The Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues has gone back and forth between games. Each offensive spurt has been met with a counterpunch. Each loss is followed by a necessary adjustment. No real fireworks (yet), though plenty of players are trying to antagonize opponents. (Exactly how many David Perron wrestling matches have we seen in front of Boston's net? Our unofficial count is three.)

The result? A series tied at two games apiece heading back to Boston for Game 5 on Thursday. Here are seven observations through four games, both on how this series will shake out and how it will affect the NHL on a bigger-picture scale.

This series might be decided by the availability of Boston's defensemen

The Bruins have already been without starting defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (concussion protocol), which has thrust John Moore into the lineup. Now they might be primed for an even bigger blow: losing Zdeno Chara for the rest of the series.

The Athletic reported that Chara suffered a broken jaw after taking a puck to the face in Game 4 -- in which he was not cleared to return for the third period -- and the Bruins should provide a more thorough update after the captain meets with doctors in Boston. Chara had been averaging nearly 22 minutes per night in the postseason and was a big factor on Boston's penalty kill, which has been excellent. (The Bruins recently had a string in which they killed off 19 consecutive power plays, spanning the Eastern Conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.)

"This matchup is not good with Z out, let's face it," coach Bruce Cassidy said Tuesday. "[The Blues] are a big, heavy team, so we lose that element. But someone else is going to have to step up, and I think we can do it as a group."

There's a chance Grzelcyk can return in this series. Meanwhile, Cassidy floated the idea of dressing seven defensemen because there is no obvious singular replacement for Chara. Steven Kampfer is the most experienced reserve the Bruins have available, and he's played in two playoff games so far, but he's a right-shot defenseman, not left like Chara, so that messes up some pairings. The Bruins could turn to youngsters: Urho Vaakanainen, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon are all left-handed shots, but they have very limited NHL experience (20 combined games among them). This is an area where St. Louis can exploit Boston.

Special teams matter

A team can win a Stanley Cup without exceptional special teams; in fact, the 2011 Bruins had a pretty crummy power play. The Blues have been, at times, a better team at 5-on-5 but lost two of the first three games due to taking a combined 14 penalties (and also being without one of their primary penalty killers, Oskar Sundqvist, in Game 3). Boston's power play is historically good and has the power to deliver big punches. Look no further than Game 3, when Boston went 4-for-4 on the power play ... on only four shots.

The Blues' power play, meanwhile, was almost a liability for them in the Game 4 victory; they couldn't sustain any momentum from it and even gave up a short-handed goal. Credit the Bruins for having an underrated penalty kill, but it's clear that special teams will matter in the outcome of this series.

Binnington, Johansson, Krug will get paid

Rookie sensation Jordan Binnington has been the avatar for the Blues' unflappability in the second half of the season. There's no way St. Louis makes it to this point without the goaltender, and he's up for a new contract this summer. The problem for St. Louis is that there are no obvious comparables for Binnington's next deal. The Blues obviously want to keep him around, but as a by-product of their own success, they'll just have to shell out more money to do so. It's likely the sides settle for a bridge deal if they can't agree on terms.

Boston orchestrated two of the season's best trade-deadline moves in acquiring Charlie Coyle (nine goals these playoffs) and Marcus Johansson (11 points in 19 games). Johansson is a particularly interesting case because he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. His current contract (a shade under $4.6 million this season) was viewed as a value for a top-six forward, but he wasn't producing like one. The Bruins have used Johansson on the third line, and he's flourishing in that role. That could inspire teams to reexamine where he belongs in the lineup come next season. But regardless, his contract value will be much more than what would have been offered a few months ago.

Torey Krug enters unrestricted free agency after next season. Boston knows Krug loves to play for the Bruins, but the team also knows he's due for a raise from the $5.25 million he's making. The 5-foot-9 undrafted defenseman broke into the league because of his offensive prowess, but over the past few years, he's emerged as a standout all-around defenseman and should be paid as such. The Bruins will likely figure something out, but this playoff run has certainly raised Krug's profile. Other usual big spenders might try to get in on the action. It's worth wondering if Krug, a native of Livonia, Michigan, might consider the Detroit Red Wings. On a rebuilding team with new general manager Steve Yzerman, Krug would instantly become the No. 1 defenseman and a piece around whom to build.

