Three of the tournament’s top five teams face off in Saturday’s games at the Women’s World Cup

The Preview by Sreshth Shah07-Jul-2017

We are into the second half of the Women’s World Cup and with Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies needing a miracle to qualify to the semi-finals, the focus has shifted to the top five teams and three of them will be in action on Saturday.

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South Africa and India face off in Leicester in a rematch of the recent World Cup Qualifier final in Colombo. That game went down to a last-ball finish, with India hitting a six to seal victory, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if this one turns out to be equally thrilling.Five wins seems the bar for teams to feel confident of being in the final four in this Women’s World Cup. South Africa currently only have two, having endured a washout. While their batsmen have been quite reliable, recording the first instance of a team making 300 in a chase even if they couldn’t win it, the bowlers have been rather up and down. Last Sunday, West Indies were dismantled for 48, but three days later, England were allowed to make 373, helped by a stretch of 209 balls in the middle overs without a wicket. Considering South Africa are up against India, another batting powerhouse, Dane van Niekerk has some issues to sort out.Batsman Andrie Steyn, meanwhile, suffered an ankle injury at training and has been ruled out of the tournament. Medium-pacer Odine Kirsten, who picked up 4 for 10 in her last ODI in January, has been called up as replacement.India, with four wins in four games, already have one foot in the final four. Opener Deepti Sharma scored a crafty 78 against Sri Lanka, and the ever-dependent Mithali Raj has been hitting fifties for fun – she now stands on the cusp of history, 34 short of becoming the top-scorer in women’s ODIs. But India will still be wary that in the two games Smriti Mandhana has fallen early, they have not been able to score as quickly as they usually do.India’s spinners, led by their joint-leading wicket-taker Ekta Bisht, have done particularly well to defend whatever their batsmen have scored, be it 169 or 232. The contest between them and South Africa’s hard-hitting openers Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee will be fun to watch.In three matches, New Zealand’s top-scorer Suzie Bates has struck two fifty-plus scores and has been dismissed only once•ICC/Getty Images

The day’s second match features a potential mismatch. New Zealand’s captain Suzie Bates began her campaign with a century and their wicketkeeper Rachel Priest smashed the fastest fifty in Women’s World Cup history and finished with 90 off 55 balls. By contrast, Pakistan’s batsmen are barely maintaining a strike-rate of 50.New Zealand enter their fifth group match at fourth place after they thumped West Indies emphatically on Thursday. That meant they jumped above their other rivals from the Southern Hemisphere into the final qualifying spot, despite South Africa’s destruction of the same opponents only a few days earlier.Lea Tahuhu’s swing bowling at the top has troubled unsure batsmen and Pakistan’s top-order features such wobbliness. Tahuhu, who passed 50 ODI wickets on Thursday, will be featuring in her 50th ODI on Saturday. “When I started off, I was in and out of the team a little bit and in the last two years I have been really able to cement a place in the team and look to lead this bowling attack,” she said. “I take great pride in it and it will be a special thing to play my 50th game. It was nice to get to 50 wickets [against West Indies] but at the same time it was nice to get a good team win.”Combine Tahuhu’s pace with the wily spin of Amelia Kerr and the returning Leigh Kasperek and you have a well-rounded bowling unit. Their batting has been slow to start off at times, like in the game against Australia, but if Thursday’s win was any indication New Zealand’s batting has gone up another gear. Rachel Priest played like she was in a hurry to get to her team hotel while Suzie Bates once again oozed class with her batting. The two set up a sturdy middle order that has yet to come to the party in this tournament. With the group stages winding down, their strategy will have to ensure their net-run rate continues to remain better than South Africa at the very least.Pakistan have fallen away after their spirited, nail-biting opening display. Over their next three games, Pakistan have lost by over 90 runs every time. A high dot-ball percentage has hurt their scoring. Their top scorer of the tournament, Nahida Khan, has only 105 runs in four innings. Their highest total in their last three matches has been 131. They need their batting to click if they are to have any chance of arresting their losing streak.Their bowling has been far better, but has been let down by poor fielding. Sana Mir continues to break crucial partnerships, and how she uses herself and the other spinners will hold the key in their search for their first win. What has been most disappointing, though, has been Pakistan’s seeming lack of intent in searching for the win. Against Australia, chasing 291, it appeared that Pakistan simply looked to bat out their 50 overs; they eventually lost by 159 runs.

Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been approached by DR Congo and could decide to switch his international allegiance from England.

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Wan-Bissaka receives Congo approachWanted for AFCON 2024 tournamentCould opt to switch international allegianceWHAT HAPPENED?

DR Congo want Wan-Bissaka to be part of their squad for the 2024 AFCON tournament, according to The Athletic. Wan-Bissaka is said to be "considering" the opportunity of playing for the Leopards and switching his international allegiance from England. The Manchester United defender has played for England at Under-20 and Under-21 level but has never made a senior appearance for the Three Lions. The closest he came was back in 2019 when he was called up by Gareth Southgate. However, he subsequently pulled out of the squad for the two Euro 2020 qualifiers due to injury, meaning he is still uncapped and eligible to play for DR Congo.

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It remains to be seen whether Wan-Bissaka will accept the offer from Congo, but if he does the decision may not go down well with Manchester United. The AFCON 2024 tournament kicks off in January in Ivory Coast and runs until February 11th. If Wan-Bissaka were to be involved then United could potentially lose the defender for over a month due to his international commitments. The Red Devils are also expected to be without first choice goalkeeper Andre Onana during that time as the stopper is expected to play for Cameroon at the tournament.

DID YOU KNOW?

Wan-Bissaka and Onana are not the only Manchester United players who could be jetting off to AFCON 2024. Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia), and on-loan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco) may also feature if called up by their national teams.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WAN-BISSAKA?

Wan-Bissaka's season has been disrupted by injury but he is now fit and available and will be hoping to cement his place in Erik ten Hag's starting XI. The defender is into the final season of his contract at Old Trafford and is facing an uncertain future. The club do have the option to activate a 12-month extension clause in his existing deal and may opt to do that rather than handing him a new long-term deal at the club.

Everton are finally set to receive some good news as Burnley, Leeds United and Southampton plan to withdraw their case to sue the Toffees.

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• Everton handed 10-point deduction
• Further punishment a possibility
• Trio of clubs withdraw plan to sue

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the, the recently relegated trio are set to seek a negotiated settlement instead of suing the club, after Everton were deducted 10 points following Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches.

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  Everton were previously at risk of being handed a further nine point deduction, which put them at risk of being plunged into administration, after the three clubs looked for £300million ($374m) in compensation.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 10-point deduction for the Toffees is the most serve punishment in the history of the top flight of English football, with the club now sitting in 19th place following the penalty and 3-0 defeat to Manchester United. Fans used the game as an opportunity to protest heavily against the deduction and treatment by the Premier League.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR EVERTON?

  Despite the heavy deduction, Everton remain hopeful of their chances of survival, with the club just five points away from Luton Town in 17th. Sean Dyche and his side are now preparing for a tough trip to Nottingham Forest, who have only lost one game at the City Ground this season.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Rayan Cherki, in a move that could add significant firepower to Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The Blues will be looking to right their wrongs from last season, after registering a disastrous 12th-place finish, 27 points away from the top four and miles from where the club is expected to be.

Pochettino is in for a busy summer at Stamford Bridge, as he gets to work on revamping the shell-shocked side he inherited from Frank Lampard, with changes to be made in and around the squad.

News emerging last week suggested that the Blues are eyeing Lyon’s teen sensation Cherki, with journalist Simon Phillips claiming that Chelsea are ‘exploring’ the idea of signing the Frenchman.

A separate report last month suggested that the French side would want a fee in the region of €50m (£43m) for the midfielder, making him a reasonably priced option for the west Londoners, who spent around £600m over last season’s windows.

Where could Rayan Cherki fit in at Chelsea?

Hailed as a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 19-year-old could prove to be a perfect asset for Pochettino to have on board at the Bridge.

A pivotal area that the Argentine is expected to get to work on is the attack, considering the Blues netted just 38 goals in 38 league games last campaign, highlighting a lack of clinical spirit and creativity in the final third.

There are plenty of areas for the former Tottenham boss to explore and manipulate, and lots of talent to both express and expel.

Criticised as being “so poor” by members of the media, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher could see Pochettino secure an upgrade on his services in the middle of the park, should he opt to sign Cherki.

