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None of the players on tour to Bangladesh will play the T20 World Cup, so what lies ahead for them?

Deivarayan Muthu30-Aug-20211:32

Ben Sears: Will be awesome to make my debut in Bangladesh

Kane Williamson and co. will be in the UAE and Oman for the second chunk of IPL 2021. Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, and Colin Munro – who believes his days with New Zealand are over – are at the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) while Lockie Ferguson is recovering from Covid-19, as is Finn Allen. Head coach Gary Stead has taken a break before the T20 World Cup, with Wellington’s Glenn Pocknall standing in for him.Related

• Tom Latham ready to embrace multiple roles for New Zealand

• Pakistan pick four uncapped players for New Zealand ODIs

• Inexperienced NZ brace for big challenge against Bangladesh

• Tom Latham on Bangladesh T20Is: 'Things won't be easy over here'

• Ben Sears, the latest New Zealander in the fast lane

In the absence of a number of seniors, this is essentially a New Zealand A side, which includes some of the best performers from the Super Smash, going on twin tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan. None of the players from the Bangladesh touring party will feature in the upcoming T20 World Cup, so what do these winter tours mean to them? It will be a chance for them to press for higher honours later this year and add to New Zealand’s already enviable depth.New Zealand’s prep
They will first run into an upbeat Bangladesh team, fresh off dispatching Australia 4-1 at the spin-friendly Shere Bangla National stadium. The conditions would be similarly difficult for an inexperienced New Zealand side but, for starters, they’re certainly better prepared than the contingent that toured the country last time in 2013-14, when they were blanked 3-0 in the ODIs and managed to win the one-off T20I in the white-ball leg.Back then, New Zealand went into the third ODI in Fatullah without ever playing or training at the venue. “This is the first time in international cricket where I will turn up at the ground on the day of the match,” Ross Taylor had said. “Jacob Oram played a club game there a couple of weeks ago. He said it’s low and slow, they got 180-odd, the second team got out cheaply. We expect the bounce to deteriorate as the day goes on, but the opposite can happen too.”It was the opposite that happened, with Bangladesh shocking New Zealand by hunting down 307. New Zealand have become masters at reading – and preparing for – foreign conditions since then. Most recently they simulated the swinging conditions at home and trained with the Dukes ball before the England tour and the World Test Championship final.Ahead of this trip to Bangladesh, New Zealand simulated spin-friendly conditions during their winter camps in Mount Maunganui and Lincoln. They are also scheduled to have at least five outdoor training sessions before the series opener on September 1, but nevertheless, going toe-to-toe with a near-full-strength Bangladesh team in their backyard is a different challenge altogether.Uncapped trio in focus
The spotlight will be on the uncapped trio of Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, and Ben Sears. Ravindra, who is tipped to be the future of New Zealand batting, will return to the scene of his first Under-19 World Cup, having already been a member of the WTC-winning squad earlier this year. Ravindra, however, hasn’t played a white-ball game since he dislocated his right shoulder while turning out for Wellington Firebirds against the Canterbury Kings in the Super Smash in January.Sears, Ravindra’s Firebirds team-mate, can set the speed gun on fire and his low-arm action might not be easy to pick in the early exchanges. Canterbury captain McConchie, meanwhile, is a power-hitting middle-order batter who can also bowl handy offspin. He has been lined up to play the role that Mitchell Santner does for New Zealand.Rachin Ravindra could be in line for a debut•Munir Uz Zaman/AFPAs senior Wellington fast bowler Hamish Bennett pointed out, strong performances in Bangladesh could potentially put these players in the World Cup mix, if New Zealand have some fitness concerns in the lead-up to the tournament. If Sears razes Bangladesh with his raw pace on his first tour, he might be a wildcard pick for the T20 World Cup. Sears himself reckons he’s the “15th bowler in the country” picked for this tour because “everyone is out”, but who knows?”It sucks missing out on the World Cup team and there’s lots of guys, I’m sure every first-class cricketer in New Zealand would have wanted to make that squad,” Bennett said. “But you’ve just got to go out and show your skills in the subcontinent. If there is an injury or something does happen then hopefully your name is at the top of the list that gets the phone call. That’s all you can do.”What’s in it for Latham, Nicholls, de Grandhomme?
Stand-in captain Tom Latham and batter Henry Nicholls haven’t played a T20I since 2017 and 2019 respectively, but their ODI-style of batting and ability to throw spinners off with the sweep is perhaps better suited to the middle overs in Bangladesh, where Australia particularly struggled. Ravindra said as much after New Zealand’s training session on Saturday.”Yes, definitely [we need to have the mental shift],” Ravindra said. “Understanding that maybe getting six an over is a good result here whereas in New Zealand facing a spinner if you are taking eight-ten runs then that is a good result. Now, I understand our expectation for scoring runs, especially through the middle of the innings needs to be down a bit and if we look their series against the Aussies, the par-score was around 130, so, I guess we should bring our expectations down, and understand maybe, if they bowl, a couple of dots, then it’s okay as long as you are in the middle, you can make it up.”As for Colin de Grandhomme, who has slipped down the pecking order in limited-overs cricket after missing the entire home summer with injury, this is another opportunity to re-establish himself. He was left out of New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, with Daryl Mitchell winning the second seam-bowling allrounder’s spot behind Jimmy Neesham.New Zealand have won of their last eight white-ball internationals against Bangladesh in Bangladesh, and are without a slew of first-choice players this time, but they can still spring a surprise.