A new trend in goalie workloads?

The two goalies left standing in the Final weren't overworked during the regular season. The Bruins lightened Tuukka Rask's load (he also missed some time with injuries and a personal absence) as the Finn started only 45 games this season -- a far cry from his 67 starts in winning the 2014-15 Vezina Trophy. It helped that Boston has an ultracompetent backup in Jaroslav Halak.

Rask was the most outstanding goalie in the first three rounds, leading Boston to the Final with a .942 all-situations save percentage. "I don't know exactly how many games we were going to play Tuukka [in the regular season], but it was definitely going to be less than a typical No. 1," Cassidy said earlier in the playoffs, noting he preferred somewhere around the 50- to 55-start range. "It's been lower than that. I think it's helped him. I don't know how much -- only he can answer that."

Binnington comes in at 30 starts, since he didn't make his debut until late December. That means we'll have the seventh consecutive season with a Stanley Cup-winning goalie making fewer than 60 starts (Braden Holtby led Washington last season after also seeing a decrease in his usual responsibilities, in part because Philipp Grubauer was challenging for the No. 1 role).

Considering teams often try to emulate the most recent Cup winner, we'll start to see teams reexamine their practices. This feels particularly pertinent to a few teams on the cusp. The Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens all overworked their starting goaltenders (60 or more starts for each of them) and might begin looking at contingency plans to lighten the load as soon as next season to keep those guys fresh for playoff time.

There's still a place for heavy hockey

At the end of the Western Conference finals, Sharks coach Peter DeBoer made this observation: "I think the two hardest, heaviest teams are in the Final. Everyone talks about skill and all the small players, and there is room for that, but I don't think it's an accident."

DeBoer is onto something. Yes, the league has been trending shorter and speedier (which was spurred, in part, by the Penguins' back-to-back championship teams), but there's still a place for heavy hockey, especially in the playoffs. The Blues are a tall team -- they have eight players who stand 6-foot-3 or taller. Even though Boston, on average, is a smaller team, the Bruins play a tough brand. Replay any of the first four games, and there's a good chance you'll see these teams beating each other up and shoving each other around.

What does this mean going forward? That the big guys won't be phased out as quickly as we thought. Patrick Maroon had a somewhat disappointing regular season but has been an important presence in the playoffs. In fact, Maroon and the Blues' playoff run could directly boost the value of some other aging, bigger-bodied vets looking for new deals this summer.

Get ready for more retreads

We know what you're thinking: NHL GMs haven't exactly been creative with hirings in the past. In fact, five of the head-coaching vacancies this year were filled by men who already had NHL head-coaching experience.

But Cassidy and Craig Berube's respective successes are going to mean this trend won't end anytime soon. Consider that when Berube was fired in Philadelphia in 2015, his future as a head coach looked bleak. His two-year stint was unmemorable, and then-GM Ron Hextall categorized Berube as a coach who couldn't get the most out of his players. The Blues gave Berube a chance when they needed a replacement in the middle of this season. He maintained a similar style, and this time it worked (or the circumstance was right). Berube instilled the right confidence to help his players out of a funk. What's more, people in the league have been lauding Berube for the way he guided his team past the hand-pass fiasco in the Western Conference finals.

Cassidy was also a flameout in his first stint behind the bench. Much younger and in Washington, his tenure ended because he was clearly out of his depth. He lost the locker room and struggled to communicate with some players. "I was young. I had really no NHL experience," Cassidy said recently. "So you walk into an NHL locker room and there's still a little bit of awe in that." He rehabbed his reputation as an assistant, and then in the AHL, and appears much more prepared this time around.

Seeing these two coaches thrive will likely inspire the next round of hiring, so chin up, all you coaches out there looking for a second chance!

All is quiet now, but expect some officiating reform

With the exception of Berube complaining that his team was getting called for too many penalties, we haven't heard too much about officiating in the Stanley Cup Final so far. Let's not forget, though, that officiating controversies consumed everyone -- in and out of the league -- for the first six weeks of the playoffs. So much so that commissioner Gary Bettman showed rare candor in his pre-Stanley Cup Final news conference, explaining he was just as frustrated as fans by missed calls and rule-book loopholes when it comes to video review.

