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The FATA region in Pakistan has almost no cricket infrastructure, but officials hope the sport will improve in the region and consequently strengthen cricket in the country

Umar Farooq27-Nov-2015In 2010, fast bowler Abdul Haq was spotted at a Pakistan team camp in Abu Dhabi. He came from the drone-hit Mirali region in North Waziristan, and was working as a driver of heavy-duty vehicles and supervisor at a local construction company. He caught the eye briefly before fading back into his livelihood of labour. There’s been no trace of him around Pakistan camps since.Haq was passionate about cricket and wanted to bowl fast. He was impressive in the nets in Abu Dhabi, where he troubled the Pakistan batsmen, but was unfortunate because he hailed from a troubled area, Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) – a place he escaped to to earn a living in the UAE. His dream to play cricket never materialised because there was no cricket infrastructure at home.FATA is a tribal region in northwestern Pakistan, bordering the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to the east and south, and Afghanistan to the west. It has seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions, directly governed by Pakistan’s federal government from Islamabad. The territory is devastated by drone attacks and regularly appears in the news for its links to militancy, and is seen as a war-torn area.There is no organised cricket there and the journey to any good cricket centre is at least a 12-hour journey and involves passing through a rigorous army check post.In 2013, the PCB under Zaka Ashraf’s chairmanship recognised FATA as a full member of the domestic circuit and allowed them to try and qualify for first-class cricket. They eventually made it to the main round of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, and have not done badly so far.FATA have tried to make sure they do not lose any more players like Abdul Haq. There are as many as 194 clubs in the region, which is divided into 10 districts and tribal agencies – Kuram, Bajour, Mohmand*, Khyber along with major cities like Banu, Tank, Kohat, DI Khan. They had qualified for the QEA with their own players, despite cricket being under developed in the region.”We have beaten all the major teams, which have been playing first-class from decades, and our qualification isn’t just a fluke or something like a direct entry,” Noor ul Haq Baloch, the FATA president who lives in Tank, told ESPNcricinfo. “We came up with serious competition, not just this year but we have been trying from last three straight years. However for last few years we have been shunned, but this time we have been finally given a written commitment that once we win the qualifying round we will be given a straight line to the main round. We are happy now.”Cricket in the region is the main sport that drives not only young but old people as well. Although we don’t have facilities there, no grounds at all, and the people are poor with no livelihood … when they have nothing to eat, no reason to live then obviously they will go off-track in life and do what they shouldn’t be doing.”‘There are issues within the region but mainly in the outskirts … there is a genuine love for cricket … They might have lost their way but the game is bringing them back’•ESPNcricinfoLast year the Pakistan army launched a military operation against various militant groups to try and make the region stable, improve the overall security situation in the country, and reduce the number of terrorist attacks. While there has been such a reduction, the upshot is that many families based in the FATA region have had to leave and move to other parts of Pakistan, mainly Peshawar.”There are issues within the region but mainly in the outskirts … there is a genuine love for cricket … They might have lost their way but the game is bringing them back. If one is poor and has no business and livelihood then what can he do? But now the region playing at top of the Pakistan domestic circuit is a reason for them to return. In the future the entire team will be from this part of the region.”The top 15 FATA players are on monthly retainers. Five players in category A earn PKR 20,000 per month, with PKR 15,000 and 10,000 for players in category B and C. Each player also earns PKR 10,000 per first-class match, in addition to travelling expenses.”We have a lot of Pathan players already playing for Pakistan and they are the main inspiration for the regional players,” Noor ul Haq said. “The talent is raw around here but they have the true spirit and heart for the game because they are not spoiled with the fanciness of internet and commercial world. They play for the interest and love for the game and they are loyal to their land, and that is the best feature.”Also they are strong, growing up in hills, they have solid build-up and are mentally strong. But what required is attention to the region. So far the boys are on their own, they are coming to the big city Peshawar to play and train, 13 hours away.”Within their region they have to travel at least eight to ten hours to reach from one point to the other. I can assure the talent is there. If they can beat any bigger team like Lahore and big departments – it means they have something in them.”The PCB had a plan, three years ago, to unearth the talent from the FATA region. Shahid Afridi grew up in Karachi but he was born in Khyber Agency. Younis Khan was born in Mardan, a major hub of the Yousafzai tribe. In the recent past the number of players from the northern regions of Pakistan has been growing – Junaid Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Khan jr, Yasir Shah and Imran Khan have played for the country.”Geographically the region is very big but scattered all over and many players from the area had been adjusted into either Peshawar or Abbottabad previously,” Shafiq Ahmed, PCB domestic manager, told ESPNcricinfo. “But cricket in recent years has been getting popular and many cricketers from that part of the area couldn’t make into the top team and remained deprived, hence we converted them into an independent region to cover the major chunk of the northern side.”Also, we understand the boys coming from that part of the region are physically fit and fulfilling the basic requirement of fitness. Since we have given them the regional status we have been monitoring them closely and the results are encouraging. We have selected their young boys at under-16 and under-19 to connect them with the national circuit. Since the shorter version is the most popular these days, they are the right ones to adapt to the format easily.”Ahmed said fitness had been the major concern for Pakistan and players from FATA could help improve that. “Unfortunately, fitness has been the main concern … but players from the FATA region are rough, tough and are mentally very strong, so we can get the best fit players from the region. In the last three years we have seen the players are stepping up in the game as well, after being physically fit.”We understand they are not getting the conditions and environment back home because of the reported law and order situation but they have the potential and they are improving rapidly.”The facilities in FATA are poor and the PCB has offered the locals umpire and referee courses so that they can officiate in games, because no one from Punjab and Sindh is willing to stand in games in the region. There is a local tournament arranged by Cadet College Razmak for their students, but the PCB does not own a single cricket facility in the region.”It’s not the PCB’s responsibility to get them a ground as it’s the duty of their districts and cricket board to give them the required technical assistance and provide them the ground equipment,” Ahmed said. “Unfortunately since [international] teams are not touring Pakistan, which brings down the expenditure on infrastructure and development, otherwise we have done a lot in past.”* 1.52pm GMT, November 29, 2015. This article has been updated to include Mohmand as one of the tribal agencies. It was previously erroneously stated as Mamood

