The following are the top/expected stories at 2100 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings in Dubai.

STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-WOM-IND-LD AUS Rain plays spoilsport again after Mandhana’s magnificent ton Gold Coast, Oct 1 (PTI) Rain wiped out a significant part of the second day’s play after India opener Smriti Mandhana stole the limelight with a magnificent maiden Test hundred in the historic women’s day/night match against Australia here on Friday.

SPO-CRI-IPL-CSK-RR-PREVIEW Play-off berth confirmed, confident CSK take on struggling RR in search of top 2 finish Abu Dhabi, Oct 1 (PTI) A play-off berth already sealed, former champions Chennai Super Kings would look to ensure that the momentum remains intact when they take on a struggling Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League match here on Saturday.

SPO-CRI-IPL-MI-DC-PREVIEW Chance for DC to bounce back against struggling Mumbai Indians Sharjah, Oct 1 (PTI) Delhi Capitals will look to bounce back after a blip in the last match, while a struggling Mumbai Indians unit will hope to hold on to their new-found momentum in the first of Saturday’s IPL double headers here.

SPO-CRI-WOM-IND-MANDHANA Punam has earned lot of respect by choosing to walk: Mandhana Gold Coast, Oct 1 (PTI) Star India batter Smriti Mandhana was surprised that Punam Raut chose to walk even before waiting for the on-field umpire’s decision but said she gained a lot of respect from her teammates by doing so on day two of the day/night Test against Australia here on Friday.

SPO-CRI-IPL-MI-JAYAWARDENE Hardik might struggle if pushed to bowl, says MI coach Jayawardene Sharjah, Oct 1 (PTI) Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene on Friday said the team is in no hurry to force Hardik Pandya into bowling in the IPL as the all-rounder might ”struggle” if pushed hard, which could jeopardise his outing in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

SPO-HOCK-SUNIL-RETIREMENT Former India hockey striker S V Sunil retires New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Veteran India men’s hockey team striker SV Sunil on Friday announced his international retirement, bringing the curtains down on a 14-year-long career during which he was a part of the 2014 Asian Games gold-winning side.

SPO-CHESS-WOM-IND India beat Kazakhstan, to meet Georgia in semifinals Sitges (Spain), Oct 1 (PTI) D Harika and Mary Ann Gomes played key roles as India beat Kazakhstan 1.5-0.5 in the quarterfinals of the FIDE World Women’s Team Chess Championship here.

SPO-ARCHERY-WC-FINAL-IND World Cup Final: Deepika, Atanu lose bronze medal clashes; India return empty-handed Yankton (USA), Oct 1 (PTI) Star archery couple Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari lost their respective bronze medal matches as India capped a poor show, returning empty-handed from the World Cup Final here.

SPO-CRI-WBBL-IND-GHOSH Richa Ghosh becomes 7th Indian to join WBBL, signed by Hobart Hurricanes Hobart, Oct 1 (PTI) Young wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh on Friday became the seventh Indian cricketer to sign for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) after she was roped in by Hobart Hurricanes.

SPO-FOOT-WOM-IND-PREVIEW Indian women’s football team seeks first win of year in friendly match against UAE Dubai, Oct 1 (PTI) The Indian women’s football team would be looking for its first victory this year when it faces United Arab Emirates in an international friendly match here on Saturday.

SPO-WREST-WORLD-IND-LD PREVIEW Indian youngsters face stiff test at Worlds, expectations high from Anshu, Sarita Oslo (Norway), Oct 1 (PTI) The youngsters in the Indian wrestling contingent will seek to gain big-stage experience in the absence of star players even as Anshu Malik’s performance will be followed keenly at the World Championships, starting here on Saturday.

SPO-CRI-WT20-SL Sri Lanka add five more players to T20 WC squad Colombo, Oct 1 (PTI) Sri Lanka on Friday added five more players to their squad for the T20 World Cup to played in the UAE and Oman.

SPO-GOLF-SANDERSON-LAHIRI Lahiri rallies after early bogeys for 69, Theegala leads Sanderson Farms Jackson (US), Oct 1 (PTI) India’s Anirban Lahiri fought back after a mediocre start to finish with a creditable 3-under 69 in the opening round of the Sanderson Farms Championship here. He was placed tied 32.

SPO-TT-ASIAN-IND Indian men finish with bronze in Asian TT C’ships after loss to Korea Doha, Oct 1 (PTI) The Indian men’s table tennis team signed off with a bronze medal in the Asian Championships after losing to formidable South Korea 0-3 in the semifinals here on Friday.

SPO-MINISTRY-SECRETARY Sujata Chaturvedi takes charge as new sports secretary New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Seasoned bureaucrat Sujata Chaturvedi on Friday took charge as the new sports secretary from the outgoing Ravi Mittal.

SPO-CRI-IPL-RR-JAISWAL Jaiswal hoping to convert starts into big scores after speaking to Kohli Abu Dhabi, Oct 1 (PTI) Struggling to convert his starts into big scores in the ongoing IPL, young Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is hoping for a change in fortunes after a post-match conversation with India and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli.

SPO-MCC-PRESIDENT Clare Connor takes charge as MCC’s first female president London, Oct 1 (PTI) Former England captain Clare Connor on Friday took charge as the MCC president, becoming the first woman to hold the post in the club’s 234-year-old history.

SPO-SHOOT-WORLDS-IND-JUNIOR Shooting: Ganemat Sekhon wins women’s skeet silver at Junior World Lima, Oct 1 (PTI) Rising Indian woman skeet shooter Ganemat Sekhon won a silver medal at the ISSF Junior World Championship here.