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Barcelona came from behind to thrash FC Copenhagen 4-1 and qualify directly for the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday in fifth place of the league phase.

Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha’s second-half goals helped Hansi Flick’s side take control after teenager Viktor Dadason had sent the Danish visitors into a surprise early lead.

Substitute Marcus Rashford sealed Barca’s victory with a free-kick late on, which slipped past Copenhagen stopper Dominik Kotarski.

Five-time Champions League winners Barca struggled to find their rhythm in the first half but did enough after the break to clinch a top-eight league phase finish at a canter.

“We all came here tonight thinking of finishing in the top eight. We’re very happy with the win,” Yamal told Movistar.

“When they score a goal against you in the Champions League, it’s very hard to come back, but the team was strong and pulled it off.”

Flick said he was not impressed with the way his team started the game.

“I was not happy with the first half, but in the end, I think everyone — the fans, also the team is very happy,” said the German coach.

Barcelona knew they needed to win to be confident of swerving the play-off round, but fell behind as early as the fourth minute.

A slack pass by Jules Kounde was intercepted, and Dadason ran in behind Pau Cubarsi before firing past the exposed goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Spanish champions Barca should have equalised, but Kotarski saved from Lewandowski and then pushed away an Eric Garcia effort.

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The Barca defender came close again with a long-range effort which smashed against the crossbar.

Three minutes into the second half, veteran Polish striker Lewandowski made amends for his first-half miss by pulling Barcelona level.

Dani Olmo played an inch-perfect ball down the right for Yamal, who cut the ball across for Lewandowski to finish.

Teenager Yamal put Barca ahead after an hour with a deflected effort from the edge of the box. His strike hit Elias Achouri and looped high into the air before dropping into the net.

Barcelona made the game safe when Lewandowski won a controversial penalty, going down after minimal contact from Junnosuke Suzuki.

Raphinha took the penalty, with his powerful effort beating Kotarski, who dived the right way.

Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, wrapped up Barcelona’s triumph with a free-kick which Kotarki got down to but could not keep out.

It was the England international’s fifth Champions League goal of the season, and a sixth nearly followed as his drive from distance cracked against the crossbar.

“For me, he’s very important; we need everyone,” said Flick. “When he’s there with his speed, his control and his finishing, it’s amazing to have him.”

Copenhagen, who had a late goal from Gabriel Pereira disallowed for offside, finished 31st and were eliminated from the competition.

To cap a good night for Barcelona fans, they celebrated in the stands when they heard rivals Real Madrid conceded a late goal against Benfica and would not finish in the top eight.

READ: Haaland ends barren run as City reach Champions League last 16

Erling Haaland ended his 10-game wait for a goal from open play as Manchester City beat Galatasaray 2-0 on Wednesday to book their place in the Champions League last 16.

Rayan Cherki was also on target for Pep Guardiola’s men, who took advantage of results elsewhere going their way to sneak into the top eight and avoid a perilous play-off next month.

“With a bit of drama, we did it,” said City captain Bernardo Silva.

“With the schedule, with the amount of injuries we have at the moment, to have those two full weeks to prepare the team, to recover some players, to focus on other competitions for now is going to be really good.”

City know the dangers of the play-off round only too well after being dumped out at that stage by Real Madrid 12 months ago.

A week on from an embarrassing defeat to Bodo/Glimt that put their place in the top eight at risk, Manchester City made amends against a Galatasaray side that will go into the play-offs.

Haaland had been left on the bench by Guardiola for the first time in the Premier League this season for Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wolves.

The Norwegian’s only goal since December 27 prior to Wednesday, had come from the penalty spot against Brighton.

But Haaland showed no signs of a lack of confidence when he nonchalantly lifted the ball over Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir from Jeremy Doku’s fine through ball.

Doku was also the creator of the second goal when he picked out Cherki inside the box to slam low into the corner.

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But the Belgian’s departure soon after, with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, was the one sour note of the night for Guardiola.

“It’s a big miss,” said Guardiola. “Jeremy is such an important player for many reasons.”

