sonya Thompson said.”This series against India provides a valuable opportunity for our young players to experience international cricket in white-ball and red-ball formats, and to test themselves against a high-quality opponent.”The multi-format tour is designed to challenge players to adapt and grow, while also giving selectors and coaches meaningful insights ahead of the National U19 Championships in December.”We’re also thrilled to welcome Tim Nielsen as Head Coach of the National U19 squad. His extensive international experience and leadership will be instrumental in guiding and inspiring Australia’s next generation of cricketers.Australia Under-19 squad: Simon Budge, Alex Turner, Steve Hogan, Will Malajczuk, Yash Deshmukh, Tom Hogan, Aryan Sharma, John James, Hayden Schiller, Charles Lachmund, Ben Gordon, Will Byrom, Kasey Barton, Alex Lee Young, Jayden Draper

After suffering a brutal ankle injury against Bayern Munich that left fans fearing the worst, Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi may yet rise in time for the Africa Cup of Nations. Coach Walid Regragui has voiced unwavering faith in his “irreplaceable” right-back, insisting Hakimi’s recovery powers and spirit could defy medical timelines.

Diaz's tackle dampens AFCON hopes for Morocco

When Hakimi collapsed in agony after Luis Diaz’s lunging tackle during PSG’s Champions League clash with Bayern, fans feared the worst. The moment silenced the Parc des Princes and sent shockwaves through Rabat and Casablanca. Hakimi, one of PSG’s most consistent performers this season with three goals and seven assists was visibly distraught as he was carried off.

Medical examinations revealed a severe sprain in his left ankle, involving partial damage to the femoral syndesmosis and deltoid ligaments. Though PSG confirmed that surgery wouldn’t be required, the estimated six-to-eight-week recovery window instantly cast doubt on his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations which is scheduled to begin December 21 this year in Morocco.

For a player who has started majority of PSG’s games this season, the timing couldn’t be worse. PSG’s full-back line, already weakened by injuries to Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembele, now faced another blow. But the bigger concern was for Morocco, their captain and leader was suddenly in doubt for the country’s most important tournament in nearly half a century.

Amid rising panic, Morocco coach Regragui moved quickly to calm the storm. Speaking at a press conference two days after the injury, he reassured fans: “Achraf Hakimi is the first player I select on the list every time. I firmly believe he's a player who can recover faster than others. Achraf will do everything he can to be at the AFCON. We will support him. We will implement the best medical protocol to ensure Achraf is back for the AFCON and at 100%.” 

AdvertisementAFPRegragui’s rallying cry and Hakimi's road to recovery

Morocco’s coaching staff have already begun working closely with PSG’s medical team to tailor a recovery plan focusing on accelerated healing, physiotherapy, and progressive load management. Sources in France suggest Hakimi’s rehabilitation will be split between Paris and Rabat, allowing him to remain under close supervision while staying connected with the national setup.

This faith in Hakimi’s physical and mental resilience isn’t misplaced. Over the past five seasons, the 26-year-old has been one of the most durable players in Europe, missing fewer than 10 games through injury since 2020.

Regragui’s confidence stems as much from data as from belief. According to Moroccan team analysts, Hakimi covers 11-12 km per game, contributes largely to Morocco’s offensive transitions, and maintains one of the best defensive recovery rates among African defenders. "Achraf Hakimi is an irreplaceable player. He was a contender for the Ballon d'Or. For us Moroccans, he is the best player in the world," said the Morocco coach.

Mazraoui can play Hakimi's role at AFCON

Since his senior debut in 2016, Hakimi has been at the centre of Morocco’s modern football rise. From Real Madrid’s academy to Borussia Dortmund, Inter and now PSG, he’s evolved into one of the world’s most feared full-backs because of his precision and positional intelligence.

At the 2022 World Cup, Hakimi played every minute of Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals, contributing directly to wins over Spain and Portugal. His audacious Panenka penalty against Spain became a defining symbol of Morocco’s fearless identity. Since then, he’s captained the national team in 15 matches, leading them to a perfect start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and earning a sixth-place finish in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, which is the highest ever by a Moroccan player.

