Qatar’s Al-Sadd name ex-Inter boss Mancini as new manager

Al-Sadd have appointed former Inter Milan and Italy boss Roberto Mancini as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-season deal, the Qatari club announced on Thursday. (X/@AlsaddSC)
Short Url
Updated 13 November 2025
Follow

Qatar’s Al-Sadd name ex-Inter boss Mancini as new manager

  • Mancini takes the reins at Al-Sadd, who sit sixth in the Qatari top-flight
  • His most successful spell as a manager came during his time with Inter

DOHA: Al-Sadd have appointed former Inter Milan and Italy boss Roberto Mancini as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-season deal, the Qatari club announced on Thursday.
The 60-year-old Italian returns to management over a year after leaving his role with the Saudi Arabia national team.

Mancini takes the reins at Al-Sadd, who sit sixth in the Qatari top-flight with 14 points from nine matches, eight adrift of table-toppers Al-Gharafa.
His most successful spell as a manager came during his time with Inter. He led Inter to three Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia crowns and two Supercoppa Italiana triumphs during his first spell at the club between 2004-2008.

He also guided Italy to the 2020 European Championship title and led Manchester City to their first Premier League crown in the 2011-12 campaign.
Mancini was linked with the Nottingham Forest job before the Premier League club appointed Sean Dyche in October.


Pakistan captain rules out ‘major’ squad changes before T20 World Cup 2026

Updated 07 December 2025
Follow

Pakistan captain rules out ‘major’ squad changes before T20 World Cup 2026

  • T20 World Cup will take place in India in February, with Pakistan to play its matches in Sri Lanka
  • Pakistan have recorded back-to-back T20I series victories over Sri Lanka, South Africa this year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha set his sights on winning the T20 World Cup 2026, ruling out any “major changes” to the squad before the megaevent next year. 

The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup will commence on Feb. 7 next year in India. Pakistan will play all of its matches in Sri Lanka as per a deal brokered by the ICC that allows India and Pakistan to play each other at neutral venues.

Pakistan have tried left-arm pacer Salman Mirza, brought back former captain Babar Azam to the T20I squad and tried fast bowler Naseem Shah and played several all-rounders in the squad this year, including Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf. 

“I think our roles are defined and we need to give a chance in the next six games with consistency to this playing XI and those roles, so that we can head to the World Cup with confidence,” Agha said in a podcast with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). 

“I don’t think there will be any major changes because we were keeping this World Cup in mind since the last six to seven months in the way we were practicing or selecting the players for the team,” he added. 

Pakistan will next play a three-match T20I away series against Sri Lanka before they head to the T20 World Cup. 

The South Asian country has encountered success in white-ball matches recently, winning a tri-nation series tournament against Afghanistan and the UAE in September. 

Agha also led his team to the final of the Asia Cup later the same month which they lost to India. However, he led the Green Shirts to wins against Sri Lanka and South Africa in the T20I series against both countries at home later.