Ghulam and Rizwan added 81, but Pakistan were eventually out for 211 on opening day

Danyal Rasool26-Dec-2024South Africa did to Pakistan what they always do to Pakistan at Centurion, blitzing them with the ball in the second hour of the first session before skittling them out for 209. Corbin Bosch and Dane Paterson cashed in after a superb opening hour of bowling from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, which openers Shan Masood and Saim Ayub rode their luck to survive. A couple of partnerships for Pakistan were more than offset by the wickets Paterson, who ended up with five, and Bosch, took in clumps, and just after the third session began, Pakistan had folded for 209, Kamran Ghulam’s half-century the only real source of resistance. Pakistan responded gamely with the ball in hand, puncturing South Africa with three wickets, but having added 82, South Africa will feel they have had the better of the day.The story of the opening session changed the moment Temba Bavuma through the ball to debutant Bosch. He began with a loosener well outside off stump. Masood, who had been forced to deal with an unerring fourth stump all of the first hour, had his eyes light up as he slashed at it, with a thick outside edge carrying to Marco Jansen at third slip to give him a first-ball wicket.All of a sudden, the good balls that kept missing edges started to find them. Paterson nipped one away to Ayub, who was uncharacteristically defensive, accumulating a painstaking 14 off 35 balls. It kissed the outside edge, and both openers were back in the pavilion. Paterson wasn’t done, because Babar Azam, returning to the side, also had a prod at one well outside off stump, the tentativeness of his stroke revealing his lack of confidence; it was meat and drink for the slips again.Related

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With Pakistani defenses going haywire, Saud Shakeel went for the other extreme, looking to take every ball on, but it was just six deliveries before that strategy ran out of road. He gloved a hook through to the keeper, with South Africa successfully reviewing to send him on his way.It will be all the more frustrating for Pakistan after a magnificent first hour of South African bowling went unrewarded. With Kagiso Rabada and Jansen nipping it around, it was obvious why Bavuma had opted to put Pakistan in, but somehow, they had gritted out a way to see off the two leading bowlers.An 81-run stand between Ghulam, who scored an entertaining half-century, and Mohammad Rizwan looked to have dragged Pakistan out of the hole they were put in during the morning session. Rizwan and Ghulam had been building up the partnership the other side of lunch, and continued in similar vein. But with the clouds menacingly moving right overhead, the luckless Rabada was brought in for another excellent but fruitless spell. It produced the most engaging cricket of the day, with both KGs locking horns on more than one occasion; Rabada grew increasingly frustrated with Kamran Ghulam’s stubborn resistance and got close enough to tell him, with Ghulam responding in less than family-friendly terms to go back to the bowling crease.Kamran Ghulam was out for 54 off 71•AFP/Getty ImagesWith the crowd engaged, Ghulam edged one to the slips that Jansen shelled, and brought up his half-century, but South Africa would not be denied. Ghulam slogged Paterson, only to top-edge him to fine leg, where none other than Rabada stood to take the catch that sent a full SuperSport Park into a frenzy.One wicket brought more for South Africa before lunch, and so it proved again. Rizwan nicked off in the next Bosch over before Salman Ali Agha and Aamer Jamal set about another rebuild. With ten minutes to tea, the duo was closing in on another 50-partnership, but one more South African burst would prove the knockout blow.South Africa had put down a couple of chances in the slips off the outside edge, so Bosch found the inside edge of Jamal as he chopped on, before a surprise bouncer from Paterson saw the back of Agha.Once Pakistan had wrapped up, there was enough time for the story of the day to be rewritten, and Khurram Shahzad threatened to do precisely that when he cut Tony de Zorzi in half with perhaps the ball of the day. Constantly threatening both edges of the bat, he found Ryan Rickleton’s outside edge to reduce South Africa to 24 for 2, and wrest momentum back to take into the second day.His peers, however, couldn’t sustain that quality, and South Africa settled. Aiden Markram has been under fire lately for getting out after getting in, and was brave enough to be positive all the same, never letting Pakistan put too much pressure on the batters. That was crucial, especially with Tristan Stubbs looking less than assured at the crease. His manner of dismissal, though was unfortunate, as one appeared to hit a crack and make a beeline for his front shin, giving Pakistan encouragement to take from a day that, thanks to Paterson and Bosch, South Africa will claim as theirs.

