PSV Eindhoven have stepped up their pursuit of Hannover 96 defender Chris Gloster, making a bid for the U.S. Under-20 international, a source with knowledge of the situation has told ESPN FC.

- When does the transfer window close?

The source said the bid was submitted late on Friday and that Gloster had met with Hannover manager Mirko Slomka and informed him of his desire to join the Eredivisie side. With Gloster's contract having just a year to run, Hannover runs the risk of losing Gloster for free. And the source said the hope is that a deal can be finalized next week.

Gloster, 18, spent the bulk of last season with Hannover's reserve team, which plays in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Nord. He began the campaign with the U19s.

He made 16 appearances with the reserves and four with the U19s. But the left-back enjoyed an impressive series of games at the recently concluded FIFA U20 World Cup that was held in Poland, helping the U.S. reach the quarterfinals. Those performances have now helped him catch the eye of PSV.

With the U.S. senior team struggling to fill the left-back role, a move to the Netherlands could enable Gloster to move up the national team depth chart.

Hannover will spend the 2019-20 campaign in the 2. Bundesliga following a campaign that saw them finish next-to-last in the top tier with just 21 points, seven points adrift of the relegation playoff spot.

United States international Tim Weah is swapping Paris Saint-Germain for Ligue 1 side Lille, the clubs announced on Saturday.

- When does the transfer window close?

Weah, 19, has signed a five-year deal with the French runners-up, who had been negotiating the move with PSG since early June.

The American scored four goals from 16 appearances across all competitions during a loan spell with Celtic over the second half of last season and has Scottish and French league winners' medals after his split campaign between Paris and Glasgow.

Weah recently said it is his dream to establish himself alongside Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani from next term but he could find himself playing Champions League football with Lille instead.

Lille enjoyed great success in signing Jonathan Ikone in a similar move from PSG last summer, who went on to combine well with Nicolas Pepe and Jonathan Bamba to earn them a surprise second place in the Ligue 1 table.

Weah scored two goals and added two assists as the U.S. fell at the quarterfinal stage of the Under-20 World Cup in Poland.

Saturday's night Gold Cup quarterfinal between Mexico and Costa Rica was supposed to be a straightforward match for El Tri.

With new manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino cruising into the knockout round with seven consecutive wins, Mexico was expected to waltz past Costa Rica. Instead, Los Ticos stifled El Tri through an organized and defensive approach, forcing a draw and two halves of extra time which finished at a level 1-1 scoreline.

In an ensuing round of penalties, it was Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa who saved Mexico with a stop in the first round of sudden death, thereby giving El Tri a place in the semifinal round. Shaken up, Mexico will head to Phoenix to face Haiti for a spot in the Gold Cup final.

Positives

There is no doubt about it: Ochoa is the best goalkeeper available to El Tri. Game after game, the 33-year-old continues to be an immovable wall that has been turning heads across the globe since the 2014 World Cup.

In the midfield, the tireless work of Edson Alvarez also helped paper over some cracks that were beginning to form in the recent quarterfinal. The defensive midfielder was once again superb, and it's no surprise that European teams are keeping an eye on him.

Up top, Rodolfo Pizarro was a much-needed source of energy in the final third. The winger is a game-changer, but that said, a disconnect in general became apparent for most members of the attack.

Negatives

It could possibly be due to Costa Rica parking the bus or an over-confidence heading into the game, but Mexico mistimed far too many passes in the final third. Players such as Jonathan dos Santos, Andres Guardado, Uriel Antuna and Luis Rodriguez appeared to be on a different page while they made their runs forward and looked for passes.

Failing to break down Costa Rica's defense is another significant worry. This won't be the last time Martino will have to deal with a CONCACAF squad that will be more than happy to place the entire squad behind the ball.

Manager rating (out of 10)

5 -- This was Martino's least impressive performance in his early tenure with Mexico. The manager held on to his substitutes for far too long and lost his cool after arguing with match officials. Due to a yellow card being given to him for a second consecutive game, the Argentine is set to miss the semifinal against Haiti.

As for his tactics, Martino should have altered his approach that became predictable for Costa Rica throughout the full 90 minutes and extra time. Optimistic Mexico fans will hope that this will lead to some personal constructive criticism for Martino.

Player ratings (1-10, with 10 the best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Guillermo Ochoa, 10 -- Ochoa stepped up with a few saves in regulation time, a highlight-worthy stop in the second half of extra time and another save that clinched the win through penalties. Time and time again, Ochoa has emerged as a hero for Mexico.

DF Luis "Chaka" Rodriguez, 5 -- It was difficult to feel confident about the right-back who occasionally lost the ball and struggled to halt Costa Rica's counters. Chaka does a decent job in the attack with his passes but leaves much to be desired in the backline.

DF Carlos Salcedo, 6 -- Salcedo didn't have great chemistry with Nestor Araujo in the heart of defense and looked frustrated after struggling with pacey runs from the opposition. His true saving grace was scoring in the sudden death round of penalties.