A product of Chelsea’s academy, Gallagher endured several loan spells before getting regular game time in the squad last season, however, the Englishman has failed to make an impact sufficient enough to aid the side’s woes in the final third.

At 19, Cherki could claim the 23-year-old’s place in Pochettino’s plans, with his numbers painting an exciting picture for the Blues to imagine their future to be in attack.

When comparing Gallagher and the Frenchman’s numbers over their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, it’s harsh viewing for the Epsom-born player who could face the reality of falling down the pecking order.

As per FBref comparisons, the teenager achieved a greater threat in his distribution, as highlighted through his average of 6.92 progressive passes per 90 to Gallagher’s 5.83, as well as averaging 3.17 key passes to his 1.17 per 90.

Another area of his game that Cherki could bolster Chelsea’s midfield with are his capabilities on the ball, topping the charts in Ligue 1 last season by registering 6.39 progressive carries per 90, scoring higher than Lionel Messi in this area, via FBref.

Gallagher managed an average of 2.22 progressive carries per 90 in the Premier League, suggesting the ways that the teenager could add to the Blues’ attack with his youthful and energetic spark in possession that could greatly benefit those around him.

Pochettino has a job on his hands this summer, however, the Argentine could get Chelsea back to familiar highs with a positive transfer window and a chance to craft his side.

Nottinghamshire seized the initiative on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge

ECB Reporters Network27-May-2017
ScorecardLuke Fletcher was among the wickets as Gloucestershire folded•Getty ImagesNottinghamshire seized the initiative on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge.The unbeaten Division Two leaders reached 430 for 9 before declaring and then unleashing their potent attack upon the visitors.With Luke Fletcher taking 3 for 32, and England’s Stuart Broad bagging 3 for 40, Gloucestershire were skittled out for only 149 in just 44.1 overs.For the third match in a row Notts enforced the follow-on and reduced Gloucestershire to 37 for one in their second innings, still 244 runs behind.The morning had begun with Nottinghamshire resuming their first innings on 375 for 5 and the home county quickly sped to maximum batting points as Chris Read and Riki Wessels plundered 55 runs from the first 13 overs of the day.Read was dropped on 29 as Graeme van Buuren spilled a regulation offering at backward point as the Nottinghamshire skipper sliced Chris Liddle to backward point.Gloucestershire’s second bowling point was gifted to them as Wessels miscued Matt Taylor high to mid-off for 37. A decent short delivery from the same bowler then accounted for Read, who had made 36.The batsman had been hurried into taking evasive action but the ball brushed the bat face and carried through to the diving Phil Mustard.Craig Miles, who claimed 4 for 123, picked up his last wicket as an ugly swish from Brett Hutton ballooned straight up in the air for a regulation caught and bowled.Broad made just 5 and the declaration came moments after he’d sliced Kieran Noema-Barnett high to point.Gloucestershire’s hopes of a solid foundation were torn to shreds as Fletcher’s second delivery had Cameron Bancroft caught behind, giving Read his 900th first class catch for his county and an eventful first session was brought to a premature close as Broad bellowed a successful lbw appeal against Will Tavare.The first full over of the afternoon session brought the downfall of Chris Dent as the left-hander nicked Fletcher behind, for just a single.Bowling with good rhythm, despite the gusty conditions, Fletcher then reduced the visitors to 43 for four as he knocked over van Buuren’s middle and off stumps for 15.George Hankins also reached 15 before falling to Harry Gurney, with Read snaffling up his third catch of the innings.Phil Mustard, playing his 200th first class match, had a life on 17 when Wessels, at first slip, grassed an edge off Gurney.The Gloucestershire skipper advanced to 53 but then mistimed a pull off Broad and saw Fletcher take a fine diving catch at mid-on.Steven Mullaney enhanced his reputation as a partnership breaker by snaring two quick wickets. Noema-Barnett assisted the bowler by shouldering arms and losing his off stump for 14 and then Miles was caught behind for four.Chris Liddle was the last man to depart, slashing wildly at Broad and seeing the ball sail all the way into the hands of Cheteshwar Pujara at third man.Batting for a second time, in gloomy conditions with the floodlights burning brightly, Notts could afford to spill Dent on nought before Fletcher removed him for 2.The third stoppage of the day, at around 6.10pm, brought proceedings to a halt, with 15.3 overs still remaining.

