Football, a hope and dream for millions around the world and India is not far behind. In a country in love with Cricket, football provides job and food for many families in India as well. Haryana, a state renowned for producing many Olympic champions; is now creating football champions as well.

Alakhpura and Mangali, two small villages in Haryana are now known as the "Mini-Brazil of India" for producing hundreds of women's footballers every year. To have more knowledge on these villages and players from there, Sportz Point got in touch with Ravi Kumar Punia, head coach of HOPS Football Club.

Alakhpura is a village in Bhiwani district and Mangali comes under Hisar district in Haryana state.

HOPS Football Club is one of the main foundation of Women's Football in Delhi and Haryana and is run by HOPS Dharam Foundation, which provides fund and support to the girls playing football in Alakhpura and Mangali.

On a daily basis, nearly 700-800 girls practice football in Alakhpura and Mangali; which is very rare in Indian Football. To surprise you more, girls form the age of 3-4 start playing football there to represent India and wear that blue jersey someday.

To support their journey, it is not only the HOPS Dharam Foundation but the families of those footballers that come up with funds and other necessary things for the players.

"Nearly 700-800 girls play football in this two villages. Along with HOPS Dharam Foundation, it is the villagers who funds the whole process. Alakhpura and Mangali have been hubs for women's football in India and we have some great players from here who are playing for India and across age groups, as well as IWL," said Ravi Kumar Punia.

"We had three players from here who were there in the Asian Games. Four players played in the U-17 Women's World Cup and multiple players are in the State championships and other leagues representing many clubs along with HOPS Football Club," Ravi added.

Sanju Yadav and Ritu Rani from Alakhpura Village were in the Asian Games squad for India along with Renu Rani who is from Mangali village.

Sanju Yadav won the AIFF Player of the Year Award back in 2019-20 season.

Not only in the senior level, players from these two villages represented India in the U-17 Women's World Cup as well. Neha, Kajol, Varshika and Shailja were part of the prestigious FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup back in 2022.

"My father is a farmer. Everything he earns goes into our football. My younger sister is a footballer as well. She also played for India U-17 team. From byuing our shoes to providing us with good nutrition, everything goes into our football. Manisha Kalyan is my idol and I started playing football watching Renu (Rani) di play:" Neha, former India U-17 and HOPS FC footballer

But, what is the reason behind so many women's footballers coming from these two villages? HOPS FC Coach Ravi Punia came up with an honest answer. "Football gives them hope for a better future. Football provides jobs, and runs their families," Ravi told Sportz Point.

"All of these footballers come from very poor families. Most of their fathers are farmers. So, football gives them a chance for a better life. We have 22 girls from Mangali who have got Government jobs playing football along with more than 50 footballers from Alakhpura village."

"And, obviously, who does not want to see their daughters playing for India? That is why more and more families let their daughters play football from a young age in these two villages," Ravi Kumar Punia expressed.

Also Read: IWL 2023-24: HOPS FC hand East Bengal their third defeat of the season

Though all of these things look like a script out of any Bollywood movie, running a football hub like that with players from poor families is easier said than done. From professional coaching, and nutrition to injury prevention; you need to have everything covered. That is when people like Sonika Bijaria come in the rescue.

Sonika, who is the head coach of the Alakhpura FC, does not let any points go unticked. In an interview with Aljazeera in 2018, she said, "We practise twice every day, even on Sundays. And every member of the village makes sure we have things we need in place."

The girls practice once in the the morning before going to school and then pratices again after coming back from school. In these villages, milk, curd and chickpeas are easily available, so the players are highly dependent on this diet.

Along with Sonika, Narendra coaches the girls from Mangali village, who is an AIFF D-License coach.

"Both Sonika and Narendar do a wonderful job in providing everything for the players. From coaching them to guiding them with nutrition, they have been covering everything."

"When it comes to injury prevention and other medical things, we set up physiotherapy camps on regular occasion and HOPS Foundation helps us if anything serious happens to a player," Ravi told Sportz Point.

Also Read: Indian Football News: Chhangte and Manisha Kalyan win the AIFF Player Of the Year award

With the potential, these two villages have, Ravi now wants more support and exposure for the players, especially those who are doing well.

"Sometimes the moral support is lacking. We need that for the players who are doing well at various tournaments and leagues. Players who are going out from the villages and getting selected in the various camps and teams, we just want them to play more. So, the request from us would be, give them the chance and exposure, if you feel they are good players," Ravi expressed.