West Ham United have the challenging task of hosting London rivals Chelsea in their second Premier League game of the season this evening.

Graham Potter will be hoping his team put in a far better showing than they did away to Sunderland last week, when it was they who looked like the recently promoted team.

There were disappointing performances across the entire pitch from the Hammers, and once again, try as he might, Niclas Füllkrug just couldn’t make an impact on the game and looked like he was simply out of his depth at this level.

Fortunately, the German might not have to lead the line for much longer, as West Ham have been linked with an international goalscorer who’d be a huge upgrade.

West Ham could sign Füllkrug upgrade

It hasn’t been the summer that fans would’ve been hoping for after the disappointment of last season.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

While West Ham have certainly made some wise additions to the team in the shape of players like El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mads Hermansen and Kyle Walker-Peters, the squad still feels short on quality.

Moreover, while he can be dangerous, Callum Wilson has a nightmarish injury record and scored a single goal last season.

However, the club may not need to rely on the Englishman to lead the line this season, nor Füllkrug, as it now looks like they may get their hands on the perfect upgrade.

At least that is according to a recent report from Italy, which has touted Artem Dovbyk for a move to the London Stadium.

The report has revealed that AS Roma are considering a swap deal with the Hammers that would see the Ukrainian international head to East London and Füllkrug go the other way, both on loan.

It could be an excellent way for the Hammers to bring in someone they’ve previously been interested in without paying a fee, and at the same time upgrade on the German international.

How Dovbyk compares to Füllkrug

So, when it comes to comparing two strikers, it makes sense to start with their output, as that is what they’ll ultimately be judged on.

Unsurprisingly, when doing so, it’s Dovbyk who comes out way ahead, as in 45 appearances last season, totalling 3195 minutes, he scored 17 goals and provided four assists.

That means the Ukrainian international maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.14 games, or every 152.14 minutes.

Füllkrug, on the other hand, scored just three goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances for the Hammers last season, totalling 877 minutes.

In other words, the German international maintained a less impressive average of a goal involvement every four games, or every 175.4 minutes.

The superiority of the Roma star is not just a one-off, either, as when we compare the underlying numbers for both strikers from the start of 23/24 to the end of 24/25, he once again comes out comfortably on top.

For example, the “sensational” goalscorer, as dubbed by former manager Michel Sanchez, does better in most relevant metrics, such as expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, passing accuracy, shots and shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.66

0.51

Non-Penalty G+As

0.67

0.62

Progressive Carries

0.76

0.73

Progressive Passes

0.76

2.03

Progressive Passes Received

5.27

4.58

Shots

2.48

2.01

Shots on Target

1.10

0.88

Passing Accuracy

72.5%

66.9%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.96

2.43

Successful Take-Ons

0.43

0.17

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.54

0.37

These numbers help to paint a picture of a shot happy centre-forward who can be trusted to take part in a passing move, but also thrives with the ball at his feet and in situations where he needs to drive into dangerous areas.

Ultimately, it’s clear that Dovbyk would be a significant upgrade on Füllkrug, and therefore, West Ham should absolutely agree to this potential swap deal, and if things go well next season, think about making the loan permanent.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly agreed a deal to sign a £15m player compared to former Molineux ace Morgan Gibbs-White.

Wolves make left-back Moller Wolfe fourth summer signing

After losing both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri to Manchester United and Manchester City early in the transfer window, Wolves have slowly been splashing the cash in the transfer market.

The Old Gold have made four new permanent signings for manager Vitor Pereira, one of which being Jørgen Strand Larsen following his successful loan spell at Molineux last season.

The latest addition in the Midlands is David Moller Wolfe, with the left-back costing Wolves £10m from Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar. Talking after signing a five-year deal, Moller Wolfe said:

“I’m so, so happy and so proud to be a part of Wolves, so I’m over the moon right now. I felt incredibly wanted from the second I talked to Domenico [Teti, Wolves director of football] and the second I talked to the coach.