For Regragui, Hakimi’s influence is irreplaceable having played 88 games across all competitions for Morocco while scoring 11 goals and registering 15 assists. “He drives the group emotionally and tactically,” the coach said. “He brings balance, ambition, and belief.”

But should he miss the opening games, Noussair Mazraoui, the Manchester United full-back, is ready to step up. Regragui’s faith in him is clear: “I have always considered Mazraoui to be of the same calibre as Hakimi. He is a very great player. It is up to him to help us now. I have no doubt about Noussair, he is a soldier."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportMorocco’s AFCON dream pinned on Hakimi's return

For Morocco, the upcoming AFCON is more than just a tournament as the Atlas Lions will host the competition for the first time in 40 years, carrying the hopes of a football-loving nation that hasn’t lifted the trophy since 1976.

The build up has been promising. Under Regragui, Morocco have lost just two matches in their last 20, blending tactical discipline with attacking flair. Stars like Sofyan Amrabat, Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri have matured into seasoned leaders, while a new generation, including Bilal El Khannouss and Abde Ezzalzouli, has added creativity and hunger.

Their opening match on December 21 in Rabat against Comoros will set the tone for their campaign. Whether Hakimi starts that night or watches from the sidelines, his presence will loom large. 

The Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros were involved in a big MLB trade back in December that sent three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker to Chicago, while infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and top infield prospect Cam Smith were dealt to Houston.

These players all faced each other this weekend while the Cubs are visiting Daikin Park. And, in some sort of fantastical way, the three batters dealt in the trade all hit home runs in the same game on Saturday night.

Smith shot off the first homer in the third inning, giving the Astros a 2-1 lead at the time. The Cubs responded in a major way in the fourth inning, as three players homered to add to the tally of seven total runs. The last Cub to homer in the fourth inning was Tucker, who has been on fire this season and specifically while visiting Houston. He was a triple short of the cycle on Saturday night.

Paredes finished off the prophecy, of sorts, in the eighth inning when he hit a 328-foot homer to give the Astros their third and final run of the night. Tucker had the upper hand in the matchup as the Cubs won 12-3.

What a full circle moment for all three players.

Leeds United have to win their next Premier League clash away at Nottingham Forest otherwise the Whites will be plunged even deeper into relegation trouble.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s men now sit precariously above the drop zone after a pitiful 3-0 loss at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, with the five-point gap between themselves and Forest shaved to just two points if Sean Dyche’s side gets the better of the West Yorkshire outfit.

To further pile on the worry, Dyche also has six career wins under his belt as a manager when facing the Whites, with Leeds also winless – and goalless – on the road since a 3-1 success against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Farke will need to see an immediate reaction from this devastating defeat on the South Coast, with several of his summer recruits potentially being dropped, despite many making positive starts, away from the loss at the Amex.

Why Leeds' summer business must be questioned

Across the ranks, not a single player could trudge off at the end of the 3-0 loss to Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls, satisfied with their efforts.

Not even their marquee signing, Noah Okafor, is immune to criticism.

The tricky number 19 did try his best to unlock a stern home side with five successful dribbles. But, former Leeds player Jon Newsome has harshly called the ex-AC Milan winger a “passenger” for how easily he can give up the ball, and that was the case, again, versus Hurzeler’s hosts when ceding possession a costly 19 times.

Moreover, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could also find himself dropped up top after another goalless showing passed him by, with just one goal still next to his name since leaving Everton behind in the summer. He arguably has to be the most questionable signing of the summer, even if he did arrive on a free transfer.

Central defender Jaka Bijol might also be made to sit out after a two-game stint in the first team, with Pascal Struijk perhaps the most logical replacement, as the £15m summer recruit failed to win a single tackle, and just one duel, as Brighton ran the hopeless away side ragged all afternoon.

Despite the hosts’ blistering nature, Bijol and the rest of the backline did make it very straightforward for Diego Gomez to kickstart his brace, when he was left in acres of room to tap home his first effort of the day for 2-0.