After returning with only one point against Tripura in Agaratala in their third match, Bengal will again, for the second time in this Ranji Trophy 2025-26 will have to look for a new captain. Not only that, they will have to add a new wicket-keeper batter after Abishek Porel’s India-A call-up for the Rising Star Asia Cup tournament in Qatar.

Mistakes cost Bengal six points

Okay, if not six, it definitely cost Bengal 3 points. Three dropped catches, and among them, three from the stand-in captain, Abishek Porel. Hanuma Vihari, who scored a three-point winning 141, was dropped twice by wicket-keeper Abishek Porel, one off Mohammed Kaif and one off his cousin brother Ishan Porel.

Later on, Anustup Majumdar could not hold on to a tough one of Vijay Shankar in the wide first slip as well. These mistakes allowed Tripura to make a comeback in the match. From 53/5, they scored 385 to earn their first point of the season.

If Bengal could hold onto those chances, they were surely in for six points, with Mohammed Kaif and Ishan Porel looking in rhythm, obviously alongside Mohammed Shami.

Sudip Gharami might become the captain for the Railways match

Since Abishek Porel will be in the India-A team for the Rising Star Asia Cup, Bengal will have to look for a new captain for the second time in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 this season. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was named the captain ahead of the season, is currently unavailable till the Assam match due to India-A duties, and till then, Sudip Gharami might be made the captain of the side.

Sudip last year led Bengal in the white-ball format, and Bengal played in the knockouts of the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well under his captaincy. Although there is Anustup Majumdar, who can be captain as well, it is unlikely that the 41-year-old batter would take the responsibility just for one match.

Read Also: Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 recap: Tripura shocks Bengal with tons from Vihari and Mura; Tripura 3, Bengal 1

Now, to replace Abishek Porel, Bengal will not only need a captain, but they will have to add a wicket-keeper batter as well. Keepers like Agniv Pan, Suvankar Bal, who have first-class experience, can be options as well. Meantime, U-19 or U-23 keepers can be called up for the Railways too.

Shami might not travel to Surat

During the press conference after the match against Gujarat, Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla had said to the media that it is not possible to expect Mohammed Shami will play all the matches of the season. Now, after playing three consecutive matches and going wicketless for the first time this season against Tripura, there will be a question about his workload.

So, the calculations might end up with Mohammed Shami not travelling to Surat for the match against Railways. It is unlikely that Bengal will add some other bowlers from outside the current squad. In that case, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal can come into the playing XI, with Sumit Mohanta continuing as a backup pacer.

Bengal will leave for Surat on 5th November.

When is the Railways vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match?

The Railways vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match will be played from 8th November 2025 to 11 November 2025 at Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat.

Three dropped catches, a solid 25th first-class ton from Hanuma Vihari, and wicketless Mohammed Shami - these were the highlights of day 3, Tripura vs Bengal, Group C, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match at Maharaja Bir Bikram Stadium in Agartala. Hanuma Vihari’s unbeaten 128 took Tripura close to Bengal’s 336 in the first as the home side finished on 273/7 at the end of day 3.

Bengal were bundled for 336

Bengal could only add one more run to their overnight score as Tripura captain Manishankar Murasingh’s fifth ball of the first over kept a bit low and castled the stumps of Shahbaz Ahmed, who was dismissed on 40. Despite a 108 from Sudip Gharami and 95 from Shakir Habib Gandhi, Bengal had to be satisfied with 336 in the first inning. Murasingh finished with 3 wickets, as did Rana Dutta.

Five balls are all it took for Tripura to trigger the innings break. Shahbaz Ahmed has his stumps broken.

336 it is. #BENvTPA #RanjiTrophy @sportstarweb pic.twitter.com/NFA5B6oveR

— Santadeep Dey (@SantadeepDey) November 3, 2025

Excellent start from Bengal

Everyone knew with the form Tripura batters were in and the strength of the Bengal bowling lineup, 336 was a good total on the board. Although Mohammed Shami did not strike in the first hour, it was his brother Mohammed Kaif, who took three early wickets to send the Tripura top order back to the pavilion.

Kaif dismissed Bikram Kumar Das on 19, who tried to guide the ball towards third man and played down the ball onto the stumps. Ishan Porel then rattled the stumps of Hrituraj Ghosh Roy with an inswinger, and Bengal had the early momentum.

Photo of the day already!

Mohammed Kaif, the brother of Mohammed Shami cleans up the stumps of Tripura batter Sridam Paul on Day 2 of Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 in Agartala.