“Obviously, the Premier League is a big, big league, especially also in Norway. It’s the biggest league that people watch, so when a Premier League club came in, and Wolverhampton came in for me, I was extremely keen on joining.”

Incomings	From	Fee
Jorgen Strand Larsen	Celta Vigo	£23m
Fer Lopez	Celta Vigo	£19m
Jhon Arias	Fluminense	£15m
David Moller Wolfe	AZ Alkmaar	£10m

With a new left-back signed, attention is now turning to a right-back after Nelson Semedo departed the club upon the expiry of his contract.

Approach made: Wolves now make enquiry to sign "unbelievable" £15m striker

The Old Gold have made contact over a deal for a centre-forward, with Vitor Pereira looking to bolster his attacking options.

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Dominic Lund

Jul 30, 2025

Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez has been the man heavily linked with replacing Semedo under Pereira, and a development has now emerged.

Wolves reach £14.8m agreement to sign Juanlu

According to reports in Spain, Wolves have actually reached an agreement to sign Juanlu from Sevilla. A fee is worth €17m (£14.8m), however, Wolves still have to convince the player of a move to the Premier League. The report adds that Juanlu actually wants to join Serie A giants Napoli and is waiting for them to swoop.

Therefore, despite shaking hands on a near £15m deal with Sevilla, a deal could still prove complicated for Wolves.

Primarily a right-back, Juanlu can actually play further forward when required as a winger or central midfielder.

Players similar to Juanlu	Club
John McGinn	Aston Villa
Adrien Truffert	Bournemouth
Morgan Gibbs-White	Nottingham Forest
Marcos Llorente	Atletico Madrid
Emerson Palmieri	West Ham

Interestingly, as per FBref, the Spaniard has even been compared to attacking midfielder Gibbs-White, who left Wolves for Nottingham Forest back in 2022.

Set to turn 22 later this month, Juanlu is capped at senior level by Spain and turned out in the Champions League with Sevilla last season.

He’s contributed to 14 goals in 74 first-team Sevilla appearances, and by the looks of things, a deal will be one to keep a close eye on following this development.

AC Milan will be without star forward Rafael Leao for their Coppa Italia clash with Lecce as he continues his recovery from a muscle injury. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has ruled him out of Tuesday's game but has now targeted this weekend's crucial Serie A fixture against Napoli for his potential return.

• Leao still sidelined

  Leao remains sidelined with a muscle injury and will miss Tuesday's Coppa Italia tie against Lecce, with manager Allegri now hoping that he can be fit for the upcoming headline showdown against reigning Serie A champions Napoli. In an interview with , Allegri confirmed the Portuguese star is not yet ready for action.

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• Getty Images
  

  Leao injury update and return timeline

  Leao has been out of action for over a month, having sustained a muscle problem in a match against Bari on August 17th. He has not featured so far in Serie A this season and will play no part in the Coppa Italia round of 32 clash at San Siro, with the club now set to assess his fitness later this week ahead of a potential comeback in the league.

• 'We'll evaluate him for Napoli' – What Allegri said

  Providing an update on the 26-year-old's condition, Allegri set out a clear timeline for a decision on his return. 

  "Leao's return is definitely not tomorrow," the coach confirmed. "We'll evaluate him on Thursday and Friday and then decide whether or not he'll be available for Napoli." 

  Allegri also revealed that Christopher Nkunku could start against Lecce as he plans to rotate his squad, stating, "Tomorrow is a chance to see who has played less, but it's also a chance to move forward and advance to the next round."

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• Milan in fine form heading into Lecce clash

  The Rossoneri enter the cup tie in strong domestic form, having won their last three Serie A matches. They will be favourites to advance, having already defeated Lecce 2-0 in the league earlier this season. Allegri will watch from the stands as he serves the final game of a two-match Coppa Italia suspension carried over from his time at Juventus, with his assistant Marco Landucci set to manage the team from the touchline.

