Shapoor Zadran's time away from the game comes to an end having been named in the Afghanistan squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series against Ireland. The 32-year-old left-arm fast bowler is one of the most recognisable faces in Afghanistan cricket, gaining cult-hero status when he starred in their first-ever World Cup win back in 2015. But he hasn't played for them since March 2019.

That too was a game against Ireland - an ODI, though Zadran's career, over the last five years has largely been limited to T20I appearances. He sticks to the shortest format in domestic cricket as well and was a notable performer in the final of Shpageeza Cricket League in October 2019. He picked up 4 for 31 for Amo Sharks but ended up on the losing side. Zadran then played T10 cricket in Abu Dhabi in November, picking up three wickets in six matches for Karnataka Tuskers. That was his last piece of top-flight action.

Afghanistan will face Ireland over three T20Is to be played in Delhi on March 6, 8 and 10 with Asghar Afghan back as full-time captain across formats.

There are a couple of new faces in the squad as well. Qais Ahmad, the 19-year-old legspinner who shocked Andre Russell with a bouncer and subsequently took the Big Bash League by storm, gets a chance to play T20 internationals. So does Azmatullah Omarzai, who was part of the Under-19 team that made the semi-finals a couple of years ago. The 19-year-old seam-bowling allrounder has not played any T20 cricket since October 2018, but he has been moving up the ranks in regional 50-over cricket. In the September tournament, he emerged as Speen Ghar's leading wicket-taker with eight strikes at an average of 17.50.

Afghanistan T20I squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Najib Zadran, Asghar Afghan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Naveen ul Haq, Shapoor Zadran, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Qais Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, Samiullah Shinwari, Usman Ghani.

If you thought the Melbourne Stars' green suited Nick Larkin on Thursday, then it's no coincidence.

Larkin may need to weigh up trading Stars green for the emerald hue of Ireland's national team ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year after a breakout innings to take his Big Bash League side to the competition decider underlined his enormous growth as a cricketer in the five years since he made his first-class debut for New South Wales.

Back in 2014, Larkin had only recently concluded two years playing club cricket in Ireland, an experience culminating in two appearances for the national team. He did not make the cut for the 2015 50-over World Cup squad, but marked improvement in his overall game over the past two seasons, including a similar trend of increasing returns for the Stars, could make him an attractive possible choice for Ireland ahead of the T20 World Cup on Australian soil in October and November.

It would be a vexing choice for Larkin, given that his performances for the Stars have made him an automatic BBL selection and choosing to take up the Irish option, through the passport he has from his mother's side of the family, would complicate his existing deals in Australia as a local player. Nevertheless, the lure of an international tournament looms large.

"I wouldn't be calling their selectors and saying 'pick me', it's all contract-based stuff and it changes my status here as well as a local cricketer, so there's a lot to consider, there's more than just a cricket decision in a sense," Larkin told ESPNcricinfo. "I've weighed all that up in the past and there's a reason I'm here right now as opposed to over there, but you never say never.

"It was more or less leading up to the 2015 World Cup and I came home after that second summer and was close to being in the mix for their side, but the way the world pans out I got an opportunity for the [New South Wales] Blues in October that year before the World Cup, got a hundred in my second game of Sheffield Shield and that became my firm focus. It was always an ironclad dream of mine to play for NSW since I was a kid, so I was never going to give that up.

"I have never ruled that [Ireland] out - the two winters I spent in Ireland were the best thing that ever happened to me in terms of my cricket development and I owe a lot to my club in Ireland and for Ireland giving me an opportunity as well. Potentially down the track if the stars line-up, so to speak, potentially but I'm really focused right now on playing for the Stars and the Blues and trying to win trophies for both."

The choice to battle his way through the tough school of New South Wales cricket has made for plenty of frustrating times for Larkin, who was previously contracted to the Sydney Sixers before gaining a chance with the Melbourne Stars as an injury replacement in 2017. "Our population's great, our pathways are unbelievably well run and Sydney and country New South Wales keep producing world class players," he said. "So I felt like I had to cut my teeth there against some incredible competition, and if you can hang in and get through that you come out a better cricketer for it.