With City still in the running for silverware in four competitions, they were desperate to avoid adding two more games to a congested calendar in February.

Marc Guehi was not yet eligible to play in the Champions League, forcing Guardiola to name an experimental defence without centre-backs Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.

But the Turkish champions failed to seriously test City’s weak spot despite boasting the presence of Victor Osimhen up front.

The Nigerian forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into one stop just after the hour mark, but his shot was too close to the giant Italian.

Guardiola continued to frantically prowl the touchline in the second period, but all the drama was taking place away from the Etihad Stadium to secure City’s place in the last 16.

Real Madrid’s 4-2 defeat at Benfica and a 1-1 draw between Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle saw all three miss the chance to finish ahead of City.

Madrid could await in March as the 15-time European champions are one of City’s four possible opponents in the last 16 alongside Inter Milan, Benfica and Bodo/Glimt.

READ: Salah ends goal drought as Liverpool reach Champions League last 16

Mohamed Salah ended his Liverpool goal drought as the Reds crushed Qarabag 6-0 on Wednesday, booking their place in the Champions League last 16 and easing the pressure on Arne Slot.

Slot’s side overpowered the Azerbaijani underdogs with first-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz at Anfield.

Salah scored the third after the break on his club-record equalling 80th Champions League appearance for Liverpool.

It was the Egyptian forward’s first goal for Liverpool since November 1, ending an eight-game drought.

Salah had been dropped during that barren run, prompting him to claim he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club as he painted a bleak picture of his relationship with Slot.

The 33-year-old made peace prior to leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations in December, and Slot will hope his goal sparks a return to form.

Hugo Ekitike notched the fourth before Mac Allister and Federico Chiesa wrapped up Liverpool’s biggest win in all competitions since 2023, ensuring they automatically advanced to the last 16.

As well as avoiding the play-off round, Liverpool’s third-place finish in the league phase gives them the advantage of hosting the second leg of their last 16 tie.

“I’m very pleased. We know we can still improve in both boxes, but it was a very good performance,” Slot said.

“It’s always important to get the early goals to get the crowd on our side. We know we can do even better.”

Mac Allister added, “We skip two play-off games, which is important in a long season like this. We know that in the Champions League, we’ve been better than the Premier League. We need to see the positives.”

Despite being demolished on Merseyside, Qarabag still qualified for the play-offs after finishing 22nd.

Liverpool’s progress to the knockout stages was essential for Slot, who has faced awkward questions about his team’s troubled campaign in recent weeks.

Slot had hit back at criticism of Liverpool’s five-match winless run in the Premier League after last weekend’s 3-2 loss at Bournemouth, insisting it would still be a successful season if they win silverware.

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But Liverpool fans have grown increasingly frustrated with Slot, whose team trail Premier League leaders Arsenal by 14 points despite winning the title last season and then spending around £450 million ($619 million) on new signings.

Slot acknowledged the “noise” around Liverpool was “fair” and impossible to silence unless they do “special things” in the final months of the season.

The Champions League and FA Cup offer hope of fulfilling that ambition.

Virgil van Dijk was Liverpool’s only fit centre-back after Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez were ruled out, forcing Slot to start Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch at the heart of his defence.

Slot’s defensive options dwindled even further after just three minutes when the injury-plagued Jeremie Frimpong limped off.

But Liverpool were unfazed and quickly put Qarabag to the sword.

Their issues with free-kicks and corners led Slot to dismiss set-piece coach Aaron Briggs in December.

Lewis Mahoney, promoted to replace Briggs, conjured a corner routine that led to Liverpool’s opener in the 15th minute.

Ekitike flicked on Dominik Szoboszlai’s inswinging delivery, and when Van Dijk couldn’t convert, the ball bounced kindly for Mac Allister to nod home.

Wirtz doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 21st minute with his first Champions League goal since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen last year.

The German playmaker took Ekitike’s pass and, with Qarabag backing off, he had time and space to drill home from 18 yards.

Teed up by Szoboszlai’s back-heel, Salah curled a superb free-kick past Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski into the far corner five minutes after half-time.