Farke really could ring the changes for the crunch tie at Forest, therefore, with one summer signing also at risk of being cut from the German’s starting XI.

The bold selection Farke could make

It hasn’t been exclusively doom and gloom all season long in West Yorkshire, with some positive performances potentially standing Farke and Co. in good stead to beat the drop.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The aforementioned 3-1 away win at Wolves, in particular, saw everything click as new signings Anton Stach, Calvert-Lewin, and Okafor were all amongst the goals.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also put in a sterling effort against the now managerless Old Gold after joining from Lille in July.

Indeed, Leeds-based social media account The Leeds Press hailed the Swede as an asset that “gives everything” after the Wolves win, as seen in him registering eight clearances and winning three duels to keep the Molineux hosts at bay.

With 3.5 ball recoveries also averaged across his ten Premier League games, on top of two big chances being created, it felt as if Leeds had hit the jackpot on a perfect Junior Firpo replacement on the left flank.

Journalist James Marshment even boldly stated in late September that he has been “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this season”. At just £10m, he had certainly proved himself to be a bargain.

Unfortunately for the Sweden regular, though, he put in a horror-show performance on the South Coast, as a rapid Yankuba Minteh turned him inside out all match.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

72

Accurate passes

35/42 (83%)

Possession lost

16x

Dribbled past

2x

Tackles won

1/2

Total duels won

7/12

The strong and resilient full-back that had bounced back from his own-goal at Fulham in style was nowhere to be seen against the Seagulls.

He was dribbled past twice as a weak member of Farke’s defence, on top of also falling victim to an Okafor-like display, with possession given up 16 times.

James Justin could well get the nod to come in for Gudmundsson at the City Ground, therefore.

It is unlikely to be the only alteration, as Farke attempts to pick a refreshed side that can halt Leeds’ shambolic offerings on the road.

Rarely-seen Leeds talent could be a surprise Aaronson replacement

Daniel Farke could soon surprisingly throw this Leeds United academy gem into the first team.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 4, 2025

Before the second innings in Durban, the South Africa captain had 22 fifties but only two hundreds to his name

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Nov-2024Yes, it is a bowlers’ era, and sure, this is not the strongest South Africa batting order there has ever been, but eventually people are going to look across your stats, find the column under “Hundreds”, and check.Temba Bavuma is aware of this. Painfully aware.Before the second innings at Kingsmead, he had only two trips to triple figures, compared to 22 fifties. The rock to throw at him is that this is a poor conversion rate, even if many of those fifties came in difficult match situations. Both his team-mates and his opposition, for example, have praised his first-innings 70, for having taken South Africa from a truly modest total to a halfway-respectable 191, given the conditions.Related

Leap and joy: Stubbs and Bavuma's centuries add colour to festive Kingsmead

SA quicks leave SL on the brink after Stubbs, Bavuma tons

Still, that column on the stats page has eyes on it. And on Friday, at Kingsmead, he raised the count to three, hitting 113 against Sri Lanka. Will people wonder how he has been doing as captain and see that he averages 54.22? Will they wonder how many of his innings have come at No. 6 and lower (51 off 103 innings, by the way), and reason that these are not positions where centuries are harder to come by? Perhaps not many will. Hundreds are kind of a big deal.”Getting to a three-figure mark is always a lot more satisfying, personally,” Bavuma said, about making centuries vs important fifties. “When you bat in positions where the team is in trouble, and you get to a 50 to 60, I guess it’s good in terms of getting the team into a competitive position. But once you’re able to go over, you really get the team into a strong position.”Hundreds are a currency as a batter as well, I guess that increases that value. There’s obviously a lot of confidence that comes from scoring a hundred, and I think in terms of the batting line-up we’re getting to a stage where we’re starting to believe that in each innings, someone is able to go and get a hundred, so it’s good to add to that confidence.”

