Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2110 hours:

EXPECTED STOTRIES: *ISL match between Hyderabad FC and Jamshedpur FC in Hyderabad.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-CRI-IND-WARMUP-PREVIEW Warm-Up Game: Opening gambit, lone spinner on focus as India meet steady NZ XI

By Kushan Sarkar Hamilton, Feb 13 (PTI) Clarity on opening combination, a call on whether Ravichandran Ashwin's variations can trump Ravindra Jadeja's all-round skill-sets will be the focus for India in their three-day warm-up game against New Zealand XI starting here on Friday.

SPO-CRI-IND-GILL

There is no fight for spot with Prithvi: Shubman By Kushan Sarkar

Hamilton, Feb 13 (PTI) Promising India batsman Shubman Gill insists he is not competing with fellow young gun Prithvi Shaw for the opener's slot in the first Test against New Zealand but if he does get the opportunity, he will not "let it go waste".

SPO-CRI-IND-WOM-RAMAN India women's team can emulate batch of 1983 at T20 World Cup: Raman

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) India women's coach WV Raman feels his team is capable of emulating Kapil Dev's World Cup winning team at the T20 World Cup, beginning in Australia on February 21.

SPO-CRI-ZAHEER-BUMRAH Bumrah needs to be aggressive and take extra risks: Zaheer

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Former India pace spearhead Zaheer Khan feels Jasprit Bumrah needs to be more aggressive and take extra risks to make his presence felt in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand after going wicket-less in the recent ODI series.

SPO-BOX-LD RANKINGS Amit Panghal is world No.1 in IOC's Boxing Task Force rankings for Olympic Qualifiers

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) World silver-medallist Amit Panghal (52kg) has been ranked number one by the IOC's Boxing Task Force ahead of next month's Olympic Qualifiers, making him the first Indian pugilist in over a decade to achieve the global top position in his category.

SPO-CRI-IND-WOM-RODRIGUES Rodrigues excited ahead of T20 WC opener against Australia

Sydney, Feb 13 (PTI) India top-order batswoman Jemimah Rodrigues is raring to go at the T20 World Cup starting here on February 21 and feels that the opening match against Australia will be one of the most important games of her career.

SPO-CRI-RAINA-DHONI Dhoni is best captain India ever had: Raina

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Veteran India batsman Suresh Raina feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the best captain India ever had.

SPO-CRI-RANJI-GOA Goa storm into Ranji quarters, rout Mizoram inside two days

Kolkata, Feb 13 (PTI) Goa cantered into the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals with an innings and 211-run win over Mizoram in their Plate Group clash at the CC&FC ground here on Thursday.

SPO-BAD-ASIA India lose 1-4 to Malaysia in Badminton Asia Team Championships

Manila (Philippines), Feb 13 (PTI) Doubles specialist Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's absence proved crucial as the Indian men's team suffered a 1-4 loss against a young Malaysian side in its second group B match of the Badminton Asia Team Championships here on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-IND-DIARY 'Detox' before fresh start: Team India bond at the Blue Springs Waterfront Hamilton, Feb 13 (PTI) The tough schedule makes it very difficult for international players to fret over defeats, the reason Indian cricket team decided to spend their day out on Thursday at the picturesque Blue Springs Waterfront in order to recharge their batteries.

SPO-CRI-KAPIL

Cricket is no longer gentleman's game: Kapil on U-19 WC final brawl Mumbai, Feb 13 (PTI) Legendary Kapil Dev on Thursday termed the unsavoury incident involving budding Indian and Bangladeshi players after the recent ICC U-19 World Cup as "horrible", saying cricket is no more a "gentleman's game".

SPO-HOCK-MANPREET-LD AWARD

Hockey captain Manpreet becomes first Indian to win FIH Male Player of the Year award Lausanne, Feb 13 (PTI) National men's team captain Manpreet Singh on Thursday became the first Indian to win the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) Player of the Year award, capping a memorable 2019 season in which he led the side to Olympic qualification.

SPO-TENNIS-BENGALURU

Prajnesh, Sumit crash as India's singles challenge ends in Bengaluru Open Bengaluru, Feb 13 (PTI) Country's ace players Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Sumit Nagal lost in the pre-quarterfinals, ending India's challenge in the men's singles event of the Bengaluru Open here on Thursday.

SPO-CHESS-PRAGUE

Vidit Gujrathi posts win in Prague Chess opener Prague, Feb 13 (PTI) India's Vidit Santosh Gujrathi opened his campaign in the Masters event of the Prague Chess Festival here with a win over Sam Shankland of USA.

SPO-KHELO-WINTER

Sports Minister announces Khelo India Winter Games in Ladakh, J&K New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) The Union Territory of Ladakh will host the inaugural Khelo India Winter Games later this month followed by a similar event in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in March, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Thursday.

SPO-ILEAGUE-EB

East Bengal settle for draw against Punjab in I-League Kalyani (West Bengal), Feb 13 (PTI) Already out of the reckoning for a play-off berth, East Bengal settled for a 1-1 draw against Punjab FC in their I-League clash here on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-RANJI-DELHI

Sharma, Bidhuri power Delhi to 623 on day two New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Kshitiz Sharma, whose place in the playing eleven was questioned, silenced his critics with a gritty 103 that helped Delhi post a mammoth 623 in the first innings of their Ranji Trophy match against Rajasthan here on Thursday.