"It would be good if I kept my head from exploding," Bettman said of the uncalled hand-pass play that marred the San Jose-St. Louis series.

So even if we make it through this final week without any controversy, don't think the conversation about expanding video review will go away anytime soon. Change should come next season in some form. The competition committee is scheduled to meet June 11 in Toronto, and the next GMs meeting will be June 20, ahead of the draft in Vancouver, British Columbia. A resolution could be announced shortly after that.

Diego Maradona has told Manchester United he is the man to help restore them to former glories following a desperate campaign that ended trophyless, while rivals Manchester City and Liverpool won major silverware.

United have not won the title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and Maradona, coaching Dorados in the Mexican second division, believes he is the man to change their fortunes.

"If Manchester [United] need a coach, I'm the man to do it," Maradona told FourFourTwo. "I know they sell lots of shirts around the world, but they need to win trophies, too. I can do that for them."

Maradona, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 1986, had a spell in charge of the national team between 2008 and 2010.

The 58-year-old admits to having a soft spot for United but revealed they have now been overtaken by City.

"Manchester United used to be my favourite English team for so long," he said. "So many great players and a great team under Alex Ferguson.

"But now I have to say Man City. I know you shouldn't change like that but it's because of Kun [Aguero]. We speak a lot and he plays in a very good team.

"With United I liked Ander Herrera. Paul Pogba? Doesn't work hard enough."

Virgil van Dijk has told Liverpool he wants to sign a new contract with the club, sources have told ESPN FC.

The world's most expensive defender signed a five-and-a-half-year deal upon his £75 million switch from Southampton in January 2018, but is already enthusiastic about further solidifying his commitment to the Champions League winners.

- When does the transfer window close?

The 27-year-old made the declaration to the club well in advance of Liverpool's 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid, which saw them add a sixth European Cup -- the first trophy of the Jurgen Klopp era.

Given the length of Van Dijk's deal as well the relentless intensity of the final months of the season, neither party were in a rush to formally begin negotiations. That is still the case with the centre-back now on Nations League duty with Netherlands.

Both Liverpool and the player's agent, Neil Fewings of Wasserman, are relaxed about the process as there is confidence that terms will eventually be thrashed out with minimal fuss.

Van Dijk is already among the highest earners at Anfield and his status within the squad is reflected by the dressing room selecting him as the third captain behind Jordan Henderson and James Milner. Named the PFA Player of the Season, Netherlands' captain is expected to be a serious contender for the Ballon d'Or, which hasn't been won by a defender since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.

- When are the Premier League fixtures published?
- When does the new Premier League season start?
- Who qualifies for Europe from the Premier League?

Tying down the standout performer would be a continuation of Liverpool's policy of investing to keep their core intact and ensuring a pathway is open for their next generation rather than spending blockbuster fees this summer.

Naturally, the club would act if a top target was available on acceptable terms, but the priority has been ensuring continuity in the squad as well as adding depth.

Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Henderson, Sadio Mane, Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all signed new contracts in the last year, with Joel Matip and Milner also due to be rewarded with fresh terms.

Meanwhile, Klopp could take a year's sabbatical at the end of his Liverpool contract in 2022 and while the club's owners are hopeful he will commit to an extension, they are minded not to put pressure on him, sources have told ESPN FC.

Paris Saint-Germain have said goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has left the club after 12 months in Ligue 1.

The former Italy international joined the French side last summer after 17 seasons with Juventus and won the Trophee des Champions and Ligue 1 title.

However, he and PSG suffered defeat in the Coupe de France final, while the 41-year-old was in goal for the disappointing 3-1 home loss to Manchester United in the Champions League round of 16 which saw them bow out of the competition.

"Thank you all for everything I have had the opportunity to experience in Paris," Buffon said. "Thank you for the emotions that we have shared together.

"Twelve months ago, I arrived at Paris Saint-Germain filled with enthusiasm, welcomed by the incredible warmth of the fans. It was really moving. Thank you, once again, from the bottom of my heart. I leave happy to have enjoyed this experience which has undoubtedly helped me to grow.

