Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2130 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Qulaifier 1 between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Caapitals in Dubai. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IPL-ELIMINATOR-PREVIEW IPL Eliminator: Momentum with SRH, but RCB has the fire power Abu Dhabi, Nov 5 (PTI) With momentum on their side, a confident Sunrisers Hyderabad would look for another complete performance to continue their forward march in the IPL when they face a struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator here on Friday.

SPO-CRI-WOM-LD T20 Ecclestone stars in Trailblazers 9-wicket win over Velocity Sharjah, Nov 5 (PTI) Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone grabbed four wickets for just nine runs in a sensational bowling display to help Trailblazers beat Velocity by nine wickets in their Women's T20 Challenge match here on Thursday. SPO-CRI-WOM-T20-COMMENTS Our strategy of attacking the stumps worked: Mandhana Sharjah, Nov 5 (PTI) Trailblazers captain Smriti Mandhana on Thursday said her team's bowlers executed their plans perfectly in the nine-wicket rout of Velocity in the Women's T20 Challenge here on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-WOM-T20-MITHALI It was difficult playing back-to-back games: Sharjah, Nov 5 (PTI) The legendary Mithali Raj, who is leading the Velocity team in the Women's T20 Challenge, on Thursday admitted the difficulty of playing back-to-back matches with less than 12 hours of recovery time in sultry conditions. SPO-CRI-SHAKIB Anti-corruption ban was blessing in disguise, prepared for doubts of my teammates: Shakib Dhaka, Nov 5 (PTI) A "blessing in disguise" he calls it but Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan says he is also prepared to be doubted by his teammates when, in a few days' time, he returns to cricket after serving a one-year ban for failing to report corrupt approaches.

SPO-CRI-WOM-T20-COMMENTS We did not play well towards end in both innings: Harmanpreet Sharjah, Nov 5 (PTI) Supernovas' skipper Harmanpreet Kaur blamed ordinary performance by both batters and bowlers in the death overs for her team's five-wicket loss to Velocity in the opening match of the Women's T20 Challenge here. SPO-CRI-WOM-T20-BISHT Working on my bowling weakness, fitness during break really helped: Ekta Sharjah, Nov 5 (PTI) Left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht said working on her bowling skills and fitness during the coronavirus-induced break helped her to execute the plans as she returned with a three-wicket haul to guide Velocity to a five-wicket win over Supernovas here.

SPO-CRI-IPL-TENDULKAR Drop in temperature made it easier to chase in second phase of IPL: Tendulkar Mumbai, Nov 5 (PTI) Batting great Sachin Tendulkar feels that with temperatures dropping in the UAE, it has become easier to chase in the ongoing IPL as the tournament enters its business end during which the dew factor has also come into play. SPO-VIRUS-ARCHERY Archer Himani Malik tests positive for COVID-19 Pune, Nov 5 (PTI) Archer Himani Malik, who was part of an ongoing national camp at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) here, has tested positive for COVID-19, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) revealed on Thursday but insisted that training will continue.

SPO-CRI-LPL LPL to go ahead, gets government clearance: tournament director Colombo, Nov 5 (PTI) The Lanka Premier League (LPL) will go ahead as it has got government clearance despite the county experiencing a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, tournament director Ravin Wickramaratne said on Thursday. SPO-CRI-IPL-MOHIT Mohit's father no more, DC players wear black armband to pay respect Dubai, Nov 5 (PTI) Delhi Capitals pacer Mohit Sharma has left for home following the death of his father ahead of his side's Indian Premier League Qualifiers 1 against Mumbai Indians here on Thursday.

SPO-GOLF-WOM Diksha rides a roller coaster to rise to 17th in Dubai Dubai, Nov 5 (PTI) Indian golfer Diksha Dagar endured a rollercoaster second round on way to a 3-under 69 to rise to tied-T-17 at the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic here on Thursday. SPO-GOLF-WOM-IND All four Indians card 3-over 75, lie 29th in Dubai Dubai, Nov 5 (PTI) The Indian women quartet of Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar, Tvesa Malik and Astha Madan carded a matching three-over 75 in the opening round to lie tied-29 at the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic golf tournament here.

SPO-TENNIS-BOPANNA Bopanna-Marach enter the quarterfinals of Paris Masters Paris, Nov 5 (PTI) ) India's Rohan Bopanna and Austrian Oliver Marach stunned ninth seeds Fabrice Martin and Jean-Julien Rojer in a hard-fought second round encounter to enter the men's doubles quarterfinals of the Paris Masters tennis tournament here. SPO-VIRUS-TT-AMALRAJ TT veteran Amalraj recovers from COVID-19 but not to take part in training camp New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) Veteran table tennis player Anthony Amalraj, member of the bronze medal-winning men's side at the 2018 Asian Games, has decided against joining his teammates at the ongoing national camp in Sonepat as a precautionary measure after recovering from COVID-19.

SPO-VIRUS-HOCK-FIH COVID effect: FIH postpones Pro League matches Lausanne, Nov 5 (PTI) The International Hockey Federation on Thursday postponed two upcoming FIH Pro League matches due to the COVID-19 related travel restrictions in the competing nations..