REUTERS SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 1830 GMT/1430 ET

Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning or on Media Express http://mediaexpress.reuters.com/planning-tools/calendar. TOP STORIES

BASEBALL-MLB-ICHIRO Team mates weep as Ichiro, baseball's most prolific hitter, retires at 45

Ichiro Suzuki, the most prolific hitter in baseball history and an icon on both sides of the Pacific, retired on Thursday as his fellow Seattle Mariners wept, bowed and hugged him in a Tokyo stadium rocking with cheers. GOLF-RULES-PAGEL

USGA wants communication on rules but no popularity contest The U.S. Golf Association (USGA) wants professionals to feel comfortable questioning the rules, but the organization’s mission does not include engaging in a popularity contest, says senior director of governance Thomas Pagel.

GYMNASTICS-BILES U.S. team heading in positive direction from dark place, says Biles

Simone Biles believes U.S gymnastics is moving in a positive direction after the “dark place” it found itself in a year ago following a sex-abuse scandal. UPCOMING

SOCCER SOCCER-EURO-AUT-POL/REPORT

Soccer - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Austria v Poland Austria play Poland in Group G of the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

21 Mar 15:45 ET / 19:45 GMT SOCCER-EURO-NLD-BLR/REPORT

Soccer - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Netherlands v Belarus The Netherlands play Belarus in Rotterdam in Group C of the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

21 Mar 15:45 ET / 19:45 GMT SOCCER-EURO-BEL-RUS/REPORT

Soccer - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Belgium v Russia Belgium play Russia in Group I of the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

21 Mar 15:45 ET / 19:45 GMT SOCCER-FRIENDLY-USA-ECU/

Soccer - International Friendly - United States v Ecuador United States face Ecuador in an international friendly at Orlando City Stadium.

21 Mar 20:00 ET / 00:00 GMT SOCCER-WORLDCUP-FRA-HENRIQUES/ (TV)

Soccer - Interview with French federation vice-president Brigitte Henriques French federation vice-president Brigitte Henriques discusses the women's World Cup and women's soccer in general with Reuters.

22 Mar 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT SOCCER-FRIENDLY-JPN-COL/

Soccer - International Friendly - Japan v Colombia Japan play Colombia in an international friendly Yokohama.

22 Mar 06:20 ET / 10:20 GMT SOCCER-EURO-BGR-MNE/REPORT

Soccer- Euro 2020 Qualifier - Bulgaria v Montengero Bulgaria host Montengero at the Vasil Levski stadium.

22 Mar 14:00 ET / 18:00 GMT CRICKET

CRICKET-ODI-AUS-PAK/ Cricket - Australia v Pakistan - First ODI

Australia play Pakistan in the first of five one day internationals in the United Arab Emirates. 22 Mar 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

CRICKET-T20-ZAF-LKA/ Cricket - South Africa v Sri Lanka - Second T20 International

South Africa play Sri Lanka in their second T20 international in Cape Town. 22 Mar 12:00 ET / 16:00 GMT

RUGBY RUGBY UNION-SUPER/

Super Rugby - Week Six Super Rugby week six.

22 Mar 02:30 ET / 06:30 GMT RUGBY-UNION-SUPER/SUNWOLVES

Rugby - SANZAAR to clarify Super Rugby future as axe looms over Sunwolves Super Rugby governing body SANZAAR will issue a statement on the future of the mainly southern hemisphere-based competition amid reports the Tokyo Sunwolves may be axed in a blow for Japanese rugby in the year of the World Cup

22 Mar 23:00 ET / 03:00 GMT TENNIS

TENNIS-MIAMI/ Tennis - WTA Premier Mandatory - Miami Open

Action from round two of the Miami Open - a WTA Premier Mandatory tournament. 22 Mar 11:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

TENNIS-MIAMI/ (TV) Tennis - ATP 1000 - Miami Open

Action from round two of the Miami Open - an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. 22 Mar 11:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

FIGURESKATING FIGURESKATING-WORLD/ (PIX)

2019 World Figure Skating Championships The 2019 Figure Skating World Championships are held in the Japanese city of Saitama

22 Mar GOLF

GOLF-PGA-VALSPAR Field Level Media-PGA: Valspar first round

Coverage of the first round of the Valspar Championship. March 21

GOLF-PGA-FOUNDERS Field Level Media-LPGA: Founders Cup

Coverage of the first round of the LPGA Bank Of Hope Founders Open. March 21

GOLF-VALSPAR/ Golf - PGA Tour - Valspar Championship

The Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead course in Palm Harbor, Florida hosts the Valspar Championship. Paul Casey is the defending champion. 22 Mar

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION BASKETBALL-NBA-ROUNDUP

Field Level Media-NBA roundup Capsule recaps of all games on the schedule Thursday.

March 21 BASKETBALL-NBA/WOMEN

NBA-League ready for female head coach says league's diversity boss Liliahn Majeed, the NBA's vice president of diversity and inclusion, said in an interview that the league is "right there" when it comes to hiring a female head coach – a move that would cement the league's position as a leader in sporting diversity.

22 Mar 09:00 ET / 13:00 GMT COLLEGE BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL-NCAAB Field Level Media-March Madness begins

Coverage of first-round games in the 2019 NCAA Tournament: East: No. 10 Minnesota vs. No. 7 Louisville 12:15 p.m.

East: No. 14 Yale vs. No. 3 LSU 12:40 p.m. Midwest: No. 12 New Mexico State vs. No. 5 Auburn 1:30 p.m.

West: No. 13 Vermont vs. No. 4 Florida State 2 p.m. East: No. 15 Bradley vs. No. 2 Michigan State 2:45 p.m.

East: No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 11 Belmont 3:10 p.m. Midwest: No. 13 Northeastern vs. No. 4 Kansas 4 p.m.

West: No. 12 Murray State vs. No. 5 Marquette 4:30 p.m. West: No. 10 Florida vs. No. 7 Nevada 6:50 p.m.

Midwest: No. 15 Abilene Christian vs. No. 2 Kentucky 7:10 p.m.

South: No. 11 Saint Mary's vs. No. 6 Villanova 7:20 p.m. West:

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 7:27 p.m. West: No. 15 Montana vs. No. 2 Michigan 9:20 p.m.

Midwest: No. 10 Seton Hall vs. No. 7 Wofford 9:40 p.m. South: No. 14 Old Dominion vs. No. 3 Purdue 9:50 p.m.

West: No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 8 Syracuse 9:57 p.m. March 21

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOOTBALL-NFL-NOTEBOOK

Field Level Media-NFL notebook News and notes from around the National Football League.

March 21, 8 p.m. ET/ 12 a.m. GMT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

BASEBALL-MLB-ROUNDUP Field Level Media-MLB Spring notebook

Capsule roundups of all spring training games Thursday. March 21