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Após um dia de folga, o Palmeiras se reapresentou nesta sexta-feira (2), na Academia de Futebol, e iniciou a preparação para receber o Coritiba neste domingo (4), às 18h30, no Allianz Parque, pela nona rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. O atacante Breno Lopes destacou a sequência positiva do Verdão fora de casa e projetou o duelo contra o Coxa.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

– Foram quatro jogos fora de casa. A gente sabe como é difícil quando estamos longe do nosso torcedor. Eles fazem muita falta, são o nosso 12º jogador, mas foi um balanço positivo. A gente conseguiu os objetivos, como na Copa do Brasil, que era passar de fase – disse Breno Lopes.

– Será mais um jogo difícil. No Brasileiro, cada rodada é muito importante, e vamos voltar a jogar perto do nosso torcedor. Na nossa casa, com o torcedor nos empurrando, é muito difícil bater a gente, e esperamos fazer mais um bom jogo no fim de semana para voltarmos a vencer no Brasileiro e continuarmos na parte de cima da tabela.

continua após a publicidade

Ainda, o camisa 19 comentou as oportunidades recebidas pelo elenco, especialmente devido à quantidade de jogos, valorizando o apoio da torcida alviverde.

– Será mais um jogo difícil. No Brasileiro, cada rodada é muito importante, e vamos voltar a jogar perto do nosso torcedor. Na nossa casa, com o torcedor nos empurrando, é muito difícil bater a gente, e esperamos fazer mais um bom jogo no fim de semana para voltarmos a vencer no Brasileiro e continuarmos na parte de cima da tabela – concluiu.

continua após a publicidade

+ Depois de ‘incapacidade’ na última janela, Palmeiras não descarta nova busca por volante

O Verdão volta a treinar neste sábado (3), às 10h, na Academia de Futebol. O Palmeiras é vice-líder do Brasileirão, com 16 pontos, cinco a menos do que o líder Botafogo.

Tudo sobre

Breno LopesPalmeiras

With deadline day approaching, Manchester City are now reportedly eyeing a move to hijack Liverpool’s pursuit of a defensive reinforcement that John Stones once dubbed “great”.

Man City commence Donnarumma talks

It could be a busy week for the Citizens, who were returned to reality by Tottenham Hotspur in typical fashion on Saturday afternoon. Reports are indicating that several moves could still take place, both when it comes to incomings and outgoings, with Gianluigi Donnarumma just one name that could be on the way before the end of the month.

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have now agreed personal terms with the Italian and opened negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal worth less than their initial €50m (£43m) asking price.

The impressive shot-stopper played a starring role for the French club last season as they secured a historic treble which included a dominant Champions League win.

Whilst Donnarumma needs little introduction, replacing Ederson will be no easy task. The Brazilian is reportedly edging closer and closer towards a late switch to Galatasaray, having so far lost out on a place in Pep Guardiola’s side to the young James Trafford.

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He may not be the only one to depart, either. Manuel Akanji was also left out against Tottenham at the weekend as reports continue to arrive that he could join Galatasaray alongside Ederson.

Alas, like in the case of their goalkeeper, City have a backup plan in mind if the Swiss international decides to depart and it’s one that could reportedly leave Liverpool scrambling for options.

Man City now eyeing Guehi hijack

As reported by The Daily Star, Manchester City are now eyeing a late hijack to sign Marc Guehi ahead of Liverpool if both Nathan Ake and Akanji leave this month.

The Crystal Palace defender, who won with Palace at the Etihad in 2021, looked likely to join Liverpool in the event of his departure this summer, but amid the Reds’ reluctance to meet the defender’s £35m asking price, the door has seemingly been left ajar for City to swoop in.

The deal is certainly there to be done for the England international too. With the defender into the final year of his Selhurst Park contract, chairman Steve Parish recently told reporters: “If Marc wants to sign a contract, he can stay. If he doesn’t, then we have to look at it. It’s a difficult situation.”