DF Nestor Araujo, 5 -- There was something off about the 27-year-old, who tends to be a more reliable presence in defense. Araujo didn't form a good partnership with Salcedo and had a tough time stopping counters.

DF Jesus Gallardo, 7 -- A decent game for Gallardo. The high-pressing right-back was regularly involved in the attack and provided some dangerous crosses as well. Gallardo also scored in the round of penalties.

MF Jonathan dos Santos, 5 -- After earning an early yellow, Dos Santos became absent in the match. The LA Galaxy player eventually started to become more proactive in the late stages of the second half, but it was too little too late before he was substituted out in the 90th minute.

MF Edson Alvarez, 8 -- Alvarez was one of the hardest-working players on the field. The defensive midfielder was constantly involved in duels that helped gain possession back for Mexico.

MF Andres Guardado, 6 -- Not much to say about Guardado. The captain, who had injury doubts beforehand, had an average evening that featured a wide-ranging list of conservative and inaccurate passes in the final third.

FW Uriel Antuna, 4 -- Will the hype die down? Mexico's breakout player of the tournament looked lost in the company of Costa Rican defenders. The 21-year-old had no real impact in the game.

FW Raul Jimenez, 7 -- Credit where credit is due, and Jimenez should be given plenty of it for Mexico's only goal before penalties. No matter if he finds the back, El Tri benefits from having a lively No. 9 who loves to drop back and connect with the attack.

FW Rodolfo Pizarro, 8 -- Pizarro will likely go down as an unsung hero. Although he had some inaccurate opportunities on net, the 25-year-old was at times the only player who attempted to take chances with aggressive runs and bold passes in the second half. Pizarro also finished with an assist for Jimenez's goal.

Substitutes

MF Carlos Rodriguez, N/A -- Substituted in for Guardado in the 84th minute.

FW Roberto Alvarado, N/A -- Substituted in for Antuna in the 85th minute.

MF Luis Montes, N/A -- Substituted in for Dos Santos in the 90th minute.

DF Hector Moreno, N/A -- Substituted in for Araujo in the 106th minute.

England have called up Fran Wilson for the opening ODI of the Ashes against Australia, starting on Tuesday in Leicester.

Wilson played just once in England's recent 3-0 ODI sweep against West Indies but took the catch of the series to dismiss Hayley Matthews in the third match. She also ran out Chedean Nation while on as a substitute fielder for injured captain Heather Knight in the only T20I of the tour - the other two matches were washed out. Wilson scored 91 for England Academy against Australia in a warm-up match at Loughborough on Friday.

Allrounder Jenny Gunn, who made one appearance against West Indies - in the same ODI as Wilson - has also earned a place in England's 14-strong squad, along with top-order batsman Lauren Winfield.

With England on a 14-match winning streak across all formats, Knight, who has recovered from the hamstring injury she suffered during the T20I against West Indies, said of the Ashes: "You play cricket for series like this, they're special, so we're all just raring to go.

"It wasn't an easy squad to pick. We've won 14 games in a row and during that time time different people have performed and stuck their hand up. That bodes well for the Ashes and hopefully we can maintain that form throughout this series.

"We're really happy with this group. There's a good feeling amongst us and we want to go out there and regain the Ashes. That's our primary focus for the next month."

With England Women's Academy playing against Australia A throughout the ODI series, players may be called up from there as back-up options.

The Ashes, held by Australia, will be contested over three ODIs, a stand-alone four-day Test and three T20Is. ODIs and T20s are worth two points each for a win, while four points are up for grabs in the Test.

England: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Jenny Gunn, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor (wk), Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt.

Australia 243 for 9 (Khawaja 88, Carey 71, Boult 4-51) beat New Zealand 157 (Starc 5 for 26) by 86 runs

As it happened

Big-game temperament, they said. On a decent run of form, with players coming back in who will strengthen them further. Know how to win a World Cup (or five). Plenty of observers warned the real Australia would turn up at this tournament, though fewer predicted they would be the first team to secure a semi-final place. But after brushing aside the early pace-setters in this round-robin format, Australia look increasingly - and menacingly - close to their best once again.

Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of Alex Carey's match-turning innings

New Zealand removed Australia's openers cheaply, chipped away at the middle order and then finished off the innings with a Trent Boult hat-trick - the first in ODIs at Lord's. That Australia managed to make as many as 243 for 9 was largely down to a century partnership between Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey, the latter batting more fluently than anyone else on the day. Mitchell Starc then corralled a record third World Cup five-for, as a relentless, ruthless and (admittedly) slightly hotchpotch attack dismantled New Zealand.

