England centurion Ben Youngs believes him to be changing the game for scrum-halves everywhere. New Zealand World Cup winner Aaron Smith is taking tips.

So far in France's interrupted 2021 Six Nations schedule, the 24-year-old has lived up to every bit of it.

Les Bleus travel to Twickenham on Saturday and as usual their not-so-secret weapon has been one of the main topics of pre-match discussion.

Having taken the 2020 Six Nations by storm, becoming the first Frenchman to win player of the championship, Dupont is now widely accepted as one of the world's best - even by his opponents.

Youngs says the Frenchman "has the world at his feet" and described him as the "heartbeat" of Fabien Galthie's effervescent side.

"I think Antoine is that new generation of scrum-half that is changing the way nines play the game," Youngs told BBC Sport.

"I think he's a wonderful talent and I've enjoyed watching him. I haven't enjoyed playing against him."

Dupont has become a well-known name across the rugby community over the last few years but his fame was established in the small village where he grew up.

The future international could be seen playing with a rugby ball outside the family hotel in Castelnau-Magnoac from the age of four.

Dupont played with local side Magnoac FC before making the step up to Auch - a club then in France's second tier - in 2011.

Precocious throughout his career, he joined Top 14 side Castres and made his European debut against Leinster aged 17.

Three years later he won his first France cap when he came off the bench in a Six Nations game against Italy.

Dupont then joined Toulouse and established himself as France's starting scrum-half during the 2019 Six Nations.

But it is perhaps those who saw his earliest steps on a rugby pitch that can best summarise what makes him so special.

"It was obvious to everyone that Antoine was at ease with the ball in his hands," older brother Clement Dupont told the BBC in 2020.

"He is small but he is stocky. He has developed his strength and speed, which has allowed him to move quickly across the field."

The mayor of Magnoac describes Dupont as "an exception", adding that the village is "extremely proud" of him.

"The position of scrum-half has to be filled with your most prestigious players and Antoine Dupont is one of the best," mayor Bernard Verdier said in 2020.

"He's a team player, intelligent and knows how to construct a game and how to construct it for others also.

"It's like a cork exploding out of a champagne bottle. He's explosive. He's an excellent player with a great personality."

Whether described with champagne metaphors or not, why Dupont is so threatening is plain to see.

His quick-thinking from the base of the ruck and clever support lines have seen France bulldoze past Italy before claiming a first win in Dublin for a decade.

Despite playing two games compared to most other sides' three, Dupont tops the Six Nations stats tables for try assists with four and is king of the offloads with four of those, too.

He produces quick ball and is backed up by a gloriously talented French backline.

At Twickenham, that line-up will be an even more daunting prospect than usual with centre Virimi Vakatawa returning to join Gael Fickou, Teddy Thomas and Damian Penaud.

Dupont has an instinct for the game that rarely sees him put a foot wrong. France's defence coach Shaun Edwards describes him as "incredibly strong for a small guy" but is one of few people to pick a hole in Dupont's game.

"If I can get his defence anywhere near his attack, he's going to be some player," Edwards told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast in February.

England's coaches are not so optimistic, becoming the latest Six Nations side to stress the need to take time and space away from France's petit general. If only anyone could work out how.

Youngs says he is looking forward to the challenge of facing Dupont, but points out the unfortunate downside that his opposite number "doesn't do anything wrong".

"His biggest attribute is his sharpness around the ruck," Youngs continued.

"He is compact and extremely powerful through contact. He makes semi-opportunities into full-blown opportunities.

"We're not going in blind. We know his strengths. Whether or not we can do enough to completely contain him is another thing."

If there is anything to doubt about Dupont, it may be the fact that he was one of several France players to test positive for coronavirus during the outbreak that led to the postponement of their match against Scotland.

It evidently has not affected his health enough to prevent him being named in Galthie's starting XV, but the after-effects for France of a month without a game remain to be seen.

Some may also wonder whether all the hype is good for a player still relatively early in their career, but again Dupont's opposition will defend him on that query.

"No matter what the hype is, what the expectation is, he'll still deliver," Youngs concluded.

"He just looks like that type of character and he certainly hasn't let up yet."

The Glazer family remain committed to owning Manchester United despite Avram Glazer's decision to sell five million of his shares, sources have told ESPN.

