Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade (L) playing for Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Women's Champions League (RONNY HARTMANN)The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off in Morocco on Sunday with qualification for the World Cup and a record two-million-dollar first prize on the line.A record 16-nation line-up -- up from 12 at the previous edition -- will compete with 10-time title-holders and defending champions Nigeria the team to beat.The last success of the Super Falcons was spectacular. Trailing Morocco by two goals at half-time, they stormed back with Jennifer Echegini scoring the late winner in a 3-2 triumph.Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Echegini will be back, seeking another gold medal at the two-yearly showcase of African women's football, which Morocco are hosting for the third consecutive time. Canada-based Esther Okoronkwo and fellow forward Folashade Ijamilusi, who plays in China, scored the other Nigerian goals in the final, and will also be chasing more glory.Nigeria coach Justine Madugu told reporters the first priority for the Falcons is reaching the semi-finals and clinching one of four World Cup places automatically reserved for Africa. "Our second goal is to defend the trophy and bring it back to Nigeria. We know it will not be easy because every other nation wants to depose us," he said."We have in our possession something precious that everybody else wants. However, we will remain resolute and focused and try to achieve both objectives."Madugu has chosen a 25-strong mix of experience and youth from clubs as far apart as Mexico, Israel and China. There is also one home-based star -- goalkeeper Fatima Oloko from Abia Angels.There is a notable absentee from the 2024-winning squad. England-born defender Ashleigh Plumptre, who plays for Saudi club Al Ittihad, is injured.Midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade, a PSG teammate of Echegini, will captain the team that boasts Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, widely regarded as the best in Africa.- Powerful Zambia -Winners and runners-up in the four mini-leagues qualify for the quarter-finals and Nigeria are in Group C with powerful Zambia, organised Egypt and debutants Malawi. Zambian Racheal Kundananji moved from Madrid CFF to American club Bay FC in 2024 for what was then a world record transfer fee and fellow forward Barbra Banda is a consistent scorer.Malawi may be the underdogs but they have outstanding forwards in the Chawinga sisters. Tabitha plays for Lyon and Temwa for Kansas City Current.There have been 13 WAFCON tournaments from 1998 and, apart from Nigeria, only Equatorial Guinea twice and South Africa once have been crowned champions.Equatorial Guinea failed to qualify this time, while South Africa are the top seeds in Group B, where they will face Tanzania, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.Morocco, losers as hosts to Nigeria and South Africa in the past two finals, face Algeria, Senegal and Kenya in Group A.The Morocco-Algeria fixture on July 30 could be a tense affair given the severely strained political relations between the north African neighbours.The core of this long-standing rivalry revolves around the disputed, phosphate-rich territory of Western Sahara, as well as historical border disputes.Group D comprises 2024 bronze medalists Ghana, three-time runners-up Cameroon, and newcomers Cape Verde, who will hope to enthrall Africa like the senior men's team did at the 2026 World Cup.Three stadiums in the capital, Rabat, and two in the commercial hub, Casablanca, will host 34 games, including two matches between quarter-final losers for inter-continental World Cup play-off slots.dl/ea