“Getting to the three-figure mark was quite nerve-racking. I went over to him and said, ‘Stubbo, please get me on strike. I can’t wait on this end'”

Bavuma’s approach to the hundred was fraught, however. Between getting to 80 and getting to triple figures, there was an edge that dropped short of the slips, a ball that jumped up and hit him on the glove, plays and misses, and an lbw shout and a review to the shot (it came off his glove) he got to triple figures off. Bavuma had, in fact, been asking for the strike.”I think I’m not too good when I get to the 80s and 90s. I’m going to try and get there [to a century] as soon as I can. They had the second new ball as well, and there was still something on offer for the bowlers. I was always looking to score.”Then, obviously, getting to the three-figure mark, it was quite nerve-racking. Against the spinner [Prabath Jayasuriya], I got one off the first ball, and then the next two balls Tristan Stubbs blocked. I went over to him and said, ‘Stubbo, please get me on strike. I can’t wait on this end.’ He was able to do that, so I was always going to play that shot.”The shot was a paddle sweep, and he just managed to get a glove to the ball before it hit him on the pads in front of the stumps.”It was a bit high risk, but the way the spinner was bowling, I was thinking of getting to that three-figure mark and then kind of starting again.”Sri Lanka reviewed that lbw, shout, but Bavuma had known he had got enough on it. He politely waited for the big screen to show the little spike as the ball brushed his glove.Then he celebrated his third hundred.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix were on target as Al-Nassr comfortably thrashed Neom 3-1 to extend their lead over Al-Taawoun to three points at the top of the Saudi Pro League table. After a quiet second half, the floodgates opened with Gabriel's powerful shot before the Portuguese icon doubled the lead. Felix then scored the final goal to seal a memorable win for the Saudi giants.

Al-Nassr's eighth consecutive win

Al-Nassr and Neom played out an exciting first half, albeit goalless, as both teams had numerous chances to break the deadlock. Al-Nassr, of course, dominated proceedings with each of Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Sadio Mane coming close to opening their account in the game but they failed to keep the ball inside the goal.

Ronaldo possibly squandered the easiest chance of the half as he failed to keep his header on target from close range. Mane too missed a simple opportunity after miskicking the ball when inside the box.

The Saudi giants, though, did not take much time in the second half to open their scoring as in-form midfielder and ex-Chelsea star Angelo Gabriel broke the deadlock with a picture-perfect finish. In the 48th minute, Ronaldo took a free-kick from just outside the box, which was blocked by the Neom defenders but from the rebound, Gabriel scored with a brilliant grounded shot. 

Just seven minutes later, Neom were dealt another blow as striker Luciano Rodríguez was given his marching orders for a reckless challenge. The Uruguayan attacker was taking his position on the edge of the box to meet a cross from the left side when he intentionally elbowed an Al-Nassr player in the neck. The referee consulted the VAR before brandishing a red card. It was indeed a massive blow for Neom as they had already lost ex-Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette in the first half due to injury.

Ronaldo soon completed his 953rd career goal after finding the back of the net from the penalty spot. In the earlier move, Ronaldo had seen his attempt saved from close range by compatriot Luis Maximiano but Joao Felix chased the second ball. The Portuguese forward tried to regain possession, but he was shoved from behind, which led to the spot-kick.

Ahmed Abdo pulled one back for the hosts in the 84th minute as Mohamed Simakan was caught napping. Abdo received the ball behind Simakan and comfortably placed it into the goal. Neom's celebrations were, however, short-lived as Joao Felix scored the third and final goal of the game to secure crucial three points. 

AdvertisementgettyThe MVP

Ronaldo was once again on target as Al-Nassr extended their winning streak in the Saudi Pro League to eight games. The 40-year-old veteran star displayed a lively performance throughout the 90 minutes and also scored the team's crucial second goal from a spot-kick. 