The key wicket, that of Kane Williamson, was claimed by Starc, whose 5 for 26 saw him overtake his tournament-leading tally of 23 wickets from the 2015 World Cup. New Zealand's captain had not previously been dismissed by Starc in ODIs - a record which included their group-stage encounter four years ago, when Williamson thundered the final six that sealed a barnstorming one-wicket win in Auckland. At Lord's, it never got anywhere near so close.

Having recovered from 92 for 5, Khawaja anchoring the innings from the fifth over to the 49th - when he became the first part of Boult's late-swinging yorker tryptich - Australia simply preyed on New Zealand's insecurities with the bat. Williamson's 40 included being dropped twice and Ross Taylor was the only other player to get past 20 as the challenge of going at almost five an over on a tacky pitch proved too much.

WATCH on Hotstar (US only): Full match highlights

Australia captain Aaron Finch was able to cycle through as many as four part-time bowlers, including himself, as his three premier quicks plus the orthodox spin of Nathan Lyon kept New Zealand tied down. Never was the sense greater that momentum was with Australia than when Steven Smith was brought on to bowl an over of legspin and promptly claimed his first ODI wicket in five years, as Colin de Grandhomme picked out long-off.

Finch, Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell combined for figures of 9-0-43-1 and that in itself provided a measure of Australia's eventual dominance. None of the big four went at more than 3.60 an over, with Jason Behrendorff backing up his five-star performance against England by removing both New Zealand openers in an opening spell that was extended to nine overs; and Nathan Lyon claimed his maiden World Cup wicket to suggest Australia have found the right balance for the slower surfaces that have predominated in the tournament.

New Zealand were left to ponder another stuttering batting display, which leaves them facing a potentially nervous final group game against England next week. The move to bring in Henry Nicholls for Colin Munro at the top of the order brought only limited success - although an opening stand worth 29 was still New Zealand's third-best of the competition - while despite starting well with the ball, Ish Sodhi's legspin was underused and Williamson resorted to bowling himself for seven overs during the pivotal stand between Khawaja and Carey.

Williamson perhaps reasoned that his offbreaks were more likely to trouble the pair of Australia left-handers - with both Sodhi and Mitchell Santner turning the ball into the batsmen - but it reinforced the nagging sense that New Zealand are overly reliant on their captain.

He did eventually remove Carey, caught at cover looking to press the accelerator in the final Powerplay, though by that time Australia had fought their way back into the contest. Khawaja was largely becalmed, scoring only two boundaries in his first 100 balls, but he proved an adept foil for the more dynamic Carey, who continued his excellent form by scoring more than two-thirds of the runs during their 107-run stand.

On a day highlighted by several brilliant catches - Martin Guptill's to dismiss Smith, James Neesham's off his own bowling to remove Glenn Maxwell, and Smith off Tom Latham all deserved a mention in dispatches - it was a missed chance that may have proved most significant. Khawaja's second ball, driving at Boult, flew hard and low off the outside edge only for Guptill to shell it going one-handed to his right from second slip.

On a roasting day in the capital, Australia had chosen to bat but, for only the second time in the tournament, Finch and David Warner could not provide a significant foundation. Boult rapped Finch on the knee roll and Warner was the first of a brace of short-ball breakthroughs for Lockie Ferguson, with Smith then plucked brilliantly by Guptill after pulling sweetly but within range of short fine leg; but although neither Stoinis nor Maxwell could produce the goods in the middle order - Australia's one area of minor concern - they nevertheless found a way to get away.

The innings juddered to a halt as Boult struck the stumps of Khawaja and Starc, then had Behrendorff lbw to complete the first World Cup hat-trick by a New Zealander. But it was Australia who ended the day emphatically on top.

At least the atmosphere was nicer for New Zealand. The sun shone, they dominated the early exchanges, and at the death of the game as a contest - Ross Taylor's top-edged smear off Pat Cummins in the 32nd over of their run-chase - at least there was no send-off to match Brad Haddin's gobful to the vanquished Grant Elliott at the MCG four years ago. As the Aussies have been learning since Cape Town, if your teeth are sharp already, there's no need to back up your bite with extra bark.

To claim that New Zealand were killed with kindness would do a disservice to the malevolent wicket-harvesting machine Australia they have put together since their arrival for the Lord's leg of their campaign. But in their first World Cup meeting since that World Cup final defeat, it will trouble New Zealand that the result was every bit as thumping.

They had even shuffled their cards for the first time in the tournament - bringing in Ish Sodhi as a second spin option and jettisoning the run-shy Colin Munro, who just hasn't been able to catch a break since their opening game of the tournament - but they found no immediate means to avoid another speed-bump in their previously serene glide towards an eighth World Cup semi-final.

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): Trent Boult's hat-trick

"For us, it is about moving on," said Kane Williamson, New Zealand's captain. "Keep taking on the challenge with that great attitude, and play with that freedom that gives us the best chance of having success; but at the same time respecting the fact that anybody can beat anybody in this tournament. Despite having some success early, that doesn't change, as we've seen."