Fulham are now targeting Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi this summer and Mauricio Pochettino's side are open to selling him, according to reports.

Who will Fulham sign this summer?

In the past week, Whites transfer rumours have been seriously hotting up, both in terms of potential departures and signings for Marco Silva.

Fulham enjoyed a successful first full campaign back in the Premier League after being promoted from the Championship, comfortably avoiding relegation and finished mid-table.

While they couldn't quite do enough to seal European football for next season, the foundations to build are there, and it is believed the west Londoners are looking at strengthening a variety of positions.

Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, Japan international Ao Tanaka, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, Fenerbache defender Ferdi Kadioglu and Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez have all been linked in the past 10 days.

Meanwhile, it is believed top flight rivals are eyeing moves for star Fulham players Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson, with Leicester City also apparently looking to steal away club captain Tom Cairney.

If these rumours come to fruition, it could well be a busy summer at Craven Cottage, with news emerging of another target on their radar.

Hudson-Odoi, who spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, is apparently being targeted by Fulham.

That is according to The Guardian and reliable journalist Jacob Steinberg, who claims Fulham, Milan and Nottingham Forest have registered interest in the £120,000-per-week forward.

Chelsea are prepared to sell Hudson-Odoi, and could do so for just £15 million, with the winger looking likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

He's out of contract next year, and with just 12 months remaining on his current deal, Fulham could offer him the chance to remain in west London.

Hudson-Odoi has offers from the Middle East, though it is thought his preference is to remain in Europe at this stage.

What's been said about Hudson-Odoi?

Frank Lampard once tipped the 22-year-old for stardom at Chelsea, calling him an "incredible" player back in 2019 whilst claiming he could be "huge" for the Blues.

Fast forward to now, and that hasn't quite worked out, but Lampard isn't the only person to have seriously endorsed the winger.