Avram, co-chairman at Old Trafford alongside brother Joel, could earn around $100 million from the sell-off, which would see the Glazer's ownership of the club drop from 78% to 74.9%.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- Dawson: Diallo bright spot but Man Utd must improve in UEL

A statement issued on Thursday confirmed United will not receive any money from the sale.

It read: "Manchester United plc ["Manchester United"] today announced the offering of 5,000,000 of its Class A Ordinary Shares by the Avram Glazer Irrevocable Exempt Trust [the "Selling Shareholder"].

"Manchester United will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any Class A Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholder. The offering is expected to close on March 16, 2021."

Class A shares have a tenth of the voting rights of Class B shares, of which the majority are still owned by the Glazers.

Sources have told ESPN that the family have no plans to relinquish their control of the club they have owned since 2005.

At the close of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, United's share price was at $20.13 each meaning Avram Glazer could pocket $100.65m from the sale.

Manchester City have been drawn against Spanish champions Barcelona for the Women's Champions League quarterfinals, while Chelsea will play against 2019-20 UWCL runners-up Wolfsburg.

Gareth Taylor's side advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Italian side Fiorentina 8-0 on aggregate, with the USWNT's Sam Mewis scoring three times over the two fixtures.

- Fran Kirby: The Chelsea star on her ultimate battle

Abby Dahlkemper, who joined City in January, also featured as did Rose Lavelle.

Emma Hayes' Chelsea oversaw the challenge of Atletico Madrid in the round-of-16 despite playing the first tie with 10-women for the majority of the game and will face German champions Wolfsburg.

Elsewhere in the draw, 2019-20 UWCL champions Lyon will play either Paris Saint-Germain or AC Sparta Praha. PSG lead that tie 5-0 from the first leg.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich were drawn against FC Rosengard.

The games will be played on the weekends of March 23-24 and March 31 to April 1.

The draw for the semifinals were also held on Friday.

The winners of Chelsea vs. Wolfsburg will play the winners of Bayern Munich vs. FC Rosengard.

Whoever comes out on top between Barcelona vs. Manchester City can look forward to a semifinal against either PSG, Sparta Praha or Lyon.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said Christian Pulisic remains part of his plans despite a lack of game-time and joked the USMNT international could even be a future captain of the club.

Pulisic has started just one game since Tuchel succeeded Frank Lampard as head coach in January, making a further seven substitute appearances in Premier League and Champions League appearances totalling only 137 minutes.

- Notebook: Barca want Aguero; Chelsea right to sack Lampard

Sources have told ESPN that Pulisic is keen to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge but ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Leeds United, Tuchel was asked whether he would stand in the 22-year-old's way if he requested a move in search of more regular action this summer.

"[There are] a lot of ifs in your question," Tuchel replied. "If he starts tomorrow, if he does brilliantly and if he starts again against Atletico [Madrid next Wednesday] and if he scores again two goals, maybe he is the captain next year! I don't know.

"I know what you mean but this is too far ahead. We have so many games and he is in my plans. He is an important player and has the potential to be decisive for us from the bench and as a beginner.

"Is it necessary that he can prove it? Yes. So, this is my job and his job is to be ready like everybody else and when comes the moment, you have to be ready. This is what you sign up for in a club like Chelsea. There is no difference between Christian and everybody else."

Tuchel has a prior working relationship with Pulisic from their time together at Borussia Dortmund, handing him his first start aged 17. The former Paris Saint-Germain boss said Pulisic was doing everything possible behind the scenes to force his way into the team.

"When you sign and play for Chelsea, it is part of the job description as a player to be patient and impatient at the same time," he said. "Impatient because all of my players are competitors, all of them want to play every single minute and this is what they show every day: the hunger, the desire. This is what Christian shows.

"At the same time, when you are not selected by the coach, you have to be patient to not lose confidence, keep on going and be ready at any time because it can happen any time. In the beginning, he was a bit unlucky because we knew how much of an impact he can have from the bench and we used this power and strength from him.

"When it was possible for him to start, around the Sheffield [United] and Barnsley games, one game he was unavailable, the other came a bit too soon. The cup game against Barnsley was a difficult game for him. So it was not too easy but in the end it is the credit for the players always and the quality from the players that shine on the pitch.

"If you turn it around, it is also the duty of the players to show up and really earn that they play and this is what Christian does. It can happen any minute, any game. At some point, it is just this. I have nothing to complain [about]. I feel in the last days very positive, doing the best out of his situation. This is what he can do."

