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Borussia Dortmund's Diant Ramaj has declared he will not return to the German club just to be second choice goalkeeper next season.

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• Ramaj makes bold statement after impressive spell with Copenhagen
• German goalkeeper not interested in a backup role at Dortmund
• Calls himself the 'best goalkeeper of the young generation'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Riding high in confidence after a stupendous spell with Copenhagen, Ramaj made some bold claims in an interview with . The German goalkeeper is demanding a regular role at the club next season, claiming he's the best young goalkeeper available.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After completing a move to Bundesliga in the 2024-25 winter transfer window from Ajax, Ramaj was loaned out immediately to Danish club Copenhagen. The German's loan spell worked wonders for both the player and club as they went on to complete the double, winning the league title and Danish Cup. Now, with his loan spell ending, he has voiced his opinion on his future making it clear that he wants regular football.

• WHAT DIANT RAMAJ SAID

  The shot stopper said: "I really enjoyed the season in Copenhagen; what we've achieved is fantastic. And one thing's clear to me: I have to keep playing, get minutes, and match practice. Therefore, one thing's clear to me: I'm not sitting on the bench in Dortmund! It's clear to me that I won't be coming to Dortmund to line up at the back, that I have no chance of playing behind Gregor Kobel. I have to play."

  He added: "I said I'm the best goalkeeper of the young generation. And I think I've proven that in the past few months!"

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DORTMUND?

  First choice goalkeeper Kobel has reportedly been a transfer target for Chelsea, but after Dortmund's Champions League qualification under Niko Kovac, the German saw a resurgence and is expected to stay. That could see Ramaj push for a summer transfer.

A majority of India’s players sport one these days. Can you identify them from their beards?

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2017

David Moyes has come into the Everton hot-seat and been just the breath of fresh air needed to pull the Toffees away from relegation danger, with a draw to Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out signalling his side’s eighth straight game in the Premier League without defeat.

Whilst many faces in the Everton camp looked dejected and lost towards the end of Sean Dyche’s troubled tenure, a large portion of the Blues first team personnel now look rejuvenated under the Scotsman’s newer methods, with Beto one star very much benefitting from the inspired managerial switch-up having now scored six top-flight strikes.

But, a renewed belief is coursing throughout the team at this moment in time, with a defensive star really sticking out as another figure who has taken to the return of Moyes.

Jake O'Brien's improvements under Moyes at Everton

Whilst the Toffees weren’t exactly leaking goals for fun under the dogged managerial style of Dyche, some of the defenders at Goodison Park have shown signs of improvement already under the ex-West Ham United boss.

That is definitely the case for Jake O’Brien, with the young Irishman a regular on the bench under the previous regime, only to now be a solid first-team option.

The former Olympique Lyonnais defender even grabbed his first-ever Toffees goal on the road at Brentford to finish a sterling February on the best possible note, with that month also seeing him star against Manchester United with five duels being won, on top of a clean sheet being collected at home to Leicester City.

Therefore, it looks now as if Everton have a fantastic long-term candidate to be their right-back, with both Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman towards the end of their careers, compared to the ever-improving O’Brien who has a valuation of £13m according to Transfermarkt.

Amazingly, the breakout star at the back is now worth more than a former Toffees star who was sold for a big fee to a Premier League rival back in 2022.

The Everton "machine" now worth less than O'Brien

Everton have sold on a number of players over recent years for high fees, with Amadou Onana’s name sticking out from last summer’s bumper transfer window, having won the Merseysiders £50m when he moved onto pasture new with Aston Villa.

This isn’t the only time Villa and the Toffees have had a healthy working relationship, however, with former owner Farhad Moshiri losing French full-back Lucas Digne to the Villans in January of 2022, costing the West Midlands side £25m in the process.

The Frenchman was a beloved figure when he was strutting his stuff at Goodison, with Digne going on to notch up six goals and 20 assists across 127 appearances, before inevitably breaking hearts when a move to Villa came calling.

Whilst the 31-year-old has taken to his new challenge at Villa Park well, Everton definitely hit gold selling the ex-Barcelona “machine” – as he was once lauded by football journalist Ty Bracey – when they did.

Why? Well, his steep £25m valuation has taken a hit the more his Villans career goes on.

Whilst Digne has continued to be an exciting option down the left flank with four goals and 14 assists tallied up, his valuation has slipped all the way down to a lesser £10m as per Transfermarkt, representing a £15m decrease.

He has also looked shaky at points this season for Unai Emery’s men in Premier League action, with only two clean sheets coming his way from 28 encounters a worrying statistic to chew over.