FourFourTwo writer Mark White, taking to Twitter just last year, called Hudson-Odoi a "special" player and drew particular attention to his "unbelievable vision" and "sheer mentality".

Given he is available for just £15m, and Fulham are in need of forward depth, he could be a prudent option.

While nobody will be calling West Indies “mediocre” this time, there is no doubt that England go into this three-match ODI series as strong favourites

George Dobell in Antigua02-Mar-2017While nobody will be calling West Indies “mediocre” this time – they have surely learned their lesson – there is no doubt that England go into this three-match ODI series as strong favourites.That is only partially a reflection of England’s limited-overs resurgence. It also reflects West Indies’ decline.The grim facts are these (those of a nervous disposition should look away now): West Indies have not won a bilateral ODI series since 2014. Since 2008, when they defeated Sri Lanka, they have only enjoyed one ODI bilateral series victory against what might have been, until recently, one of the big eight (in 2012, against New Zealand). The last time they played ODI cricket, they failed to qualify for the finals of a tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. They didn’t qualify for the 2016 ICC Champions Trophy and, unless they improve their ranking by the end of this September (they need to be in the top eight; they are currently ranked ninth), they will not qualify for the 2019 World Cup. They’re not in a dry spell; they’re in a famine.But England are not used to the tag of favourites. They have improved fairly steadily since their 2015 World Cup performance – or lack of performance – but only now are people starting to talk about them as genuine contenders for the Champions Trophy. For the first time in a while – including, perhaps, the trip to Bangladesh – they are expected to win an away ODI series. With eight more ODIs before the Champions Trophy (these three, two against Ireland and three against South Africa), the time to stop talking about potential and start delivering results is upon them.They are not at full strength, though. Without several seamers (David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood and now Jake Ball, whose sore knee did not react well to training on Wednesday) this series presents an opportunity for fringe players to push for inclusion in that Champions Trophy squad.England did think about calling up a left-arm option when Ball suffered his injury. Morgan rated Sam Curran as “the next in line” but concluded that Tom’s “greater experience” and “probably higher skill level” was more important than variety. Willey and Topley are both expected to be fit before the end of April.Wood won’t be far away, either. But Morgan admits England are “looking into” keeping him out of red-ball cricket until the Champions Trophy is completed. Like a good portion of this team – Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler and Morgan himself – it seems the first red-ball cricket Wood will play will actually be the pink-ball round of floodlit games in the County Championship at the end of June. England’s Ashes preparations will, effectively, start then. Until that time, the Champions Trophy is the priority and the team management have decided that playing in the IPL will be better preparation than playing in the County Championship.Jos Buttler and Sam Billings will get an early chance to cement their places in the batting line-up•Getty Images”Exposing guys to tournaments like the IPL is absolute genius,” Morgan said. “We want guys to get exposed to high-pressure situations in order to accelerate their learning, so that when it comes to big tournaments we can step up to the plate and produce our highest skill level.”In the meantime, several others have a chance to re-establish themselves. Steven Finn, who has not played an ODI since September 2015, is sure to play and Billings will be given another chance to establish himself at the top of the order, though Alex Hales could be back by the third ODI. Jonny Bairstow is putting increasing pressure on Billings but he is likely to remain on the outside for the first couple of games at least. Buttler had a quiet tour of India but, if he remains fit, he is certain to play in the Champions Trophy.”We’re spoiled for choice in the batting,” Morgan said. “But the injuries have started testing our strength in our bowling.”We’ve been a bit unlucky with injuries to the bowlers. We have a good crop of guys. We’ve always said we’ve 16 or 17 people who can play. We’re stretching the limits of that at the moment, but our batting’s certainly in the right space.”Chris Jordan was also described as “in the reckoning” for the bowling spot. “He’s been brilliant for us in T20,” Morgan said. “He can bowl at the start, in the middle and at the end. And he was talked about. But we felt that Tom was the right call.”Conditions might prove something of a leveller, too. There is a little more grass on the Antigua pitch than was anticipated, but it remains likely to be low, slow and, consequently, is unlikely to present the high-scoring opportunities England have enjoyed in England and India. As a result, there may be a need to curb England’s all-out aggression just a touch.”It certainly won’t be as free-flowing as it has been,” Morgan agreed. “But our principles as a side will remain the same. We want to put the opposition under pressure the whole time. The emphasis here will be getting two men in at the crease. That’s very important because, the pitches we’re anticipating playing on, you can lose wickets in clusters and having two men in and taking advantage of their position is going to be key. That doesn’t mean to say we still can’t score 350 or 300.”I’d like to think we have the attributes to win the Champions Trophy. If we have a fully fit squad we have the attributes: the balance of the attack with a combination of good spin bowlers and a very strong batting line-up. But now it’s a matter of getting results and producing our best.”