The big loser

Uruguayan striker Rodríguez was the main villain for Neom tonight as his reckless behaviour on the pitch led to his team being reduced to 10 men. Up until the sending off, Neom were fighting tooth and nail against the giants of the league, but his red card completely changed the complexion of the game. Rodriguez should have kept in mind that he was the team's last attacker for the night, especially after Lacazette's injury. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Sussex prevail thanks to Clark 82 as elimination creeps up on hosts

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Aug-2025Sussex 277 for 9 (Clark 82, Hannon-Dalby 3-53) beat Warwickshire 258 (Barnard 82, Davies 74, Lenham 5-48) by 21 runs (D/L)Warwickshire suffered Metro Bank One-Day Cup heartbreak after a 21-run (D/L) home defeat to Sussex caused qualification to slip through their fingers.In a match reduced to 48 overs per side, Sussex totalled 277 for nine with only Tom Clark (82 from 77 balls) building an innings beyond the cameo stage. Olly Hannon-Dalby’s three for 53 was well-supported by the spinners who shared five wickets.Warwickshire’s D/L target was adjusted to 280 from 48 overs and they were bowled out for 258 in 45.1 overs. Ed Barnard struck 82 (75) and Alex Davies (74, 90) but Archie Lenham took his maiden List A five-for – five for 48 – as the middle and lower order imploded.That left Warwickshire’s players clinging to the hope of Middlesex losing to Lancashire – but half an hour later those hopes were extinguished as Middlesex snuck home by one wicket at Old Trafford.Sussex chose to bat and soon lost Henry Rogers, caught by a diving Hamza Shaikh at extra cover off Hannon-Dalby, but Clark sped to a 45-ball half-century. After a short rain break, Daniel Ibrahim tickled a potential leg side wide from Rob Yates to wicketkeeper Kai Smith.The fluent Clark was 18 short of emulating his championship century at Edgbaston in April when he lifted Tazeem Ali to deep mid-wicket. Batters throughout the tournament have learned that you attack the young leg-spinner at your peril – Tom Alsop joined the list when his top-edged slog landed in the hands of mid on.John Simpson fell lbw, sweeping at Jake Lintott and as the innings stalled against the spinners, it needed late impetus. Danny Lamb provided some with a run-a-ball 42 before reverse-sweeping Lintott to deep point. Bertie Foreman (30, 33) lifted the total over 250 but, on a good batting pitch, Sussex appeared around 27 under par.Warwickshire quickly lost Yates, who sliced a wide Sean Hunt half-volley to point. Zen Malik assured a brisk start with 27 from 25 balls but then hoisted Clark to long leg.Barnard and Davies shifted the game their side’s way with a stand of 107 in 99 balls. Barnard was imperious, deploying sparkling footwork to the spinners, but his departure, caught at extra cover off Troy Henry, triggered a collapse.Although out of the qualification picture, Sussex back fought back with great heart. Foreman ousted Shaikh, who reverse-swept to short third, and Lenham removed Davies, caught at extra, and Vansh Jani, bowled cutting, with successive balls.Lintott swept Lenham to deep mid-wicket, Kai Smith played on and when Adam Sylvester edged to slip, Vaughan had his five for. When Hannon-Dalby swung and missed at Henry Crocombe, the Bears were left hoping for a Middlesex defeat. They hoped in vain.

The baseball world suffered a huge loss Monday when Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg died at the age of 65 following a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer.

Sandberg played 16 years in the majors, with the final 15 of those coming with the Cubs. He was a legend in Chicago and fans were rightfully heartbroken over the news.

On Tuesday, Sandberg's longtime double-play partner, Shawon Dunston, shared that he and some other former teammates had special conversations with Sandberg before his death.

"The last couple of days, he wanted to speak to me, Andre [Dawson] and Mark Grace," Dunston said during an emotional appearance on the MLB Network. "He told us that he loved us and he loved all you fans too. Go Cubs."

Here's that segment:

The Cubs will celebrate Sandberg with a patch on their uniforms for the rest of the season. The team will be back home at Wrigley on Friday, which will likely be an emotional day for a fanbase and a city that lost a former player that they all loved.