Minutes

3,059

2,014

Tackles Won

1

0.54

Ball Recoveries

4.29

4.60

Successful Aerial Duels

2

1.34

A player who Stones described as “great” during England’s Euro 2024 campaign last summer, it’s clear to see why those at the Etihad have already earmarked Guehi as a late target should others depart this month.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that a number of clubs have made an approach for a “dynamite” Everton player, with The Friedkin Group making a decision over his future.

Everton set for opening game at new stadium

The Blues officially begin a new chapter in their history on Sunday afternoon, hosting Brighton in the Premier League in their first-ever competitive game at their new ground.

The Hill Dickinson Stadium is an impressive new setting for Everton’s home games, and while it was sad for them to leave Goodison Park, it was important that the club planned for the future and found a new home to help take them to new heights.

Blues manager David Moyes is certainly excited about his side beginning life in a new stadium, speaking glowingly about it earlier this month.

“It’s brilliant for the football club. For my journey as well – I’ve had lots of different twists and turns – but overall I think the football club has been so desperate for this situation to arise with the new stadium. I think it’s a wonderful stadium, it’s a step up, certainly, from Goodison and I think for Everton Football Club it’s a real positive step.”

Everton’s new venture will hopefully lead to plenty of exciting new signings, as well as persuading current players to stay put, and a new update has dropped regarding an individual in the latter category.

Everton make decision over "dynamite" ace's future

According to Romano on X, Everton have seen numerous clubs make approaches for Iliman Ndiaye, but The Friedkin Group have rejected their advances.

Losing Ndiaye would be a massive blow this early in his Everton career, so this update is an extremely positive one for Blues supporters.

The 25-year-old has so often provided the creative spark for the Blues since arriving from Marseille last summer, being described as a “dynamite” player by Jamie Redknapp and being hailed as “brilliant” by Second Tier podcast.

Ndiaye is going to be a massive player for Everton moving forward – he scored nine goals in the Premier League last season – and it would be just like him to bag the opening strike at the Blues’ new ground this weekend.

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The Blues cannot afford to let him go, and with his current deal not expiring until the summer of 2029, they are in a strong bargaining position and would surely only allow him to leave for huge money.

Corbin Bosch is set to make his Test debut on what promises to be a seamer-friendly Centurion pitch

Firdose Moonda25-Dec-2024

Kagiso Rabada is three wickets away from becoming the leading wicket-taker at SuperSport Park•AFP/Getty Images

Big picture – Can Pakistan bring ODI momentum into Test series?There’s one other Boxing Day Test, but this one is big too. If South Africa win at SuperSport Park, they will guarantee a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. If Pakistan win, they will keep outside hopes (so outside that they also require an over-rate penalty for South Africa) of getting to Lord’s alive, but more pressingly they will keep a nation on edge for another week.In reality, South Africa have some breathing room because they only need to win one of the next two Tests to get to the WTC final. Even with rain hanging around the Highveld, they’ll fancy their chances against a team that has not recorded a Test win in this country in nearly 18 years and not won a Test outside Asia since beating West Indies in August 2021. But pressure does strange things to players, especially South African players, and Pakistan, despite all the drama surrounding them, are a team who could exploit that.Related

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They went through a rotating door of coaches, selectors and administrators before coming to South Africa and were already in the country when their Test coach resigned, two weeks before the start of the series. Still, the build-up to this Boxing Day Test has had none of the shenanigans of Melbourne, mostly because the two sides were preoccupied with an ODI contest that serves as build-up to the Champions Trophy. Ten South Africa and seven Pakistan players from their respective Test squads were involved in that contest, which Pakistan won 3-0. If momentum is a factor, it is surely with them.South Africa’s batting, in particular, was undone, and worryingly for them three of their top four (Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs) all fell to the offspin of Salman Agha in the first ODI. Conditions are unlikely to suit him at SuperSport Park but the mental scars might be there and Temba Bavuma hopes it will be simple to get over them. “Whether it’s easy, whether it’s hard, we’ve got to find a way to do it,” he said. “Whatever, I don’t know, trauma that was there, you know, guys will have to deal with it.”Bavuma was also quick to remind that the Test space is different as it is where South Africa have more stability and focus with an immediate goal of the WTC final. The opposite might be said of Pakistan, who have won three ODI series in succession and are building towards a home Champions Trophy where they are defending the title.That may mean the teams head into this match with slightly different priorities in terms of their current form but that won’t minimise the sense of the occasion. A Boxing Day Test with plenty at stake, taking place at the same time as another Boxing Day Test, with even more on the line. It doesn’t get bigger than this.Form guideSouth Africa: WWWWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWLLLMohammad Abbas last played a Test match in August 2021•AFP