In this week's ESPN Insider Notebook, Barcelona look to Sergio Aguero should they fail to keep Lionel Messi. PLUS: Chelsea feel 'vindicated' over Frank Lampard sacking.

Jump to: Chelsea vindicated | Man Utd eye Torres | Haaland's heir | Gaya on move? | Ilaix in control | Marseille trolled | Pereira's future

Aguero Barca's fall back if Messi leaves

Barcelona are considering a move for Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero as part of plans to rebuild without Lionel Messi, sources told ESPN.

Messi has yet to give any indication of a willingness to commit to a new contract and will be a free agent on June 30. Joan Laporta's election as Barca president, with his candidacy led on the face his personal relationship with the Argentina international would help convince him to stay. Reports in Argentina had suggested Laporta was looking to pair Aguero and Messi, but sources told ESPN the ex-Atletico Madrid striker is considered a potential replacement should the club's record goal scorer not extend his contract.

- Hunter: What Laporta's win means for Messi, Barca debt

For Messi, A move to City, where he would be reunited with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, remains a strong possibility, sources have told ESPN. It would force Barca to consider reinforcements in order to fill the huge gap that Messi would leave.

Aguero was meant to play a key role in persuading Messi to move to Manchester and reject a new deal at Barca or a lucrative transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, according to ESPN sources, as the pair are close friends. But the 32-year-old is expected to leave the Etihad as a free agent at the end of the season after he struggled to regain a starting position in the team following injury problems and a spell on the sidelines with COVID-19. Aguero has started just three Premier League games all season and has to score in the league for Guardiola's team this campaign.

Meanwhile, Arguero isn't the only striker on Barca's list should they lose Messi as they Catalans are among the sides interested in Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, according to ESPN sources, although the difficult financial situation at the club -- the debt has risen to €1 billion -- is likely to leave them as outsiders in the race to sign the Norway forward.

Memphis Depay, whose contract at Lyon expires at the end of this season, is rated highly by Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman and the former Manchester United player would be available on a free transfer, like Aguero.

But sources told ESPN that Barcelona have been made aware of Aguero's likely availability this summer and his willingness to return to Spain 10 years after leaving Atletico for City.

With Barcelona needing to raise funds with player sales this summer, regardless of whether Messi stays or goes, the club may need to sign free agents Depay and Aguero rather than spend heavily on the likes of Haaland.

The departures of Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann would help boost Barcelona's finances, but with the transfer market heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, sources have said that there are few takers. -- Mark Ogden

Tuchel proving Chelsea bosses right in sacking Lampard

Thomas Tuchel's instant impact as Chelsea manager has left senior figures at Stamford Bridge feeling "vindicated" by the decision to sack Frank Lampard, sources told ESPN.

The decision to sack Lampard, Chelsea's all-time record goal scorer, after an underwhelming start to the campaign following a £220 million spending spree, was met with heavy criticism. Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole described Lampard's sacking as a "mistake," while Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp claimed it was "harsh" and Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers had suggested the former midfielder needed more time to succeed in the job.

Since replacing Lampard in January with Chelsea sitting in ninth position -- five points adrift of the top four -- Tuchel has inspired a dramatic turnaround at the club and led the team on an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Chelsea go into Saturday's Premier League clash with Leeds United at Elland Road aiming to move five points clear of West Ham United in fourth position, with confidence now high at Stamford Bridge that a top four finish and Champions League qualification will be secured.

"It shows we know what we are doing," one source at the club told ESPN after Chelsea consolidated fourth position with a 2-0 win at home to Everton on Monday. Although results have improved under Tuchel, the German's impact on the training pitch and around the club have been the factors that have most impressed the Chelsea decision-makers.

Tuchel, formerly of Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, arrived at Chelsea with a reputation of being demanding of both his players and his bosses. But his insistence on high standards has been welcomed at all levels so far.

Sources have told ESPN that the players have embraced Tuchel's highly tactical approach and his vocal personality during games, believing it has given the team the structure and certainty it lacked under Lampard, citing the upturn in performances in players such as Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, and Marcos Alonso -- all of whom struggled under Lampard -- as proof of Tuchel's impact. -- Mark Ogden

Man Utd, Real Madrid tracking Villarreal's Torres

Manchester United and Real Madrid are both monitoring the development of Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres as they look to strengthen their defences, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

The Premier League giants are prioritising the signing of a central defender and ESPN reported last month that Sevilla's Jules Kounde, Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings, Braga's David Carmo and long-term target Raphael Varane are all options being considered.