The Black and Yellow defeated the French side 3-2 over two legs to book their spot in the next round

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Dortmund defeat Lille 2-1, 3-2 on aggregate in UCLGio Reyna makes late cameoClub will take on Barcelona in next roundFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund are on their way to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals after defeating Ligue 1 side Lille over two legs.

The secured their spot in the next round after a 2-1 victory Wednesday, handing them a 3-2 win on aggregate. Goals from Emre Can and Maxi Beier put them through to the top-16, where they will next face Lamine Yamal and Barcelona.

Reyna was substituted onto the pitch in the 85th minute.

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Reyna has struggled for minutes throughout the season with Dortmund in 2024-25, and has become more of a role player in late minutes off the bench across all competitions. He's made two starts in seven appearances in the UCL, playing 224 minutes in European action.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are looking to make their way to the competition's finale for the second-straight season. In the 2023-24 version of the competition, they were runners-up, falling short to Real Madrid in the championship game.

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Dortmund have won the UCL once in their history, claiming the coveted trophy in 1996-1997.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR DORTMUND?

The German side are back in action on Saturday against RB Leipzig. Dortmund's next UCL match against Barcelona is in early April.

It has not been an easy ride for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side so far this season.

The Gunners have pushed Manchester City all the way in the title race over the last few years, but have not tasted any success as of yet. Now, in 2024/25, it seems like things could end up being a whole lot worse for the Red side of North London.

Sitting third in the Premier League, the Gunners sit six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand. It is certainly a frustrating position for Arsenal to be in at Christmas time.

With the January transfer window right around the corner, the Gunners could be eyeing some key reinforcements.

Arsenal target LaLiga winger

The man who the Gunners are believed to be targeting is one of the most in-form wingers in Europe, Barcelona star Raphinha. It may seem odd for Barca to sell such a key player under Hansi Flick, but with money issues still troubling the LaLiga giants, they could be left with no choice.

According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Gunners ‘enquired about Raphinha in the summer and they remain in contact with intermediaries’. Should there be the chance to strike a deal in the winter instead, they could pounce.

However, they will not be alone in their quest to sign the Brazilian. The report suggests that title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in doing a deal, having shown a keenness to sign the winger last summer, too.

The article does not make it explicitly clear how much the winger could cost. However, the Catalan club spent £55m on him from Leeds, and a deal for a sale could be around a similar value. However, Barcelona seem certain they will not sell Raphinha yet.

How Raphinha compares to Bukayo Saka

Whether or not a deal to bring the winger in is achievable for Arsenal, there is no doubt that the 28-year-old would greatly enhance the quality of their side. He has been fantastic in 2024/24 so far for Barca, scoring 17 goals and grabbing ten assists in 23 games across competitions.

The winger is absolutely flying in that famous Barca shirt this season. Incredibly, across Europe’s big five leagues, there are only four players with more goals and assists than him, according to FBref. Namely, they are teammate Robert Lewandowski with 18, Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane who both have 20 and Mohamed Salah who has 22.

One thing is for sure, Raphinha would be an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli, at least based on their stats from this season. It has been a really disappointing season for the Brazilian so far, with just four goals and three assists in 22 games in all competitions.

