SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

The following are the top/expected stories at 1730 hours:

EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Orlean Masters badminton tournament from France.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-SHOOT Prithviraj, Kynan on course for final, women's trap team out of shotgun World Cup

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) India's Prithviraj Tondaiman shot two perfect rounds of 25, while teammate Kynan Chenai missed just one bird to stay on course for the men's trap finals at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup being held at Acapulco, Mexico.

SPO-RISHABH Ponting backs Rishabh to bat at No.4, Ganguly terms him 'huge asset'

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Ricky Ponting Tuesday unequivocally backed Rishabh Pant for the number four slot in India's World Cup line-up and even saw him as one capable of winning the tournament.

SPO-WC-SHANKAR Indian team management may use Vijay Shankar as surprise element at No.4

By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Every World Cup is known for left-field tactical moves and young Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar could well be the 'joker in the pack' if the Indian team management decides to try him at the tricky number four position in the upcoming World Cup.

SPO-FOOT-IND-WOM

India start as favourites against Bangladesh in SAFF Women C'ships semis Biratnagar (Nepal), Mar 19 (PTI) Unbeaten so far in the tournament, four-time defending champions India will start as overwhelming favourites against Bangladesh in the semi-finals of the SAFF Women's football championship here Wednesday.

SPO-WORKLOAD-GANGULY

Not playing is not the solution: Ganguly on workload management New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) "Not playing is not the solution," former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly stated Tuesday amid concerns around players' workload with the World Cup starting only a few days after the IPL.

SPO-FIH

FIH to do away with Hockey Series events after 2019 Lausanne (Switzerland), Mar 19 (PTI) The International Hockey Federation (FIH) will do away with its Hockey Series events after this year to enable its member associations to focus more on continental qualifiers and championships, the game's governing body said Tuesday.

SPO-IPL-SCHEDULE

IPL schedule: KKR gets relief, to play all home matches at Eden New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will play all their Indian Premier League home matches at the Eden Gardens despite West Bengal going into polls during all seven phases of general elections.

SPO-TENDULKAR-ARJUN

Arjun should find reason to wake up every morning and chase his dreams: Sachin Tendulkar By Kushan Sarkar

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Arjun Tendulkar already knows the pressures of having a famous surname but Sachin Tendulkar wants his budding cricketer son to find "reasons to wake up every morning and chase his dreams" irrespective of the circumstances.

SPO-TOPS Wrestler Ritu Phogat dropped from TOPS

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Wrestler Ritu Phogat, youngest of the celebrated "Phogat Sisters", was on Tuesday dropped from the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) after she decided to shift her loyalty to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

SPO-ROHIT-ZAHEER Workload management: Rohit, Zaheer tell players to 'listen' to their bodies

Mumbai, Mar 19 (PTI) Offering an advice to the World Cup-bound India players living out of their suitcase for months, opener Rohit Sharma and former pace spearhead Zaheer Khan Tuesday said: "listen to your body".