Whilst Digne is still remembered as a stellar defender throughout his time on Merseyside, Everton did cash in at the best possible time with hindsight firmly on their side, as Moyes goes about picking up more and more positive results at Goodison with his revitalised troops.

Rooney 2.0: Everton could soon unleash "incredible" 17-year-old Beto rival

Everton fans will be excited about the potential of this youngster.

By
Kelan Sarson

Mar 9, 2025

Caleb Jewell made 227 and Beau Webster made 100 while Aaron Hardie bowled just four overs due to a tight calf and Cameron Green concede seven per over

AAP and ESPNCricinfo18-Feb-2024Tasmanian opener Caleb Jewell’s maiden double century, sealed with a slice of luck, has effectively batted Western Australia out of their Sheffield Shield clash at Bellerive Oval.Beau Webster also posted his 10th first-class century and his second of the season as the Tigers lead Western Australia by 449 runs with two wickets remaining ahead of the final day.Jewell, dropped without scoring on Saturday, began the day on 98 and enjoyed two more slices of luck on the way to a career-best 227. Wicketkeeper Josh Philippe dropped a chance when the left-hander was on 165. He was then caught with his weight on the wrong foot as an edge flew between him and first slip to bring up Jewell’s 200.Jewell and Webster kept coming at a tiring WA attack who couldn’t find much life in the Blundstone Arena wicket. They put on 183 before Bradley Hope’s unbeaten 56 rubbed salt into the WA’s wounds.Joel Paris was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets while Cameron Green went for more than seven an over as Jewell scored the sixth-highest first-class score by a Tasmanian.’It probably hasn’t really sunk in yet, what’s happened,” Jewell said.”I just woke up at the start of the day pretty nervous about getting those first two runs, but [I’m] very happy.”Hopefully I can make the most of it and get another [big score] soon.”He was cagey when asked what the plan would be on Monday. A victory would go some way to securing the table-topping Tigers’ position with two rounds until the final.”I’m sure we’ll have a bowl at some stage tomorrow. We’re still trying to win this game,” he said.”With fresh bowlers and a new ball, we can do some damage.”WA coach Adam Voges said Aaron Hardie (calf) was sent from the field and unable to bowl as a precaution but would bat on Monday if required.

Over the last six years, Rangana Herath and R Ashwin have racked up astounding – and astoundingly similar – numbers while reviving the art of fingerspin. On Wednesday, they will cross paths again at a venue that holds a special place in both their hearts

