Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2100 hours:

EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Ultimate Table Tennis League.

*Report of Pro Kabaddi League.

STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-SANIA-INTERVIEW

I'll not comeback to prove anything, results in second innings will be bonus: Sania By Amanpreet Singh

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Star Indian tennis player Sania Mirza says she has achieved everything in her path-breaking career and has "nothing to prove" in her second innings, which is likely to begin by January 2020.

SPO-BAD-2NDLD IND Saina, Srikanth, Prannoy crash out; Sai Praneeth progresses in Thailand Open

Bangkok, Aug 1 (PTI) Ace Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth crashed out of the Thailand Open after suffering unexpected defeats but B Sai Praneeth sailed into the quarterfinals of the men's singles here on Thursday.

SPO-KAPIL-LD KOHLI Virat's opinion like anybody's should be respected: Kapil

By Tapan Kumar Mohanta Kolkata, Aug 1 (PTI) The legendary Kapil Dev, head of the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) that will appoint the next head coach agreed with his colleague Shantha Rangaswamy that skipper Virat Kohli's opinion "needs to be respected".

SPO-ASHES-LUNCH

Australia fight back in Ashes opener after Broad double Birmingham, Aug 1 (AFP) Australia rallied to reach 83-3 at lunch on the first day of the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Thursday after England paceman Stuart Broad struck early to remove openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

SPO-IND-REIFER

With Pollard and Narine back in mix, Windies coach promises entertainment vs India Fort Lauderdale (Florida), Aug 1 (PTI) West Indies coach Floyd Reifer is confident that T20 megastars like Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine alongwith some talented youngsters will provide the fireworks against India when a sell-out weekend crowd shows up for the two T20 Internationals starting here on Saturday.

SPO-IND-CAC-SHANTHA

Kohli entitled to his opinion but only CAC will decide the next India coach: Shantha Rangaswamy By Bharat Sharma

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) As captain Virat Kohli is entitled to his opinion but Shantha Rangaswamy on Thursday said the next India head coach will be picked based only on the collective opinion of the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of which she is a part.

SPO-IND A India A reduce West Indies A to 243/5 despite fifties from Hodge and Brooks

Port of Spain, Aug 1 (PTI) Montcin Hodge and Shamarh Brooks hit half-centuries but India A bowlers fought back with a flurry of wickets in the final session to reduce the West Indies A to 243 for five on the opening day of the second unofficial Test, here.

SPO-BOX-IND Four Indian women boxers enter semis of Russian tourney

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Asian gold-medallist Pooja Rani (75kg) and world bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), along with two others Indians, entered the semi-finals of the Magomed Salam Umakhanov Memorial International Boxing Tournament in Kaspiysk, Russia.

SPO-SHOOT Aishwary wins gold at Sardar Sajjan Singh Sethi memorial shooting New Delhi Aug 1 (PTI) Fresh from his exploits at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, where he bagged a gold, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar clinched a yellow metal in Men's Rifle 3 Positions (3P) at XII Sardar Sajjan Singh Sethi Memorial Masters shooting competition here.

SPO-HOCK-WOM-GURJIT

Beating Australia will boost our confidence ahead of Olympic qualifiers: Gurjit Bengaluru, Aug 1 (PTI) Pulling off a victory against the world No.2 Australia will help boost our confidence ahead of the Olympics qualifiers, feels Indian women's hockey player Gurjit Kaur.

SPO-DURAND Focus on Vicuna as Bagan face city rivals Md Sporting in Durand Cup opener

Kolkata, Aug 1 (PTI) Sixteen-time champions Mohun Bagan will take on Mohammedan Sporting at the Saltlake Stadium here on Friday to kick off the revamped 129th edition of the Durand Cup, which will be held for the first time in Bengal.