It will still require an extraordinary turn of events to deny New Zealand that semi-final berth - Pakistan's failure to put Afghanistan in their place until the final over of their cliffhanger at Headingley means that they missed an opportunity to improve their wavering net run rate. As a consequence, it will require a landslide swing in NRR to push them out of the top four in the event of two England wins in their final games. And seeing as India and New Zealand themselves are the two teams in England's way, their fate remains decidedly in their own hands.

"I think that [net run rate] is of one of those outcome things," Williamson added. "If we are playing our best cricket, then the net run rate, perhaps the opportunity to win, are all factors, and that's what we want to be focussing on.

"So when the game was slipping away, we did want to build a partnership. We did want to try and take the game to a position where we might be able to fire a few shots, which obviously would have helped in that instance and given us more of a chance to perhaps have the opportunity to get over the line. But neither of those were a possibility today.

"Once again, it is about moving on, and going to Durham and looking forward to a new surface, new opposition. Us as a side need to be really positive and play with that freedom, because when we do that, that is when we play our best cricket, and that's the sort of mindset we need to have."

And yet, their trajectory is not encouraging. The contemptuous ease with which New Zealand dispatched Sri Lanka in their opening fixture in Cardiff - a ten-wicket win with 203 balls left unused - feels as long ago as the dismal weather that haunted the Western leg of this ever-evolving competition. Aside from a dissimilar swatting of an unawakened Afghanistan, the rest of their fixtures have been a battle - one that they've rarely been less than fully alive to, which is more than can be said for several less promisingly placed opponents - but a battle nonetheless.

And most troublingly, it's been a battle, like chess, in which the capturing of the king has proved decisive. Three of New Zealand's victories have come when Williamson himself has not been dismissed for less than 148. Both of their defeats, as well as that two-wicket crash landing against Bangladesh at The Oval, have come after he has been dismissed for scores of 40, 41 and 40.

His first century, against South Africa, held the innings together after a collapse of three wickets for eight runs, and his second, against West Indies at Old Trafford three days later, had come after both openers had been dismissed for golden ducks - and even that would have been in vain had Carlos Brathwaite got more elevation on his heave for glory.

In those circumstances - and again, taking in mitigation the incredible battling resolve that they have brought to each of their contests (even today's) - New Zealand may well be counting their blessings that India's formidable bowlers were denied the chance to get stuck in at Trent Bridge. More bullish sides would claim that the rain denied them a shot at victory. More realistic sides would happily accept that a point gained, and the breathing space it gives in the final semi-final shake-down, is priceless.

But, just as he has kept calm and carried on throughout a mighty personal campaign, Williamson isn't about to lose sight of the virtues that have carried New Zealand this far. A train up to Durham awaits in the morning, then the girding of his team's loins for a final qualification push that may yet be academic, depending on how England fare in the interim at Edgbaston.

"I don't think we need to focus on recalibrating," he said. "Maybe there's a dent in momentum. But then at the end of the day, it is coming back to the cricket that we want to play.

"Playing with those smarts, I think cricket smarts throughout this tournament has been perhaps the most important thing. Even perhaps more than something like the word 'freedom', which everybody wants to be able to achieve day-in, day-out. But on these surfaces that have varied a bit, which has been great, great viewing, but you do need to be smart and adapt really quickly on them to give yourselves the best chance of success."

His side have certainly done that, in spite of recent appearances at Edgbaston and Lord's. And you can bet that, when they come up against the team that has been striving more than any other for that "freedom", Williamson's methods won't budge an inch.

If Mitchell Starc's performances are a barometer of Australia's World Cup prospects, then you might as well hand them the trophy here and now.

With his second five-wicket haul of the tournament - and his fourth of four or more - Starc marched past the 22 wickets in eight games with which he sealed his Player of the Tournament title in the 2015 campaign, and has moved to within three of overhauling the all-time record for a World Cup campaign, the 26 that Glenn McGrath claimed in another of Australia's five World Cup wins, in the Caribbean in 2007.

And yet Starc remains unmoved by the prospect of individual milestones. Asked what it would mean to overhaul the great McGrath, he replied: "Not much if we don't win the World Cup." With every passing performance, the odds on that turn of events lengthen.

For New Zealand, there was a bleak inevitability to Starc's interventions at Lord's. His first spell may have been wicketless but it came against a pair of openers whose only instinct was survival - and seeing as he chipped in with a 96mph thunderbolt in his third over, it seemed from the sidelines to be a prudent course of action.

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): Starc dazzles with a five-for

But with his team-mates keeping up those restrictive methods, Starc was able to return with a vengeance for his latter spells. Recalled for the 26th over, just as New Zealand had started to realise that discretion means little without a touch of valour, he struck with his fourth ball to dislodge the main man, Kane Williamson.

