WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Kane Williamson will miss at least the first of New Zealand's three tests in India later this month because of a groin strain.
Selector Sam Wells confirmed that Williamson will not be with the rest of the New Zealand squad when it leaves for India on Friday.
Mark Chapman, who has yet to play a test but who has played 23 one-day and 76 Twenty20 internationals was named as injury cover for Williamson in the squad announced Wednesday.
“The advice we’ve received is that the best course of action is for Kane to rest and rehabilitate now rather than risk aggravating the injury,” Wells said. “We’re hopeful that if the rehabilitation goes to plan Kane will be available for the latter part of the tour.
“While it’s obviously disappointing to not have Kane available from the start of the tour, it provides an opportunity for someone else to play a role in an important series.”
Wells said Chapman "is one of our best players of spin and has a proven track-record in the sub-continent.
“Mark has displayed an ability to play spin proactively in the international arena and combined with his excellent first-class record we see him as someone who can succeed in the type of conditions we expect to encounter in India.”
Spinner Michael Bracewell will return to New Zealand after the first test to be with his wife who is expecting their second child. Ish Sodhi has been named for the second and third tests.
The first test at Bengaluru starts on Oct. 16 and the second in Pune from Oct. 24-28. The final test is scheduled for Nov. 1-5 in Mumbai.
New Zealand is coming off a two-test series loss to Sri Lanka in late September.
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New Zealand's Kane Williamson leaves the field after losing his wicket during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
New Zealand's Kane Williamson plays a shot during the day three of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle , Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Germany on Saturday was still in shock and struggling to understand the suspect behind the attack in the city of Magdeburg.
Identified by local media as 50-year-old Taleb A., a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist, authorities said he has been living in Germany for two decades. He was arrested on site after plowing a black BMW into a Christmas market crowded with holiday shoppers Friday evening, killing at least five people and wounding about 200 others.
Prominent German terrorism expert Peter Neumann posted on X that he had yet to come across a suspect in an act of mass violence with that profile.
Taleb’s X account is filled with tweets and retweets focusing on anti-Islam themes and criticism of the religion while sharing congratulatory notes to Muslims who left the faith. He also described himself as a former Muslim.
He was critical of German authorities, saying they had failed to do enough to combat the “Islamism of Europe.”
He has also voiced support for the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Some described Taleb as an activist who helped Saudi women flee their homeland. Recently, he seemed focused on his theory that German authorities have been targeting Saudi asylum seekers.
Neumann, the terrorism expert, wrote: “After 25 years in this ‘business’ you think nothing could surprise you anymore. But a 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim who lives in East Germany, loves the AfD and wants to punish Germany for its tolerance towards Islamists — that really wasn’t on my radar."
On Saturday, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters: “At this point, we can only say for sure that the perpetrator was evidently Islamophobic – we can confirm that. Everything else is a matter for further investigation and we have to wait.”
A German-based organization called Athiest Refugee Relief said the alleged attacker was not a part of the group and claimed that he made “numerous accusations and claims” against it and former board members, which it said were false.
“We distance ourselves from him in the strongest terms," the group said in a statement on its website, adding that members of Atheist Refugee Relief filed a criminal complaint against him in 2019 following “the most foul slander and verbal attacks."
An image taken from a video shows police officers arresting a suspect after car drove into a crowd at the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, Friday Dec. 20, 2024. (TNN/DPA via AP)
A person stands by flowers and candles placed outside St. John's Church near a Christmas Market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