Sidharth Monga in Galle24-Jul-20172:06

Rangana Herath: Sri Lanka’s trump card

On July 2, 2009, Rangana Herath was about to go to his gym in Stoke-on-Trent in northern England. He was 31, a veteran of 94 first-class matches, but only 14 of them were Tests. He wasn’t really expecting to add to that tally any time soon.Not yet an international cricketer, having made his IPL debut two months previously, R Ashwin was perhaps going through the previews to gear up to watch India play an ODI in the West Indies on July 3 and then the Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle from July 4.Herath’s phone rang. They wanted him in Galle. Muttiah Muralitharan had been injured, they needed a support bowler for the man supposed to take over from him, Ajantha Mendis. It was a matter of minutes. A little later, and that call could have gone unanswered for an hour at least. Perhaps Herath wasn’t the most punctual to go to the gym, which you can imagine he didn’t quite look forward to. The crucial fact is, the phone was in his pocket and not in his bag as it would have been a few minutes later. He was able to answer that call, drive five hours to London and make the flight, which he might not have been able to do an hour later. He flew economy, and made it to Galle on the morning of the Test. Had Sri Lanka lost the toss, Herath might have had to shake off his jet lag on the field.Six years later, their paths crossed in Galle. Ashwin was going through a strange patch in his career. He had excellent numbers but had also missed seven out of India’s last 13 Tests, played in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. He was not happy about being left out. Inside he raged. He wondered why he had to sit out if the fast bowlers couldn’t finish a Test in South Africa. Or why the batsmen’s failures in England resulted in his being dropped in Australia.Herath had already gone through all of that twice over. Even after coming back and becoming Sri Lanka’s rescuer at the age of 31, he would find himself left out of sides inexplicably. The finals of the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 World T20, despite good performances. If Ashwin was despondent or nervous coming into Galle in 2015, he could do well to learn from the quiet perseverance of Herath.In this match, Ashwin took 10 wickets, including six on the first day, but he and India were outdone by Herath and Sri Lanka. Watching Herath, Ashwin learned an important lesson: to not give up the stumps, to sometimes strive to turn the ball less. The difference perhaps was the hours and hours of bowling experience Herath had gained by bowling in first-class cricket before he finally got his chance. Ashwin didn’t have to wait so long for success; when he was denied it, he would become restless and try to turn the ball harder. Ashwin was now learning to wait for his time.R Ashwin took ten wickets in his last Galle Test, in 2015, but ended up on the losing side thanks to Rangana Herath’s wiles•AFPSince then, between them, aided by changing techniques because of DRS and in part by changing pitches, Ashwin and Herath have made fingerspin great again. It can be argued that Ravindra Jadeja is more than just support cast – he is in fact No. 1 on ICC charts right now – but the two outstanding bowlers over the last six years have been Ashwin and Herath. Since Ashwin’s debut, they have played 49 Tests each and have near-identical numbers in those Tests: 275 wickets for Ashwin and 274 for Herath, 25 five-fors each, seven and eight 10-wicket match hauls. Herath is slightly more miserly, but Ashwin has taken fewer deliveries for each strike. Herath has set up Test wins in South Africa and England, Ashwin has been Man of the Series in Sri Lanka and the West Indies.Before the two, the pre-eminent spinners in the world were either wristspinners or fingerspinners with a bit of mystery about them. Fingerspinners without mystery were there just to tie one end up until the pitch started doing things for them. The most mystery these two have ever carried in their kitbags is the carrom ball, whose oldest known practitioner, without going as far back as Jack Iverson, is Herath and whose best proponent today, arguably, is Ashwin. Yet, in Test matches, in these days of close video analysis, there is hardly any mystery to the carrom ball.A lot of their mystery now is in trying to control the amount of turn they impart on the ball. It is not an exact science, but they are adept at giving the ball the best chance to turn less should they need that variation. They change their seam angles and points of release subtly. As a few batsmen have acknowledged, you can exhaust yourself countering one mode of their attack, and then suddenly, just like that, they unleash another.They use different arms. One is pudgy, the other is tall. One is likely to share a laugh about his pudginess, the other remains on the edge. One is trying to maximise whatever little Test cricket is left in his 39-year-old body, the other is at his prime, physically and mentally. Yet they are more similar in their styles and their stories than you would think. Back now in Galle, a landmark venue for both of them, they resume the contest to find out who the best bowler of this decade is. Herath will be at a disadvantage because his support is not as robust as Ashwin’s, because his body is less likely to stand the strain of three Tests in three weeks, and because his side nearly lost to Zimbabwe last week, but then again he was at a similar disadvantage the day he answered Kumar Sangakkara’s call in Stoke-on-Trent.

The reason for Amad Diallo giving fans the middle finger during Manchester United’s post-season trip to Malaysia has been revealed.

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• Red Devils playing friendlies in the Far East
• Suffered shock defeat in the first of those
• Players subjected to abuse by those in crowd

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils, on the back of a forgettable Premier League campaign that delivered a 15th-place finish, endured more misery when suffering a shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Star team after arriving in the Far East.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Frustrated players and coaches were not in the mood to deal with supporters – some of whom had jeered them from the stands – when making their way back to the team bus. Amad cut a seriously frustrated figure.

• WHAT A SOURCE SAID

  He was caught on camera aiming a middle-fingered salute towards a person in the crowd, with the claiming that the Ivorian winger was responding to “serious personal abuse”.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The Mail say that while “the exact nature of the exchange has not come to light”, Red Devils star Amad “was left very upset”. He did not have a smile on his face when fans captured a photo of United players in an elevator, with Alejandro Garnacho delivering the same gesture as Amad – although his actions were slightly more jovial.

Mikel Arteta has acknowledged it. Nuno Santo acknowledged it in midweek. The whole world knows what the issue is at Arsenal Football Club right now.

2024 saw a progressive year for the Gunners. The back end of last season was met with one defeat as they not only scored goals galore but were resolute defensively, ensuring the team’s title challenge went down to the Premier League’s final day.

They scored six at West Ham, five against Burnley, four versus Newcastle and six against Sheffield United during a run of four devastating matches at the back end of February and the beginning of March.

How much difference a year makes? Now, the club can’t buy a goal for love nor money. Mikel Merino’s double is the only two goals Arsenal have scored over their last three games, subsequently losing 1-0 to West Ham and then playing out a 0-0 stalemate with top-four hopefuls Nottingham Forest.