Arsenal have been linked to Serie A hitman Dusan Vlahovic, however, the Gunners could miss a potential disaster by avoiding signing the striker.

Mikel Arteta’s side were the second-highest-scoring side in the Premier League last season, however, links to the big-money forward could reinforce that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Are Arsenal linked to Dusan Vlahovic?

Sources in Italy mentioned earlier this year the north Londoners in relation to the potential destiny of Vlahovic, claiming that the Gunners have ‘never given up’ on the prospect of signing the 23-year-old.

The report comes from the angle that the forward is ‘no longer’ considered to be ‘untouchable’ in terms of Juventus’ value of the goalscorer, making Arsenal’s rumoured interest a subject to be cautious over.

How many goals has Dusan Vlahovic scored?

A 23-year-old with 95 domestic career goals is never going to be short of attention in the transfer window, however, the Serbian has struggled with a dip in form since trading Fiorentina for Juve, signalling a risk for potential Premier League suitors.

In his first two seasons in Turin, Vlahovic has hardly been the "monster" that Carlo Garganese bestowed on him, netting 17 goals in Serie A in a decline compared to his form at Fiorentina in where he scored 38 goals in his final two Serie A campaigns.

While it takes time to adapt to new surroundings, the striker made the move to a side with more attacking prowess around him while remaining in the same league that he dominated just one season prior.

It has been a recurring narrative for prolific players from fellow top leagues in Europe are unable to hit former heights in the Premier League, a trait that Arsenal know too well.

The Gunners’ current record signing Nicolas Pepe signed for the club back in 2019 from Lille, where he caught the eye of Unai Emery after registering a monstrous 33 goal contributions in 38 Ligue 1 games in 2018/19.

Four years down the line and the winger is set to return to the club after a season-long loan at Nice after a poor opening three years in north London.

In three campaigns, the £72m forward scored 16 Premier League goals before falling down the pecking order and being replaced rightly by Bukayo Saka.

The Ivory Coast international has shown little promise of living up to his lucrative price tag since trading Ligue 1 for the Premier League, in a risk that has not paid off for Arsenal. Indeed, in his final season before being loaned back to France, he found the net on just three occasions for the Londoners.

Signing high-cost players from abroad is an area that the Gunners should tread carefully around, with warning signs flagging around the interest in £70m Vlahovic, who has already shown frailties to his consistency in Serie A.

The 'unsettled' striker should be a player for Arsenal to steer clear of, with Arteta having the foundations to bolster his side without having to risk spending sensational money on players that aren’t guaranteed to perform.

Edu should revise the past mistakes made in the transfer of Pepe when considering the clubs’ interest in the Serbian, who has averaged fewer non-penalty goals per 90 to Gabriel Jesus over the past year, with 0.35 to the Brazilian’s 0.39, via FBref.

West Ham United can be forgiven for being distracted by negotiations with Arsenal over a payment structure for £105m midfielder Declan Rice, but David Moyes' side are at risk of being left short come the start of the new Premier League season.

What new players have West Ham bought?

With five weeks to go until their trip to Bournemouth to kick off the 2023-24 season, West Ham have yet to make any signings this window.

That will surely frustrate manager Moyes, who will be fully aware that his squad is in need of freshening up, with May's Europa Conference League triumph papering over the cracks of a poor Premier League season.

A new central midfielder is top of Moyes' list of targets – or indeed a couple if a like-for-like Rice replacement cannot be found – with Ajax's Edson Alvarez, Manchester United's Scott McTominay and Everton's Amadou Onana all rumoured targets.

According to The Guardian, West Ham also hold an interest in Bristol City's Alex Scott, who is on the radar of fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

How much is Bristol City's Alex Scott worth?

Scott may have spent his senior career to date in the Championship, yet he is reportedly worth at least £20m to Bristol City due to the fact he has two years to run on his Ashton Gate contract.

Despite being just 19 years old, Scott already has 81 Championship appearances under his belt, having been a regular for the Robins over the past two campaigns.

The teenage midfielder rose to prominence earlier this year after impressing Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in an FA Cup tie, with the Catalan describing him as an "unbelievable player".