Under the guidance of director of cricket operations Mithun Manhas, they are eyeing their maiden semi-final appearance in the Ranji Trophy

Himanshu Agrawal07-Feb-2025Jammu & Kashmir are in the Ranji Trophy knockouts after five years. En route, they have beaten higher-rated teams like Mumbai and Baroda to finish with the second-highest points from the group stage. This is only the third time they have entered the quarter-finals in their 55 years of participation in the tournament.Their campaign has had shades of the 2019-20 season, where they made the knockouts on the back of six outright wins in nine matches. They were within touching distance of the semi-finals then, before nerves got the better of them against Karnataka.That season should have been the springboard for higher honours. Instead, the following four years have been about inconsistency, lack of proper build-ups to seasons, infrastructure issues and administrative apathy.Related

Harsh Dubey's star on the rise, with a guiding hand from R Ashwin

Ranji Trophy quarter-finals – teams in the fray, players to watch, and much more

Accuracy in, pressure off: How J&K took down mighty Mumbai

Haryana vs Mumbai Ranji quarter-final shifted to Kolkata

How Saurashtra rewired their game to turn Ranji season around

Things have been slightly different this time. The Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) had emphasised on proper conditioning through match time in the build-up to the season, and that seems to have given the players a better footing. They had a proper pre-season camp, followed by a competitive pre-season tournament – Buchi Babu in Tamil Nadu – prior to the Ranji season. The players haven’t had to hit the ground running.With Srinagar unable to host matches because of the harsh winter conditions, J&K’s only other available ground, the Gandhi Science College ground in Jammu had to be renovated quickly, and that work started late last year. It’s possible even JKCA didn’t factor in the possibility of the team qualifying in the manner they have – they finished as group-toppers and earned the right to host the quarter-final against Kerala, starting February 8.They play in Pune instead. But if it is a red-soil surface, as it is likely to be, J&K won’t complain, having performed exceedingly well and beaten Mumbai and Baroda on such surfaces in their own backyards.

****

J&K’s run hasn’t been because of their big-ticket players. Umran Malik hasn’t played a game owing to form and injury issues, Rasikh Salam has mostly been used in T20s, and Abdul Samad, a player with big-match capabilities, hasn’t quite been able to come on the way everyone anticipated him to when he broke through in 2019-20.Samad is still their second-highest run-getter this season with 393 runs, but he’s only been a support player to the likes of batter Shubham Khajuria, allrounder Abid Mushtaq, right-arm quicks Auqib Nabi, Yudhvir Singh and Umar Nazir, and offspinner Sahil Lotra.Nabi has enjoyed a breakthrough run five years after first playing for the state. Now 28, Nabi is this season’s second-highest wicket-taker with 38 wickets, including five five-wicket hauls. In fact, he is one of only two pacers in the top ten in the wicket-takers’ charts.

“Before he came on board, I feel we lacked in off-season camps and preparation. In these three years, we have had a different coach for batting, bowling and fielding. Every year when the season ends, Mithun summons all the players and asks what was lacking during that season. And with everyone’s feedback, that thing [which was lacking] is implemented next year”Shubham Khajuria on the impact of director of cricket operations Mithun Manhas