So, where’s it all gone wrong?

How Arteta has tried to revive Arsenal's attack in 2025

Coming into the winter transfer window Arsenal knew they were a body light. Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury suffered against Crystal Palace back in November ensured they were without their golden boy.

Still, Jason Ayto – their interim sporting director – and the club’s ownership didn’t appear to be in a great hurry. That was, until, Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for the season having sustained an ACL injury in the FA Cup.

With the Brazilian down and out, Arsenal now arguably needed two attackers. Rumours came and went. A move for Alexander Isak was never going to materialise and it was thought as though getting long-term target Benjamin Sesko out of RB Leipzig in January was going to be a tough ask. They may still pursue the Slovenian in the summer but that will be too little too late as far as 2024/25 is concerned.

The window ended with no one arriving. Fans groaned, fans moaned, fans gesticulated aggressively at the Emirates Stadium. Then came the biggest blow of all. Kai Havertz. The man who Arteta claimed that “his robustness and his availability is unbelievable.”

It would appear as though that was a cursed comment. Just a week later, during Arsenal’s warm weather camp in Dubai, the German suffered a hamstring injury. He’s now out for the season too.

All of a sudden, with Gabriel Martinelli also on the sidelines, the Gunners were now down to bare bones. So, what’s been the solution? Arguably, there hasn’t been one.

Against Leicester, it was a front three of Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. Nwaneri was a menace, providing chance after chance and rattling the post in the second half. Trossard was ineffective up top and Sterling was withdrawn for Mikel Merino. Imagine that.

Merino, however, was the saviour. He scored twice courtesy of delicious assists from Nwaneri and Trossard. Since then, Arsenal have been toothless.

The idea of fielding the Spaniard up top, a player with a similar wirey build to Havertz certainly makes sense but he’s not a centre-forward, far from it.

Against Nottingham Forest, we even saw left-back Riccardo Calafiori drifting into central pockets in offensive zones, notably rattling the woodwork with a fine first-half effort. His erratic defending, however, saw him withdrawn at the break.

So, this will probably be the story for the rest of the season. How they must rue selling some of their finest Hale End talent? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, but there’s one who now happens to be outscoring the aforementioned Isak…

Arsenal must regret selling Hale End superstar

Hale End has proven to be a consistent production line for Arsenal in recent years. It was Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who saved Arteta when he first arrived in N5 and now he’s getting the same level of performance from two further Hale Enders; Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Sadly, the Gunners have already cashed in on a player making greater strides than both of them this term.

That happens to be Mika Biereth. You’ve all heard of him now, but you probably didn’t while he was learning his trade in the academy set-up.

Signed from Fulham, the centre-forward walked straight into the U21 side where he scored 12 times in 26 outings. Those numbers are hardly awe-inspiring.

There were a number of loan spells during that time, featuring for Dutch side RKC Waalwijk and enjoying a fruitful time at Motherwell and Sturm Graz last term, scoring 15 times and supplying nine assists across his spells with both clubs in 2023/24.

Truth be told, Arsenal have been pretty rubbish at loaning out players and growing their value but they were able to do so on this occasion, eventually selling the Denmark youth international last summer to Sturm Graz for just £4m.

After a first half of the year where he lit up Austrian football once again, bagging 11 league goals in 16 games and two Champions League goals, he was on the move again.

Over the winter, Monaco came calling, paying £10.8m for his signature which looks like an absolute bargain considering his form now.

In the words of former GOAL reporter Robin Bairner, the 22-year-old’s “form continues to be absolutely crazy” having scored ten times in seven games including three remarkable hat-tricks.

That makes him the joint-most prolific player in Europe’s top five leagues throughout 2025. He’s been so good that he’s outscoring the aforementioned Isak and Liverpool’s man of the moment, Mo Salah.

It’s safe to say that Biereth’s tale is a fascinating one. At Arsenal, he wasn’t generating much hype but there was clearly a talented goalscorer there.

To cash in for just £4m, in hindsight, was a mistake, but very few at Colney will have expected the young Dane to flourish quite as he has done now.

Arsenal can finally end Merino experiment by unleashing "deadly" Hale Ender

The prolific youngster deserves his first start amid Mikel Merino’s inclusion as a striker for Arsenal.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 2, 2025

Rangers have been dealt a blow as it has now emerged that a member of Europe’s elite have now made contact to sign a member of Philippe Clement’s squad as they look to bolster their own ranks in the coming months.