Ireland's three newest caps - Nick Larkin, Peter Chase & Chris Dougherty! #congrats pic.twitter.com/SVs6iKoJ2G

— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) July 23, 2014

"The Sixers have a really good roster, and my skillset was probably covered up there. An opportunity [with the Stars] popped up last year through injury, and they liked what I did and luckily brought me back again this season. That's just the sliding doors moments with cricket, sometimes those things work out in your favour and you make the best of the situation.

"I've always considered I've got a bit more game than maybe other people think, it's just getting the opportunity to show it and when you do get the opportunity to show it, actually showing it. I don't think I'm just a red-ball player, but as a professional athlete you have to go out there and prove it every time."

His major improvements as a cricketer and a person began to be made after he accepted the task of captaining Sydney University in Sydney first grade, a post for which he twice won captain of the year in 2017 and 2018 before he gave it up as New South Wales came calling more often.

"It is one of the best things I've ever done for my development as a person and as a cricketer, and being able to see how players are feeling and know when you need to put an arm around them or maybe a kick up the arse," Larkin said. "So my first year was a really steep learning curve and we came 13th, then we won it and then came second, and those years I felt like they matured me as a man a lot, and I learned how to get the best out of other people."

Out of that personal growth came cricketing progress, as he was imbued with the self-confidence that all top level athletes require with the help of three choice mentors: Greg Mail, Ed Cowan and Beau Casson. "I've had moments when I haven't believed I could've gone out and done that but I've had some really great coaches and mentors who have assisted me with that and made me realise what I'm capable of," he said. "There's some people behind the scenes who've helped me a lot with that stuff."

"Greg Mail who I've played a lot of club cricket with was fantastic for me and instrumental in my development as a player coming through grade. Ed Cowan, similar, a really close friend of mine and someone who's always honest with me about my game. And then Beau Casson…I've kept a really close relationship with Beau over the years and he's probably the guy who really made me believe in myself to be able to come out and put performances like that on the board."

The relationship with Casson has evolved through several distinct phases, as they were together at Sydney Uni, then Casson worked as the New South Wales assistant coach last season, and now this year they have worked more individually in the manner of a golf swing coach or tennis mentor once the older man chose to step away from the formal role.

"It's beyond just the skillset, he knew me as a person, knew what made me tick, and knew how to get the best out of me," he said. "It's nice when you feel like you've got someone in your corner who's willing to be maybe more like a golf coach is for an individual golfer or a tennis coach is for that tennis player, where you ask them to be honest and they're honest in the good times and the bad times and there was a level of improvement that I got through that relationship that I may not have got if I hadn't stumbled across it."

The next phase for Larkin will be to return to the Sheffield Shield in the hope of churning out more quality runs. Beyond that, the future looks decidedly green, whether for the Stars in Melbourne or for Ireland further afield.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan guard Zavier Simpson reportedly crashed a vehicle registered to the wife of the Wolverines' athletic director late last month, shortly before the school announced he was suspended for a game.

MLive, citing a police report, reported Thursday that officers found Simpson outside the vehicle around 3 a.m. on Jan. 26. The car had made contact with a pole and street sign. An officer said he did not notice any smell of intoxicant from Simpson's breath.

According to the police report, Simpson told officers his name was Jeff Jackson Simpson, and that he had been walking down the street and noticed the crashed vehicle. When officers recognized him and asked why he had given a different name, Simpson said he didn't want to be involved with the crash report.

Simpson told police the car belonged to Evan Manuel, a student manager for the basketball team who is the son of athletic director Warde Manuel.

Police said Chrislan Manuel, Warde Manuel's wife and the registered owner of the car, spoke with Evan and told police that Simpson had been driving. When interviewed by an investigator, Simpson said he drove the car into a pole because of icy conditions.

Simpson received a citation for driving too fast for conditions.

Michigan announced Jan. 27 that Simpson, a senior who is second in the nation with 8.2 assists per game, was suspended for an unspecified violation of team policy. He missed one game before returning.

"We have addressed this situation with Zavier and continue to move forward," a Michigan basketball spokesman said Thursday in a statement, according to MLive.

"We viewed his situation as an educational opportunity for him as well as the rest of the team."

SAN FRANCISCO -- Alyssa Nakken stole a quick glance out a window high above the ballpark toward McCovey Cove on a picture-perfect day and grinned.