"Today my adventure outside Italy comes to an end. I would like to thank the chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the whole club and my teammates. I wish you all the best, convinced that together you will write the pages of a wonderful story. Ernest Hemingway wrote that there are only two places in the world where people can live happily: at home and in Paris. Today onwards, this will also apply to me: Paris, in some way, will always remain my home. -- Allez Paris! Thank you and good luck with everything!"

Club chairman and CEO Al-Khelaifi added: "I will never forget the pride that everyone at Paris Saint-Germain, both the club and the fans, felt when they saw Gianluigi Buffon wearing our jersey,.

"For the first time in his fabulous career, Gianluigi had made the brave choice to leave Italy, struck by our ambitious and modern project. During his time at PSG he brought his phenomenal experience and his sense of professionalism not only to his teammates but also to all areas of the club. We will miss his warm and open personality here at the club.

"'Gigi' will forever remain among the football giants who have worn the Paris Saint-Germain colours and shared the values of the club. We will be honoured to welcome him again next year, along with other former players, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our club."

View this post on Instagram

?? Ernest Hemingway ha scritto che "ci sono solo due posti al mondo dove possiamo vivere felicemente: a casa e a Parigi". Da oggi per me queste due cose un po' coincideranno. Parigi, a suo modo, sarà per sempre anche un po' casa. Grazie per ciò che ho avuto la possibilità di vivere. Grazie per l'accoglienza, le emozioni e le fatiche vissute assieme. Uno vicino all'altro. Compagni di lavoro, di squadra e di viaggio. 12 mesi fa sono arrivato pieno di entusiasmo, accolto dall'incredibile calore dei tifosi. Mi avete commosso. Grazie ancora con tutto il cuore. Riparto più ricco e soddisfatto di un'esperienza che mi ha certamente migliorato e fatto crescere ulteriormente. Oggi si conclude questa mia avventura fuori dall'Italia: il @psg mi ha proposto un rinnovo di contratto che non mi sono sentito di accettare spinto dal desiderio di prepararmi a nuove esperienze umane e nuove sfide professionali. Ringrazio il Presidente Nasser, i dirigenti e tutti i miei compagni di squadra che mi hanno regalato tanti giorni di spensierata giovinezza. Vi auguro il meglio convinto che continuerete a scrivere insieme le pagine di questa importante storia. Allez Paris! Merci e bonne chance pour tout! ?? Ernest Hemingway écrit qu'il n'y a que deux endroits au monde où l'on puisse vivre heureux : chez soi et à Paris. Depuis aujourd'hui, ça vaudra pour moi aussi. Paris, en quelque manière, sera toujours un peu chez moi. Merci pour tout ce que j'ai eu la possibilité de vivre. Merci pour l'accueil, les émotions et les fatigues éprouvées ensemble. L'un à côté de l'autre. Compagnons de travail, d'équipe et de voyage. Il y a 12 mois j'arrivais plein d'enthousiasme, accueilli par l'incroyable chaleur des supporters. C'était vraiment émouvant. Merci, encore une fois, de tout mon cœur. Je repars enrichi et satisfait par une expérience qui sans doute m'a amélioré et m'a fait croître. Aujourd'hui se termine mon aventure hors de l'Italie : le Paris Saint-Germain m'a proposé de renouveler mon contrat mais je ne me suis pas senti d'accepter, poussé par le désir d'affronter des nouvelles expériences...

A post shared by Gianluigi Buffon (@gianluigibuffon) on Jun 5, 2019 at 8:33am PDT

Buffon, who made 25 appearances for PSG across all competitions hinted in an Instagram post that he will return to his native Italy and claimed to have rejected the contract extension offered by PSG.

"Today my adventure outside Italy comes to an end," he wrote. "PSG proposed a contract renewal that I did not feel ready to accept, pushed by my desire to prepare for new personal experiences and new professional challenges."

Buffon has been linked with a return to formative club Parma, as well as the goalkeeping coach role with Juventus.

The woman accusing Cristiano Ronaldo of raping her has shifted the venue for her legal charges against the football superstar, dropping her case in Nevada state court but filing identical charges against Ronaldo in federal court, according to her attorney.

Several news media outlets reported early Wednesday that the charges filed by Kathryn Mayorga, who alleges that Ronaldo raped her in 2009, had been "quietly dropped," implying that the case was over.