Rangers improving too late

Rangers have seen an upturn in form recently, but remain well off the pace in the hunt for the Scottish Premiership title. Though they beat Celtic 3-0 in the last meeting between the two sides, they remain 10 points behind Brendan Rodgers’ side, who also boast a game in hand on their rivals.

Well clear of anyone else and sitting in second place, it is threatening to be another trophyless season for Clement’s side. Meanwhile, a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League has left Rangers’ chances of automatic qualification into the next round of the competition hanging by a thread.

Big Dessers upgrade: Rangers eye up move for "extremely talented" striker

Rangers are seeking to add more firepower this month, so could they sign an out-of-favour Premier League striker who would be Cyriel Dessers upgrade?

By
Ben Gray

Jan 28, 2025

Instead, they will need to get a result against Belgian side Union Saint Gilloise to ensure that they make it into a qualification spot for the knockout rounds despite having what many would deem a strong campaign in Europe’s secondary competition.

While the breakthrough of Hamza Igamane has been a joy for Rangers fans, it has otherwise been a tricky season to date and there are still reservations over whether Clement is the right man to take them forwards in the long term.

Rangers rocked by Chelsea's Jefte interest

Now, a fresh report has claimed that Chelsea are now plotting a potential summer move to sign exciting fullback Jefte, and have already contacted his representatives over a Stamford Bridge switch.

The Brazilian has been one of the club’s standout performances so far this season, impressing plenty at Ibrox since his arrival from Brazilian side Fluminense in the summer.

Still just 21-years-old, he has caught the attention of clubs around Europe and as per the report, Chelsea “have made initial contact with Jefte’s representatives” as they look to find an understudy for Marc Cucurella in west London.

It is added that there is also “other interest from a handful of clubs on the continent” in what could turn into a scramble for the signature of the Rangers youngster, who is believed to have penned an £8,000 a week deal at Ibrox until 2028.

Clement is understandably a big fan of Jefte, dubbing him “very talented” months after his arrival at Ibrox, but that talent may well see him depart Scotland sooner than most Rangers fans would like.

He is not the only Rangers man in the spotlight either, with teammate Igamane attracting Premier League interest too in the form of Tottenham and Everton. With that in mind, it could prove challenging for Clement and co. to hold onto their star men this summer.

New Zealand are on a five-game winning streak, but Afghanistan have just felled England in commanding fashion

Ashish Pant17-Oct-20233:17

McClenaghan: Afghanistan’s spinners will be a big threat for New Zealand

Big Picture: Two teams on a high face off

The 2019 World Cup champions have been taken down. Time for the runners-up next?Afghanistan players have time and again called India their second home. At various points, they have had their base set up at Indian venues like Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida, where they played their “home games”. IPL regulars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have always been a crowd favourite, while Naveen-ul-Haq keeps the buzz going.Which is why there was genuine excitement among the Delhi crowd when Afghanistan served defending champions England a 69-run thrashing on Sunday. It was only Afghanistan’s second-ever win in an ODI World Cup game in 18 attempts and their first since 2015.Related

• Ferguson's spell from hell

• Williamson has fractured left thumb; Blundell called in as cover

• Rashid Khan hopes for 'big celebration' in earthquake-ravaged Afghanistan

• Forget Bazball, this was Gurbazball

However, even with the confidence of a big win under their belt, Afghanistan know they have their work cut out as they run into red-hot New Zealand in Chennai. Unbeaten so far in the tournament – three wins out of three – New Zealand seem to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. But the Chennai surface could prove to be a potential banana peel against the spin trio of Rashid, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi. The three spinners lead the wicket-taking list for Afghanistan in the World Cup so far and will hope for more success on a pitch which is expected to turn.Afghanistan’s biggest issue remains their over-reliance on the top three of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah. In ODIs since the start of 2021, the trio has accounted for 52.79% of the total runs that Afghanistan have scored. Among all Full Members nations, their middle order (Nos. 4 to 7) has the lowest average: 26.00.This was on display in the game against England as well where Afghanistan collapsed from 114 for 0 to 190 for 6 before the lower order bailed them out. The likes of Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Nabi will need to step up and quick.New Zealand have far fewer problems. They come into this game on a five-match winning streak, having won each of these games rather convincingly. Their top order has fired in every game while the bowling unit looks well-rounded. Of course, Kane Williamson’s “undisplaced fracture” to his left thumb might be a cause for concern for them, especially given the nature of this Chennai pitch, but Tom Latham has proven to be an effective leader in his absence.New Zealand might be on a high, but they can’t afford to be complacent against a side that seems to have finally found its mojo.3:47

Should New Zealand look to bring Southee in?