LIVE: https://t.co/15rxkA01gL#RanjiTrophy @sportz_point pic.twitter.com/v3D2bDOJ9c

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) November 3, 2025

Kaif then had a double wicket over to break into the middle order of the Tripura batting lineup. Sridam Paul could not gauge the inswinger from Kaif and lost his stumps, while Bikramjit Debanth was trapped in front of the stumps by the medium pacer two balls later.

Shahbaz Ahmed then outfoxed Swapnil Singh to lure him out of the crease, and Abishek Porel did the rest to make it 53/5 before lunch.

Read also: Indian Cricket team's performance in every ICC Women's World Cup

Hanuma Vihar’s steady ton kept Tripura in the match

With a chance of follow-on lurking on their mind, Hanuman Vihari, the 12-Test experienced professional from Andhra Pradesh, took Tripura out of the misery. However, Vihari gave two chances before making the innings look solid and perfect.

First, it was debutant wicket-keeper batter Sentu Sarkar, who looked good and provided solid support to Vihari. Their partnership of 40 off 87 balls steadied the ship a bit, though they were not out of trouble by any means. Sentu was dismissed by Bengal’s debutant Rahul Prasad, which made the scoreboard look 93/6.

Fifty for Hanuma Vihari, his first of the season.

Apart from one chance off Mohammed Kaif, he has looked good.

Tripura 117/6 against Bengal. Mohammed Shami is yet to take a wicket. #RanjiTrophy

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) November 3, 2025

Read Also: ICC Women's World Cup Past Winners & Most Successful Teams

Dropped catches gave Tripura an opening

A ball from Mohammed Kaif hit Abishek Porel’s left leg and he was forced to leave the field on Day 3 of Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match.

Shakir Habib Gandhi has replaced him behind the stumps.

Will this hurt this chance to get into the ACC Rising Star tournament? pic.twitter.com/P73iIpH7wv

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) November 3, 2025

First on 33, Abishek Porel could not hold on to a tough chance to his right as Kaif produced a ripper to find the edge of Hanuma Vihari. Then, on 53, it was Bengal’s stand-in captain Abishek Porel again, who missed a dolley off Ishan Porel to hand Vihari another life.

Meantime, Vijay Shankar kept on hitting occasional boundaries with the pain in his hamstring. Bengal then again had a chance to get Shankar out, but Anustup Majumdar dropped a tough chance at wide first slip to give him a chance.

Abishek Porel, who had gone out after getting injured, returned as a fielder and took a good catch to finally dismiss Vijay Shankar on 34. Kaif, with this fourth one of the inning, proved why he was a good inclusion to the playing XI.

Vihari then did not give any chance and reached his 25th first-class ton in a classy manner to keep the fight on for Tripura. Captain Manisankar Murasingh also added an unbeaten, valuable 42 off 75 to give him the support.

Bengal look to strike early with the new ball

In the final hour of the day, Bengal deliberately slowed the game down to wait for a new ball. They want to strike with the new ball early on the final day and grab those three points. But, between them and those three points will be a steady Hanuma Vihari and a calm Manisankar Murasingh.

Bengal needs three wickets while Tripura requires 63 runs in a battle for three points in Agartala. Check our LIVE blog to check real-time updates of Day 4.

After finishing Day 1 of Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match on 171/1, Bengal batters will now look to bat till the end of Day 2 to ensure they bat only once in the match. However, the rain, poor light, and adverse weather conditions may impact the progress of Day 2’s action at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Stadium in Agartala, Tripura.

Match details

Match: Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Round 3

Date: 1-4 November 2025

Time: 8.30 am IST

Venue: Mahraja Bir Bikram Cricket Stadium, Agartala

Where to watch the match?

There will be no LIVE telecast or streaming of this match. However, you can follow the match on our LIVE blog.

What happened on Day 1?

Tripura captain Manisankar Murasingh won the toss and asked the Bengal team to bat first under a bit cloudy and gloomy conditions. As we had already revealed in our preview, all-rounder Rahul Prasad made his first-class debut, Kazi Junaid Saifi and Shakir Habib Gandhi replaced Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sudip Chatterjee, while Mohammed Kaif replaced Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal in the playing XI. Tripura also made three changes to their lineup from the last match.

Tripura’s decision to bowl first came into action when Abhijit Sarkar dismissed Kazi Junaid Saifi in the second over of the inning. The controversial dismissal saw batter Saifi being dissatisfied with the decision and also receiving a caution from the match referee.

Tripura’s start would have been perfect if Hrituraj Roy had not dropped an easy catch in the second slip off Rana Dutta when Sudip Gharami was on 20.