But Larissa Drohobyczer, who is one of Mayorga's attorneys, told ESPN that the change of venue was simply a response to the difficulty that the lawyers have had in serving Ronaldo, who lives in Italy, with notice of the state lawsuit.

"The charges were not dropped," Drohobyczer told ESPN. "The state case was dismissed by us because we filed the identical claims in federal court due to federal court's rules on serving foreigners. We basically just switched venues, but the claims remain."

A source said that Ronaldo's agency, Gestifute, was not aware that the state case was dropped.

Mayorga says that Ronaldo raped her during an encounter in a hotel penthouse suite, then paid her $375,000 to keep quiet about it. Last year, Mayorga filed a lawsuit saying the previous settlement was invalid and that Ronaldo violated its terms anyway. Ronaldo's Las Vegas-based lawyer, Peter Christiansen, did not return a message seeking comment on Wednesday. Ronaldo has previously denied the allegations against him.

The Las Vegas police are also investigating potential criminal charges against Ronaldo, and that investigation remains open.

Whether the word got around to Cristiano Ronaldo is unclear, but Pep Guardiola's opinion that Bernardo Silva is "already the biggest star" on the Portugal national team made headlines in Lisbon and Porto. On leave from international duty for the Nations League games last September, October and November, Ronaldo reappeared for his country at the next available opportunity after that remark. A coincidence and nothing more, surely.

Three years on from his Euro 2016 triumph in Paris, the coach of the Selecao, Fernando Santos, finds himself in an enviable position. It's not just the latest bloom in Bernardo's development and the level of confidence he gives Portugal as they prepare to make the most of home advantage and seize the chance to lift the inaugural Nations League in front of their own fans. It's also the new generation succeeding the old.

Ronaldo may think he has the biological age of a 23-year-old -- he may well end up Tom Brady-ing his way into his 40s for all we know -- but as the muscle injury he suffered in his comeback against Serbia showed, to say nothing of the knee strain that brought his appearance in the Euro 2016 final to a premature end, Portugal can no longer rely on him as much as they did in the past. Bernardo and Bruno Fernandes are stepping up, but fortunately for Santos and Portuguese football as a whole, a star of perhaps even greater potential was born this season.

- When are the UEFA Nations League finals?
- The ultimate UEFA Nations League guide
- Felix among ESPN's top 30 under 21

The first whispers about a new Portuguese wonderkid started two years ago as Joao Felix inspired Benfica to the final of the UEFA Youth League. Already a regular for Benfica II, the club's second team, one Segunda Liga record after another tumbled as the precocious Felix first became the youngest player ever to make an appearance in Portugal's second tier, then its youngest goal scorer and then its youngest hat trick hero with an eyebrow-raising display against Famalicao.

Not exactly short of fresh talent -- Portugal won the Under-17 Euros in 2016 and the Under-19 equivalent last summer -- Felix, who did not feature in either of those successes, is considered the country's best prospect since Ronaldo.

Insulted by "a dozen imbeciles" as he joined up with the senior national team for a training camp outside Vila Nova de Gaia this week, the abuse Felix copped was reflective of the bitter regret felt by fans of nearby Porto that, after spending seven years in their academy, he left for Benfica.

As inexcusable as it is to turn on a teenager for doing what he felt was best for his career, you can understand the anger. Perhaps it would be better directed at Porto, though, for not fully appreciating the prodigiousness of Felix's ability when they had it.

His breakout season in the Benfica first team didn't just capture a county's imagination but that of an entire continent, too. Look at it this way: By the time he'd made his fifth senior appearance, the board were already rolling out a new contract, fearful that the €51.5 million buyout clause would be considered cheap by Europe's superclubs. Benfica more than doubled it, bumping the figure up to €120m for good measure. Should someone write them a check for that amount this summer, Felix would become the most expensive Portuguese player of all time, overshadowing even Ronaldo.

He has been in sensational form since the turn of the year, finishing the campaign with 20 goals and seven assists in all competitions. Benfica fans will reflect on how he rescued them in the first Lisbon derby with a late equaliser as a substitute, not to mention the other goals he scored in wins against Sporting and Porto in O Classico. However, the virtuoso display against Eintracht Frankfurt in April stands out as one of the best individual performances by any player in Europe this season.