Form guide: New Zealand on a roll

Afghanistan WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWW

In the spotlight: Mitchell Santner and Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mitchell Santner has turned his 2023 upside down and how! Coming into the World Cup, Santner had only four wickets in seven ODIs at an average of 80.25 and economy of 5.24 in 2023. Three matches into the tournament, he has already doubled that tally and is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Matt Henry with eight scalps at 15.87. He’s been excellent with his pace variations and has tied the batters down in the powerplay. Chepauk is like home away from home for Santner. He has been with the Chennai Super Kings squad in the IPL since 2019 and will want to put up another solid show on “home” territory.Mujeeb Ur Rahman did not start off the World Cup the way he wanted but did a star turn against England first with the bat and then picking up 3 for 51 to take home the Player of the Match award. He’s been Afghanistan’s joint-leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year and, having found his groove, will want to inflict more damage against New Zealand come Wednesday.

Team news: Who comes in for Williamson?

With Williamson out injured for a while, Will Young is the likely candidate to take his place in the New Zealand XI. He is likely to slot back into the opening position, with Rachin Ravindra expected to move to the No. 3 spot. Tom Latham will lead the side once more.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Tom Latham (capt, wk), 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Mark Chapman, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultCan Rashid Khan and Co spring another surprise?•Associated Press

Afghanistan are unlikely to make any changes to the playing XI that beat England convincingly.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Pitch and conditions: Turner in Chepauk?

The first game of the World Cup in Chennai, between India and Australia, was played on black-soil turner, but the second game had a lot in it for the fast bowlers. Historically, surfaces in Chennai have aided spin and that is likely to be the case on Wednesday as well.There was a slight drizzle in Chennai on the eve of the game, but the forecast is clearer on match day.

Stats and trivia

• Mitchell Santner is just one short of 100 wickets in ODIs, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman needs four wickets to reach the 100-mark in the format.
• Rashid Khan has gone wicketless just three times in ODIs in India and has picked up two or more wickets in an innings seven times in 15 innings.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz has fallen to left-arm orthodox spinners in four out of seven innings and averages just 20 against them.
• Ibrahim Zadran is just 17 short of 1000 runs in ODIs. If he gets there on Wednesday, he will be the quickest Afghanistan batter to the landmark in the format.

Quotes

“See Rahmanullah [Gurbaz] is one of the players in our team who is I believe a match-winner player. He can change the game anytime.”

Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams have been included as replacements in South Africa’s 15-man squad

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2023Fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala have been ruled out of the 2023 ODI World Cup with injuries. They have been replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams in South Africa’s 15-man squad for the tournament that begins in India on October 5.Nortje has a suspected stress fracture of the back after experiencing spasms during the second ODI against Australia earlier this month. Magala, who played only the third ODI against Australia and went for 1 for 46 in four overs, has a left-knee injury.”It’s hugely disappointing for Anrich and Sisanda to be missing out on the 50-over World Cup,” South Africa’s coach Rob Walter said. “We sympathize in their omission and will continue to provide all the necessary support as they work towards their return to competitive action.”This provides an opportunity for Andile and Lizaad on the global stage. Both players have been part of our winter programs as well as having represented South Africa in the recent white-ball tour against Australia. They offer great skill sets and we’re excited to have them complete the 15-player squad for this year’s World Cup.”Phehlukwayo played in the second and fifth ODIs against Australia. While he did not make much of an impression in the first game, he scored 38 off 19 balls to finish the innings strongly in the series finale and then took 1 for 44. Williams played three of the five matches, taking 3 for 44, 1 for 17 and 0 for 24.Nortje’s absence is a major blow for South Africa as he is their quickest bowler with substantial experience in India, where he plays for Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He played in the Major League Cricket tournament in the USA over the South African winter and was rested for the T20Is against Australia. He was then ruled out of the first ODI but played the second, bowling only five overs before leaving the field. He missed the third game after he was sent for scans and was then ruled out of the series.Magala had not played any cricket since splitting the webbing in his hand at the IPL in early April and was subsequently ruled out of the T20Is against Australia with infrapatellar tendinopathy – pain in the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shin bone. He experienced discomfort in the knee again after playing one ODI against Australia.South Africa leave for India on September 23, and play their warm-up games against Afghanistan on September 29 and New Zealand on October 2. Their first game of the tournament is against Sri Lanka on October 7.

South Africa’s ODI World Cup squad

Temba Bavuma (capt), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams