Sportswire: from Wawrinka's hat-trick to Munro's knock, the top 5 sports stories of the day

Photo: PTI

The Indian cricket team kicks off its tour of Australia playing the first of three one day international matches tomorrow at the WACA, Perth.

The men in blue are without the services of fast bowler Mohammad Shami who injured his knee prior to a practice match last week, as he was just about to make his comeback to the side after a long injury layoff.

However, newbie Barinder Sran has merged seamlessly into the side after impressing in the practice games, taking Shami's place.

Here is the expected Indian XI for the match -

In batting order: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni(C)(WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravinchandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma,Umesh Yadav, Barinder Sran

File Photo

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered a state sponsored scholarship to a fencing champion and announced a reward of Rs four lakh to a city school student who bagged the gold medal in a national sports event on 10 January.

She ordered for the enrollment of young fencing star CA Bhavani Devi in the Special Scholarship Scheme for Elite Sports Persons to encourage her to win more international sports events.

Bhavani Devi had bagged a bronze at the 18th Flemish Open fencing Championship at Ghent in Belgium last year.

The CM also announced a Rs 4 lakh reward to R Rithik, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya who struck gold in the national 10-meter Open Site Air Rifle Under-17 event held by the School Games Federation of India in Madhya Pradesh last month.

Photo: Twitter

Swiss star Stanislas Wawrinka won his fourth Chennai Open title on 10 Jan, after defeating Borna Coric of Croatia in the final at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Chennai.

The reigning French Open champion took barely an hour and 27 minutes to drub World No.44 Coric, with the scoreline reading 6-3, 7-5 on the outdoor hard court. This is World No 4 Wawrinka's third win in as many meetings over the 19-year-old Croat.

After the win Wawrinka said, "I'm really happy to win the match the way I played today. Again it was in two sets as it has been all tournament. The crowd was amazing. They give amazing support every year."

Photo: Getty Images

Hosts New Zealand won the second T20 against Sri Lanka in Auckland on 10 January courtesy a whirlwind knock by Martin Guptill and Colin Munro, cruising to a 9 wicket win.

Munro scored the winning runs for his team with a six to be unbeaten on 50 after 14 balls, which is the second fastest T20 in history behind Yuvraj Singh's 12 ball 50 against England in 2007.

It was also the fastest 50 by a New Zealander, eclipsing the 20-minute-old record set by Guptill who took 19 balls to get there at the top of the innings before Munro.

Photo: File Photo

Star Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah is all set to appeal against the suspension handed to him by the International Cricket Council.

The 29-year-old has informed the cricket body through the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he will contest the case.

"We, on behalf of Yasir, have exercised the right of appeal and informed the ICC that he will contest his case," a PCB spokesman was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

He also said that it was the player's right and he was ready to put up his case before the ICC.

The leg spinner was handed a provisional suspension by the International Cricket Council on Sunday, 10 January after being charged with an anti-doping rule violation.