As pointed out by football talent scout Jacek Kulig after Scott was named the Championship's Young Player of the Year, he has a "big future ahead" of him.

Scott cannot be expected to slot straight in and take over the role of Rice, of course. Then again, who could?

Instead, the Guernsey native can provide some versatility for Moyes, given he featured in defensive midfield, central midfield, attacking midfield and on both flanks last season, as per WhoScored.

Versatile he may be, but it is as a pure central midfielder that Scott thrives. The Englishman ranks in the top 11% of all midfielders in the eight competitions most similar to the Championship for progressive carries (2.34 per 90 minutes), as per FBref, and in the top 16% for successful take-ons (1.22).

In that aforementioned FA Cup tie with Man City last season, which Bristol City lost 3-0, Scott's five dribbles were the joint-most of any player on the field, level with opponent Phil Foden – quite the company.

As per WhoScored, Scott's pass accuracy of 83.3% that day was also the third-most of any Robins player to attempt 10 passes or more, which is made all the more impressive when you factor in he was playing as an attacking midfielder.

Scott is not exactly a hidden gem, which explains his price tag, but he could be a very smart option for West Ham to kick off their transfer business in the post-Declan Rice era.

The Belgian is already playing in the Champions League and looks destined to join one of Europe's elite at the end of the season

In October 2022, Antwerp had no choice but to release Radja Nainggolan. The former Belgium midfielder was supposed to be a stalwart for the storied club, but it all went wrong in his home country. First, Nainggolan was arrested for driving with an expired licence. Then, a week later, he was caught smoking an e-cigarette on the bench.

With the 34-year-old forced out, and injuries elsewhere, Antwerp had no choice but to turn to their bench. Youngster Arthur Vermeeren was the one to ultimately fill the void.

Then still short of his 18th birthday, Vermeeren impressed immensely. Nine months later, he is one of the club's most important players – and being hailed as a future star.

But who exactly is Vermeeren, and why are Arsenal, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund after him? GOAL takes a look at one of Europe's most promising defensive midfielders…

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  Where it all began

  Football was always going to be on the cards for Vermeeren. Born in Lier, Belgium, less than one kilometre from the now-defunct Lierse SK training ground, he was identified as an intriguing talent early on.

  He later moved to KV Mechelen's youth side, and was developed as a centre-back for a mid-table Belgian Pro League setup. But starved of chances to play with older age groups, and keen to evolve as a midfielder, he moved down a division to struggling Antwerp.

  It was a decision that few would make, especially as Antwerp had only recently been promoted from the second division – and been out of the top flight for 13 years.

  But it proved to be a prudent choice, as the Pro League side were happy to deploy Vermeeren as a defensive midfielder, and offered him opportunities in his preferred position.

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  The big break

  The Covid-19 pandemic had an immense impact on many top youth players in Belgium. Some leagues shut down, while nationwide scouting networks were limited. It led to some promising talents seeing their opportunities for the national team limited.

  Vermeeren, though, enjoyed a stroke of luck. Belgium U17s coach David Penneman came across the youngster thanks to a tip, and took in Antwerp's U18 game against Charleroi.

  He was immediately impressed, and brought the relatively unknown midfielder into the youth national team setup – despite the presence of a number of highly rated No.6s in the group.

  "Arthur solved problems before they could be imagined, by constantly scanning the environment and playing football efficiently. He thought two steps faster than the rest," Penneman told .

  Mark van Bommel called Vermeeren into first-team training, and handed him his debut in a Europa Conference League qualifier.

  When an injury crisis hit Antwerp in winter of 2022 – and Nainggolan was forced out of the club – Vermeeren got his moment. And he's stayed in the team since.

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  How it's going

  Vermeeren is, at this point, comfortably the starting defensive midfielder for Antwerp. Van Bommel's side set up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, with Vermeeren playing as an all-action presence, usually alongside Alhassan Yusuf.

  The reigning Belgian League champs haven't quite hit their stride this campaign. They are fourth in the league, 11 points behind first-placed Union SG.

  But there are some positives to be found. They are playing in the Champions League for the first time, and have already won the Belgian Super Cup.

  Vermeeren has been crucial to his team's efforts so far. He has played every minute of Antwerp's Champions League group stage campaign, and started every league fixture so far.