Tarik Skubal won his second American League Cy Young Award in a row in 2025, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be back with the Tigers in 2026.

The 28-year-old lefty has made it clear he won’t sign an extension and plans to hit free agency after the 2026 season. That means Detroit can either keep him and get involved in a bidding war next winter or trade him now to recoup maximum value. With that in mind, there’s a reason he leads our list of the top 10 trade candidates this offseason.

Skubal was unbelievable in 2024 and was even better in 2025. He went 13–6, with a 2.21 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and 241 strikeouts against 33 walks in 195 1/3 innings. That improved on his performance from the season before, when he went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts against 35 walks in 192 innings.

He and Paul Skenes are locked in a back-and-forth battle to be considered the best pitcher in baseball. Skubal is incredible, and any number of teams would give up a ton to get him. Given that he’d be a rental, any franchise making a move to land him wouldn’t have to surrender as much as you’d think to land the ace.

Here’s a look at the top clubs that could make a move to acquire him this winter.

1. New York Mets

Steve Cohen hasn’t spent as much money as he has to miss the postseason. The Mets are going to be all-in in perpetuity until he gets the championship he’s trying to buy. As we enter the offseason, New York’s rotation looks like a tremendous weakness. Nolan McLean looks like a bright spot, Jonah Tong could be as well, while Clay Holmes and David Peterson will factor in as well. But Kodai Senga completely fell apart, and the Mets may not be able to count on him again.

If New York is going to be all-in, the team needs an ace at the front of its rotation. Skubal would be a perfect fit. A package built around Tong and Jett Williams should be enough to get something done.

Skubal is far better than any targets on the free agent market, and the Mets have the money to sign him long-term once he hits free agency.

2. Houston Astros

The Astros missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and now they’re losing ace Framber Valdez. After shipping Kyle Tucker to the Cubs for Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, now I think they’ll go the other way and add a guy destined for free agency. They need an elite starter at the front of the rotation to pair with Hunter Brown if they’re going to make a run in 2026. Skubal is the best guy available.

Jose Altuve is 35. If Houston wants to make a run at getting him a third World Series title, the franchise needs to move now and make a big deal to secure an ace.

A package built around Brice Matthews or Jacob Melton, hard-throwing righty Miguel Ulloa, and some lower-level prospects seems equitable for one year of Skubal.

3. Boston Red Sox

Garrett Crochet has become a legit No. 1 starter, and Bryan Bello was solid in 2025. After that, the Red Sox don’t have much in their starting rotation. Connelly Early made four starts in 2025 and looked good, but he’s not a solution to the lack of pitching depth the team is dealing with. Boston will be pursuing starters in earnest this offseason.

Boston is lousy with good young position players, but the rotation needs help if the team wants to make a run in 2026. Skubal and Crochet sitting atop the rotation would arguably be the best lefty pitching combination in MLB history. While the Red Sox haven’t spent as much in recent years, they do have the money to re-sign Skubal as a free agent.

A deal starting with Franklin Arias, Payton Tolle or Jhonstynxon Garcia and adding a few lower-tier prospects would work.