Ten overs later, he repeated the trick - this time sinking Tom Latham at midwicket - and with four overs still up his sleeve, there was now no reason not to keep him going in search of a clean kill. By attacking the stumps with lethal pace and late swing as a bonus, he once again displayed a method that, so far, only India's star-studded batting has managed to counter.

"[Attacking the stumps] is part of my game-plan," said Starc. "Again, it was a worn wicket today, so we were all fortunate that Finchie won the toss and we got to bat first. I believe they bowled well at the start. But I guess we keep learning from the opposition when we do bowl second, and I guess that fuller length and that straighter line for me, attacking those stumps, it is pretty much part of my game-plan.

"I think as a bowling unit today, we were fantastic to keep such a good side to under 160. So it was a great performance by everyone."

The simplicity of Australia's methods with the ball make their earlier struggles to find serviceable back-ups to Starc and Pat Cummins something of a mystery. But with Jason Behrendorff adding another oppressive left-arm option to their ranks, and with Nathan Lyon's Test-honed killer instincts delivering another inch-perfect spell on a worn surface, there was never any real opportunity for New Zealand to free their arms and catch up with an escalating rate.

Starc, however, does not yet believe they have stumbled upon the magic formula for guaranteed success.

"I think the fantastic thing about our 15 guys is we've got guys that can open the bowling. We have got several guys that make up good combinations. We've had all 15 part take part so far in the tournament. Guys are ready to go if called upon. The guys that were picked today did another fantastic job, [but] I don't think we've quite played the perfect game, if you like.

WATCH on Hotstar (US only): Full highlights

"We're finding ways to scrap and to restrict teams, and we keep improving every game. But I think the turning point was probably that Indian game where we had a good chat as a bowling group and a batting group and we've just continued to improve as a whole group of players from that game, so it's been fantastic."

Until the start of the World Cup, Starc had been an onlooker as Australia set about their quiet resurgence of white-ball fortunes. He missed the 3-2 series win in India with a pectoral muscle strain, and was still on the road to recovery when they went on to beat Pakistan 5-0 in the UAE in March. But having returned to Australia's set-up he has recognised a side that had renewed belief.

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): New Zealand's innings

"From all reports, it's been a fantastic feel around the group in the UAE and India," he said, "and to play some fantastic cricket heading into that April break, was probably the momentum that the group was after heading into this tournament.

"So I think our chances are as good as any other team. We've always spoken about peaking towards the back end of the tournament, and we're still searching for that perfect performance. We're not quite there yet. We're showing glimpses of what we are capable of with the ball and with the bat and in the field, but we have still got room to improve, and that's exciting for this group.

"And if we can do that - well, we've got to play our best game in the semi now and hopefully better that in the final - and that's what tournament play is all about."

Wahab Riaz should be on a vacation. He wasn't picked in Pakistan's original 30. He wasn't in the World Cup training camp. He wasn't even in the XV originally named for this World Cup. Somebody in the camp told him to not book his holiday because you never know with Pakistan cricket. This is a mix of foresight and defeatism that makes Pakistan cricket. Anything can happen anytime; no player or no situation can be ruled out.

Sometimes Wahab must wish he was on vacation. It is Taunton. Pakistan are wasting ideal new-ball conditions, but Wahab comes on and immediately draws an edge. Aaron Finch is dropped at slip. He comes back later to have David Warner edging to third man, and he is dropped, too.

Wahab comes to field at long-on for the next over. He is received by a crowd that tries to tell him through an applause that they understand. Nobody can really. Sometimes fast bowlers don't even know where they are between overs. They field on auto-pilot. This Wahab is angry. His heart-rate is up. He has had a catch dropped. Consolation won't work. He has seen this movie before, at the last World Cup. Someone from the crowd gives him an elderly-sounding advice, "Down nahi hona Wahab." [Don't let this get you down]. Nothing has registered on Wahab, who keeps following the routine of moving with the shot, then stepping over the rope between balls and then stepping back in to field.

How can he not let this get him down? At least four more catches are dropped off his bowling in the tournament, making it an average of one per game. His average after six games is 42.25 and economy rate 6.54. Even Mohammad Amir, for whom the wheel has turned this tournament, has dropped a catch off Wahab. That's how union leaders must feel when one of their own sells out to the management.

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): The chaotic last five overs of Pakistan's chase

On the eve of their third must-win match in a row, Wahab has sustained a fracture at the base of the little finger on his right hand. He should not be playing, but the same foresight and pragmatism tells them they will make the decision at the ground. Before the morning warm-ups, he is asked if he can bear the pain. Wahab has a crazy decision to make: he wants to be brave but he also needs to be honest because you can't be a liability at a crucial juncture.

Wahab says he wants to have a bowl before he decides. After bowling a few deliveries, Wahab tells Sarfaraz Ahmed he can commit a 100% to bowling but can't promise the same with his batting and fielding. Sarfaraz asks him again if he can bowl. Wahab says he can. Sarfaraz doesn't think twice. He is in. Wahab feels twice the player. That his captain wants him in desperately.