Gharami made sure he paid them back with a solid inning of 70 off 169 balls while striking his third consecutive fifty of the season.

But it was Shakir Habib Gandhi, who, went against his nature, started slow, and coped a few on the body to ensure Bengal did not lose any other wicket after the early dismissal. Gandhi took time, and they capitalised on loose balls and hit boundaries against the spin bowling to reach his maiden first-class fifty.

Bengal reached 150/1 in 52 overs when tea was called, with Sudip Kumar Gharami 65(150) and Shakir Habib Gandhi 70(158) starting to add some quick runs. Post tea, only when Habib started to become more aggressive, the clouds came, and only 8 more overs could have been bowled before the umpires called it a day.

Read Also: Exclusive Tripura vs Bengal: Shami vs Vihari; flatter pitch, and a new captain in focus in Tripura.

Day 1’s play of Tripura vs Bengal Ranji Trophy match in Agartala was called off due to bad light!

There is also a chance of rain tomorrow! #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/gc3Azp3GWz

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) November 1, 2025

Bengal’s plan on Day 2

After the end of Day 1’s play, Bengal batter Sudip Gharami shared with Sportz Point that the wicket is good to bat on, but the early morning dew made the ball seam a bit. Moreover, the disciplined bowling from Tripura also made it tougher for them to score early in the first session.

But, as the sun came out, the pitch got easier, and there was not that much of a threat from the Tripura bowlers as well. On Bengal’s plan for day 2, batter Shakir Habib Gandhi told Sportz Point, “We would look to bat the entire Day 2 and score as much as possible and then look to bowl them out twice in this match.”

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However, as we write this report, Agartala has already seen a slight drizzle, and a forthcoming rain on Day 2 might massacre the plans of the Bengal team as they will have to play a tight game with time and weather alongside the Tripura team.

Day 1 score summary: 

Day 1: Stumps - Bengal: 171/1 (60 overs) | Sudip Kumar Gharami 70(169), Shakir Habib Gandhi 82(187)

Fall of wickets: Kazi Saifi 0 (1.4 overs, 4-1)

Bengal (Playing XI): Sudip Kumar Gharami, Kazi Saifi, Shakir Habib Gandhi, Anustup Majumdar, Abishek Porel(w/c), Sumanta Gupta, Shahbaz Ahmed, Rahul Hari Prasad, Mohammed Kaif, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Porel.

Tripura (Playing XI): Bikramkumar Das, Hrituraj Roy, Sridam Paul, Hanuma Vihari, Vijay Shankar, Swapnil Singh, Manisankar Murasingh(c), Sentu Sarkar(w), Rana Dutta, Abhijit K Sarkar, Bikramjit Debnath

In round three of Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Bengal will face Tripura at Mahraja Bir Bikram Cricket Stadium in Agartala, Tripura, in quest for their third win in a row. In the meantime, the home team will look for their first point after a disappointing successive defeats in the first two games of the season. Mohammed Shami, who is eyeing a return to the Indian squad, will be a key attraction along with his battle against Hanuma Vihari and Vijay Shankar, who will be playing for Tripura.

Match details

Match: Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Round 3

Date: 1-4 November 2025

Time: 8.45 am IST

Venue: Mahraja Bir Bikram Cricket Stadium, Agartala

Where to watch the match?

Unfortunately, there will be no LIVE telecast or streaming of this match. However, you can follow the match on our LIVE blog, starting from tomorrow.

Tripura vs Bengal: Head-to-head

Bengal have defeated Tripura by an innings in both the matches they have faced each other so far.

Shami vs Vihari: A key battle to watch out for

It was in 2022 when Hanuma Vihari played for India in Test cricket. Since then, the right-handed batter has not been able to do something big to make a return to the Indian colours. He, along with former Tamil Nadu star Vijay Shankar and Swapnil Singh from Punjab, has joined Tripura to strengthen the squad.

Although Swapnil Singh was able to get seven wickets in the first innings against Haryana, in a match that only lasted 115 overs, ducks from Vihari and Shankar got them all out on 47 in the second inning.

Now, to face a red-hot Mohammed Shami, who has already taken 15 wickets in the two games so far, Tripura's batting will not have to survive but do more than that to put up a fight.

“Yes, he (Shami) has been in great form and is a legend, but when you get set on a wicket, it gets easier. So, our batters will have to forget the last game and play on the merit of the ball,” Tripura captain Manishankar Mura Singh told Sportz Point at the end of matchday-1’s practice.