4. San Diego Padres

The Padres are all-in every season with A.J. Preller running things. There’s no reason 2026 should be any different. San Diego is set to lose Dylan Cease and Michael King to free agency, and Yu Darvish will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing elbow surgery. Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts aren’t getting any younger, and Nick Pivetta can’t hold up the team’s pitching staff by himself. The Friars will need to make some big moves this offseason.

Skubal is a huge name, and we all know Preller loves a big name, even as a rental. While San Diego’s farm system has been cleared out multiple times over the past five years, Preller always seems to restock it. He has several gems still around who could entice the Tigers. Kash Mayfield, Kruz Schoolcraft, and Ethan Salas are the team’s top prospects, while 2025 pop-up Miguel Mendez and reliever Bradgley Rodriguez are all but big league ready. There is enough talent to make. a deal work.

San Diego needs to add power and pitching this offseason. Going after Skubal might be a bit crazy, but when has that ever stopped Preller before?

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis could make a shock move for an “incredible” manager as a replacement for Sean Dyche.

Forest suffer first defeat under Dyche at AFC Bournemouth

Dyche made the perfect start to life as Forest manager, with his side emerging as 2-0 winners against FC Porto in the Europa League, but they were brought back down to earth against AFC Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.

The Cherries emerged as 2-0 winners at the Vitality Stadium, courtesy of first-half goals from Marcus Tavernier and Eli Junior Kroupi, and the Tricky Trees boss admitted his side still need to make major improvements in his post-match interview.

The 54-year-old said: “There’s a lot of work to be done. I didn’t come into this job naively, the league table does tell a story so I’m never thinking there wasn’t work to be done but it showed particularly in the first half today.”

With Burnley securing a dramatic 3-2 victory against fellow relegation candidates Wolverhampton Wanderers, Dyche’s side are now three points from safety, having scored just five Premier League goals, the fewest of any side.

Given that the former Everton boss has a track record of guiding teams to safety, having preserved the Toffees’ Premier League status, there are arguably few managers better suited to keeping Nottingham Forest in the top flight.

However, according to a report from Football Insider, Marinakis could still make a shock move for Fulham manager Marco Silva as a replacement for Dyche, with the Forest owner previously making it clear he is willing to make big calls.

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Silva has been a long-term target for Marinakis, and it has previously been revealed the Fulham boss shares a good relationship with the Greek businessman, which means the appointment would make sense.

As such, the Tricky Trees could make a move for the 48-year-old if their new manager fails to turn things around, although the Cottagers are very keen to extend his contract.

Forest must stick with Dyche after turbulent start

The decision to replace Nuno with Ange Postecoglou was met with widespread scepticism, given that the change in play-styles was so dramatic, and the Australian lasted just 39 days in the job.

Considering it has been such a turbulent start, Forest need a period of stability, and Dyche has already shown that he may be up to the task of turning things around, having gotten off the mark with a victory over FC Porto.

Not only has the appointment had a positive effect on the fanbase, but Morgan Gibbs-White has also made it clear he is happy with Dyche’s arrival.

Silva has been lauded as an “incredible” manager by Stephen Warnock courtesy of the job he’s done at Fulham, having stabilised them as a Premier League club, but Forest must stick with their current manager for the foreseeable future.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is only a few weeks away from having the chance to make changes to his playing squad for the first time since he joined the club.

The German boss arrived after the summer transfer window, which was spearheaded by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he does not have any of his own signings.

Whilst the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will want to make some signings of his own to bolster the squad, Rohl may also want to move some of the current players on in the January transfer window.

The Rangers players who should be let go in January

There are several current first-team duds who should be moved on ahead of the second half of the season because they do not look like key players for the new manager.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Clinton Nsiala, for example, is yet to play a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has only made the matchday squad on four occasions.

With John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nasser Djiga, and Emmanuel Fernandez ahead of him in the pecking order when fit, an exit in January could be the best move for his career.

Rabbi Matondo, per Transfermarkt, is another player who has not played a single minute of action this season and has not made any matchday squads, which suggests that he may be free to find a new club in January if he is not part of the manager’s plans.

Finally, Kieran Dowell should also be moved on in the winter amid reported interest from English Championship side Hull City, who are looking to sign him on loan.

Why Kieran Dowell should never play a minute under Danny Rohl

The English attacking midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham, played 384 minutes across six appearances in July and August under Martin and failed to score any goals before picking up an injury.