Ekitike sprinted clear to bag Liverpool’s fourth with a composed finish in the 57th minute.

Mac Allister tapped in the fifth four minutes later before Chiesa slotted in his first goal since September in stoppage time.

READ: Allrounder Molineux named Australia women’s all-format captain

Spin-bowling allrounder Sophie Molineux was named captain of the all-conquering Australia women’s cricket team across all three formats on Thursday, replacing the retiring Alyssa Healy.

The 28-year-old will take the reins of the T20 side when Australia hosts India next month, before assuming the one-day and Test duties for their tour of the Caribbean in March.

“It’s a real honour to be named Australian captain and something I’m incredibly proud of, especially following on from Alyssa, who’s had such a huge impact on this team and the game,” said Molineux, who captains Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades.

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“We’ve got a really strong group with plenty of natural leaders, alongside a lot of exciting talent coming through, and I’m really looking forward to working together as we keep evolving and pushing ourselves to the next level, while staying true to the identity that makes this team so special.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the trust that’s been shown in me, and I’m excited to grow alongside this group of players and see what we can achieve together with Tahlia, Ash and the rest of the team.”

Alyssa Healy, 35, announced earlier this month that she would retire in March, having taken over as captain in 2023 from Meg Lanning.

Tahlia McGrath, who had filled in for Healy before and was tipped by many as her successor, remains vice-captain alongside Ashleigh Gardner.

Australia is the top-ranked ODI and T20 team in the world.

READ: Gillespie reacts to appointment as Hyderabad coach for PSL 11

LAHORE: Australia T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh has expressed his excitement ahead of Pakistan T20I series, stating that he is looking forward to the challenge of playing against Babar Azam.

Speaking in the pre-series press conference, Marsh talked about Pakistani players playing in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 and praised Babar Azam.

“It was great to see some Pakistan players playing the Big Bash; it brought a whole new audience, and I’m hopeful that they enjoyed their time in Australia,” Marsh told reporters.

Marsh also mentioned sub continent conditions, noting that Babar Azam had been a world-class performer for Pakistan for a long time. He added that Babar remained a different challenge and that they were well aware of it.

“Babar’s been a world-class player for a long period of time for Pakistan, so we have great respect for him, and we know that in these conditions he’s one of the best players in the world still so we look forward to that challenge,” he added.

The skipper also tipped the series as a vita preparatory platform for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

“It’s a really important time in both teams’ preparations for the World Cup. Most of the squad has been in Dubai for the last four days training and getting together,” he maintained.

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“Some of us have obviously flown in a little bit later due to Big Bash commitments, but we’re certainly ready to go, and we’re looking forward to a great series,” he explained.

The 34-year-old admitted he had not packed many jumpers, saying he was unaware how cold it could get in Pakistan but would be better prepared next time

“Yes, I must admit I didn’t pack too many jumpers. I wasn’t aware that Pakistan got this cold, so I’ll know for next time, but I think one of the things about our group and most international teams now is that preparation can look different for every tour,” Marsh concluded.

READ: Seifert, Santner shine in New Zealand consolation win over India

A half-century by Tim Seifert and skipper Mitchell Santner’s three wickets steered New Zealand to a 50-run consolation win over India in the fourth T20 international on Wednesday.

New Zealand posted 215-7 after being put in to bat thanks to a century stand between openers Seifert, who hit 62 off 36 balls, and Devon Conway, who struck 44, in Visakhapatnam.

Santner led the bowling attack with figures of 3 for 26 as New Zealand dismissed India for 165, pulling one back after the hosts had sealed the five‑match series in the third game.

The two teams now head into the fifth match on Saturday, the final tune-up ahead of the T20 World Cup starting February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

New Zealand started strongly with Seifert taking on Arshdeep Singh in the opening over with three successive fours and keeping up the attack in the next over off Harshit Rana.

Conway joined the charge as New Zealand raced to 100 in 8.1 overs and Seifert reached his fifty in 25 balls.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav broke through as he removed Conway with Rinku Singh taking his first of four catches in the innings.

Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Rachin Ravindra, caught and bowled for two, in the next over and soon Arshdeep cut short Seifert’s knock with his left-arm pace.

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Kuldeep had Glenn Phillips out for 24 off 16 balls and suddenly New Zealand seemed to lose their way before Daryl Mitchell stepped in.

Mitchell struck an unbeaten 18-ball 39 and hit two fours and three sixes to boost the Kiwi total.

In reply, India lost swashbuckling opener Abhishek Sharma on the first ball with Matt Henry drawing a top edge to third man.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav fell in the next over, caught and bowled for eight off Jacob Duffy.

Santner’s left-arm spin then accounted for Sanju Samson (24) and Hardik Pandya as India slipped to 63-4.

Shivam Dube hit back in his 23-ball 65, clubbing seven sixes and three fours as he reached his fifty in just 15 deliveries.

But he was run out in an unlucky manner when a shot from Rana grazed Henry’s hand and deflected onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end.

Wickets kept tumbling and the Indian innings folded in 18.4 overs.

READ: Stokes, Moeen added to England Lions coaching staff for Pakistan series

LONDON: Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali are set to join England Lions coaching staff for the upcoming white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens, slated to commence in Abu Dhabi next month.

According to the England Cricket Board (ECB) press release, the tour involves three T20 matches, which will be followed by five 50 over fixtures.

Jordan Cox will captain the Lions in the T20s while Dan Mousley will take charge of the 50-over team.

“Jordan Cox and Dan Mousley will captain the England Lions’ T20 and 50-over squads respectively during next month’s white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens in the United Arab Emirates,” the board said.

Following the announcement, ECB Men’s Performance Director, Ed Barney shared his views on the tour, emphasizing the tour as a buildup towards the 50 overs World Cup set to be held in 2027.

“It’s exciting to have such a strong England Lions squad selected. This group brings a real blend of proven performers, exciting talent who have performed over the winter and retains an eye on future best,” he said.

“With limited 50-over cricket on offer, this series combined with tours over the remainder of 2026 will give players the opportunity to develop and deliver as we build towards the 2027 ICC Men’s World Cup in South Africa,” he added.

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England Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff will oversee the coaching responsibilities that will also include Troy Cooley’s, who will be joining the team for the first time since returning to the ECB as Men’s Elite National Pace Bowling Lead.

Moreover, the coaching setup will also include Neil McKenzie, Sarah Taylor, Neil Killeen, former all-rounder Moeen Ali, Amar Rashid and England’s Test skipper Ben Stokes.

The opening match of the tour will commence on Friday 20 February 2026 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

T20 squad

Sonny Baker, Luc Benkenstein, James Coles, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox (c), Scott Currie, Calvin Harrison, Eddie Jack, Saqib Mahmood, Ben McKinney, Tom Moores, Dan Mousley, Matt Revis, Will Smeed, Nathan Sowter, Mitchell Stanley and Asa Tribe.

50-over squad

Sonny Baker, Luc Benkenstein, James Coles, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Scott Currie, Calvin Harrison, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Dan Mousley (c), Liam Patterson-White, Matthew Potts, Matt Revis, James Rew, Mitchell Stanley, Asa Tribe and James Wharton.

READ: U19 World Cup: Australia edge West Indies to seal semi-final berth

HARARE: Skipper Oliver Peake led from the front with a sublime century, ably backed by Charles Lachmund’s clincial bowling helped Australia seal a narrow win over West Indies in the Super Sixes of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026 here at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

Set daunting 315, West Indies fell short by 22 runs despite a spirited batting effort.

With this win, Australia marched in the semi-final of the U19 World Cup.

West Indies opening pair laid a solid foundation with a 88 run stand in 11.3 overs.

Zachary Carter and Jewel Andrew capitalized on strong start, adding 35 for the second partnership, bringing the score to 123 in 15.1 overs.

Carter’s brisk 64 off 42 included four sixes and seven boundaries, keeping the run rate healthy.

Despite the wickets, West Indies cruised on as skipper Joshua Dorne and Jewel Andrew held the innings together with a 48 run partnership.