She is honored to take on the challenge -- and embrace the responsibility -- of being the first female major league coach, having joined new San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler's staff last month.

"I'm most comfortable at a baseball field," she said.

It's a good thing, since she will be spending countless hours over the coming eight months in this very setting. Nakken will be in uniform and helping the Giants with everything from cage work to infield practice.

For Nakken, making history means being ready each day to make an impact in her own distinct way while ignoring the critics and anyone who thinks she is unfit for an on-field baseball job based on her gender.

"No turning back now, you're in it," she said. "Here we go."

She does accept her role as an example for girls and women that they can work in baseball.

"It's a big deal. I feel a great sense of responsibility and I feel it's my job to honor those who have helped me to where I am," she said.

Kapler and Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi have all the confidence in Nakken's ability to help build clubhouse continuity through stronger bonds between young players and veterans.

"I think why it's difficult for me to put it into words is because throughout the interview process and getting to know Gabe and Farhan a little bit more, it was never about this," Nakken said. "It was never about being a female. It was never about being the first.

"It was about, 'Hey, we have a brand-new staff, there's a lot going on, we need somebody to come in here and make an impact in this clubhouse, for this staff, for the team and help us win, somebody who knows baseball, is a good communicator, can build relationships, can build trust,' and that's what it was about."

A polished speaker who has become adept at hiding any nerves, Nakken is taking initiative early. She put on a two-day coaches retreat this week that included a "culinary experience" -- much more than "a food tour," she said -- through San Francisco's historic and diverse Mission District.

"For the record, I won the poker tournament," she noted. She also got a shoutout from retired manager Bruce Bochy when they crossed paths Thursday. He is now a senior adviser for the franchise.

Nakken doesn't claim to be an expert on hitting or pitching. She plans to assist coaches on both sides, and will work a lot on outfield defense and baserunning. Nakken will be in uniform but not in the dugout during games, rather working with players in the cage to keep them ready.

She has felt welcomed by players so far, with spring training set to start next week.

"I've been ready for a challenge like this, something new," she said.

Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Lindsay Gottlieb, the former California women's basketball coach in nearby Berkeley, hopes Nakken paves the way for more women to work in prominent baseball jobs -- and not just behind the scenes.

"That's great news for the Giants and for baseball," Gottlieb said. "Any organization benefits from diverse opinions and experiences, and baseball is no different. I don't know Alyssa but I'm sure she'll be a fantastic addition to the Giants staff, and that in turn should make the hiring of women in baseball something every team considers to ensure they have the strongest possible staff."

The NBA has several female assistant coaches. The NFL's San Francisco 49ers, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday's Super Bowl, have Katie Sowers as an offensive assistant. Sowers became the first woman and openly gay coach to work at a Super Bowl.

At Sacramento State from 2009 to 2012, Nakken was a three-time all-conference player at first base and four-time academic All-American. She went on to earn a master's degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco in 2015 -- after interning with the Giants' baseball operations department a year earlier.

The idea of working with USF's baseball program helped draw her to the city and to pursue this career path.

"Alyssa is a bright, wonderful communicator, diligent listener," longtime USF baseball coach Nino Giarratano said. "Very competitive, coachable, wonderful person. Alyssa will be tough enough to withstand any and all adversity with dignity and charm."

Nakken is ready to get to work.

"In terms of this setting, I love what I'm doing," she said, "and I love this position that I'm in."

The New York Mets said Thursday night in a statement they intend to find another buyer after talks ended over the proposed sale of a controlling share of the team from the families of Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz to hedge fund manager Steve Cohen.

It is unclear if a future transaction would involve a controlling share of the franchise.

The Mets said Dec. 4 the contemplated deal between Sterling Partners and Cohen would have allowed 83-year-old Fred Wilpon to remain controlling owner and chief executive officer for five years. His son Jeff would have remained chief operating officer during that time as well.

The Mets' statement Thursday night called the proposed deal "a highly complicated one.''

"Despite the efforts of the parties over the past several months, it became apparent that the transaction as contemplated would have been too difficult to execute," the team said.

Manfred said at the end of an owners' meeting earlier Thursday that "the assertion that the transaction fell apart because of something the Wilpons did is completely and utterly unfair.''

