Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 1700 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Ravichandran Ashwin's press conference copy.

*Reports of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country.

*Report of Indian Super League match between Odisha FC and SC East Bengal in Bambolim *Report of 72nd Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-PITCH Motera likely to escape ICC 'Red Eye' as final Test pitch promises to be batting beauty By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) The Motera track may have received a lot of flak after the pink ball Test ended inside two days but it is unlikely to attract any severe sanctions from the game's governing body ICC with the pitch for the final game set to be a batting beauty.

SPO-CRI-LD BUMRAH Bumrah released from Indian Test squad due to personal reasons Ahmedabad, Feb 27 (PTI) Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will miss the fourth and final Test against England, beginning here on Thursday, as he was released from the Indian squad, owing to personal reasons.

SPO-CRI-WOM-LD TEAM Women's Squad vs SA: Veteran pacer Shikha Pandey axed, Shafali still not picked for ODIs New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Veteran medium-pacer Shikha Pandey was on Saturday dropped from India's ODI and T20 squads that will take on South African women in a twin series starting March 7.

SPO-SHOOT-IND Indian men's skeet team wins bronze in ISSF World Cup Cairo, Feb 27 (PTI) The Indian trio of Mairaj Ahmed Khan, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Gurjoat Khangura won the bronze medal in men's skeet team event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup here.

SPO-HOCK-SREEJESH Matches against quality teams great opportunity to test ourselves ahead of Olympics: Sreejesh Krefeld (Germany), Feb 27 (PTI) Indian men's hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh feels playing against quality sides like Germany and Great Britain will help the team prepare a plan for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics by testing itself tactically, physically and mentally.

SPO-GYM-MINISTRY-RECOGNITION Ministry restores recognition of GFI after 10 years New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) The Sports Ministry has restored the recognition of the faction-ridden Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) after 10 years, taking into records Sudhir Mittal's election as president in the polls held in November 2019.

SPO-ILEAGUE-AIZAWL-PREVIEW Do-or-die clash for Aizawl FC against Chennai City FC Kalyani, Feb 27 (PTI) Former champions Aizawl FC face a do-or-die battle to secure a top-six spot in the I-League as they meet Chennai City FC at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium here on Sunday.

SPO-FOOT-ISL-FCGOA ISL: Straight shootout for final playoff berth between Goa and Hyderabad Fatorda, Feb 27 (PTI) FC Goa and Hyderabad FC will fight it out for the final playoff berth in the Hero Indian Super League when they face off in a decisive game for both sides at the Fatorda Stadium here on Sunday.

SPO-ILEAGUE-TRAU-PREVIEW TRAU aim to secure top-six spot with win over Sudeva Delhi FC Kalyani, Feb 27 (PTI) Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) would look to end the first stage of I-League on a high note and secure their place in top six with a win over Sudeva Delhi FC when they lock horns here on Sunday.

SPO-CRI-PAK-AKMAL I did not report spot-fixing approach as I thought it would not remain confidential: Akmal Karachi, Feb 27 (PTI) Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal on Saturday claimed that he did not report the PCB about the spot-fixing approach made to him which led to his ban last year as he thought the information would not remain confidential.

SPO-GOLF-ADITI Aditi ensures weekend action at Gainbridge LPGA Orlando (US), Feb 27 (PTI) India's Aditi Ashok overcame an early double bogey with three birdies in the second round to make the cut in her first start of 2021 at the Gainbridge LPGA here.

SPO-GOLF-LAHIRI Lahiri makes a cut after carding 71, Atwal misses out at Puerto Rico Rio Grande, Feb 27 (PTI) Star Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri hoped to build on the momentum after carding one-under 71 to lie tied 38th after the second round of the Puerto Rico Open here.

SPO-CRI-ENG-WOAKES Woakes leaves India Test tour as part of England's rotation policy Ahmedabad, Feb 27 (PTI) England all-rounder Chris Woakes has left the Test tour of India without playing a match as part of the ECB's rotation policy.

SPO-VIRUS-CRI-NZ NZC moves men's and women's T20Is to Wellington as Auckland goes into lockdown Auckland, Feb 27 (PTI) The upcoming T20Is between New Zealand and the Australia men's team and England women's side, to be played at the Eden Park next week, were on Saturday moved to Wellington due to fresh COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed here.

SPO-CRI-VAUGHAN-PITCH More India is allowed to get away, more toothless ICC will look: Vaughan London, Feb 27 (PTI) Former England captain Michael Vaughan has slammed the BCCI for producing pitches that are not deemed good enough for Test cricket and said the more India is allowed to ''get away with whatever they wish'', the more ''toothless'' the ICC will look.