New Delhi: Prabhu Yadav was performing the 'Govardhan Parikrama' in Mathura when his son, Mayank Yadav, over 7,000 kms away at the Harare Sports Club, was bowling thunderbolts. The 24-year-old pacer, making a comeback after two years, returned with a sensational spell of 2 for 18. It included a 149 kph first-ball wicket in the first T20I against Zimbabwe, dismissing Brian Bennett, who had given India a scare with a stunning 97 during the T20 World Cup earlier this year."Kaise daala? Maine toh match dekha tak nahi. Mai toh bas kal raat hi Mathura aa gaya tha, bas abhi Govardhan Bhagwaan ki parikrama kar ke waapis nikal raha hun (How did he bowl? I didn't even watch the match. I only came to Mathura last night. I've just finished the Govardhan Bhagwan Parikrama and am now heading back)," he tells TimesofIndia.com from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, after completing the sacred 21 km circumambulation around Govardhan Hill."Bas fit rahe, yahi maanga hai. Pichle do saal kaafi mushkil gaye hai bachhe ke (I have prayed for his fitness and success. The last two years have been really tough on the boy)," says Yadav Sr., gasping for breath after the long walk.While Prabhu Yadav, who works at a factory in Okhla manufacturing sirens for ambulances and police vehicles, struggled for breath after a tiring seven-hour walk, Yadav Jr. made Zimbabwe batters dance to his tunes during a hostile spell.It has been a tough couple of years for Mayank Yadav. After impressing everyone with his express pace during IPL 2024, he was sidelined for over a year due to a stress fracture. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) never lost faith in the youngster. For the past two years, the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru became his second home."It was not easy for the boy. The frequent injuries took a toll on him physically and mentally," shares Devender Sharma, who coached the speedster during his formative years."He was upset. But he worked hard. Every single day, he gave his best. After any injury, rehabilitation becomes very important, and he completed it diligently. That has helped him get back where he belongs," says Sharma.Devender recalls how Mayank was in shock when he congratulated him over the phone after he was picked for the three-match series against Zimbabwe."'Kyu mazak kar rahe ho sir?' (Are you kidding me, sir?) Those were his words when I told him about his selection. He was not expecting a call," shares Devender.Mayank's much-anticipated IPL return did not go according to plan this year; he failed to take a single wicket in the four games he played for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), conceding 182 runs at an economy rate of 11.37.However, he was always in the scheme of things. He was named in the India A squad for the warm-up matches against the USA and Namibia before the T20 World Cup. Thereafter, he was among the seven net bowlers summoned by Team India to New Chandigarh ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Throughout the three net sessions, Mayank bowled at rapid pace with the red ball and was closely watched by bowling coach Morne Morkel."Look, he is a special talent, and that's why you see the BCCI backed him. They never got frustrated. They showed faith in him," says Sharma.Devender also shared what the youngster has been doing over the past year."At the CoE, for the past year he has been bowling close to 15 overs every day. The aim is to bowl 20 overs a day. They want him to be ready for Test cricket from the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. He has been managed very carefully by all the stakeholders, and I hope he stays fit and repays the faith that the board has shown in him," says Sharma.Mayank's mentor and former Delhi U-19 coach Narender Negi echoes Devender's sentiments and shares details about the bowler's injury struggles."It is not easy to clock 145 kph consistently. He got unlucky with injuries as well. First it was a stress fracture in the back, then an ankle injury, followed by calf and knee injuries. It is not easy to cope with so many setbacks," says Negi."People wrote him off and I think today he proved everyone wrong. Yes, it is just one match, but he is back for sure," adds Negi.On Thursday, Mayank consistently operated in the mid-to-high 140s. He troubled Zimbabwe's batters with sharp seam movement, steep bounce and relentless pace. During the innings break, he admitted he was nervous before bowling his first ball."It's always a great feeling when you come back and play for your country, especially when you bowl a spell like this. It's a fantastic feeling and I don't think I can describe it well in words. Obviously there were some nerves. To make a comeback after two years, there is always going to be pressure. There was some nervousness in the middle," he told the broadcasters."After picking up a wicket on the very first ball, I calmed down a lot. I got the confidence that I can deliver even after making a comeback after two years," he added.It has been a tumultuous couple of years for the Delhi pacer. As his father says, he has hardly been home, while his mother hopes her son will finally spend some time with the family after this series."Ab shayad kuch din ghar rahe (Hopefully, he will stay at home for a few days now)," says Mamta Yadav, Mayank's mother.For Mayank, the wickets in Harare were more than just numbers on a scorecard, it was the speedgun which he must have enjoyed. It marked the end of a long, painful road filled with injuries, rehabilitation and uncertainty. With no compromise on pace, the Delhi quick has finally given himself the perfect platform to chase the promise that first made him one of India's most exciting fast-bowling prospects.

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza blamed the pitch after his team's seven-wicket loss to India in the opening T20I of the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club. Raza said the surface had too much moisture early on, making batting difficult with the new ball, while conditions became much easier when India came out to chase. India comfortably chased 126 in 13.2 overs, powered by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's record-breaking 18-ball half-century to take a 1-0 lead in the series.Raza felt the pitch favoured the team batting second and said Zimbabwe struggled because the ball continued to move for longer than expected."Again, not up to the standard, I think. In the morning, I think that moisture certainly played a part, but I didn't think it was going to play a part for that long. I thought it remained tough with the new ball," Raza said after the match."Unfortunately, we didn't hit many boundaries up front as well, so the ball stayed new, and because of that, I felt the movement off the deck made batting even tougher," he added.Comparing it with the recent Bangladesh ODI series, Raza said the wicket became much better to bat on during India's innings."I thought during the Bangladesh ODI series, there was a lot of moisture, and it remained there for a long time. Whereas today, I thought the moisture was there for the first eight to ten or even 12 overs, and apart from that, when India came out to bat, the wicket was very true," he said.Positives despite the defeatZimbabwe recovered from 32/4 to post 125/7, thanks to Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani. Raza praised the pair for helping the team reach a respectable total and hoped the rest of the batting unit would contribute more in the coming matches."So, hopefully, we get a better wicket for the next game so that even when we lose the toss, it doesn't play too big a part," he added."Yes, definitely. That's one of the positives. Marumani and Madhevere, it's a new role as well. I thought they batted really well to give us some sort of a respectable total. We'll take that as a positive, and hopefully the other guys can chip in as well so that we can put up a competitive total if we bat first," he said.

Roma monitor Frankfurts Bahoya and Stuttgarts LewelingRoma must react after seeing two transfer targets fall through: Greenwood and Summerville. The Giallorossi management has a budget of around 50 million for the left winger, who will need to improve Gasperinis attacking capabilities. Their focus is primarily on Nusa, born in 2005 and valued at around 55-60 million by Leipzig. This figure previously frightened Roma, who are now back in the market for the Norwegian winger. However, Roma is also considering alternatives in the Bundesliga: Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart) and Jean-Matteo Bahoya (Eintracht Frankfurt). The Giallorossi are in a hurry and must avoid the third transfer window. DAmico has several players in his pocket to avoid being left reeling if Nusa also fails to make a deal.As La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, besides Nusa, El Mala tops the list, Cologne is asking 50 million, Jean-Matteo Bahoya is second, and Jamie Leweling is third. Born in 2005, the Eintracht Frankfurt winger has scored four goals and provided four assists in 1,646 minutes. The German winger, owned by Stuttgart, has been more effective in all competitions: 11 goals and 12 assists in 50 games. Bahoya is valued at 25-30 million, while Leweling, who plays on the right but can also be moved to the left, is valued at around 40 million.

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