Cohen bought an 8% limited partnership stake in 2012 for $40 million. The deal under discussion would have seen him acquire an 80% controlling share in a transaction that values the team at $2.6 billion. Wilpon repeatedly declined comment at the MLB meetings this week.

"I'm very disappointed we couldn't work out a deal," Cohen said in a statement to the New York Times after Manfred's remarks. "I gave it my best shot."

The Mets say they have brought in New York-based investment bank Allen & Company to manage the sale going forward. Cohen first bought into the Mets in 2012 when the team sought $20 million minority investment stakes following the collapse of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme, which heavily cost the Wilpons and their companies. The limited partnership shares were sold after a proposed $200 million sale of a stake of the Mets to hedge fund manager David Einhorn fell through in 2011.

The 63-year-old Cohen is CEO and president of Point72 Asset Management.

Cohen controlled SAC Capital Advisors, which in 2013 pleaded guilty to criminal fraud charges. SAC agreed to pay a $900 million fine and forfeit another $900 million to the federal government, though $616 million that SAC companies had already agreed to pay to settle parallel actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was to be deducted from the $1.8 billion.

The publisher Doubleday & Co. bought the Mets in 1980 from the family of founding owner Joan Payson for $21.1 million, with the company owning 95% of the team and Wilpon controlling 5%.

When Doubleday & Co. was sold to the media company Bertelsmann AG in 1986, the publisher sold its shares of the team for nearly $81 million to Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, who became 50-50 owners.

Wilpon led a buyout of Doubleday's shares in 2002 and became chairman and sole controlling owner. Saul Katz, the owner's brother-in-law and partner in the real estate firm Sterling Equities Inc., became team president and Jeff Wilpon became COO.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LAKE CITY, Fla. – Mother Nature won night one of the Sunshine Swing at All-Tech Raceway.

The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco will have to wait one more day to wave the green flag on racing at the half-mile speedway.

Forty-two Short Track Super Series Modifieds and 31 Crate 602 Sportsman signed in at the pit gate to participate in the first Short Track Super Series race in the state of Florida.

With storms in the area all day, the skies opened up just as the fourth group went out for hot laps to begin the night. Cars never returned to the track once the rain began.

Short Track Super Series and All-Tech Raceway officials made the decision to make Friday a double show.

Cars will hit the speedway at approximately 5:30 p.m., running the full scheduled show from Thursday.

Following the conclusion of the makeup event, there will be a brief intermission followed by the full second show originally scheduled for Friday night.

The Modifieds will race for $5,000 in the first show, followed by a $7,500 winner’s share in the second event. The Crate 602 Sportsman will run for $1,250 in both feature events tomorrow night.

Hot laps hit the track at 5:30 p.m. Racing gets underway immediately following. The events will be carried live on Dirt Track Digest TV, a SPEED SPORT Network affiliate. 

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Nick Taylor opened with an eagle, closed with two birdies and made a gorgeous day feel even better with an 8-under 63 at Monterey Peninsula that gave him the lead Thursday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Most of the interest over three courses in the rotation was at Spyglass Hill, which featured Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, along with five NFL quarterbacks that included Peyton Manning and his recently retired brother, Eli.

The iconic scenery is at Pebble Beach, especially when the surf turns a turquoise hue under so much sunshine.

Taylor went about his business quietly, and most effectively.

Starting on the back nine at Monterey Peninsula, with a chilly breeze at his back, he hit 4-iron to a back pin that settled 4 feet away for an eagle, ht 3-iron out of the rough for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th and knew he was playing well when he hit 4-iron to 10 feet on the first hole, a 495-yard par 4 that feels even longer when the air is cold at sea level.

Better still was the finish - a 5-iron back toward the ocean to 5 feet, and then a wind-aided 3-iron from 240 yards on a back tee he had never seen to 20 feet.

"A nice start," Taylor said, referring to his 4-iron that set up eagle and the 63 that matched his low round on the tour. "The weather helps out. If it's raining, it's windy, five-and-a-half hours is a long round. But we were very relaxed today, joked all day, and I felt like the mood was great."

He led by two shots to par over Patrick Cantlay (Spyglass) and Chase Seiffert (Pebble Beach), who each had a 6-under 66.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson, whose third-place finish in Saudi Arabia last week was his best result in a year, was slightly disappointed with his 68 at Spyglass because of how well he felt he hit it off the tee.