He was even described as “non-existent” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in July, as he failed to create a single chance in 75 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Now back fit, having played for the U19s with Dujon Sterling last month, Dowell has not been involved in a single matchday squad for Rohl, per Sofascore, which suggests that he is not in the manager’s thoughts for the first-team.

With Hull said to be interested in signing him, Rangers appear to have the opportunity to move him on from Ibrox on loan for the second half of the season, before his contract expires in the summer, per Transfermarkt.

The Light Blues would, therefore, be allowing him to leave on a free transfer after his loan spell at Hull ends, which would give the Tigers a chance to assess whether or not they want to sign him permanently ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On top of having that option, Dowell should also not play a single minute for Rohl between now and January because Lyall Cameron would be a better player to bring in if the manager wants to change his attacking midfielder.

Appearances

12

33

Goals

0

9

Conversion rate

0%

17%

Key passes per game

0.7

1.6

Big chances created

3

6

Assists

0

5

The Scottish starlet, as shown in the table above, appears far more likely to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership as an attacking midfielder, after a return of 15 goal contributions last season.

Cameron, however, has been an unused substitute in seven of the last eight games in all competitions, and in all of the last four, per Transfermarkt, which shows how difficult it is to get a place in the team under the German head coach.

Therefore, given how far down the pecking order he is, it is hard to see a situation where Dowell ends up playing any minutes on the pitch for Rangers before he has the chance to join Hull on loan at the start of next month.

This is why the former Norwich City playmaker, who has registered zero goals and one assist in six games this season, should never play for Rohl, and why he should be allowed to leave on loan in January before being released on a free transfer next summer.

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Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.

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The left-footed flop has only provided two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his move from the Canaries in 2023, which illustrates how little he has contributed as an attacking force on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. is one step closer to making his long-awaited return to the field, as he is set to begin his rehab assignment on Tuesday, May 13 in the Florida Complex Rookie League.

Depending how he does there, Acuña could be ready to jump up to Triple-A sometime soon after that, and then he would be cleared for the majors.

There is still not a set timeline on when Acuña could return to the Braves' lineup.

Acuña hasn't played since May 26, 2024, as he tore his left ACL and underwent surgery soon after. He missed the remainder of the 2024 season, then didn't compete during Spring Training this year. It was expected he wouldn't be ready for Opening Day, but the Braves would likely want him back as soon as they can.

The Braves currently sit third in the American League East with a 19-21 record.

There was a scary moment early into Sunday evening's game between the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros after Padres infielder Luis Arraez collided with Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon while running out a hit.

Dubon was covering first base while Christian Walker fielded the infield ground ball off the bat of Arraez. When Walker tossed the ball to first, Dubon and Arraez collided straight on, sending both players to the ground.

Arraez took the worse of the hit, as he wasn't able to get back to his feet and had to be placed on a stretcher and carted off the field. He gave a thumbs up to fans at Daikin Park, indicating he was O.K.

Shortly after the incident, which occurred during the top of the first inning, the Padres announced that Arraez had been transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

"Luis Arraez has been transported to Houston Methodist Hospital for further evaluation. He is currently stable, conscious, responsive, and able to move his extremities," the team stated.

Arraez, 28, is in his second season in San Diego. He's featured in 21 games this season and recorded a .287 batting average with three home runs and seven RBIs.

Glasgow Rangers decided to part ways with head coach Russell Martin last month after a dismal start to the season, which saw them win five of 17 matches in all competitions.

The Light Blues endured a dismal time on the pitch for the majority of his tenure, losing more than they won and conceding more goals than they scored.

Along with that, several of the club’s signings in the summer transfer window failed to make much of an impact for the former Southampton manager, including Thelo Aasgaard.

Why Thelo Aasgard has not been a successful signing

The Norway international was signed on a permanent deal from Luton Town in the summer, but he was unable to provide a single goal or assist as an attacking midfielder for Martin.

Aasgaard’s only goal in 16 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues so far this season came against Dundee United in Stevie Smith’s match as the interim manager before Danny Rohl arrived at Ibrox.

Hibernian

Danny Rohl

0 + 1

Kilmarnock

Danny Rohl

0 + 0

Dundee United

Stevie Smith

1 + 4

Falkirk

Russell Martin

0 + 0

Livingston

Russell Martin

0 + 0

Hearts

Russell Martin

0 + 1

Celtic

Russell Martin

0 + 0

St Mirren

Russell Martin

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, the English-born midfielder flopped under Martin in the Scottish Premiership, and has yet to produce the goods for Rohl.

