Sports Highlights

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

EXPECTED STORIES *Updated report of Indian Boxing League.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-CRI-IND-COMMENTS Kohli pleased about India finally pulling off big score batting first

Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) India captain Virat Kohli said the best aspect of the series-clinching win over West Indies in the third and final T20 International here was that his team finally managed to post a big score while batting first.

SPO-CRI-RANJI-4THLD NORTHEAST Day four of Ranji Trophy game in Assam suspended due to curfew over CAB

By Bharat Sharma New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Day four proceedings of the Ranji Trophy game between Assam and the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) in Guwahati were on Thursday suspended due to the curfew imposed in the city following protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

SPO-CRI-IND-RAHUL

I don't worry about my place in team anymore: Rahul By Nikhil Bapat

Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) India opener KL Rahul admits it is difficult to be at peace when one's place in the national team is uncertain but says he has learnt to find happiness in his batting rather than worry about a spot in the side.

SPO-CRI-IND-POLLARD Not executing our plans has been the story this series: Pollard

Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard said failing to execute their plans has been the story of his team as it went down by 67 runs in the third T20I against India to lose the series 1-2 here.

SPO-BAD-LD SINDHU Sindhu loses again, virtually out of BWF World Tour Final

Guangzhou, Dec 12 (PTI) Defending champion P V Sindhu's campaign in the year-ending BWF World Tour Final was all but over after the Indian lost to China's Chen Yufei 22-20, 16-21, 12-21 here on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-NCA-COO After BCCI CFO, NCA COO Ghosh resigns

New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) National Cricket Academy's Chief Operations Officer Toofan Ghosh has become the second high-profile BCCI executive to put in his papers after finance head Santosh Rangnekar.

SPO-LD NORTHEAST CAB Protests: ISL, Ranji games suspended in Guwahati owing to curfew

New Delhi/Chennai, Dec 12 (PTI) Sporting activities took a hit in the curfew-struck city of Guwahati where an Indian Super League (ISL) football game and a Ranji Trophy cricket match were suspended on Thursday owing to the unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

SPO-CHESS-ANAND Future of Indian chess looks promising: Anand

By C Shyam Sundar Chennai, Dec 12 (PTI) Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on Thursday said that the future of Indian chess "looks promising" and some players will soon break into the top 10 of the FIDE ratings.

SPO-CRI-IND-RAHUL-TOTALS

In the past, we tried to over achieve at times: Rahul on India's first innings woes Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) India opener K L Rahul feels the series-sealing win over West Indies was a good learning experience in setting-up big totals, something his team has not been able to do consistently.

SPO-CRI-IND-GANGULY

Ganguly lauds Team India for "fearless batting" against Windies New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has lauded the Indian cricket team for putting up a "fearless batting" performance in the just-concluded T20 series against the West Indies.

SPO-CRI-AUS-PINK

Easier to schedule pink-ball Test against India if they are certain to make WTC final: CA CEO Melbourne, Dec 12 (PTI) Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts feels it will be easier to convince India to play a pink-ball match Down Under next year if Virat Kohli's team is certain to reach the World Test Championship final.

SPO-CRI-RANJI-GROUP A

Chandela, Rana salvage commendable draw for Delhi Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 12 (PTI) Opener Kunal Chandela and Nitish Rana salvaged a commendable draw for Delhi with gritty centuries after following-on against Kerala in their Rani Trophy opener here on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-ROHIT-FOOTBALL

Guys like Hardik, Rahul follow footballers' hairstyles: La Liga ambassador Rohit Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) Zinedine Zidane fan Rohit Sharma says some of the India players who have distinguished themselves in cricket, don't mind following the footballers when it comes to hairstyles.

SPO-BOX-DOPING-BFI

BFI asks coaches to step up vigil at national camps, conduct awareness sessions to tackle doping New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Thursday directed its High Performance Directors and coaches to step up the vigil to ensure that dope cheats are weeded out from national camps and called for quarterly awareness sessions on the anti-doping code.

SPO-CRI-RANJI-GROUPB

Ranji: Mumbai thrash Baroda by 309 runs Vadodara, Dec 12 (PTI) Domestic giants Mumbai began their 2019-2020 Ranji Trophy season on a winning note, as they thrashed Baroda by 309 runs in their Elite Group B game here on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-RANJI-GROUP C

Haryana beat Maharashtra by innings and 68 runs in Ranji match Rohtak, Dec 12 (PTI) Haryana skipper Harshal Patel led from the front with a five-wicket haul to set up an innings and 68 runs victory in the Ranji Trophy Group C opener against Maharashtra on the fourth and final day here on Thursday.

SPO-HOCK-WOM-RANI

Focus on fitness and recovery ahead of Olympics: Rani Rampal New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Focus will be on fitness and recovery as the Indian women's hockey team looks to play quality matches against top sides as part of its preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, said skipper Rani Rampal.