Sports Highlights

The following are the top sports stories at 2115 hours: STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-ICC-BOARD-PREVIEW ICC Board Meet: Nomination process, simple majority or 2/3rd on agenda Dubai, Aug 9 (PTI) Finalising the nomination process to elect Shashank Manohar's successor as the next independent chairman of the world cricket body is the sole agenda for the ICC Board, which will meet virtually on Monday. SPO-CRI-IPL-VIVO-GANGULY Suspension of IPL title sponsorship with Vivo just a blip, not a financial crisis: Ganguly New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has described the suspension of the IPL title sponsorship deal with Chinese mobile phone company Vivo as just a "blip", dismissing talk that it might lead to a "financial crisis".

SPO-CRI-LD STOKES Stokes ruled out of remainder of Pakistan series due to family reasons: ECB (Eds: Adding details) Manchester, Aug 9 (PTI) England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes will miss the remainder of the three-match Test series against Pakistan due to family reasons, the country's cricket board announced on Sunday. SPO-CRI-DOMESTIC-SCHEDULE BCCI eyes start of domestic season from November 19, IPL players may miss first few rounds New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) The BCCI is mulling November 19 as tentative date for start of domestic season with Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament but Indian players in various IPL teams won't be able to play first few rounds due to quarantine protocols in place. SPO-CRI-BUTTLER Buttler says he feared he could be playing his last Test before heroics against Pakistan Manchester, Aug 9 (PTI) With just a half century to boast about in 13 earlier innings, Jos Buttler feared he might be playing his last Test in the match against Pakistan but the keeper-batsman laid those doubts to rest with a crucial knock under pressure to guide England to a memorable win.

SPO-CRI-PAK-AKRAM Akram criticises Ali's captaincy in first Test against England, says he missed a trick Manchester, Aug 9 (PTI) Fast bowling great Wasim Akram has come down heavily on Pakistan captain Azhar Ali for his decisions during the first Test against England, saying he "missed a trick quite a few times" in the visitors' three-wicket defeat here. SPO-CRI-PAK-MISBAH We let England off the hook, admits Misbah Manchester, Aug 9 (PTI) Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq is not happy with his side's below-par batting effort in the first Test against England here but more disappointing to him was how the visitors let England off the hook during their run chase.

SPO-BAD-SAINA-KASHYAP Saina begins training but will join camp at SAI centre after couple of weeks By Amit Kumar Das New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) London Olympics bronze-medallist Saina Nehwal has resumed training at a separate facility in Hyderabad after the coronavirus-induced break and is likely to join the national camp at the SAI Pullela Gopichand Academy in a couple of weeks. SPO-IOA-MINISTRY NSFs should ask for more time to submit ministry questionnaire on age, tenure of office-bearers New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) The Indian Olympic Association wants the sports ministry to extend the deadline for submission of response to a questionnaire seeking age and tenure details of national sports federations' office-bearers which is crucial to a case pending on the NSFs recognition in the Delhi High Court.

SPO-CRI-ROOT I'm chuffed to bits with him: Root on Buttler Manchester, Aug 9 (PTI) England captain Joe Root doffed his hat to Jos Buttler after his beleaguered teammate battled concerns over his father's health and fear of losing his place in the side to engineer a dramatic triumph in the first Test against Pakistan here. SPO-CRI-ENG-COMMENTS We missed our chances, credit to Woakes and Buttler: Pak captain Ali Manchester, Aug 9 (PTI) Pakistan captain Azhar Ali rued the missed opportunities and lauded the Jos Buttler-Chris Woakes partnership that helped England snatch the first Test here. SPO-CRI-IPL-LEE Learn guitar, play some cards to maintain bio-secure bubble: Lee tells IPL-bound players New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Guitar and card games are options former Australia speedster Brett Lee wants the IPL-bound cricketers to explore in order to maintain the bio-secure bubble during their long stay in the UAE.

SPO-FOOT-PLAYER-LD DEATH Former India and Mohun Bagan player Manitombi dies at 39 (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs and AIFF's condolence message) Kolkata, Aug 9 (PTI) Former India and Mohun Bagan footballer Manitombi Singh died aged only 39 at his native village near Imphal in Manipur on Sunday..