"I drove it like a stallion," said Mickelson, a phrase he once used in describing his play at the $9 million pay-per-view match he won against Tiger Woods in Las Vegas.

Cantlay made nine birdies at Spyglass and wasn't even the best putter in his group. Some of his best views of this stunning day along the rugged coastline was watching champion surfer Kelly Slater on the greens, not in the pipe.

"He looked like the best putter on tour today," Cantlay said of his amateur partner.

Cantlay, who tried surfing one time as a teenager and wisely gave it up, showed why golf has worked out OK for him. Despite two soft bogeys early in his round and a bogey on the par-5 14th from mud on his ball, he was among the leaders and feeling comfortable with all aspects of his game.

The two bogeys early came from a chip just behind the green at No. 2 that rolled out some 6 feet by the pin, and a birdie chance that turned into bogey with a three-putt from 18 feet on the skinny green at the picturesque fourth.

The rest of it was solid, and the number of birdies was encouraging.

Cantlay loves the Monterey Peninsula so much he could retire here, and he had even more reason to love it Thursday. His group was first off in the morning, giving them an entire front nine of fresh greens.

"Course was probably the best shape I've ever seen it and we're getting perfect weather," he said. "So yeah, it's great."

Dustin Johnson had a 69 at Spyglass, while Jordan Spieth checked in at 70. They typically play in the same group that does not lack in entertainment with their amateurs, hockey great Wayne Gretzky and country singer Jake Owen.

Gretzky hit into a bunker off the tee at No. 6, found the first of two bunkers in front of the green and went into the other bunker from there. Spieth delivered the good news: ''There's no bunkers left,'' he said.

Such is the nature of this week, a blend of incomparable scenery and amateurs that include entertainers and athletes, and corporate titans who learn that a net worth topping $1 billion won't calm nerves over a putt.

Among those at 5-under were Charley Hoffman, who holed out from the fairway for eagle on No. 4 at Spyglass for the loudest cheer of the day, and Harry Higgs, the PGA Tour rookie who drew Commissioner Jay Monahan as his partner.

Mickelson ultimately was happy to be in range after his 68, though it wasn't looking all that great when he failed to birdie any of the par 5s at Spyglass and had gone 10 holes without a birdie until birdies on his last three holes.

"I let a lot of opportunities slide," he said. "But I shot a 4-under par round and it's not going to hurt me."

The hurt belonged to David Duval, whose scorecard contained a 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. He made one birdie in his round of 84.

Barcelona defender Jordi Alba joined captain Lionel Messi in criticising the club's sporting director Eric Abidal after the team were knocked out of the Copa del Rey with a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.

- Stream Copa del Rey matches on ESPN+

The quarterfinal loss was the latest blow in a dark week for Barca after winger Ousmane Dembele suffered a serious injury and Messi caused a stir by hitting back at Abidal for appearing to blame the players for last month's sacking of coach Ernesto Valverde.

Abidal, a former teammate of Messi and Alba, had told newspaper Sport that he felt some Barca players were not working hard enough under Valverde, which led to him advising club president Josep Maria Bartomeu to sack the coach.

Quique Setien was chosen as Valverde's successor but has lost twice in six games in charge of the Spanish champions.

"This club gets enough s--- thrown at it from the outside so we shouldn't be throwing s--- at ourselves," Alba told reporters.

"Abidal was a player, he is loved by the fans and that's why he should know what it's like inside the dressing room and how players feel."

Barca have won the Cup a record 30 times and reached the last six finals but were left reflecting on their earliest exit in a decade after Inaki Williams scored the only goal deep in added time.

Alba said the team had played well and proved they were not affected by the events of the past week.

"We showed that we are a team and that's what we need to keep on doing," he added.

"I think we put in a great performance, one of the best of the season. It's a real shame we conceded the goal so late but that's what football is like. I'm very proud of the team because of how well we played."

Barca defender Gerard Pique also said the team needed to move on from the club's internal struggles.

"Everyone knows what they have done well and what they have not and now we must keep working. We need to stop biting our nose to spite our face because that won't help us," he said.

"We built this club on victories and we must do that again. We are working towards doing that, we are playing better, we're adapting to the ideas of the coach and the dressing room is as united as ever."