Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2130 hours: STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-FOOT-PK-LD DEATH One of Indian football's greatest, PK Banerjee dies at 83 Kolkata, Mar 20 (PTI) PK Banerjee, a footballing colossus of his time and a raconteur for life, died here on Friday aged 83, having dribbled and dazzled for a good part of his mind-boggling 51 years of service to the game. SPO-FOOT-PK-TRIBUTE PK Banerjee: Character who carried essence of Kolkata Maidan By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) He could pack a punch in 35 yard pile drivers as a player, mix emotional quotient in tactical moves, and regale any audience with unheard stories. PK Banerjee will forever remain more than a sum total of his parts in Indian football's golden folklore.

SPO-FOOT-PK-LD REAX Tributes pour in for PK, the man with 'golden kick' New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Prominent personalities from all walks of life joined athletes cutting across sports to pay their tributes to PK Banerjee after the football legend's 83-year-old heart stopped beating following a long battle with the uncontrollables. SPO-MARYKOM-INTERVIEW In self-isolation, I have found some freedom: Mary Kom By Poonam Mehra New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) The COVID-19 pandemic has isolated her from the world outside but iconic Indian boxer M C Mary Kom says the forced slowdown of life as usual has also redefined the meaning of freedom for her.

SPO-VIRUS-ALLENGLAND-SINDHU When Sindhu decided to play on at All England despite COVID-19 threat By Amit Kumar Das New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) P V Sindhu was given the choice of pulling out of All England Championships after the Indian government's travel restrictions came into force but the Olympic silver-medallist decided to play on despite the chaos triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. SPO-VIRUS-NEERAJ-ISOLATION Self isolation for Neeraj after returning from Turkey training as precaution against coronavirus By Philem Dipak Singh New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has been ordered by Sports Authority of India (SAI) to remain self-isolated for 14 days at the NIS-Patiala after his return from a training stint in Turkey.

SPO-FOOT-PK-AIFF-CONDOLENCE He will remain synonymous with golden generation of Indian football: AIFF President Patel New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) The All India Football Federation president Praful Patel said that former India captain PK Banerjee's name will forever remain synonymous with "golden generation of Indian football." SPO-PK-BHUTIA-TRIBUTE Played one of my biggest matches under Banerjee: Bhutia Kolkata, Mar 20 (PTI) Former India skipper Bhaichung Bhutia considers himself fortunate to have played under the tutelage of P K Banerjee, who died on Friday, and recalled how the iconic footballer-turned-coach had a huge role to play in one of his most memorable performances. SPO-PK-ANECDOTES To Sir With Love: How PK helped Bhowmick, Sarkar rediscover themselves Kolkata, Mar 20 (PTI) Subhash Bhowmick was down in the dumps with no visible light at the end of the tunnel when Pradeep Banerjee gave his career a second lease of life, something he is grateful to this day.

SPO-FOOT-PK-AFC AFC condoles death of PK Banerjee New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Friday condoled the demise of the legendary Indian footballer PK Banerjee who once was considered among the best in the continent in his time. SPO-VIRUS-WRESTLING-COACH Wrestling coach Andrew Cook leaves for US New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Indian women wrestling team's foreign coach Andrew Cook has left for the US after the national federation suspended the camps in Lucknow and Sonepat in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-VIRUS-AFI-ELECTIONS AFI postpones next month's AGM and elections in view of COVID-19 pandemic New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday postponed its Annual General Body meeting and elections of its office bearers to be held in Jaipur next month due to the rising threat of COVID-19 pandemic. SPO-VIRUS-PSL-PROFIT We will earn profit from PSL: PCB Karachi, Mar 20 (PTI) Pakistan Cricket Board is confident of gaining profit from the Pakistan Super League despite the T20 competition was suspended at the semi-final stage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-VIRUS-HARENDRA Hockey coach Harendra leads on different turf amid coronavirus outbreak By Saumojyoti S Choudhury New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Former India hockey coach Harendra Singh finds himself on a different turf in the country's battle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic -- supervising arrangements for Indian evacuees from coronavirus-struck nations as Air India's General Manager. SPO-VIRUS-PIETERSEN Pietersen reaches out to India on corona awareness in Hindi New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Former England captain Kevin Pietersen on Friday urged Indian citizens to follow government directions on self-isolation to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, posting a message in Hindi with some help from his former IPL teammate Sreevats Goswami.

SPO-VIRUS-BAI COVID 19: BAI shuts down office, instructs employees to work from home New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Friday announced its office will shut down from March 23 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. SPO-VIRUS-BALADEVI Bala Devi extends stay with Scottish club after COVID-19 restrictions stall return to India New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Indian footballer N Bala Devi, the first to sign a contract with Scottish women's Premier League club Rangers, has been forced to extend her stay with the team in Glasgow owing to the travel restrictions forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-LIFT-OLY-MIRABAI Mirabhai sure-shot for her second Olympics, young Jeremy also set to qualify By Philem Dipak Singh New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Weightlifting's Olympic qualifying schedule has gone haywire due to the Covid-19 pandemic but India's Mirabai Chanu is a sure-shot for the Tokyo Games, if they are held, while young Jeremy Lalrinnunga is also set to make the cut for the mega sporting spectacle..