Nazir, meanwhile, was instrumental in running through Mumbai’s top order on the opening day two weeks ago, taking 4 for 41. This included the wicket of Rohit Sharma, which he didn’t celebrate because he’s a “big fan” of the India captain. Nazir has been the perfect back-up to Nabi in the pace department. And like Nabi, Nazir too has over the years built up solid experience.”For the past two years, we have been playing red-ball tournaments outside of our own state,” Nabi said. “We also played the Buchi Babu tournament in Tamil Nadu. So our practice was very good. The same team that plays Ranji also went there. So it helped us a lot.”One of the sounding boards for this team is Mithun Manhas, the former Delhi captain who now leads their cricket operations as director. Manhas took over after Irfan Pathan and Milap Mewada left as mentor and coach respectively following Covid. Success hasn’t come overnight; it has taken three years for Manhas and the others to get it right. Manhas’ challenge will now be to ensure, unlike earlier, this isn’t a case of taking two steps forward and then three back.This season, Manhas brought in Paras Dogra. At 40, he’s the oldest member of the side, but also the most experienced, having played 142 first-class games at the time of writing. Dogra took over the captaincy, a tough ask for anyone coming in. While he has been short of runs (216 runs in 12 innings), his experience has certainly lent a degree of calmness.Dogra has had the support of Ajay Sharma, the former India batter, who was brought on as head coach three years ago. While the start to his tenure wasn’t great, the JKCA hasn’t been swayed by short-term results.Prior to the season, former Rajasthan batter Dishant Yagnik was brought in as fielding coach. He conducted camps along with Ajay for the batters. Then there were other moves which helped, like the BCCI deciding to split the Ranji Trophy season in two to avoid games getting affected by fog during peak winter in north India, something that cost them last year.Shubham Khajuria is Jammu and Kashmir’s leading run-scorer this season•PTI “All our three home games in 2023-24 were badly hit,” Nabi said. Barely any action could take place over four days in the matches against Himachal Pradesh (65.3 overs), Delhi (42) and Uttarakhand (39) in Jammu. While the first two of those games took place in early January, even the one against Uttarakhand in early February was fogged out. It meant J&K could hardly challenge for a knockouts berth.However, the tweak to the calendar worked in their favour. After a high-scoring draw against Maharashtra and an innings victory against Services in Srinagar, they also beat Tripura in Jammu, before getting on a roll in their away games.

****

For the first time, J&K brought on a bowling coach in an official capacity two years ago when Manhas called up former Rajasthan quick Pudiyangum Krishnakumar. Until then, Abdul Qayoom, the former J&K player, had been in an overseeing role. “We never had a bowling coach before him,” Nabi said. “So I’ve practiced a lot with him. I worked with him on my outswing, and I have been getting very good outswing since then.”Khajuria, J&K’s highest run-getter this season, credited Manhas for the resurgence, especially when it came to the planning part.”I feel we lacked in off-season camps and preparation,” Khajuria said. “In these three years, we have had a different coach for batting, bowling and fielding. Every year when the season ends, Mithun summons all the players and asks what was lacking during that season. And with everyone’s feedback, that thing [which was lacking] is even implemented next year.”He also underlined how the preparation was different.”After the [List A] Vijay Hazare Trophy got over, we reached Jammu on January 6. Thereafter, we had our camp from January 9 onwards; we hardly took a two-day break in between,” he said. “We practiced there till January 15, and realising the massive difference between the weather in Jammu and Mumbai, the association sent us to Mumbai on the same day itself. That was eight days before our match, during which we practiced there.”Both Nabi and Khajuria were part of the XI in the 2019-20 quarter-final heartbreak. As experienced players now, they have had a ringside view of the challenges the team has had to endure since.Auqib Nabi, with 38 scalps, finished the league stage as the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers•PTI “The biggest problem is that we don’t have any infrastructure in J&K; it is coming up a bit, but it’s still not a lot,” Nabi said. “For instance, I come from Baramulla, where we don’t have enough nets to practice. We have to practice on our own.”There are not many turf cricket in Kashmir. Some [players] go out of state to practice. But over the last one or two years, JKCA has helped us play a lot of matches. So there has been a lot of improvement in our performance.”And people with expertise in the domestic circuit – Ajay Sharma is a Ranji Trophy legend – has only helped. Especially people like Khajuria.Over the course of the ongoing domestic season, Khajuria has cracked 255 in a Ranji game against Maharashtra, 159 against Chhattisgarh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and 85* against Uttar Pradesh in the [T20] Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – all of them the highest by a J&K batter in the respective tournaments’ history.”Ajay sir has been asking me to play the long innings,” Khajuria said. “Often, I used to get out in the 30s or 40s. That has stopped happening now. So the mindset has changed. Earlier, the environment of J&K’s dressing room was not like this either. [But] now, everyone talks about winning. We have had [three] different Man-of-the-Match winners across our five victories. Everyone has contributed. Now it is the case of trying to win every match.”The next week could take J&K to new frontiers. They have never made a Ranji semi-final previously and there’s nervous excitement bubbling. How they channel it could determine their road ahead.