Felix became the youngest player in Europa League history to score a hat trick, but the totality of his display, beyond the goals themselves, was breathtaking. It started with a reverse ball for Gedson Fernandes that effectively won Benfica a penalty and got Evan N'Dicka sent off. He converted the spot kick and ran the game, also setting up Ruben Dias' goal with a near-post flick-on from a corner.

Santos' decision to call him up for the senior Portugal squad a month earlier had been criticised in some quarters for perhaps being a little overeager. Why not leave Felix with the Under-20s, a team busy preparing for the U20 World Cup in Poland, a tournament they just exited at the group stage? But watching Felix against Frankfurt, it felt entirely natural for him to land in the Nations League squad, particularly as it finishes before the Under-21 Euros, a more challenging competition for him than the one that's going on at the moment.

Ultimately, Felix deserves the chance to learn among the best.

A picture of him and Ronaldo training together appeared on Twitter a few days ago, whetting the appetite for this week's semifinal against Switzerland. The accompanying caption was tongue-in-cheek: "The best player in the world and Cristiano," which further underlines the buzz surrounding the bright-eyed and bushy-haired 19-year-old.

Born in Viseu, the same town as Paulo Sousa, Felix's game intelligence could perhaps one day be compared with the two-time Champions League winner. But his vision and elegant running style has instead drawn parallels with Manuel Rui Costa. The 11 big chances he created in the Primeira Liga this season point to a sense of invention that's hard to find in a player who also scores so many goals. He's a "nine-and-a-half" on the pitch, that artful blend between No. 10 and centre-forward.

While Ronaldo is not yet ready to pass on the baton, we have in some respects come full circle. As was the case in 2004 when the former Ballon d'Or winner Luis Figo mentored the young Ronaldo during a major tournament in Portugal, now Ronaldo must perform the same role with Felix.

"When Ronaldo started with the national team, the first one to help him was Figo," Luiz Felipe Scolari recalled. "He was the first player to challenge Ronaldo to dribble and shoot, to score goals, to play his own game, to keep working all the time and become a better footballer. Figo took a position, saying 'My son, try again, keep trying. If you see the situation is difficult, I will give you a hand, and if you make a mistake I have everything ready, so calm down. But you have to try.'"

Now it's Felix's turn.

Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are "recovering quite nicely" and should be fit to go against Australia at Trent Bridge on Thursday, but a final decision on their participation would only be made on the morning of the match, Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, said.

The presence - or absence - of the two men (Gayle has a back problem, while Russell's fitness has been a concern for a while) will be crucial at what is a small, high-scoring ground, the theatre for England's record 481 for 6 against Australia last year. It was at Trent Bridge that West Indies shot Pakistan out for 105 earlier in the World Cup, but it's also where Pakistan and England totaled 682 runs on June 3. Importantly, the Australia v West Indies game will be played on the 481 pitch, so big hits might well be the order of the day.

"We just want to be as positive as we possibly can be. I think whether we bat first or if we chase, we've got to show intent," Holder said. "Intent is something that we spoke about in the dressing room, and it's something that we want to go about our goal with when we go into our innings. I don't want to get too caught up with the conditions, but at the end of the day I just want the guys to show intent and be fearless.

"We've played on a number of grounds with this short side, and this is something you've just got to cope with. I back the guys to go with their strengths first, no matter the dimensions of the ground. The ground will be one way for both teams; that's one thing guaranteed."

The other aspect of the West Indian game that paid them rich dividends in the seven-wicket win over Pakistan was their impressive short-pitched bowling, especially from Oshane Thomas and Russell.

"I guess it all boils down to the conditions. One thing I said in the last press conference is that we tend to formulate our plans to each batter. If it's a situation where we feel a batsman may be susceptible to the short ball, then we're going to use it," Holder said. "If it's a situation where that's not the case, then we'll find other alternatives.

"It's just not [that we are] stuck on the short ball. I think all the teams so far have used the short ball, and it's just something that's in the game. You've got two short balls per over; you might as well use them."

West Indies had to go through a qualifying tournament to get into the World Cup, a trophy they won in 1975 and 1979. But they have been talked up as one of the dark horses for the tournament, something the captain doesn't want to take too seriously at this stage.