The 23-year-old flop was then sent off against Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park on Sunday, as he continues to struggle at Ibrox.

After that red card, Rohl should bring another player who flopped under Martin into the side, as Nedim Bajrami could be even better than the ex-Luton man.

Why Nedim Bajrami should be unleashed by Danny Rohl

The Albania international only played 195 minutes of football for the Scottish manager, per Sofascore, and made five appearances off the bench without managing a goal, an assist, or a key pass.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Bajrami was described as “anonymous” in a game last season by content creator Stevie Clifford, and that is exactly what he was throughout Martin’s reign.

However, the former Sassuolo man did show signs of promise when given opportunities to impress in the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League by Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson in the 2024/25 campaign.

Starts

15

8

Goals

2

1

Key passes per game

1.0

1.3

Big chances created

4

6

Assists

1

0

Dribbles completed per game

1.0

1.5

As you can see in the table above, Bajrami created ten ‘big chances’ in 23 starts across both competitions, but was only rewarded with one assist for his creative efforts.

This suggests that he was let down by poor finishing from his teammates, rather than it being a lack of creativity on his part, which is why Rohl should provide him with a chance to show what he can do in Aasgaard’s place.

After the clash with Roma in the Europa League this evening, Rohl should bring Bajrami into the starting line-up for the match against Dundee on Sunday, as he has the potential to provide more creativity than Aasgaard has.

The Norway international has failed to create a single ‘big chance’ in 809 minutes this season, per Sofascore, whilst the Albanian star created 11 in 2,330 minutes in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.

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ByDan Emery Nov 4, 2025

This suggests that Rohl could unleash a more effective player than Aasgaard by bringing Bajrami into his XI to feature more prominently than he did under Martin, when he was completely anonymous due to his lack of game time.

The Oakland Athletics played what will likely be their next to last game at the Oakland Coliseum on Wednesday night. While the visiting Texas Rangers won the game, 5-1, fans were more there to say goodbye. The results haven't mattered in a while. After Thursday's game there will be no more games to produce results.

This final homestand is Oakland's last chance to see their team in person. It's also their last chance to say goodbye. Most importantly, a last chance to chant "sell the team," a sentiment that will certainly follow the team to Sacramento.

Some fans came looking for souvenirs. At least one rusted set of seats was torn up to be taken home by a fan. Who knows what else was forcibly removed by sad and angry fans.

A more wholesome moment was shown on the broadcast as someone from the grounds crew poured dirt from the field into fans' water bottles, cups and bags.

The entire scene was some weird amalgam of humor and sadness. No matter how mad fans have been, they want something to hold onto. Sometimes that means destruction of property, sometimes it's just a little pile of dirt to spread in the backyard so you know a piece of the team remains no matter where they play ball.

Former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes that Manuel Neuer could come out of retirement and return to the national team if he continues his current form for Bayern Munich. With current first choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen struggling at Barcelona, the national team hero suggested Neuer is the natural choice to fill in should his compatriot fail to find a new club in January.

• Neuer still shining under Kompany

  Germany are facing a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With Ter Stegen sidelined due to an injury suffered before the 2025-26 season and his replacement, Oliver Baumann, lacking international experience, questions have emerged about who will guard the posts for Die Mannschaft. In this context, speculation has grown around the possible return of Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024. The veteran goalkeeper has experienced a remarkable resurgence under Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich, playing a key role in their 2024-25 Bundesliga triumph. Kompany’s tactical system and strong man-management have revitalised Neuer, helping him maintain top form even at the age of 40. His leadership, composure, and consistency have impressed Bayern’s hierarchy, who are reportedly in talks to extend his contract. If his form continues, Neuer’s return to the national team could become a real possibility for Germany’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

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  Will he come out of retirement?

  In an interview with , Hamann expressed his belief that Neuer is likely to feature for Germany at the 2026 World Cup, saying: “I think it's very likely that Manuel Neuer will play in the World Cup.”

  Wishing the veteran goalkeeper good health, Hamann added that if Neuer continues performing at his current level, a national team return would be inevitable. He said: “I hope Manuel Neuer stays healthy. If he continues to perform as he is doing now in April, then it will happen – it has to happen – that he will be asked.”