He is averaging 0.31 goals and assists per game this term, compared to an impressive 1.17 for his international teammate. It could certainly be viewed as a big upgrade.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Although Martinelli is struggling for form, the same cannot be said for Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s number seven has scored nine goals and has 12 assists in 22 games across competitions, and has received some big praise recently. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, talking to BBC Sport’s Football Focus, said “the evolution of his game is outstanding”.

Interestingly, there can be a statistical comparison made between Raphinha and Saka via FBref. Both left-footed wide players, the pair have impressive creative passing stats this term. Per 90 minutes, the Brazil star averages 3.53 key passes, with the Arsenal winger averaging 3.04 key passes.

Key passes

3.53

3.04

Passes into penalty area

1.86

2.03

Progressive passes

4.68

3.91

Progressive carries

3.33

5.07

Goals and assists

1.09

1.09

Not only would the Gunners be getting another player who can create chances, but someone who can fashion goalscoring opportunities from all sorts of scenarios. The Barca star averages 5.89 shot-creating actions and 0.96 goal-creating actions. That is slightly less than Saka, who averages 6.43 shot-creating actions and 1.52 goal-creating actions.

Signing Raphinha seems like a no-brainer if the deal is possible for Arsenal. He was once described as “one of the best players in the world” by former manager Xavi, and he certainly has the numbers to back that up. The Brazilian could be the man to come in and help drive the Gunners back up the table.

Arsenal's "frustrating" star may have just become their new Mesut Ozil

The special talent has gone off the boil at Arsenal and perhaps resembles Mesut Ozil.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 12, 2024

Barcelona are reportedly aiming to bring club legend Lionel Messi back to the club in a sensational transfer coinciding with the Camp Nou re-opening.

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Barcelona hope to bring Messi backWant him back for new Camp Nou openingAim to conclude deal after 2026 World CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 37-year-old has continued to dazzle for club and country since his 2021 exit from Barcelona in a free transfer, which came about because the Spanish giants could not afford to sign him to a new contract. Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 before moving to MLS to play a key role in the growth of American soccer at Inter Miami.

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However, reports the Catalan club remain determined to bring the Argentine icon back, and are ready to 'slowly prepare' for a deal to be concluded after the 2026 World Cup, which would coincide with Barca's return to the Camp Nou.

DID YOU KNOW?

The new and improved Spotify Camp Nou remains under construction, with Hansi Flick's team currently playing home games at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys, and the renovations are expected to finish in the summer of 2026. Barca are reportedly aware that bringing back Messi, who won 10 La Liga and four Champions League titles with the club, will be a tough task but plans for his homecoming are about to be set in motion.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

With a potential move back to Barca a long way off, Messi's mind will be on getting fit for Inter Miami's upcoming MLS clash against the Philadelphia Union after the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner withdrew from the Argentina squad for their World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay and Brazil.