Still you know where this will end up if Pakistan fail.

**

Hamid Hassan is now a commentator. He is helping the term shpageeza [Pashto for 'six'] go mainstream with his excitable commentary. This is February in India, and time for shpageezas is over. The Test match is upon us. Every lunch break, Hamid changes out of his suit into training gear, and goes and works with the Afghanistan trainer and physio. He has not played an ODI since July 2016.

It is easy to assume Hamid is retired. Take a look at what all he has gone through in life since 2012. Part of an ensemble Associates and Affiliates XI facing the No. 1 Test side England back in 2012, Hamid bowled an unbroken 11-over spell to get the wickets of Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott. Soon he chased a ball in vain so hard he left himself no choice but to jump over the picket fence. His right foot sailed over, but his left got stuck and he landed knee first on the sightscreen's rail grill. It was such an almighty fall that witnesses feared for his life.

Hamid had to then undergo surgery, which took all the strength out of his heavy muscular legs. With no one to guide him, Hamid overworked himself too soon in a bid to come back, bringing about another surgery. Offers started to come his way to join the ACB, but he wanted to be back. He was done, everyone said. Hamid would watch Rocky and Rambo movies, and train like them. He was not yet ready to trade the headband and the face paint for a suit and a tie.

On June 29, as Wahab is going through his dilemma on whether to play or not, Hamid has decided this will be his last ODI. Nobody outside of the team knows. It is only after the lunch break when Afghanistan come out to defend 227 that you get to know through that guard of honour for Hamid. One of the faces of Afghanistan cricket is going out without fanfare, but he wants to win them one last match. This is a turning track, and he knows on such tracks his side has the best limited-overs spin attack in the world. He needs to support them.

"I was very very keen and very happy," Hamid says. "I was playing my last ODI and was in very good mood. I bowled a very good first over with pace. I was ready to go…"

**

Gulbadin Naib can read and write Urdu. He is still learning to write his own language Pashto. He was born in Pakistan. He was 11 when he realised he was an Afghan and not a Pakistani. When in India, he did interviews for written pieces in Urdu, and spoke passionately of an Afghan identity. He said he was thankful his children were growing up in Afghanistan, at home. When in front of the cameras at this World Cup, this last-minute captain of Afghanistan has not spoken Urdu at all. Except for one couplet, which we will come back to.

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): Shaheen Afridi's four-for

This tells you a lot about the geopolitics of the region. Afghans want an identity of their own. They learnt their cricket in Pakistan, but they didn't go there out of free will. Pakistan played a big role in their being refugees. They acknowledge their past but they don't want to be stuck with it. Current players respect that, but former ones in the media don't. They proclaim Pakistan will "crush" Afghanistan.

Back to the couplet. This one came out because Naib must not have found a translation in Pashto. He told Bangladesh, "Hum toh doobe hain sanam, tujhe bhi le ke doobenge [We have already sunk, darlings, but we will drag you with us.]" Irony is, Bangladesh themselves fought against the imposition of Urdu (and Punjabi) when they sought freedom from Pakistan. Those lines were perhaps better reserved for those who understand Urdu.

**

Imad Wasim can appear to be what is called a 'burger' in Pakistan. A rich kid with an accent, detached from the realities of the country, that's a working definition of a 'burger'. Imad was born in Wales, and was set for a career in medicine when called up for the Pakistan Under-19s. He does have an accent, and uses the word "mate" to address fellow brown people. Far from being spoilt, he is the kind of honest allrounder who has to consistently keep punching above his weight to stay in the side. He is a spinner who doesn't turn the ball. He is not a lusty hitter. He is not the most athletically built. Yet he is important in the side but also dispensable. Failure in first match, and he is the one dropped.

WATCH on Hotstar (US only): Full highlights

Now back in the side, Imad has taken two big wickets and is watching a crazy old match unfold at Headingley as Pakistan look to chase 228 to keep a crazy old logic-defying run going. They have lost to West Indies and India, but they have beaten tournament favourites England, got the better of South Africa and ended the unbeaten run of New Zealand to keep their campaign alive. Afghanistan should be easy then. How I laugh.

Hamid walks through the guard of honour but doesn't join his team-mates immediately. He is getting some attention from the physio before he takes the field. It is his lower back. Hamid charges in to bowl the second over of the innings. The first ball kicks off the surface; it is quick, but the extra bounce makes it look quicker. He is feeling it. He is feeling good. He is going all out. He needs to help his spinners out. In his second over, he does his hamstring.

"Suddenly I don't know what happened, second over my hamstring was totally like gone. I felt like something was broken inside my hamstring. It wasn't my wish to go like this," Hamid says after the match. He is limping. He has given it all. He is done. He can break down into tears any moment. He still has two small Afghan flags painted on his cheeks. Rambo at twilight.