Multiple sources have told ESPN that United have added Torres to the list, believing the 6-foot-3. defender would be well-suited to the Premier League. Madrid, who are also chasing the signing of David Alaba on a free transfer, have been following Torres for some time, with doubts over the future of captain Sergio Ramos who is out of contract this summer.

Sources told ESPN that Madrid contacted Torres several months ago to gauge his interest in a move this summer, while United have also been in touch in recent weeks. Torres has a €65m buyout clause at Villarreal and would only be available for less if Unai Emery's team -- seventh in La Liga -- fail to qualify for European football. The clause had been €50m, but rose under the terms of Torres' contract after he made his Spain debut in November.

Torres was a target for Manchester City last summer before they signed Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake, and Barcelona were also interested before the emergence of Ronald Araujo and the likely arrival of Eric Garcia. -- Rodrigo Faez and Alex Kirkland

Molde's latest star could be Haaland's cousin

Norwegian club Molde may have unearthed another Erling Haaland in the shape of Albert Braut Tjaland -- the Borussia Dortmund forward's cousin.

Haaland, 20, began his senior career under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Molde, where he scored 20 goals in 50 appearances before moving to FC Salzburg in January 2019.

- Bundesliga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)

The Norway international has since enjoyed a meteoric rise, scoring regularly in the Champions League with Salzburg before joining Dortmund in January 2020, becoming the youngest player ever to reach 20 goals in Europe's premier competition.

Although Haaland is now the top target for Europe's biggest clubs this summer, his 17-year-old cousin Tjaland could offer a cut-price alternative if he continues his progress at the Norwegian side.

Tjaland is yet to make his senior debut. The centre-forward has scored 64 goals in 37 games for the club's youth team, having been signed as a 16-year-old last summer following 40 goals in 31 appearances for Bryne FK's Under-19 team.

Sources close to Haaland have told ESPN that Tjaland is "still raw, but talented," with the player expected to have his potential soon tested by elevation to Molde's first-team squad when the 2021 Eliteserien kicks off later this year. -- Mark Ogden.

Valencia woes edge Gaya toward Europe's elite

A host of European clubs are monitoring the precarious financial and ownership situation at Valencia, with the Spanish giants possibly set for some major sales this summer.

After raising around €100m at the end of the last season, Valencia are braced for more departures as they look to raise €50m in player sales with left-back Jose Gaya considered one of their most valuable players.

Gaya isn't short of admirers with Barcelona, Paris Saint-German, Real Madrid and several Premier League clubs following his progress closely. Gaya has remained loyal to his boyhood club Valencia and is keen to remain, but if their financial predicament does not improve he may be need to exit.

One of the key reasons for him staying so far has been a desire to make Luis Enrique's Euro 2020 Spain squad, with regular football at Valencia viewed as an important reason to stay.

Sources have told ESPN that Valencia would look for a minimum fee of €30-40m should they sell, though they remain reluctant to lose a player who has remained loyal to them and forms a key part of the squad. Valencia already turned down two offers for the 25-year-old last summer.

An interesting aspect to follow could be that of Barca's interest, with former Valencia general manager Mateu Alemany set to join the Catalan outfit as part of new President Joan Laporta's team. It was Alemany who negotiated Gaya's last contract at Valencia and who rates the player very highly. Jordi Alba's return to form would make any move difficult, however.

Perhaps the most significant factor in Gaya's future could be attempts of a takeover at the club, with the Crown Prince of Johor interested in buying a significant amount of shares. Should he succeed, he would likely look to inject cash right away and alleviate the need for sales. -- David Cartlidge

Barca starlet Ilaix to control clause

Ilaix Moriba does not want Barcelona to raise his buyout clause above €150 million as he wants to remain in control of his own future, sources have told ESPN.

Ilaix, 18, is out of contract in 2022, with his terms including a €100m buyout clause. Barca want to extend his deal and increase the clause following his performances for the first team since the turn of the year.

- Stream LIVE games and replays on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

The midfielder became the highest-paid player in the history of the club's academy when he last renewed in 2019 but he has since seen friend and teammate Ansu Fati, also 18, sign a bigger contract. Therefore, his agency, Stellar Group, hope to land a similar deal.