Second Pakistani overseas player to join Haris Rauf for 2022 season

David Hopps01-Apr-2022Yorkshire’s overseas signings could not be more designed to persuade their Muslim communities that change is here to stay. To the Pakistan quick, Haris Rauf, who will play the first six Championship matches as well as an envisaged stint in the Vitality Blast, they have added his fellow Pakistani, the legspinner Shadab Khan, as they herald the start of a new era.Yorkshire are not openly saying that they are deliberately majoring on Pakistan-based talent to build trust after the racism allegations levelled by Azeem Rafiq plunged the county into one of the deepest crisis in its history, but it is pretty self-evident.It certainly bears comparison with their first attempt to woo minority ethnic fans, in 1992, when they signed an Indian batsman and he posed for photographs with a pint of Tetley bitter – a slight miscalculation perhaps, in the Muslim areas of the inner cities. But then Sachin Tendulkar was not so famous then.Ottis Gibson, Yorkshire’s coach was delighted at the prospect. “He’s a fantastic T20 player. I was in the PSL and he was player of the tournament, I think, making runs, taking wickets, full of energy. He brings a lot. In T20 cricket, you like all your players to be three-dimensional and he’s definitely a three-dimensional player that will add value with bat, ball and in the field.”Shadab is available for the first five matches, and then from the ninth match onwards, and will be a key figure as Yorkshire seek to arrest a poor record in T20 cricket. The view of their interim director of cricket, Darren Gough, is that often their overseas signings have not been ambitious enough.With Gary Ballance expected to miss the start of the season – perhaps much longer – because of a recurrence of his mental health issues, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore still affected by concussion he suffered on a pre-season tour to Dubai, Yorkshire are also trying to finalise another overseas batter on a short-term contract. Sri Lanka sources confidently predict that Dimuth Karunaratne is the batter in pole position, but Yorkshire insist that no deal has been finalised.Ballance’s mental health issues remain a private affair, although it seems fair to observe in passing, without jumping to conclusions, that he received considerable criticism for his role in Rafiq’s racism allegations.Gough said: “Obviously, that’s a serious situation, so we just want to support him the best we can and give him the space that’s required. I would like to think that people give him that space as well because it’s a serious illness, mental health.”Having lost two of my best friends to suicide, we will give him as much time as he possibly needs to make sure he’s in the right frame of mind to play cricket again. However long that takes.”Short on top-order batters, it is not surprising that Yorkshire hope that Joe Root’s post-England relaxation might involve a spot of Championship cricket, perhaps against Kent at Headingley on April 28.Gibson suggested he had said: “‘Just get yourself down here, back to your happy place in Headingley and come and play some cricket with your mates’. He’s going to take a break now and I believe he’ll be back for the last two or three four-day games, near the back end of April.”

Following the shock news that Neil Harris will be stepping down as Millwall manager after their game against Middlesbrough this weekend, the Lions have reportedly turned their attention towards a potential replacement.

Who Millwall could appoint to replace Harris

Sat 13th and just seven points adrift of the playoffs, it seemed as though Millwall were in no danger of being forced to find a new manager, with Harris taking charge of his second permanent spell as an undisputed club legend. Following the Lions’ run of five Championship games without victory, however, Harris made the shock decision to step down from his role and leave the London side to search for his replacement after Middlesbrough this weekend.

Writing a letter to the fans, Harris opened his statement by saying: “Today I am announcing that I will be leaving Millwall Football Club after Saturday’s game against Middlesbrough.

“This isn’t an easy decision, as everyone knows this club is more than a job to me, it’s my club, and always will be. Being here always felt like home, as a player, as a captain, and as a manager.

“We are a family, and it’s been my life for so many years. But I always said when I returned that I would leave when the time felt right, and now is that time.”

Those at The Den won’t have a whole lot of time for sentiment, however, in the middle of a busy festive period and have, of course, already turned their attention towards a potential replacement.

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Millwall are now plotting a move to appoint Mat Sadler, who has been added to both theirs and Northampton Town’s shortlist of options. The young Walsall boss has impressed plenty during his time in charge of the club and could be set to take the biggest step of his managerial career so far by replacing Harris.

Pressure would be on young Sadler

Still just 39 years old, Sadler would be entering an incredibly pressurised role given that he’d be succeeding a club legend at Millwall. The rest of the Championship has seen how mid-season managerial changes can go plenty of times in the past too. Both Birmingham City and Sunderland made surprising decisions last season and the latter suffered relegation whilst the Black Cats just about came out unscathed.

So, Sadler would certainly be a risk, but his record so far this season speaks for itself. Operating in a 3-5-2 flat formation, Sadler’s Walsall side have lost just three League Two games all season and sit top of England’s third tier by two points, on course to secure promotion.

The step from League Two to the Championship is not one that can be ignored by Millwall, however, as they look to replace Harris at the busiest time of the campaign.

