Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 5pm.

EXPECTED STORIES *Report of Ultimate Table Tennis.

*Update of Thailand Open badminton tournament.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-PRASAD-INTERVIEW If we lacked vision, Hardik and Jasprit wouldn't have played Test cricket: MSK Prasad

New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) Jasprit Bumrah's superb performance in the Test arena and making a decent Test player out of a T20 slogger like Hardik Pandya would be the lasting legacy of a selection committee accused of "lacking vision", chairman of selectors MSK Prasad has asserted.

SPO-PRITHVI-COACH Fighter Prithvi will come out of doping setback stronger: childhood coach

By Nikhil Bapat Mumbai, July 31 (PTI) Prithvi Shaw is a "fighter" and will come out of his eight-month doping suspension stronger, says Santosh Pingutkar, who taught him the ABC of cricket long before he became his most famous ward.

SPO-GAEKWAD

We will be neutral, won't take anyone's opinion: Gaekwad on coach selection Kolkata, Jul 31 (PTI) The Kapil Dev-led Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) tasked to appoint new head coach will not be prejudiced, former India coach and member of the panel Anshuman Gaekwad said on Wednesday.

SPO-BAD-LD IND

Saina, Srikanth progress; Sourabh crashes out Bangkok, Jul 31 (PTI) Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal returned to the court in style, registering a straight-game win over local hope Phittayaporn Chaiwan, to sail into the women's singles second round of the Thailand Open here on Wednesday.

SPO-IND-U19

India U-19 lose to Bangladesh U-19 by 2 wickets Billericay (United Kingdom), Jul 31 (PTI) The India U-19 team suffered its second consecutive defeat in the Tri Nation 50-over tournament, losing to Bangladesh by two wickets here.

SPO-STOKES-OVERTHROW

Never asked umpire to cancel four off overthrow in WC final: Stokes London, Jul 31 (PTI) With his "hand on heart", England's World Cup hero Ben Stokes says he never asked the umpires to cancel the four runs off an overthrow during the epic final against New Zealand.

SPO-RAJPUT-COACH

Rajput joins race for India head coach's job Mumbai, Jul 31 (PTI) Former manager Lalchand Rajput has thrown his hat in the ring for the job of the Indian cricket team's head coach.

SPO-HOCK-HARMANPREET

Captaincy came as surprise but ready to shoulder responsibility: Harmanpreet Bengaluru, Jul 31 (PTI) The captaincy announcement came as a surprise to him but India drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh said on Wednesday he is up for the challenge in the upcoming Olympic Test event.

SPO-BAD-RANKING

Sindhu, Saina static at 5th, 8th spots in badminton rankings New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) Star Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal were static at fifth and eighth spots respectively in the recently released Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings.

SPO-EB-KAPIL

Fans want Kapil Dev to boycott East Bengal event, run social media campaign Kolkata, Jul 31 (PTI) Through a social media campaign, a section of irate fans on Wednesday urged cricket legend Kapil Dev to boycott East Bengal's Foundation Day programme, alleging that the 100-year-old club engaged in "unethical and fraudulent" practices.

SPO-FOOT-WOM

Indian women to play Guinea in opening match of COTIF Cup football New Delhi, July 31 (PTI) The Indian women's football team will face Equatorial Guinea to kick off its campaign in the 2019 COTIF Cup in Valencia, Spain, on Thursday.

SPO-IPL-MI-TRANSFER

Holders Mumbai Indians trade Markande with DC for Rutherford Mumbai, Jul 31 (PTI) Four-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians have traded leg-spinner Mayank Markande with Delhi Capitals for West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford.

SPO-HARBHAJAN-KHELRATNA

Harbhajan's Khel Ratna snub: Punjab Minister orders probe into alleged delay Chandigarh, Jul 31 (PTI) The Punjab government has ordered an inquiry into the allegations levelled by veteran India player Harbhajan Singh that administrative delay on the part of state's sports department was the reason for the rejection of his nomination for the prestigious Khel Ratna Award.

SPO-FOOT-GHARAMI

Suspended footballer Gharami says 'was not aware of banned substance' in his medicine New Delhi, July 31 (PTI) The suspended Delhi Dynamos player Rana Gharami has told the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and All India Football Federation (AIFF) that he "wasn't aware of the presence of any banned substance" in the medicine that he took to treat fever.