In the spotlight – Aiden Markram and Mohammad AbbasIt feels like Aiden Markram has had a difficult time of it across formats this year but his main difficulties have come in the format he captains in. He only has one score over 30 from 18 T20Is in 2024, and one fifty from six ODIs hasn’t helped his cause either, but his Test form has shown signs of improving. After a century in the New Year’s Test, Markram made fifties in Providence and Gqeberha and is also someone Bavuma says he “leans a lot on” when it comes to tactics and inspiring younger players. Most of all, Markram enjoys the continued support of his team-mates and Bavuma, in particular, who says he “empathises” with what Markram is going through but “that’s what makes elite sport tough. You’ve got to find a way to go through those challenges. And generally, when you get over to the other side, that’s where the satisfaction is.”It’s now or never for Mohammad Abbas who, at 34, is set to make his comeback after three years out of the national side seemingly without explanation. Abbas played 25 Tests between April 2017 and August 2021 and took 90 wickets at 23.02, but was discarded in favour of younger quicks despite excellent numbers on the county circuit. He has enjoyed four fruitful seasons at Hampshire where he has taken 180 wickets at 19.26 and finished among the top 10 wicket-takers in 2022 and 2023, and just outside in 2024. This season, he is the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and has deservedly earned a recall and will hope to make it count. Abbas is 10 wickets away from 100 in Test cricket and if he gets there, will be the 20th bowler from Pakistan to reach the landmark.Team newsBoth Keshav Maharaj (groin strain) and Wiaan Mulder (broken finger) passed fitness tests ahead of the match but are not deemed match-fit yet. South Africa have chosen to go in without a frontline spinner – and without spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy – and opted for a 7-4 split. Corbin Bosch, who bowls above 140kph regularly, will debut at his home ground and share bowling duties with Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson and Marco Jansen. Ryan Rickelton has been retained at No.3 with Tristan Stubbs moving to No.4.South Africa (probable): 1 Tony de Zorzi, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Temba Bavuma (capt), 6 David Bedingham, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dane Paterson, 11 Corbin Bosch.Pakistan could follow South Africa’s lead and go all-pace, which would mean no space for Noman Ali, though they would still have Salman Agha at their disposal. In the seam department, then, Abbas, Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad are likely to partner the 21-year old attack leader, Naseem Shah.Pakistan (probable): 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Khurram Shahzad, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Mohammad AbbasIt has been nearly 18 years since Pakistan won a Test match in South Africa•Getty Images

Pitch and conditionsThere has been significant rainfall on the Highveld in the lead-up to this Test match, which has made pitch preparation at SuperSport Park “difficult” in the words of one source. Two days out, the surface was fairly green which is in keeping with its reputation. Centurion is the most seamer-friendly wicket in the country, which also makes it the most difficult for batters. While Bavuma said he has “never played on a flat Centurion wicket”, days two and three are usually good for run-scoring, but with overhead cloud batters will “know that your work is going to be cut out for you and you’re going to have to work hard for your runs.” The match may also be interrupted with thunderstorms forecast for the first morning and afternoon and the second and third afternoon.Stats and Trivia Eight batters have scored Test centuries for South Africa in 2024. It’s their joint-most in a calendar year, and their most in 12 years. They have previously had eight centurions in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Pakistan have won two of the 15 Tests they’ve played in South Africa, none since 2007, and none of their three at SuperSport Park. Their two wins have come at St George’s Park and Kingsmead, the grounds that hosted the recent Sri Lanka series. Kagiso Rabada is three wickets away from going past Dale Steyn and becoming the leading wicket-taker at SuperSport Park. Rabada has played just eight Tests at the venue and has only taken fewer than five wickets here on one occasion, against India in 2018. He averages just over seven wickets per Test in Centurion. Since January 2018, there have been seven Tests at SuperSport Park and a clear advantage for seam bowlers. They have taken 227 wickets at 23.22, compared with 16 wickets at 60.62 by spinners. Quotes”We accept and acknowledge the fact that many expectations would have risen on the team. There’ll be pressure that comes with that. But to be honest with you, we’re coming into the series to win the series 2-0. We understand that for us to do that, there’s certain things that we need to do as a team: keep things simple, keep doing the small things right, and allow the results to take care of itself. Obviously, one of those results is qualifying for the WTC final and obviously would like to see ourselves there. But, we’re here now.”
“When I went to Australia, I didn’t get the time to prepare properly. It was my first overseas tour there, and I made mistakes, but also learned what I could change. Here, in similar conditions, I have had the time to prepare and get into a positive frame of mind.”