Lancashire quick will become cap No. 702 after being inked in for maiden appearance

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2022Saqib Mahmood will be handed England cap No. 702 on Wednesday morning, after being locked in for his Test debut at Bridgetown in the second Test against West Indies.Mahmood, 25, was named in England’s XI a day in advance of the match, although his involvement had been on the cards since midway through last week’s drawn Test in Antigua, when England’s fastest bowler, Mark Wood, suffered “acute pain” in a right elbow injury that may yet rule him out for next week’s final Test in Grenada too.In a more surprising development, Ollie Robinson has also been omitted, despite appearing to have recovered well from a back spasm that caused him to miss the opening match of the series.Although he returned to the nets this week, a step that had been described as “pretty positive” by Paul Collingwood, the interim coach, England have chosen to hold Robinson back with the series finale looming large on March 24. Seeing as he was hampered by the same problem in the final Ashes Test in Hobart, the management feel that the flare-up has come too recently to risk a repeat in Barbados.Chris Woakes and Craig Overton, who struggled as a new-ball pairing in Antigua, will once again complete the attack alongside Jack Leach and Ben Stokes.For Mahmood, however, the opportunity is one to relish, having been spoken about as a potential Test cricketer ever since bursting onto the scene with Lancashire in 2019. He made his T20I debut in New Zealand that winter, but made his most telling mark to date in last summer’s belated call-up for the ODI series against Pakistan, when he was named Player of the Series for his haul of nine wickets at 13.66 in a 3-0 series win.”He’s a great option to have up our sleeve,” Root said. “He’s very mature for a guy who hasn’t played a huge amount of international cricket. He has a real understanding of how he wants to operate.”Although he does not bowl 90mph as consistently as Wood, Mahmood is the quickest of the remaining options in England’s squad, while his proven ability to bowl reserve swing is likely to come in handy on a surface that Kraigg Brathwaite, West Indies’ captain, said was similar in appearance to the strip used in Antigua last week.”He’s been very impressive, he’s got a slightly different trajectory and will give us a point of difference,” Root added. “He’s done that when he’s played in other formats, he clearly has good control, especially if the ball moves with reverse swing.”Related

Robinson, Overton in line for recalls as Paul Collingwood praises Stokes' return to form

Robinson making progress but Wood 'unlikely' to be risked in Barbados

West Indies docked two World Test Championship points for slow over rate

Fortress Bridgetown beckons after Antiguan appetiser

His selection means that England will be fielding debutants in each of the first two Tests, following Alex Lees’ maiden appearance in Antigua. Lees did not enjoy the same success as many batters in the match, making scores of 6 and 4 in his two innings. But Root – who himself made a second-innings century – backed him to come good.”I think the challenge for any new player coming into the team is to not make any drastic changes,” Root said. “I think being strong on what you know serves you well for such a long period of time.”One of the most challenging things about batting at the top of the order, albeit I only did it for a limited amount of time in Test cricket, is the amount of time you’ve got to think on your dismissals.”It is so easy to overthink and over analyse. So it’s about just making sure you are absolutely clear about how you want to go and play and being as ready for it and as assured as you can be.”

Nuno Espirito Santo was delighted after a hard fought 1-0 win for his Nottingham Forest side over Premier League champions Manchester City

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Forest four points clear of City in the tableHudson-Odoi's late winner the differencePep's men boss possession but can't convertFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Callum Hudson-Odoi's 83rd minute strike was enough to take all three points in a game which could have significant ramifications for Champion's League qualification. The game appeared destined to end in a stalemate until the winger neatly controlled a cross-field pass from Morgan Gibbs-White before cutting inside and beating Ederson at his near post.

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Third-placed Forest now sit four points ahead of City in fourth after Saturday's result. Chelsea can overtake the champions if they beat strugglers Leicester City on Sunday.

AFPWHAT NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO SAID

The Forest boss said: "It was a tough game, everybody saw how good Manchester City are, they had us on the ropes but the boys worked very hard. Of course they were going to have chances, but it was then about us taking ours.

"[Beating City] shows the progress but there is so much football still to be played. Let's focus on the journey and move on to the next one."

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City bossed possession but couldn't find the opening they desperately needed at the City Ground. Pep Guardiola's side enjoyed 69 per cent of the ball, and strung together 603 passes, more than doubling Forest's output of 262.