Sports Highlights

SPO-CRI-T20WC-PATHAN-IND Support Indian team whether it wins or loses, says Yusuf Pathan Abu Dhabi, Oct 26 PTI Former India batter Yusuf Pathan on Tuesday said fans should support the national team whether it wins or lose and the 15 players picked for the ongoing T20 World Cup should be backed.

The following are the top/expected stories at 2130 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of T20 World Cup Super 12 Group 2 match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Sharjah.

STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-DRAVID Rahul Dravid formally applies for head coach's post; Laxman in fray for NCA? By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Celebrated former captain Rahul Dravid is all but certain to to be the Indian cricket team's next head coach after he formally applied for the high-profile position on Tuesday.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-LEE-INTERVIEW You need to look at options if Hardik is not bowling, Bhuvneshwar has to increase his pace: Lee By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) The Indian team is good enough to reach the semi-finals of T20 World Cup but for the side to play at its full potential, Hardik Pandya ''needs to start bowling'' and Bhuvneshwar Kumar must crank up the pace, feels former Australian speedster Brett Lee.

SPO-LIFT-CHANU-INTERVIEW Mirabai Chanu sets sights on second world championship title after Tokyo silver By Aparajita Upadhyay New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) After the high of the Tokyo Games, India's Olympic silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has turned her focus on winning a second world championship title and is ironing out the chinks in her armour ahead of the event.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-GAVASKAR-KOHLI Gavaskar lauds Kohli for his ''terrific innings'' against Pakistan Dubai, Oct 26 (PTI) Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has heaped praise on India captain Virat Kohli for his 57-run knock against arch-rivals Pakistan in their T20 World Cup match here, saying it was a ''terrific innings'' under difficult circumstances.

SPO-CRI-RIZWAN-SHAMI Shami one of the best bowlers in world: Pakistan's Rizwan urges people to show respect Sharjah, Oct 26 (PTI) Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan on Tuesday urged people to show respect to players, voicing his support for senior India pacer Mohammed Shami, who was subjected to abuse on social media following the national team's World Cup loss to the arch-rivals.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-SA-2NDLD KNEE Taking note of de Kock's pullout for personal reasons, CSA orders Proteas to take knee at T20 WC Dubai, Oct 26 (PTI) Cricket South Africa on Tuesday ordered its players to take the knee before their remaining T20 World Cup matches in support of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and took note of Quinton De Kock's withdrawal from the game against the West Indies due to ''personal reasons''.

SPO-BAD-IND Sameer makes winning start at French Open Paris, Oct 26 (PTI) India's Sameer Verma progressed to the second round of French Open Super 750 badminton tournament with a straight game win over Lee Dong Keun here on Tuesday.

SPO-CRI-IND-RATRA Ratra in fray to become India fielding coach Mumbai, Oct 26 (PTI) Former India wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra has applied for the position of the fielding coach of the Indian Cricket team.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-HAYDEN Hayden impressed with sporting brotherhood displayed by India and Pakistan Dubai, Oct 26 (PTI) Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has hailed the ''sporting brotherhood'' displayed by arch-rivals India and Pakistan after their T20 World Cup clash, saying the players have set an example with their conduct.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-NAM-SCO-PREVIEW Minnows Namibia eye Scotland scalp in opening Super 12 match Abu Dhabi, Oct 26 (PTI) Having sealed a place in the Super 12s with two stunning wins, debutants Namibia will look to continue their fairytale run when they take on a bruised Scotland in the ICC T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-HARDIK Hardik Pandya's shoulder injury ''not serious'' but team management will ''wait and watch'' Dubai, Oct 26 (PTI) Flamboyant India all-rounder Hardik Pandya's shoulder injury sustained during the T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan is believed to be a minor one and he is likely to be available for the next game against New Zealand on October 31.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-BAN-ENG-PREVIEW High-flying England face Bangladesh challenge in tricky conditions Abu Dhabi, Oct 26 (PTI) Buoyed by the emphatic win over defending champions West Indies, England would look to continue their winning momentum when they face Bangladesh in a tricky Super 12 clash of the T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.

SPO-CRI-WOM-WBBL-MANDHANA WBBL experience will count when we play for national team: Smriti Mandhana Melbourne, Oct 26 (PTI) Stylish opener Smriti Mandhana believes the stint at the ongoing Women's Big Bash League will hold the Indian players in good stead when they play for the national team, especially ahead of next year's ODI World Cup.

SPO-BOX-WC-LD IND Boxing World C'ship: Seasoned Shiva, debutant Akash win opening bouts Belgrade, Oct 26 (PTI) Five-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) stormed into the second round of the AIBA World Boxing Championships after out-witting Kenya's Victor Nyadera in his opening bout here on Tuesday.

SPO-BOX-AIBA-IND-COMMITTEE Boxing: Lovlina, Shiva in contention for place in AIBA athletes committee New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Olympic bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain and five-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa are in contention to be Asia's representatives in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) athletes committee, which will be formed through voting during the world championships for men and women.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-SA-2NDLD WI T20 WC: Markram hits explosive fifty as South Africa crush West Indies by 8 wickets Dubai, Oct 26 (PTI) Aiden Markram struck a whirlwind unbeaten fifty as South Africa produced an all-round effort to bounce back strongly from their opening defeat and beat West Indies by eight wickets to secure their first win in the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup here on Tuesday.

SPO-CRI-T20WC-SA-WI-COMMENTS When the news hit us it did kind of take us back as a team: Bavuma on de Kock's withdrawal Dubai, Oct 26 (PTI) South African captain Temba Bavuma on Tuesday revealed that Quinton de Kock's withdrawal over Cricket South Africa's directive to take the knee ''did kind of take us back as a team'' before their T20 World Cup match against West Indies here. SPO-CRI-T20WC-PATHAN-IND Support Indian team whether it wins or loses, says Yusuf Pathan Abu Dhabi, Oct 26 (PTI) Former India batter Yusuf Pathan on Tuesday said fans should support the national team whether it wins or lose and the 15 players picked for the ongoing T20 World Cup should be backed.

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