Sports Highlights

The following are the top sports stories at 2100 hours: SPO-CRI-LEE-INTERVIEW Bowlers hold key against India but Lee wonders how much will saliva-less kookaburra swing By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) Former speed merchant Brett Lee reckons Australia's pace triumvirate would hold the key during the year-end home Test series against India and is keen to figure out how much the kookaburra ball swings without saliva Down Under. SPO-CRI-IPL It will be a full-fledged IPL most likely in the UAE: Brijesh Patel New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) With the T20 World Cup's postponement clearing the decks for a full-fledged IPL, the glitzy event's Governing Council will meet in a week or 10 days' time to plan its next course of action, eyeing UAE as the host this year.

SPO-CRI-IND-AUS-TOUR India to undergo two-week quarantine period in Adelaide: CA acting chief Melbourne, Jul 21 (PTI) India will have to undergo a two-week quarantine period, most likely in Adelaide, once they touch down in Australia for the much-anticipated tour later this year, said Cricket Australia acting chief Nick Hockley. SPO-CRI-WAQAR-AMIR Amir remains part of our plans, moved on from hurt of his Test retirement: Waqar Younis Karachi, Jul 21 (PTI) Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis on Tuesday said he has moved on from the hurt caused by Muhammad Amir's Test retirement last year and considers the pacer a crucial part of the national team's plans going forward.

SPO-CRI-PAK-YOUNIS Pitches in England have changed, we may play two spinners: Waqar Younis Karachi, Jul 21 (PTI) Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis says the nature of pitches in England has changed and it gives them the option of playing two spinners when the Test series begins in hot conditions next month. SPO-FOOT-CHHETRI-WOM Chhetri advises women footballers to work on small aspects of game ahead of 2022 Asian Cup New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri has advised the national women's team players to look into "every small aspect" of their game while preparing for the 2022 Asian Cup which the country is hosting.

SPO-CRI-AMBROSE-HOPE WI could "destroy" Hope if he plays third Test: Ambrose Manchester, Jul 21 (PTI) Pace legend Curtly Ambrose reckons that West Indies must rest out-of-form Shai Hope for the series-deciding third Test because repeated failures may "destroy" him. SPO-ICC-RANKINGS Sensational Stokes displaces Holder to become world's top-ranked Test all-rounder Dubai, Jul 21 (PTI) England star Ben Stokes has outdone West Indies captain Jason Holder to become the world's top-ranked Test all-rounder while also attaining a career-best third position among batsmen in the ICC Test Player Rankings, following a match-winning performance at Old Trafford.

SPO-HOCK-CHETRI India can reclaim hockey Olympic medal in Tokyo, says ex-captain Chetri New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) His dream of winning an Olympic medal unfulfilled, former India hockey goalkeeper Bharat Chetri believes Manpreet Singh and his men can break the four-decade-old jinx in the Tokyo Summer Games to be held next year. SPO-CRI-MISBAH Time running out for Haris Rauf to join team in England: Misbah Karachi, Jul 21 (PTI) Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq has said that time is running out for young pace bowler Haris Rauf to join the national team in England in time for the Test and T20 series.

SPO-CRI-CA-ICC-WT20 Accept ICC's decision to postpone T20 World Cup: Cricket Australia Melbourne, Jul 21 (PTI) Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday said it accepts the ICC's decision to postpone this year's T20 World Cup owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, reiterating that there was considerable risk in hosting 16 teams "in the current environment". SPO-CRI-ROOT We are in presence of greatness, he's 'Mr Incredible': Root on Stokes Manchester, Jul 21 (PTI) Skipper Joe Root believes England are in "in the presence of greatness" and sky is the limit for "Mr Incredible" Ben Stokes after the all-rounder put up another match-winning performance to hand the hosts a series levelling victory against the West Indies.

SPO-CRI-WOM-WC Decision on women's ODI World Cup in two weeks: New Zealand Cricket chief Wellington, Jul 21 (PTI) New Zealand Cricket chairman Greg Barclay has said that a decision on the fate of the 2021 Women's World Cup will be taken in the next two weeks. SPO-CRI-CAB-VERMA CAB not to oppose Ganguly-Shah term: petitioner Verma New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) IPL spot-fixing case petitioner Aditya Verma on Tuesday said his lawyers "won't oppose" a cooling-off period waiver for BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary when the matter is heard in the Supreme Court.

SPO-UN-CHESS-ANAND Happy that so many people have discovered chess during pandemic: Anand By Yoshita Singh United Nations, Jul 21 (PTI) Chess has attracted many first-timers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive reach of the internet has made it a "truly global sport", five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said to mark the first ever World Chess Day. SPO-FOOT-CHENNAI-AFC Chennai City to play remaining AFC Cup group matches in Maldives New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) Chennai City, the 2018-19 I-League champions, will play their remaining AFC Cup group stage matches in Maldives with the island nation being given the hosting rights following the continental body's decision to organise the games in a single venue.

SPO-TT-SATHIAN Indian paddler Sathiyan signs for Polish Superliga team Chennai, Jul 21 (PTI) Ace Indian paddler G Sathiyan on Tuesday signed for Polish side Sokolow S A Jarsoslaw for the upcoming table tennis league in Poland..