Vincent Kompany insists that his Bayern Munich side will iron out their set-piece weakness before they take on Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Bayern returned to winning ways with a resounding 6-2 victory over Freiburg but went behind on home turf to two early corners as their dead-ball issues came to the fore once more.

Getty Images SportBayern's set-piece struggles magnified in win over Freiburg

Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga after the opening 11 games of the season having claimed 31 points from 33 available. In the process, the Bavarian giants have conceded just eight league goals, the fewest in Germany's top tier this term, as they maintain their seemingly unstoppable march towards back-to-back Bundesliga crowns.

However, of the eight goals they have shipped, six have come from set-piece situations, which is a concern ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game at Arsenal. The Gunners, like Bayern, boast a 100 percent record in European action this season having won their opening four league phase games.

Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table following their opening 11 matches of the season, and have a chance to go six points clear of second-placed Chelsea when they welcome Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. A key reason behind the Gunners rise to top spot in England's top tier has been their proficiency from set pieces.

Mikel Arteta's mean have scored 10 goals from dead-ball situations, more than any other team in the Premier League this season, and their ability to challenge any team from corners of free kicks will pose a huge threat to Bayern in midweek.

AdvertisementKompany 'calm' on Bayern's set-piece issues

The last four goals Bayern have conceded have come from set-piece situations, which their Premier League counterparts will look to exploit on Wednesday night. Bayern boss Kompany, though, insists he is "calm" having been asked whether he is worried about facing set-piece specialists Arsenal in the Champions League.

"I'm calm. We made mistakes in these phases as a team. We shouldn't hide, we should show personality and character to defend them," Kompany said.

"We're also a good team in attacking set pieces, we scored from a corner today. We just have to stay calm and work to get out of this phase and show that we're also good in this department. I have confidence that we'll solve it"

Ultimately, Bayern went on to claim a huge 6-2 victory over Freiburg on Saturday, as goals from Michael Olise – twice – Lennart Karl, Harry Kane, Nicolas Jackson and Dayot Upamecano saw FC Hollywood return to winning ways having been held to a 2-2 draw with Union Berlin prior to the international break.

Getty Images SportBayern boss heaps praise upon Arsenal

Kompany did go on to heap further praise upon Arsenal ahead of next week's meeting, adding: "They're the best team in Europe at set pieces. I think it's a good challenge. I don't know if there are many better teams than Arsenal in Europe at the moment. We're looking forward to the game."

Arsenal's reliance from set-pieces means they have been dubbed 'Set Piece FC', a nickname that supporters have taken in their stride. Indeed, whenever Arsenal have scored from a dead-ball situation, supporters have chanted 'Set Piece again, ole ole!' to celebrate their effectiveness from corners or free kicks.

The Gunners will hope to maintain their good form when they take on Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday. Spurs haven't won a league game at the Emirates since they came from two goals down to win 3-2 in 2010 as strikes from Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and Younes Kaboul capped a remarkable turnaround.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Arsenal receive timely injury boost

And Arsenal have received a timely injury boost ahead of the hectic festive run of games as captain Martin Odegaard nears a return from injury. The Norwegian midfielder has endured a stop-start beginning to the 2025-26 season, with Odegaard presently missing having suffered a knee injury in a home win over West Ham last month.

In his pre-match programme notes, however, Odegaard has admitted his is close to a comeback, stating: "This week I’ve been working really hard on my rehab – it’s going very well. I can feel I’m getting closer every day and getting towards the final stages where it’s a lot more exciting.

"I’ve been doing some pitch work and training, so I really feel like I’m getting there. That’s the best part of the rehab, when you’re getting closer to joining the team, you can do a lot more on the pitch and you can be more aggressive in the rehab. I feel like I’m getting stronger and stronger. I can’t wait to be back now, we’re on a good path and it’s looking good. I’m really excited.

"I guess that’s one of the good things about being injured. You get hungrier and more excited to play football again. That’s the good part of it, I’m desperate to get going again."