ALSO READ: The Afghan heroism of Gulbadin Naib

Say what you will about Naib and his sudden rise to captaincy, but he is not the one to shirk responsibility. He is a bit like Imad, always having to justify his place in the side. He doesn't have the technique to open the batting, but he is doing it. He is not the ideal death bowler, but he is doing it. He is fronting up to the press every time even as their campaign unravels with off-field drama outdoing the number of close defeats. As soon as he sees Hamid limp during his second over, Naib starts to loosen up. It is the three spinners, though, who keep doing their job. In Samiullah Shinwari, Naib finds a fourth musketeer.

It is a chaotic match. The geopolitical nastiness has made it to the stands. Already people have been evicted, but the relative calm has been disturbed with Pakistan losing two quick wickets, both against the run of play, both rocks of this batting order: Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam. The only men who bring about any certainty or predictability to Pakistan are both gone.

There has been a quote going around these days that is being attributed to Ricky Ponting. That Pakistan beat whomever they want, and they lose to whomever they want. It's not Pakistan v the opposition, but Pakistan v Pakistan. It can't be ascertained if Ponting indeed said it, but that is exactly what Pakistan have done through those two wickets.

All bets are off now. Every dot is waking up the Afghanistan crowd. That familiar feeling is back in the Pakistan camp. Mohammad Hafeez resists the temptation to get out to a part-timer again before cutting the first ball back from Mujeeb Ur Rahman in air. Haris Sohail gets a superb ball from Rashid Khan who is as illegible right now as Farsi, Afghanistan's other strong language. Sarfaraz Ahmed, who anchored a similar chase against Sri Lanka in the 2017 Champions Trophy, runs himself out.

Suddenly Naib's words have come back to haunt the side that understands Urdu: We have already sunk, darlings, but we will drag you with us. Afghanistan have had a shot against all Asian sides, but have heartbreakingly fallen short. Afghanistan are the heartbreak of this tournament. They are unravelling in front of our eyes, but we - hampered by language - can't even ascertain what is happening. There is a lot of politics, that much can be said. For the sake of Rashid, of Nabi, of Mujeeb, of fighting batsmen Rahmat and Najib, for the sake of current and former captain Naib and Asghar, for the outgoing affable coach Phil Simmons, we want them to win at least one game. But do we want the win to come at the expense of the greatest story of this World Cup?

This is as good a chance as any for Afghanistan, though. They are defending a total unlike other games, which is the ideal scenario for them. Except that Imad is playing the smart game out there. He doesn't care if he has to play out four maidens from Rashid. He doesn't care if he keeps patting Mujeeb's carrom balls back to him. He knows Hamid is injured, and someone quicker or a lesser spinner has to bowl his quota. He wants Afghanistan to make that choice: is it a quicker bowler or part-timer Samiullah? How long can they delay that decision?

Naib makes that decision in the 46th over with 46 still to get. Out of the five remaining overs, three are locked in for Rashid and Mujeeb. Naib and Samiullah are the options for the other two. Naib knows Samiullah has bowled well, but he also knows Pakistan are going to target him now. He has had the experience of bowling at the death in this tournament. It's not ideal, but Naib brings himself on. In his mind, Naib is doing the brave thing again.

Imad picks his spot first ball and helps along a low full toss - a yorker gone wrong - into the leg side for four. Naib learns his lesson, rolls his fingers over the next one, Imad miscues the attempted shot over extra cover, Asghar runs after it, this is going to be a catch. What redemption it is for Naib. He can flex his biceps again. Sweet win at last. Except Asghar over-runs it. Asghar has been running and diving after everything, he has been helping Naib out with decision-making, but he has over-run this catch. Who else but Naib and Asghar to be at the centre of this heartbreak?

Later in the over, an outside edge flies away for four. Naib stands in the middle of the pitch, hands on knees, unable to believe what is happening. Eighteen runs come off the over. Now Rashid and Mujeeb have only 27 to defend in the last four. In the change rooms, Hamid is struggling to keep his emotions in check. If only he could give them two more overs at this stage, he is thinking.

Naib finds a way to get back into the game again. In the 47th, he swoops in on what looks like a certain two, catches Shadab Khan unawares with a smooth quick return by the stumps to run him out. Once again, Afghanistan believe. Once again, Pakistan wonder if their belief - yakeen, if you will - is actually true.

This is when Wahab Riaz gets up. He slides his right hand, finger broken and swollen, into a glove. He looks skywards and tells god it is up to him to give him izzat [honour] or zillat [dishonour]. He grimaces every time he grips the bat hard and taps it down.

Imad is perhaps still not picking Mujeeb but he has decided he is going to bat through the innings. Hardly any risk is taken as they know they have one more weaker over to go. With 16 off 11, though, Wahab finds one in his wheelhouse. Rashid has overpitched with this wrong'un. Wahab gets on a knee and has an almighty swing. Naib at deep midwicket knows he can't get to it. There is this almighty release of emotions. Pakistan believe they have got it, Afghanistan know they have not. Rioting breaks out in stands again. Punches, rubbish, bottles, and even a rubbish bin are thrown at each other.