The scorecard read when 171 in 26.1 overs when Jewel Andrew was cleaned bowled. The left-hander made 44 from 38 with the aid of six boundaries and two sixes.

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With West Indies going well in pursuit of the target till the 40th over, Australian bowlers struck twice to take the control of the proceedings.

The well set batters Joshua Dorne (62 from 97) and Kunal Tilokani (35 off 42) were sent back in a span of two overs.

As a result, West Indies were reduced to 246-5 with their lower order facing an uphill task to climb.

In the last overs, Australia held on their nerve and limited West Indies batters to go big which resulted in their victory.

For Australia, Charles Lachmund topped the wicket column with four scalps to his name. Hayden Schiller and Aryan Sharma picked up two each.

Earlier, put into bat first, Australia racked up 3`14-7 at the end of their 50 overs.

The highlight of the Australian inning was the 85 run stand between skipper Oliver Peake’s and Alex Lee Young for the third wicket.

Peake scored a scintillating 109 from 117 with the aid of nine fours and six whereas Lee Young struck two sixes and four boundaries.

For West Indies, R’Jai Gittens and Jakeem Pollard claimed a brace each.

READ: Gillespie reacts to appointment as Hyderabad coach for PSL 11

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has shared his excitement after being named head coach of new franchise Hyderabad ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11, scheduled to begin on March 26.

Hyderabad is one of the two new franchises added to the PSL roster ahead of season 11, with Sialkot Stallionz being the other new entrant.

The Hyderabad franchise is owned by Fawad Sarwar’s Kingsmen group and was secured through the PSL auction with a winning bid of Rs 1.75 billion ($6.25 million).

The announcement for the head coach was made through the Kingsmen Cricket social media handle, where the franchise shared a graphic featuring Gillespie along with a statement confirming his appointment.

 

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Following the announcement, Gillespie took to X handle, noting that he is eager to join the franchise ahead of the landmark PSL 11.

“Beyond excited to be part of the @KingsmenCricket family. So looking forward to being part of the Hyderabad team,” he wrote.

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For those unaware, the 50-year-old has previously worked in Pakistan cricket and was appointed as head coach of the national Test side in April 2024.

However, his stint was short-lived as he resigned ahead of Pakistan’s two-match Test series in South Africa in December 2024, amid reports of differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and difficulties in aligning with the team management.

Notably, the Hyderabad management is yet to officially unveil its team name and logo for the tournament.

READ: Former India all-rounder picks Pakistan as T20 World Cup semi-finalist

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has predicted that Pakistan would reach the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on 7 February across India and Sri Lanka.

Irfan’s unveiled his choice on Star Sports, alongside several other Indian cricketers, who also named their semi-finalists team for the mega event.

Among the panel comprising former Indian cricketers — Robin Uthappa, Anil Kumble, Aakash Chopra, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Kaif and Suresh Raina,
only Irfan Pathan included Pakistan in his list of teams expected to reach the last four.

Besides, Pakistan, the all-rounder chose Australia, India and England to reach the semi-final.

The marquee event will run until March 8, featuring 20 teams competing across a packed schedule of 55 matches, including the semi-finals and final.

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The 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two sides from each group progressing to the Super Eight stage, where the race to the knockout rounds will intensify.

The opening match of the marquee event is scheduled between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo.

Pakistan is drawn into Group A alongside India, Netherlands, USA and Namibia, with their all matches scheduled in Sri Lanka as per hybrid model.

Pakistan will play their second fixture against the USA on 10 February, followed by the highly anticipated clash between Pakistan and India, set to be held on 15 February in Colombo.

The winner of the 2009 edition, last group stage match will be against Namibia on 18 February.

Pakistan T20 World Cup Squad

Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (WK), and Usman Tariq.

Pakistan World Cup fixtures

Pakistan vs Netherlands: February 7, Colombo

Pakistan vs USA: February 10, Colombo

Pakistan vs India: February 15, Colombo

Pakistan vs Namibia: February 18, Colombo

READ: Pakistan-Australia T20I series trophy unveiled