"We're just taking it game by game. Tomorrow is our country versus Australia. We've got a hurdle to overcome. I think when we overcome that hurdle, then we'll move deeper into the tournament," Holder said. "But I just don't want to single out teams particularly. I think all teams are evenly matched and well-balanced, so it's just a matter of playing good cricket on any given day. That's our rule. We want to execute in all three departments.

"I think everybody is expecting a really good contest. We're up for the challenge. I think they're up for the challenge, as well."

India 230 for 4 (Rohit 122*, Dhoni 34, Rabada 2-39) beat South Africa 227 for 9 (Morris 42, du Plessis 38, Chahal 4-51, Bumrah 2-35) by six wickets

As it happened

Whoooooooosh.

That's the sound of ball beating bat. South Africa were not in control of nine of the first 12 balls that Jasprit Bumrah bowled.

Crrrraaaccckkkkkk.

That's the sound of ball hitting bat. And breaking it. Kagiso Rabada made sure the entire world could hear it. But outside of that match-up, South Africa really had nothing to offer India.

They'd lost Dale Steyn. They don't know when Lungi Ngidi will be fit again. And they can't ask AB de Villiers to come back. Meanwhile, the other team had the world's best batsman, one of the bowlers of this generation, and two highly-skilled wristspinners. Essentially, this game was like an Angry Bird fighting Thanos.

The impression hit home even further when Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav worked in tandem. From 78 for 2, it was quickly 89 for 5 as the revolutions those two put on the ball produced dip, drift and sheer magic.

Rassie van der Dussen tried to reverse sweep his way out of trouble and was bowled. JP Duminy tried to play off the back foot, hoping to read the turn off the pitch. Out lbw. Even their captain, Faf du Plessis, couldn't keep a slider from crashing into his stumps.

South Africa were on a recovery missing from that point on and though Chris Morris did rather well in the final overs, walloping 42 off 34 balls, the early damage was just too much. That is why Bumrah was the biggest influence in this game and watching him was a pleasure.

The fast bowler's glare tends to go down in history. But it's even cooler when they smirk. It's almost as if they're telling the batsmen, "heh, is it that easy to beat you?"

Bumrah's upper lip curled several times in his first over on World Cup debut. He had Quinton de Kock - a legitimate contender for Man of the Series in this tournament - looking like a cardboard cut-out. Everything zipped past the edge and each time, the bowler just smirked. Each time, all he did was smirk.

WATCH - Highlights of Chahal's magical spell on Hotstar

A wicket looked around the corner, except it was Hashim Amla who fell, caught at first slip, off the first ball he faced from Bumrah. Du Plessis walked in with four catchers behind him.

The level of cricket at this World Cup is also a function of the pitches being rolled out (and maybe the 10.30am starts as well). Groundsmen all across England have been good enough to leave a little grass on the pitches - it was uneven in Southampton, resulting in several balls kicking up off a length - and that's made the contest between bat and ball all the more compelling. So making runs here mattered. It signalled that you had the bottle to succeed. And Rohit Sharma showed plenty.

A few of his 122 runs came off mis-hits. He was even dropped on 1 when Rabada was in the middle of a scary good spell. But then, in the eighth over, he hit a glorious pull shot and never looked back. Braving through very difficult spells of fast bowling is a part of his game that doesn't get enough credit.

"Couldn't play my natural game," Rohit said at the presentation. "You have to play out and see what the ball was doing and take your time to play those shots. Certain shots that I love to play, I had to cut it down and make sure I play close to the body and make sure I leave as many balls as possible in the initial spell. Those are the basics that you had to do on a pitch like that and that's what I was trying to do."

Sticking to that gameplan meant he was there to help India recover from a poor start (They lost Shikhar Dhawan for 8). He was there when South Africa got rid of Virat Kohli thanks to a perfectly executed plan (consistently bowl back of a length and along the line of fifth stump). And he was still there when the winning runs were hit (Hardik Pandya putting the final flourish with a violent cut shot). You can't ask more of an opener.

South Africa, meanwhile, have a lot to think about. They've lost all three of their matches at this World Cup, and although the format allows for a slow start, the team is short on resources and practically bereft of confidence.