A chaotic finish to a chaotic match. Pakistan still believe. Afghanistan hold back tears. There is izzat for Pakistan, but by no means it is zillat for Afghanistan. At the press conference, Imad and Naib talk about their emotions one after the other. Both have found humour. It is slightly insensitive but that's what keeps them going. About the pitch invasion, Naib says the people love their players, their heroes. It is very difficult to locate these heroes. They want to touch them, hug them at the only place they can see them. Let them. Imad jokes about heart attacks. Days after bowling coach Azhar Mahmood did about suicides. They both ask the fans to co-exist, to watch like brothers.

In the mixed media zone, Wahab and Hamid stand a few feet apart as they talk about their day. Both are talking about their pain. Wahab can look back fondly. Hamid has only regret. Wahab promises he will bear the pain and turn out against Bangladesh too. Hamid has no other ODI to look forward to, but he will get into Rambo mode and train for another year or so of T20s. He limps off into the team bus.

Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go home and have a heart attack.

Junior dos Santos was the polished boxer, the former UFC heavyweight champion. He had the pedigree. But Francis Ngannou had the raw punching power. In the end, that's all that mattered.

Ngannou crushed dos Santos with a combination of looping, crushing punches early on -- a right hook followed by a left and another right for good measure. Dos Santos crumpled to the mat, and referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop it at 1:11 of the first round and rule it a TKO finish for Ngannou in the main event of UFC Minneapolis on Saturday at Target Center.

Ngannou called for a heavyweight title shot next, saying he should face the winner of August's Daniel Cormier versus Stipe Miocic championship bout. Ngannou has won three straight, all by first-round knockout.

"I hope the UFC realizes I deserve the title shot right now," Ngannou said.

Ngannou (14-3) has the most UFC finishes in the heavyweight division since 2015, with nine. The Cameroon native, by way of France, has seven wins within two minutes, fourth-most in UFC history. Ngannou, 32, has won 10 of his 14 career victories by KO/TKO. For his part, dos Santos had never been finished within the first two minutes of a fight.

This is the third straight fight that Ngannou has won within 1:11. Ngannou fought once for the title before, a unanimous decision loss to Miocic at UFC 220 in January 2018.

Dos Santos (21-6) had won three straight coming in, the previous two by TKO. The Brazilian slugger has fought in five UFC title fights and could have been in a sixth had he beaten Ngannou. Dos Santos, 35, has been one of the best heavyweights of his era. He held the title in 2011 and 2012.

Cormier will defend his UFC heavyweight title against Miocic, the former champion, in the main event of UFC 241 on Aug. 17 in Anaheim, California.

Six-time All-Star Kyrie Irving will be meeting with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday in New York, and both sides are motivated to reach a deal on a four-year, $141 million maximum contract, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.

The free-agent guard is part of the Nets' bold, two-part plan to acquire Irving and All-NBA forward Kevin Durant in free agency, league sources told ESPN. Irving plans to leave the Boston Celtics, whom he was traded to two years ago from the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources said. Irving is a native of South Orange, New Jersey, which is in the tri-state area.

Durant remains interested in the Nets and is expected to speak with them this week, sources said. Irving and Durant have built a strong relationship.

Irving averaged 23.8 points, 6.9 assists and 7 rebounds in 67 games for the Celtics. Throughout a tumultuous season, which ended in a Game 5 Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Irving's displeasure with the management, coaches and teammates was evident.

The ripples of an Irving commitment to the Nets will impact All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell, who is a restricted free agent. The Nets have no intention of bringing back Russell with Irving on the roster, and they plan to work with Russell and his agents to facilitate a pathway to his next team, league sources said.

The Nets could renounce Russell and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent, but first they could work with his agents at CAA Sports -- Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz -- on sign-and-trade scenarios with teams without the requisite salary-cap space to sign Russell, sources said. One team interested in finding a way to acquire Russell via free agency or sign-and-trade: the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka reached out to Russell's agents to set up a meeting to discuss a possible reunion with Los Angeles, league sources told ESPN. The Lakers, flush with $32 million in salary-cap space, are searching for a third All-Star to partner with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Both the Lakers and Russell are interested in exploring a potential return to Staples Center.

The Lakers traded Russell to the Nets with Timofey Mozgov for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 pick in the 2017 draft to clear space to sign two max-level free agents. The Lakers signed James, traded for Davis and could ink Russell.

Russell, 23, has matured a great deal since the Lakers selected him No. 2 in the 2015 draft. His time with the Nets molded him into an All-Star.

NBA free agents can begin negotiating agreements with teams at 6 p.m. ET Sunday. Contracts can be officially signed July 6.