As per some of the Tripura Cricket Association’s officials, there will be near about 1500-2000 people present at the ground to watch the Shami vs Hanuma Vihari battle. And the numbers may increase if Shami bowls well.

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Read Also: Exclusive: What did Mohammed Shami do in the first training session ahead of Tripura vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy match?

Flatter pitch awaits Bengal

First thing Tripura wanted was less grass on the pitch, with Bengal having ‘one of the best pace bowling units in India’ as mentioned for Abhimanyu Easwaran before the start of the season.

The pitch on Friday looked like a flatter one, but there is no guarantee of that unless and until we see the first few overs bowled on Day 1. The pitch might get lower and slower as the game progresses.

“Not sure about the pitch. Yes, we would like to have something flat. But, we can not predict that unless a few overs have been bowled. It would be the start of the home season, and let’s hope the wicket plays good,” Mura Singh said.

The spin factor in the latter days of the match can force Bengal to go for an added spinner in Rahul Prasad, who might make his first-class debut. The offspinner is handy with the bat as well and will be the main spinner alongside Shahbaz Ahmed, who had a long batting session on both days of practice.

Mohammed Kaif, the brother of Mohammed Shami, can also make a return to the playing XI, replacing Akash Deep in the playing XI.

Kazi Junaid Saifi might be the one replacing injured Sudip Chatterjee at the top, with either Shakir Habib Gandhi or Saurabh Singh playing in the middle order. Aditya Purohit, who was added to the quad after Easwaran left for India-A, had long batting sessions and can also make his first-class debut tomorrow.

Read Also: Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Bengal vs Uttarakhand recap: Shami picks up seven in the match, Bengal earn 6 points

Captain Porel in focus

In the absence of Abhimanyu Easwaran, who will be in action during the second India-A vs South Africa-A match, Abishek Porel, the 23-year-old wicket-keeper batter, will lead the Bengal side.

Porel has captained Bengal U-16 and U-19s in the past, but this will be his captaincy debut for the senior team after he led the side in a single Buchi Babu Tournament match in the preseason.

“I love responsibility. I thank C.A.B. and Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da for entrusting me with the role. It will be a privilege to lead the Bengal team,” Abishek told Sportz Point.

Interestingly, he will lead his cousin, elder brother Ishan Porel, alongside senior players like Mohammed Shami and Anustup Majumdar.

15 wickets, one five-wicket haul, and many questions answered, Mohammed Shami looked at his best in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season so far. Ahead of the much-anticipated announcement of the Indian Test squad for the upcoming South Africa series at home, Shami will have another go at Tripura to prove his worth.

When is the Tripura vs Bengal Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match?

After clinching 12 points from their first two games - against Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Bengal will look to make it three in a row against Tripura at Majaraja Bir Bikram Stadium in Agartala, Tripura, from 1st November onwards.

Tripura have lost their first two games and sit at number eight on the points table of Group C. However, the team from Eastern India would love to turn their fortunes in their favour in their home conditions, despite Bengal having a star-studded lineup. The match will start at 8.45 am IST.

Read Also: Last 10 winners of the Ranji Trophy

What did Mohammed Shami do in the first training session in Tripura?

The news was already in the air that Mohammed Shami was in town, and a few fans started arriving at the Majaraja Bir Bikram Stadium from early morning to get a glimpse of the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history for India. They had to wait for a bit, but they got their first look at Shami and waited long enough to get some selfies with the speedster as well.

All the pacers - Mohammed Shami, Ishan Porel, and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal did not bowl today at the nets. Shami came out of the dressing room 15 minutes after the nets started and had a few long conversations with head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla and bowling coach Shibshankar Paul.

Read Also: Fast, accurate and fearless: Nuruddin Mondal bowling bouncer to life every day

Shami stood at the bowler's end and even guided Bengal batters whenever they played a false shot in the nets. Not only that, he also had a close look at bowlers Sumit Mohanta and his brother, Md. Kaif, who is travelling with the squad as well.

After that, head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla asked Shami to have a look at the pitch, which will be in talk after the pacer was not fully satisfied with the home pitch at Eden Gardens, where he wanted a greener surface. Shami and Shukla took a look at the wicket and even had a long discussion with the groundsmen.

The rumours are that Tripura will make sure they make it harder for the Indian pacer to make an impact in the match, as the pitch might turn out to be a low and slow one. Spin might be in action from the early days of the four-day match.

At the end of the nets, Shami was seen having a few throw-downs from the local net bowlers and sharpened his batting timing, in case it is required in the match.