As part of the negotiations, an increased buyout clause will also have to be agreed upon. Ilaix and his representatives are reluctant for it to be raised above €150m, while Barca are keen to include a much more prohibitive fee to protect themselves against losing the youngster.

Sources told ESPN that the player, who joined La Masia as a seven-year-old, is keen to stay at Camp Nou. He has already made an impression on the dressing room and teammate Lionel Messi is especially fond of him.

Ilaix made his first-team debut in the Copa del Rey in January and has appeared in each of Barca's last four games. He came off the bench as the Blaugrana came from behind to make the final of the cup last week, beating Sevilla 3-0, scored against Osasuna at the weekend and made his Champions League debut against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

Beyond Ilaix, new president Joan Laporta has a number of contract situations to sort out. Defender Oscar Mingueza, like Messi, is out of contract this summer, while Sergi Roberto, Ousmane Dembele, Fati, Pedri and Konrad de la Fuente all have deals until 2022.

Barca have an option to extend Ansu, Pedri and Konrad's terms by an additional two years, while ESPN have previously revealed the club's desire to extend Dembele's deal. -- Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden

Marseille humiliated on and off pitch

Marseille's disastrous campaign hit a new low when they were not just eliminated from the French Cup by semipro side Canet-Roussillon, but humiliated on and off the pitch.

It's been a difficult season for the club with an attack on the training ground by their own Ultras, a protest against former president Jacques-Henri Eyraud, which eventually lead to his sacking, ex-manager Andre Villas-Boas offering his resignation during a news conference and terrible results on the pitch which saw them lose five of their six Champions League group matches, while they sit eighth in Ligue 1.

- Laurens: Why fans invaded Marseille training ground

Yet things got worse still with their abysmal cup exit. Fourth-tier side Canet, who had only played three games in the last three months because their league has been suspended because of COVID-19, didn't just beat Marseille, they rubbed their noses in their 2-1 success.

First, Canet's mascot held up a River Plate shirt in an attempt to troll Marseille's Dario Benedetto, who was part of the Boca Juniors side which lost to their fierce rivals in the infamous 2018 Copa Libertadores final. Then, when Paris Saint-Germain fan Yohann Boi scored the winner for Canet, he celebrated doing the Moise Kean's juggling dance.

Marseille thought the grass at the Gilbert-Brutus Stadium was too high and too dry so they asked for it to be cut and watered before kick off, but their request was rejected. -- Julien Laurens

Pereira unlikely to return to Old Trafford

Andreas Pereira does not see a future at Manchester United, even if Lazio decide not to sign the midfielder permanently, sources told ESPN.

Pereira has made 22 appearances after moving to Italy on loan in the summer. Lazio, who are covering the 25-year-old's wages this season, have an option to make the move permanent but are yet to inform United of their plans.

Sources have told ESPN that even if the Serie A side decide against signing Pereira, the Brazilian would seek another move away from Old Trafford fearing that he would not get the opportunities to force his way into the team at United because he is competing for a place with Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek.

Pereira has made 75 first team appearances but his spell at the club has also included three loan spells and he is keen to find regular game-time. He has a minimum of two years left on the contract he signed in 2019 and United would look to collect a fee before allowing him to leave permanently.

Should Lazio turn down the chance to sign him, sources have told ESPN Pereira would be happy to stay in Italy with with Napoli and Atalanta interested. But he will be expected back at United for the start of preseason training in July if no transfer materialises. -- Rob Dawson

Mithali Raj has become the first Indian batter, and only the second overall, to score 10,000 runs in women's international cricket. Raj went past the mark during her innings of 36 in the third ODI against South Africa on Friday, getting there with a flicked boundary off the bowling of Anne Bosch.

Raj was dismissed off the next ball, which means she will have to wait a little longer to reach another major milestone - she is now 26 runs away from becoming the first batter to 7000 runs in women's ODIs. England's Charlotte Edwards, who ended her career with 5992 ODI runs, is a distant second on that list.

Edwards, incidentally, is the only other woman to have scored 10,000 international runs. She made 10,273 runs overall, in a career that stretched from 1996 to 2016.

Raj has enjoyed an even longer career. She made her India debut back in June 1999, in an ODI in Lucknow against England, and has so far played 10 Tests, 212 ODIs and 89 T20Is. She now has 663 Test runs at an average of 51.00, 6974 ODI runs at 50.53, and 2364 T20I runs at 37.52.