India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will test his match fitness by playing the third ODI against England on February 12 in Ahmedabad. India’s selectors and the team management are hopeful the plan works out so that Bumrah is ready to play the Champions Trophy.Bumrah was named in India’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy with an asterisk against his name, implying his inclusion is subject to fitness. Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, said that based on the information BCCI’s medical team shared on Bumrah, he wouldn’t be fit for the first two ODIs against England on February 6 and February 9. He had suffered back spasms that prevented him from bowling on the final day of the Sydney Test.”With Bumrah, we are waiting to hear about his fitness and when he’s likely to be available,” Agarkar said in Mumbai on Saturday while announcing the Indian squads for the England series and the Champions Trophy. “At the moment I don’t think he [Bumrah] is likely to be fit for the first couple of games [of England series] at least from what we gather. We will probably hear more in the next week or so about his fitness.”Related

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Delhi and India fast bowler Harshit Rana will be part of the squad for the England series as cover for Bumrah. While Rana made his Test debut in Australia during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he is uncapped in ODI and T20I cricket. The BCCI has issued no official update on Bumrah, who had briefly left the ground after lunch on the second day of the Sydney Test due to back spasms. The concerns grew the next day when Bumrah did not come out to bowl though he had batted in India’s second innings.While Agarkar said he has asked the BCCI to send out a media release, outlining the medical report, ESPNcricinfo has learned Bumrah’s injury is stress related. Though the first round of tests did not reveal a stress fracture in the back, it is understood the discomfort Bumrah suffered was related to his workload in the five Tests in Australia. He bowled 151.2 overs in nine innings, taking 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.1:11

Why was Rana preferred over Siraj?

Accordingly, on advice from medical experts, the BCCI decided to allow Bumrah to rest for at least five weeks (the Sydney Test finished on January 5) after which he will undergo another scan to determine if he can return to action. Agarkar confirmed the time frame.”I know he was asked to offload for five weeks of bowling, which is early first week February if I’m not wrong,” Agarkar said. “And we’ll probably find out a bit more around that time what exactly and with regards to what his medical condition is. I’m sure BCCI might just put something out from the physio itself. It’s better it comes from the medical department than me trying to explain what exactly is wrong with him. But that’s the time frame that we’ve been told. And hopefully, he’s okay after that.”Asked if the selectors had pencilled in a reserve if Bumrah doesn’t recover in time for the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19, Agarkar said his panel was “just hoping Bumrah’s fit. We will have a chat if he’s not fit.”India play three ODIs against England on February 6, 9 and 12 – their first ODIs since the tour of Sri Lanka in August last year – before the Champions Trophy. India are in Group A at the Champions Trophy and begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, after which they play Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. India play all their matches in Dubai because their government refused to let the team travel to Pakistan.

"Off the pitch I'm a calm guy that just wants to have fun and enjoy my life," Erling Haaland told Time Magazine in July. "On the pitch I want to attack like a Viking." The Manchester City striker's love for the Scandinavian seafaring conquerors is well known. He dressed up as a Viking at a Halloween party just a few months after joining City. And while speaking to the prestigious American current affairs magazine, he zeroed in on his fascination with them.