  His team might not be thriving, but Vermeeren looks better by the week.

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  Biggest strengths

  All of the traits of a modern No.6 are here. Vermeeren holds onto the ball well and is seldom dispossessed – a useful skill for a player who looks to drive forward. His ball-carries per game are in the 88th percentile among all midfielders, according to , while he is also a willing forward passer.

  But his strengths really lie without the ball. Vermeeren is adept at cutting passing lanes, and an excellent presser for his age and position. He wins a high percentage of his tackles, recovers the ball at an above-average rate, and is a good passer in transition.

  At 5'11'' he has the necessary height to be a physical presence, but he's also quick enough to cover ground all over the pitch.

  This all points towards a modern No.6/No.8 blend – a rare archetype that big clubs pine after. He would be a perfect fit for a proactive side that looks to play vertically and create opportunities on the break.

Match Facts

July 6, 2017
Start time: 0945 local (0415GMT)Tendai Chatara’s discipline has earned him four of Zimbabwe’s eight wickets in the series so far•AFP

Big Picture

One comfortable pursuit of 317 for Zimbabwe, one crushing home victory set up by Sri Lanka’s spinners – not much about this series has been predictable, and the teams are now about to venture into more uncertainty. In the past two years, the ground at Hambantota has probably hosted more elephants than cricket matches, and no one is quite sure how the pitch will play after such a long hiatus. Will it tend to be on the faster, bouncier side, as it had been between 2011 and 2015? Or will it – as the hosts might prefer – take a little extra turn now?

Mumba replaces injured W Masakadza

Zimbabwe left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury, and has been replaced by seamer Carl Mumba. Masakadza’s last ODI appearance for Zimbabwe was in 2015, and having made a return to the squad, he did not get a game against Sri Lanka. Mumba’s sole ODI match so far came against Sri Lanka in November last year.

There is also often a powerful crosswind to contend with, at the venue, which tends to favour the more adaptable side. In the past, batsmen who have chosen to base their innings around hitting with the wind have prospered in Hambantota: not only do their strokes carry further, the balls they hit into the air have also been notoriously difficult to catch. Sri Lanka, who have dropped no fewer than six chances across the first two games, may be especially vulnerable if the breeze picks up. Bowlers have also had highly contrasting experiences with the wind: it has helped boost the natural swing of some, and put others off their game completely.Whatever the conditions, appropriate use of the sweep shot is likely to have come up in Zimbabwe’s team discussions over the past 48 hours. They had lived by the stroke in the first game, then died by it in the second. They may aim to be more selective in their deployment of the stroke in Hambantota.

Form guide

Sri Lanka WLLWL (completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LWWLL

In the spotlight

All through the Champions Trophy campaign there was wonderment in Sri Lanka as to why Lakshan Sandakan was not in the XI. Now that he has taken 4 for 52 upon his return, the head scratching has only intensified. For now, Sandakan is not a bowler who offers a lot of control, and perhaps on the less spin-friendly tracks in England, the selectors and team management felt he may become a liability. However, if any bowler has appeared as if he may correct Sri Lanka’s inability to take wickets through the middle overs, it has been Sandakan. The selectors might do well to now provide him with a secure place in the side, in order to determine if he can in fact fulfill that wicket-taking role, in the longer term.A longer run in the ODI side can help determine if Lakshan Sandakan’s potential, seen in his 4 for 52, can be fulfilled•AFP

Though batsmen’s handling of spin has dominated the series narrative so far, it is the skillful seam bowling of Tendai Chatara that has brought Zimbabwe half of their eight wickets in the series so far. There is no booming swing or searing pace for Chatara, but so far in the series, there has been a discipline to his bowling, and even on an unresponsive Galle pitch, he was one of the only quicks to glean some movement off the seam. If he can quickly modify his bowling to suit Hambantota’s unique conditions, Zimbabwe could again make an early breakthrough, as they have in each of the first two games.