Speaking to the media ahead of the third ODI, India opener Smriti Mandhana had reflected on the significance of Raj reaching the milestone.

"Getting to 10,000 runs first or second is a huge thing," Mandhana said. "She is the first Indian to do that, so I think it is something that shows how consistent she has been throughout her career. We have looked up to her, definitely a very proud feeling for all of us in the team."

Danushka Gunathilaka has said Kieron Pollard apologised to him for his controversial obstructing-the-field appeal during the first ODI in Antigua.

The incident occurred in the 22nd over of Sri Lanka's innings, when Gunathilaka, batting on 55, played the ball down into the pitch and ran a few steps out of his crease before deciding against the single when he saw the bowler, Pollard, haring towards the ball in a run-out attempt. In his effort to regain his crease, however, Gunathilaka trod on the ball and deflected it away from Pollard, leading to a furious appeal. It wasn't clear from replays whether Gunathilaka had deliberately foiled a run-out attempt, but TV umpire Nigel Duguid ruled in the bowling team's favour.

The incident drew strong reactions on social media.

Gunathilaka said Pollard came up to him after West Indies' win to have a chat about the incident.

"He apologised, he told me he didn't see that properly at that time and only after he saw the video he realised I didn't do anything," Gunathilaka was quoted as saying by NewsWire.

Sri Lanka, who lost the T20I series against the hosts, will play the second of the three ODIs on Friday and the third on March 14, following which they are scheduled to play two Tests in Antigua.

Angelo Mathews will leave Sri Lanka's tour of West Indies immediately for personal reasons. It seems unlikely at this stage, that he can return to the tour at any point. Even if the "family matter" he is returning to Sri Lanka to attend to finds a resolution before the end of the tour, he will still need to undergo quarantine upon his arrival in the Caribbean.

Mathews leaves on the day of the second ODI, having captained the T20I leg of the tour. There are two ODIs and two Tests yet to be played, as well as a practice match ahead of the Test series. He was expected to be in Sri Lanka's middle order for all of these matches.

His departure further depletes an ODI squad that is without the likes of Kusal Perera and Lahiru Kumara, due to injury, and for the second match is also without Dasun Shanaka, whose late arrival due to visa troubles have meant he is available for the third ODI only. Dhananjaya de Silva is in the Caribbean, but is also still in quarantine and is available only for the Test series, as he is making a gradual return to top-flight cricket following a significant thigh injury sustained in December.

Sri Lanka lost the T20 series 2-1, and lost the first of three ODIs as well. The likes of Oshada Fernando, Thisara Perera, and Niroshan Dickwella are available to take up Mathews' place in the XI.

Innings Zimbabwe 287 (Raza 85, Masvaure 65, Rashid 4-138, Hamza 3-73) trail Afghanistan 545 for 4 dec (Hashmatullah 200*, Afghan 164) by 258 runs

Afghanistan have asked Zimbabwe to follow on after bowling the visiting side out for 287 on the third evening after declaring on a formidable 545 for 4 on the second day. Half-centuries from Sikandar Raza (85) and Prince Masvaure (65) were not enough for Zimbabwe to get Afghanistan to bat again right away in Abu Dhabi, as there weren't too many other contributions of note. They lost four wickets for 45 runs in the hour after tea, with Rashid Khan taking 4 for 138 as he and Amir Hamza found turn on a pitch that remained good to bat on.

Before the rush of wickets after tea, a double-strike by left-arm seamer Sayed Shirzad and wickets from Hamza and Khan left Zimbabwe six down at the end of the second session.

Zimbabwe had reached lunch having lost openers Kevin Kasuza and Masvaure but were still in a relatively strong position. That changed in the second over after the break when Shirzad took two wickets in two balls to leave them reeling. He rushed Sean Williams into a pull shot, which the Zimbabwe captain could only top-edge to midwicket, and then removed Wesley Madhevere for his second golden duck of the series. Shirzad found Madhevere's outside edge with a delivery that angled in, leaving the 20-year-old without a run in Test cricket so far.

Shirzad's burst came after a poor spell in the morning, when his four overs cost 22 runs as Kasuza plucked boundaries and forced Asghar Afghan to use spin from both ends. Offspinner Javed Ahmadi found sharp turn early on but the breakthrough only came when Khan was introduced. After working his way to 41, picking the googly and building a 91-run opening stand with Masvaure, Kasuza reached for a wide ball that he could have left and was caught behind. His dismissal meant Zimbabwe have gone without a century opening stand in almost ten years, since August 2011.