"First of all the history is incredible," Haaland said of the Vikings, while being quick to point out "Of course a lot of things that they did were not good". Leaning in to his subject of interest, he explained: "I like the mentality, like 'I don't care about anything, we're just gonna go there and get the job done'. 

"Also that they were stronger and better than everyone, literally. That's what I love. And also the togetherness, they had an incredible bond between each other when they were sailing across the whole world. The Vikings were inspiring."

And right now Haaland is in full Viking mode. He has 12 goals in his last seven games for club and country and is fresh from conquering Manchester United and pillaging another Champions League record with his header against Napoli. And it is in this ransacking mood that he charges into battle against Arsenal, with vengeance on his mind…

Getty Humbling experience

Haaland will not need reminding of what happened on his last visit to the Emirates Stadium. City were thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal, suffering their worst away defeat in almost eight years. Haaland was far from the worst performer in a City shirt and he had scored their equaliser before a second-half onslaught from the Gunners. 

And yet his name was associated with the thrashing more than any other City player as Arsenal fans had mockingly chanted "Stay humble" at him in reference to him saying the same thing to Mikel Arteta after City's last-gasp equaliser in the previous fixture between the two sides. 

To make matters worse, 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly had mockingly imitated his 'lotus' pose after scoring Arsenal's third goal, payback for Haaland asking 'Who the f*** are you' amid the ill-tempered scenes at the Etihad. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'They got me'

He may not come up against Lewis-Skelly as the left-back is yet to start a game this season after being usurped at left-back by Riccardo Calafiori, but the image of the upstart teenager mocking the world's best striker, which went around the world, will be fresh on everyone's mind on Sunday.

"They won the game 5-1, so yeah, they got me," he said to Time of that day. The mocking he received from the fans and his younger opponent, however, did not make him regret uttering 'stay humble' in the first place. He insisted: "I think it’s an important phrase, which a lot of people should use, including myself. It’s one of the most important things, as individuals, to do." 

And in keeping with that stance, he had no issue with Lewis-Skelly mocking him as Neymar and PSG had done in 2020, his first season in the limelight. "If he wanted to use that moment to mock me, that’s fair enough for him. Whatever he wants to do, he can do."

GettyBecomh a goal 'expert'

Another interesting insight from Haaland in the Time interview was when he explained how he got so good at scoring. "I remember when I scored one goal, it was such a good feeling in me that I was like, ‘I want to become an expert on this'. Get this feeling again and again." 

Haaland quickly honed his expertise. At the U20 World Cup in 2019, before most fans knew who he was, he scored nine goals in one game against Honduras. Yes, nine. And he was disappointed that it was not 10. He has barely slowed down since then, netting eight times in his first six Champions League games with RB Salzburg. He left the Austrian side in January 2020 with 29 goals in 27 matches. 

He has continued to find the net with remarkable regularity. He plundered 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund and although his strike rate has slowed down ever so slightly for City, the numbers are still frightening. His header against Napoli took him on to 130 goals in 151 games. He has 90 goals in 101 Premier League games while he is averaging more than a goal per game in the Champions League.

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AFPUnderstanding his team-mates

And yet he claims there is no real method to his goalscoring madness. "For me the most important thing is to be free in the mind and not think too much," he told last week. "I cannot think of scoring goals, it's not how it works. I don't visualise, I don't think that's good. People ask me about celebrations and all of that, I don't plan anything because you shouldn't plan anything. You should try and be free in your mind and try and be ready if you get a chance."

One thing Haaland does try and do is think about how to get chances, which means getting in the mind of his team-mates. "The most important thing is to get a chance as a striker. If you're not coming to chances that's a problem," he said. "For me the most important thing for me is to get the chances. When I come to chances there's a big chance I will score goals." 

"It’s about trying to understand which player is on the ball and try to be clear in your mind. When it's [Kevin] De Bruyne I just need to think where he's gonna shoot in and I have try to be there so he can hit me. If Bernardo is on the ball I have to think like him, if it's someone else I think like them."