  However, Hamann acknowledged that recalling Neuer could be tough on Baumann, noting: “If he wants to, that would be tough for Oliver Baumann.”

• Ter Stegen's poor season at barcelona

  Ter Stegen’s situation at Barcelona has taken a dramatic downturn under Hansi Flick, who has demoted the German to third-choice goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny this season. Tensions between Ter Stegen and the club began in the summer when Barcelona pursued Garcia without informing him, a move the long-serving keeper viewed as deeply disrespectful after years of loyalty and leadership. Matters worsened when Barcelona needed Ter Stegen to sign off on a medical report declaring a long-term injury so they could register Garcia for the domestic campaign. Initially, the German refused, prompting the club to impose disciplinary measures and strip him of the captaincy. He eventually relented, signing the report to facilitate Garcia’s registration. However, Germany coach Nagelsmann has already made it clear that Ter Stegen will only feature at the 2026 World Cup if he plays regularly, while former Barcelona and Germany star Bernd Schuster has warned that a move away is now essential. With less than a year to go for the 2026 World Cup, time is running out for the Barcelona veteran. Unless he secures regular playing time soon, he risks losing the Germany No. 1 spot he has long pursued but never fully claimed with Neuer around. And now, with the Bayern veteran being urged to return, the pressure on him is only increasing.

  Hamann echoed Schuster’s views, saying that Ter Stegen needs to find a new club, preferably one competing in Europe, if he hopes to regain his place as Germany’s No. 1 goalkeeper. Saying: “Marc-Andre ter Stegen first has to find a new club, ideally one that plays in Europe. As harsh as it may sound, for me the train has left the station.”

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  Nagelsmann's hope

  Nagelsmann will hope that Ter Stegen can secure a move in the winter transfer window to regain his place and stay match-fit ahead of the 2026 World Cup. However, if Ter Stegen is not ready in time, Nagelsmann will count on Neuer to come out of retirement and answer his country’s call once again.

LAKR hardly got going in the chase, as Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad shared four wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2025Texas Super Kings returned to winning ways and rose to second place on the MLC 2025 points table with an all-round display that brushed Los Angeles Knight Riders aside. It was TSK’s fourth win in six games and LAKR’s fourth loss in five matches as the tournament reached the halfway mark of its league phase.The stars of the game for TSK were lower-middle-order batters Shubham Ranjane and Donovan Ferreira and left-arm spinners Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad.LAKR had started well, making good use of their decision to bowl by reducing TSK to 33 for 3 in four overs, all three taken by Shadley van Schalkwyk including the big wicket of Marcus Stoinis for a golden duck.Akeal Hosein struck twice before the Los Angeles Knight Riders batters even had time to settle down•Sportzpics for MLCOpener Smit Patel then resurrected the innings with a steady stand of 64 off 46 with Ranjane, nearly taking the score to 100 when Smit scooped Andre Russell to short fine-leg for 38 off 33. The wicket turned out to be detrimental for LAKR because there was no stopping Ferreira and Ranjane after that. Ferreira started with back-to-back fours off Ali Khan and then went after Russell with 6, 4 and 4. Van Schalkwyk then leaked sixes to both batters in his last over – which went for 23 – as the two put on 82 in just 40 balls. The stand ended in the 19th over after a big mix up led to Ferreira’s run out, and Ranjane also fell two balls later. Two more wickets fell in the last over but TSK finished on 196, which proved to be enough.The LAKR openers had hardly found their feet when Hosein struck twice in two balls, dismissing Nitish Kumar with a spectacular arm ball that swung in sharply to knock over middle stump. Unmukt Chand and Saif Badar struggled to score quickly, taking the team to 39 for 2 in the powerplay, before a cross-seam delivery from Stoinis had Badar edging behind. The asking rate had shot above 12 an over now and never came down as variations from the TSK bowlers – both spinners and fast bowlers – kept LAKR on a leash.Sherfane Rutherford struggled his way to 13 off 15 before being bowled by Noor, and even the hard-hitting Jamaican duo of Rovman Powell and Russell couldn’t turn things around. Powell hit the first six of the innings in the 15th over just before Russell was deceived by a sharp wrong’un from Noor that turned from leg stump with plenty of drift to dislodge his off stump. LAKR now needed 95 from 27 balls and never even got close.