Tarisai Musakanda joined Masvaure and saw him to his third Test fifty, which came with a quick single that almost led to a run-out. Though he played well, things were never entirely easy for Masvaure. His neglect in covering his stumps resulted in him being bowled when he went forward to turn a Hamza ball legside and was bowled.

Like Masvaure, Musakanda also went on to a career-best score and was particularly severe on Khan's short balls. He hit six over long-on and then pulled Khan through midwicket for four. But ultimately, Khan had the last laugh. He trapped Musakanda lbw with a googly that hit him in front of middle and off. In the next over, a Hamza delivery that turned in from the rough clipped Ryan Burl's leg stump to dismiss him for a duck and leave Zimbabwe on 189 for 6.

Raza then added 53 for the seventh wicket with Regis Chakabva, and though he went on to score a solid 85 himself, there was not much support available for him after Chakabva's fall, meaning Zimbabwe ended up well short, with Afghanistan in with a great shot of squaring the series.

Sharjeel Khan's PSL form has been rewarded with a recall to the national side for the first time in over four years, as he was included in Pakistan's T20I squad for the tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe next month.

Sharjeel was the third-highest corer in this year's curtailed PSL season, finishing only behind Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, but at a fantastic strike rate of 170.94, well ahead of what the other two recorded. Sharjeel, playing for the Karachi Kings, was the only player to score a hundred in this edition, against the Islamabad United.

The recall capped an eventful four years for the left-handed opener, who was out of the game altogether for two and a half of them, banned for his part in the 2017 PSL spot-fixing scandal.

There have, however, been question marks about Sharjeel's fitness. "Fitness isn't the only criteria for selection - at the end of the day, a player has to play cricket. We are already working on reviewing the fitness testing levels and will introduce a new strategy [to gauge fitness]," Mohammad Wasim, Pakistan's chief selector, said in a press conference. "I didn't comment on Sharjeel's fitness earlier as his performances [last year] were patchy, but now we have to look at anyone who performs, whatever the fitness they have.

"Yes, I understand there is still a lot work that needs to be done on his fitness and he will improve with time, but at the moment he can win us big games with his bat."

The view on Sharjeel's fitness marked something of a U-turn for the PCB. As recently as a year ago, PCB CEO Wasim Khan, not normally known for singling out players for criticism, had made an exception for Sharjeel, bemoaning his inability to remain fit while serving his ban, and said there was "a long way to go" before he could be considered for national selection.

The other significant development was the absence of Yasir Shah from the Test side as he continued to nurse a left knee injury.

The senior legspinner has been a regular in Pakistan's Test squads for much of the past seven years, but has also experienced a form dip in recent times. The emergence of spinners like Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood and Nauman Ali - all included in the expanded Test squad - have also meant that Pakistan can afford to look beyond him. Shah's performances in the southern hemisphere have been particularly underwhelming, with an average of 87 in that part of the world over the years.

Shahnawaz Dhani, the Multan Sultans fast bowler who was something of a feel-good story during the PSL, was also called up for the Test series against Zimbabwe, with the chief selector saying that his performances during the tournament showed he could perform under pressure.

Dhani took nine wickets in four PSL matches this season - the second-most among all bowlers, and while an economy rate of 10.33 needs work, there was enough for Wasim Khan to suggest he could be a white-ball prospect.

"We basically saw him playing red-ball cricket in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and in the PSL he exhibited that he can handle the pressure," Wasim Khan said. "He has the quality, the way he is bowling with control and pace… if we were playing Tests against South Africa, we would have reconsidered it, but we picked him because we are playing Zimbabwe.

"Also, we are lacking fast bowlers in red-ball cricket. In white-ball cricket, we have more options than him. He is presently our future in red-ball cricket and we are trying make a pool and attract players in this format. He is definitely going to be considered for white-ball cricket in future."

Pakistan play three ODIs and four T20Is against South Africa before moving to Zimbabwe, where they are scheduled to play two Test matches and three T20Is.

Test squad: Babar Azam (capt), Imran Butt, Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Tabish Khan, Hasan Ali, Shahnawaz Dhani, Nauman Ali, Zahid Mahmood, Sajid Khan.

ODI squad: Babar Azam (capt), Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Qadir, Hasan Ali.

T20I squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Qadir, Hasan Ali, Arshad Iqbal.