Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 1700 hours:

EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Ultimate Table Tennis League.

*Report of 3rd T20 between India and West Indies. *Report of first day of 2nd unofficial Test between India A and West Indies A.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-BAD-RANKINGS Thailand Open winners Rankireddy-Shetty jump seven spots to 9th in badminton rankings

New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Tuesday jumped seven places to enter the top 10 of the latest badminton world rankings, courtesy their historic win at last week's Thailand Open.

SPO-COACH-JOSHI Joshi applies for bowling coach's job, says India need a spin expert

By Bharat Sharma New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Former India spinner Sunil Joshi has applied for the national team bowling coach's job with the belief that the Virat Kohli-led side needs a spin expert.

SPO-ICC-RANKINGS

Smith jumps a rung to 3rd in ICC rankings overtaking Pujara Dubai, Aug 6 (PTI) Australian batsman Steve Smith on Tuesday overtook India's Cheteshwar Pujara to grab the No.3 spot in the ICC rankings after consecutive hundreds in the opening Ashes Test in Edgbaston.

SPO-LADAKH-CRICKET

Players from Ladakh can represent J&K for now in Ranji: Vinod Rai By Kushan Sarkar

New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Cricketers emerging from the newly-created union territory of Ladakh will represent Jammu and Kashmir in the domestic circuit for the time being, Indian cricket's Committee of Administrators (COA) chief Vinod Rai said on Tuesday.

SPO-LANGER-SMITH Langer rates Smith at par with Virat as world's best batsman

Birmingham, Aug 6 (PTI) Australia coach Justin Langer feels Steve Smith is at par with Indian captain Virat Kohli as the world's best batsman after the comeback-man struck consecutive hundreds in the opening Ashes Test against England.

SPO-LD DULEEP With no live coverage till finals, Duleep back to red ball format

By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) The season-opening Duleep Trophy, which has been India's only day-night first-class tournament with pink ball for the last three seasons, is set to go back to the day format with red ball due to lack of TV coverage.

SPO-MCCULLUM

Former NZ captain Brendon McCullum retires from all forms of cricket Auckland, Aug 6 (PTI) Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum will retire from all forms of competitive cricket after the conclusion of the ongoing Global T20 Canada, ending a journey which he termed "one hell of a ride".

SPO-HOCK-PAK-COACH Pakistan appoints Olympian Khwaja Junaid as men's senior team coach

Karachi, Aug 6 (PTI) Pakistan has named Olympian Khawaja Junaid as the head coach of its men's senior national hockey team, two years after he was unceremoniously sacked from the same post.

SPO-POLLARD-FINE Pollard fined, handed demerit point for disobeying umpire in T20 against India

Dubai, Aug 6 (PTI) West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for disobeying the umpire's instructions during the second T20 International against India in Florida.

SPO-PSL Franchise owners agreed to play PSL-5 entirely in Pakistan

Karachi, Aug 6 (PTI) The fifth season of the Pakistan Super League is set to be played entirely in the country after the franchise owners agreed to such a plan of the cricket board.

SPO-PAK-SLC SLC security delegation visiting Pakistan to find out feasibility of Test series

Karachi, Aug 6 (PTI) A high-level security delegation of Sri Lanka Cricket Board, led by its secretary Mohan de Silva, will reach Karachi on Tuesday to find out if it is safe to send its team for a Test series against Pakistan later this year.