Sports Highlights

The following are the top stories at 1700 hours: STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-SHAFALI After sensational beginning, 16-year-old Shafali needs to up the game, say experts By Bharat Sharma New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) With her big-hitting prowess, a rarity in women's cricket, 16-year-old Shafali Verma was bound to succeed at the highest level. SPO-VIRUS-FOOT-IND Indian football team's last line of defence comes to rescue of poor affected by COVID-19 pandemic By Abhishek Hore New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Quite like its on-field pluckiness, the Indian football team's last line of defence is putting up a resolute fight off it too, doing its bit to save the poor from the seismic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-OLY-KARMAKAR-INTERVIEW Tokyo Games postponement rekindles Dipa Karmakar's Olympic hopes By Amit Kumar Das New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) The postponement of Tokyo Olympics has come as a ray of hope for injury-ravaged Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who is preparing for another shot at qualification after a SPO-VIRUS-IPL-ROOKIES With no IPL, rookies like Shahbaz, Kartik keeping themselves motivated with patience and training New Delhi/Mumbai/Chennai, Mar 30 (PTI) Shahbaz Ahmed, in his mind, had a questionnaire for Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers before getting started with what was to be his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) season. SPO-VIRUS-KOHLI-DONATION Kohli, Anushka pledge support to fight COVID-19 pandemic New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) India skipper Virat Kohli and his actor wife Anushka Sharma on Monday pledged their support to the Prime Minster and the Maharashtra Chief Minster's relief funds to combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, which has left the world in disarray.

SPO-VIRUS-IOA IOA promises support, contribution to fight COVID-19 pandemic New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday promised "support and contribution" towards the country's battle to contain the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, saying its member national federations and state affiliates will also step in to aid the cause. SPO-CRI-WARNE Tendulkar is my batsman to bat in any conditions, Steve was a match saver: Warne Melbourne, Mar 30 (PTI) Spin great Shane Warne on Monday picked his fierce rival Sachin Tendulkar as the batsman to bat in any conditions and called his former skipper Steve Waugh a match saver rather than a match-winner.

SPO-VIRUS-DONATION-BTA Bengal Tennis Association donates Rs 1 lakh to fight COVID-19 pandemic Kolkata, Mar 30 (PTI) The Bengal Tennis Association on Monday decided to donate Rs 1 lakh to fight the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far claimed over 34,000 lives while infecting more than seven lakh people across the world. SPO-VIRUS-BANERJEE-SHRADDH Amid COVID-19 lockdown, Banerjee's shraddh confined to family only Kolkata, Mar 30 (PTI) The bereaved family of PK Banerjee on Monday strictly followed the social distancing norms as the legendary footballer's shraddh was performed at his Saltlake residence, amid a 21-day national lockdown to fight the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-VIRUS-SATHIYAN-DONATION COVID-19 fund: Table tennis star Sathiyan pledges to donate Rs 1.25 lakh Chennai, Mar 30 (PTI) India's ace table tennis player G Sathiyan on Monday pledged to donate Rs 1.25 lakh to fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed nearly 35,000 people globally. SPO-VIRUS-OJHA Strange to see people questioning those who are making donations: Ojha New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha on Monday said financial help to fight the COVID-19 pandemic should not be measured in numbers and that it is strange to see those making contributions being questioned for the amounts they are pledging.

SPO-VIRUS-MARYKOM-DONATION COVID-19: Mary Kom donates month's salary to PM relief fund New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Six-time world champion boxer M C Mary Kom on Monday said she will donate her one month's salary as Rajya Sabha MP, amounting to Rs 1 lakh, to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. SPO-ISL-BENGALURU-PAARTALU Midfielder Erik Paartalu extends contract with Bengaluru FC Bengaluru, Mar 30 (PTI) Australian mid-fielder Erik Paartalu has signed a two-year contract extension with Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Bengaluru FC that will see him stay with the former champions till the end of the 2021-2022 season, the club announced on Monday.

SPO-CRI-COOK Rather have full county season next year then truncated one in 2020: Alastair Cook London, Mar 30 (PTI) Former England captain Alastair Cook feels it would be better to go without a season of county cricket instead of curtailing the competition due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic-forced postponement. SPO-VIRUS-BHAKER-DONATION Manu Bhaker donates Rs 1 lakh for fight against COVID-19 New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker on Monday donated Rs 1 lakh to the Haryana goverment to help the state combat the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-VIRUS-IPL-SURYA Mentally at Wankhede, physically home: Surya Mumbai, Mar 30 (PTI) He had been in red hot form in white ball leg of domestic cricket and no wonder Suryakumar Yadav like many others was physically in his Mumbai home but mentally at the Wankhede Stadium where Mumbai Indians would have played CSK in IPL opener on Sunday. SPO-VIRUS-FOOTBALLER-MILAN AC Milan footballer says elderly mother of agent stuck in Goa, asks UK govt to bring her back New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Italian football club AC Milan goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has said that the mother of his British agent is stuck in Goa because of the lockdown in India, pleading the UK government to help repatriate her as it is "becoming hard to source food and water" there.