Team news

Spinner Amila Aponso and seam-bowling allrounder Lahiru Madushanka have been dropped from the squad for the last three ODIs, and in their place are seamer Lahiru Kumara and batsman Chamara Kapugedera (Suranga Lakmal was originally slated to be in the squad until he took ill). Unless the flu that has been making its way around the Sri Lanka side incapacitates another player on Thursday, the hosts may not wish to make a change to their winning XI, however.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Upul Tharanga, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Wanidu Hasaranga, 8 Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Lakshan Sandakan,10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Nuwan PradeepDespite the loss, Zimbabwe have a fairly settled outfit, and they may stick with the same XI. If any place is under scrutiny, it may be that of seamer Donald Tiripano. Chris Mpofu could potentially replace him.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Solomon Mire, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikander Raza, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Peter Moor (wk), 8 Malcolm Waller, 9 Graeme Cremer (capt.), 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Chris Mpofu/Donald Tiripano

Pitch and conditions

Forecasts for this part of the country are notoriously unreliable, but the weather is expected to be dry and hot, with temperatures in the low thirties. How the pitch will play is anyone’s guess.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have won seven and lost six of their 17 matches at Hambantota.
• 2017 is Chatara’s most successful ODI year so far, having taken 15 wickets in nine matches at 24.46.
• In addition to having become the third bowler to take a hat-trick on ODI debut, on Sunday, Wanidu Hasaranga became the first Sri Lanka spinner to claim a hat-trick in the format.

Quotes

“Assessing the conditions a little bit better is crucial. When the wicket is flatter like in the first game, you can play all your shots freely and chase down a huge score like that. In the second game it was probably not a wicket where you can go for your shots regularly. We need to do bit of work on that – assess conditions and stick to our plans.””Nuwan Pradeep has been our best bowler in the last three years in Test and ODI cricket, but for some reason he doesn’t pick up many wickets. He has improved his fielding too. He is one of the hardest working cricketers in the side.”

Manchester United have held talks with Monaco defender Axel Disasi over a potential move to Old Trafford this summer and the 25-year-old would be 'really excited' by the prospect of pitching up at Old Trafford, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Is Axel Disasi joining Manchester United?

According to RMC Sport, Manchester United are frontrunners to sign Disasi this summer in a deal that could cost in the region of £35 million to complete.

Taking to Twitter, renowned journalist Romano took to Twitter to detail that Manchester United alongside Newcastle United are keen to bring in Disasi, stating: "Newcastle and Manchester United are both exploring Disasi deal, no bids yet. Newcastle approached player side this week, expected to make contact with Monaco. Ten Hag approved Disasi — talks for weeks on player side but still waiting for approach with Monaco."

In 2022/23, the France international enjoyed a solid campaign for Ligue 1 outfit Monaco and showed an unusually potent goal threat from central defence, registering six goals and four assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Disasi showed plenty of calmness at the back last term and helped to stamp out dangerous attacking situations with regularity, completing 2.9 clearances per match in the French top-flight, according to WhoScored.

Last month, The Mirror claimed that both Disasi and Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund have indicated that their preference would be to move to Old Trafford this off-season, giving Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag a major boost in his hunt for reinforcements.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has given some further insight into Manchester United's quest to land Disasi from Monaco.

Romano stated: "I will keep the name of Axel Disasi in the list. They spoke to the player's side and the player would be really excited to join Manchester United. Disasi is a player they like."

Who is coming to Man United 2023?

Aside from their pursuit of Disasi, who has been called a "hidden gem" after his brilliant performances, Manchester United have been active in the market as Ten Hag eyes quality additions ahead of the new Premier League season commencing.

Mason Mount has already been officially signed off on as the Red Devils' first summer arrival from Chelsea and could make his debut on Wednesday when Manchester United take on Leeds United in Oslo.

Sky Sports News report that Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is a name that may follow Mount to Old Trafford, though the Serie A giants are demanding a fee of £51 million to let him depart the San Siro.

Urawa Red Diamonds goalkeeper Zion Suzuki could also come in to strengthen the goalkeeping department in the aftermath of David De Gea's 12-year spell at the club coming to an end.

Telegraph Sport have signalled that a £50 million bid is set to be launched for Atalanta rising star Hojlund, who is viewed as a youngster with considerable potential by Old Trafford chiefs.

Rumours will continue to swirl around as the transfer window begins to reach fever pitch; however, it is clear that Manchester United are on the trail of numerous players and we will likely see movement in the next few weeks with regards to incomings and outgoings.