Sports Highlights

The following are the top expected stories at 2100 hours: STORIES IN THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-WOM-LD IND India suffer heavy loss on return to international cricket Lucknow, Mar 7 (PTI) Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt shared the highest opening wicket stand against an under-prepared India to give South Africa an emphatic eight-wicket win in the first ODI of the five match series here on Sunday.

SPO-CRI-IPL-SCHEDULE IPL 2021: Starts April 9, no home games, no crowds at 6 venues including Mumbai New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) The IPL 2021 will run from April 9 to May 30 across six venues with no team getting to play at home, its Governing Council announced on Sunday. SPO-WREST-LD IND Vinesh wins gold, reclaims number one rank; Bajrang in final Rome, Mar 7 (PTI) Living up to the expectations, star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat grabbed the 53kg gold medal along with world number one rank while Bajrang Punia booked his spot in the final of the men's 65kg event at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event, here on Sunday.

SPO-BAD-LD SINDHU Sindhu suffers demoralising defeat in Swiss Open final Basel, Mar 7 (PTI) World Champion P V Sindhu finished a distant second in the Swiss Open final after being completely routed by Olympic gold medallist Carolina Marin of Spain in a lop-sided women's singles title clash here on Sunday.

SPO-BOX-VIRUS-LD IND COVID-19 case hits Indian boxers in Spanish tourney, three men forced out of finals New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) The Indian men's boxing team's final campaign at the 35th Boxam International Tournament in Castellon, Spain was derailed by a positive COVID-19 case in the side, resulting in three withdrawals from the summit clashes.

SPO-CRI-IND-SHASTRI Washington can perform the role I used to play for India during my time: Shastri Ahmedabad, Mar 7 (PTI) Ravi Shastri was both Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev's 'go to man' with his all-round abilities during the '80s and India head coach firmly believes that young Washington Sundar could play a similar role in the current Test team.

SPO-CRI-SHASTRI-BIOBUBBLE Shastri on Bio-bubble: Building bonds, talking cricket, understanding each other Ahmedabad, Mar 7 (PTI) The downside of life in a bio-bubble is loneliness and freedom of movement but for Ravi Shastri, the last months have created stronger bonds like never before among players along with a lot of conversations around what they all love- the game of cricket.

SPO-CRI-SHASTRI-ICC Shastri takes dig at ICC for 'shifting goalposts', does not mind social media 'banter' Ahmedabad, Mar 7 (PTI) Known for not mincing words, India head coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday criticised the ICC for changing the qualification criteria for the World Test Championship final, saying the world governing body needs to stop ''shifting goalposts''.

SPO-CRI-IND-WOM-HARMANPREET India lacked match practice, will need time to get back into rhythm: Harmanpreet Lucknow, Mar 7 (PTI) Indian women's ODI vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Saturday said the team was lacking match practice and will need time to get back into rhythm after being away from international cricket for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-BOX-WBC-IND India's Lalrinsanga Tlau clinches WBC youth world title New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Indian boxer Lalrinsanga Tlau defeated Ghana's Eric Quarm to claim the vacant WBC youth world super featherweight title in an eight-round contest held in Aizawl.

SPO-GOLF-ADITI Aditi Ashok moves up to Tied-24th at LPGA Ocala (Florida), Mar 7 (PTI) Indian golfer Aditi Ashok carded a tidy two-under 70 to jump into the Top-25 at the LPGA Tour's Drive On Championship, here. SPO-CRI-IPL-CSK-RAMAN Former IPL COO Sundar Raman named consultant for CSK Chennai, Mar 7 (PTI) Former Indian Premier League chief operating officer (COO) Sundar Raman has been roped in as consultant by three-time champion Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2021 IPL beginning next month.

SPO-CRI-IND-SILVERWOOD 59 wickets by two Indian spinners was reflection how difficult it was: Silverwood Ahmedabad, Mar 7 (PTI) England coach Chris Silverwood admitted that Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel with a combined 59 wickets made the lives of England batsmen miserable as this 1-3 defeat will certainly ''hurt'' them for some time to come.

SPO-CRI-VAUGHAN-BAIRSTOW Vaughan feels Bairstow's days are numbered in England team London, Mar 7 (PTI) Former skipper Michael Vaughan is convinced that Jonny Bairstow's days are numbered in the England Test team after his dismal show in the just-concluded series against India.

SPO-MARATHON Srinu Bugatha, Sudha Singh win New Delhi Marathon New Delhi, Mar 7(PTI) Srinu Bugatha clocked a personal best to comfortably win the sixth edition of the Ageas Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon while Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh bagged the top honours in the women's category, here on Sunday.

SPO-FOOT-ISL-MEHTA-JAMIL Khalid Bhai has given us the freedom to play fearlessly: Ashutosh Mehta Margao, Mar 7 (PTI) Experienced Indian full-back Ashutosh Mehta has credited coach Khalid Jamil for NorthEast United FC's success in the Indian Super League, saying he installed an elite mentality in the players and moulded them into champions.

SPO-FOOT-ISL-MUMBAI Mumbai City aiming for final punch over depleted Goa Bambolim, Mar 7 (PTI) Table-toppers Mumbai City FC will look to deliver the final punch when they take on a depleted FC Goa in the second leg of their semi-finals here on Monday and earn a maiden appearance in the ISL final. SPO-CRO-HAZARE-DELHI Vijay Hazare Trophy: Rawat-Sangwan partnership takes Delhi to quarter-final New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Wicketkeeper-batsman Anuj Rawat smashed a dozen of sixes in his unbeaten 95 off 85 balls as an under-pressure Delhi made a remarkable recovery to beat Uttarakhand by four wickets in the pre-quarter final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Sunday.

SPO-EXPEDITION-BACHENDRI Bachendri Pal to lead all women team aged above 50 in Himalayan expedition Kolkata, Mar 7 (PTI) The first Indian woman to conquer world's highest summit Mount Everest, Bachendri Pal will lead a 10-member team of women aged above 50 in a five-month long expedition from eastern to western Himalaya beginning in May.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)