Toss West Indies chose to bat v Bangladesh

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite chose to bat in the second Test in Dhaka against Mominul Haque's Bangladesh, with the visitors looking to seal a series victory having won the first Test by chasing 395 in the fourth innings. They made one like-for-like change with Kemar Roach being replaced by Alzarri Joseph.

Bangladesh, who are looking to avoid defeat in a home Test series (two or more matches) since losing to Sri Lanka in 2017-18, brought in three changes, with two of them forced.

The injured Shakib Al Hasan and Shadman Islam were replaced by Mohammad Mithun and Soumya Sarkar - with the latter set to open - while left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped for right-arm quick Abu Jayed. Rahman had taken only two wickets in the first Test in Chattogram.

The toss could play a significant role since cracks were observed on the pitch even before a delivery was bowled at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Brathwaite said at the toss that the pitch appeared dry and he wanted his side to produce a better first-innings batting performance. Haque said that he wanted to bat first too.

West Indies 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 John Campbell, 3 Shayne Moseley, 4 Nkrumah Bonner, 5 Kyle Mayers, 6 Jermaine Blackwood, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Rahkeem Cornwall, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Jomel Warrican, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Bangladesh 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Mohammad Mithun, 7 Liton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Nayeem Hasan, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Abu Jayed

TOKYO -- The long saga of Yoshiro Mori appears to be near the end.

Japan's Kyodo news agency and others reported on Thursday -- citing unnamed sources -- that Yoshiro Mori will step down on Friday as the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee.

The move follows his sexist comments about women more than a week ago, and an ensuing and rare public debate in Japan about gender equality,

A decision is expected to be announced on Friday when the organizing committee's executive board meets. The executive board of Tokyo 2020 is overwhelming male, as is the day-to-day leadership.

The 83-year-old Mori, in a meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee more than a week ago, essentially said that women "talk too much" and are driven by a "strong sense of rivalry." Mori, a former prime minister, gave a grudging apology a few days later after his opinions were reported, but declined to resign.

This is more than just another problem for the postponed Olympics, which have made the risky choice of trying to open on July 23 in the middle of a pandemic with 11,000 athletes -- and later, 4,400 Paralympic athletes.

More than 80% of the Japanese public in recent polls say the Olympics should be postponed or canceled.

Mori's remarks have drawn outrage from many quarters and have put the spotlight on how far Japan lags behind other prosperous countries in advancing women in politics or the boardrooms. Japan stands 121st out of 153 in the World Economic Forum's gender equality rankings.

Though some on the street have called for him to resign -- several hundred Olympic volunteers say they are withdrawing -- most decision makers have stopped short of this and have simply condemned his remarks.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns returned to the court for the first time since mid-January to play against the LA Clippers on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

Towns, who hadn't played since Jan. 13, returned from reconditioning after a stint in the NBA's health and safety protocols. He missed 13 straight games after announcing on Twitter on Jan. 15 that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Wednesday's game was only Towns' fifth this season. He had 18 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes, as the Wolves lost 119-112.

While Towns was back in the starting lineup, the Timberwolves were without D'Angelo Russell (left leg soreness) and Jarrett Culver (left ankle sprain). Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley was back after he missed eight straight games with right knee soreness. Paul George, though, remained out with a swollen right toe.

Towns has been grief-stricken since his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, and six other family members died of complications from the coronavirus.

Minnesota head coach Ryan Saunders said Towns' willingness to talk openly about his grief and experiences has made an immense impact.

"That takes a lot of courage in so many different ways," Saunders said. "Many people experience grief and loss. You hear it, but until you live it, you don't understand that grief is linear. Everybody goes through ups and downs. Karl has done an unbelievable job, I feel, in managing any type of low moments that he may have so he that he can be a light to other people.

"And I think that is something that should be talked about more. We wish we would have had more games so far this year, but it just wasn't in the cards. But the impact he is having on people and how he is being outspoken with what he's dealt with will have more of an impact than anything he can do on the court."

The NBA on Wednesday said one player tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week, meaning only two have gotten that diagnosis in the past three weeks. The total for the season in the NBA is up to 92, but of those, 48 -- or 52% -- tested positive in November, before training camps officially opened.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jed Lowrie is returning to the Oakland Athletics for a third stint, with the infielder reaching agreement on a minor league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to big league spring training.

Lowrie, 36, has played five seasons total for Oakland, in 2013-14 as starting shortstop on playoff teams and again from 2016 to '18 as a regular second baseman following a trade from AL West rival Houston in November 2015 following one year with the Astros.

"Oakland feels like home," Lowrie told A's Cast, streamed on the club's website.

A switch-hitter with a career .261 batting average, Lowie was limited the past two years by knee injuries and played only nine games in 2019 for the New York Mets and none last year. He has not played in the field since 2018.

"Jed's done his best work as an Oakland A," manager Bob Melvin wrote in a text message. "He knows how we do things and is very comfortable with us. Having another veteran presence with versatility is a bonus."

Lowrie spent the first four years of his big league career, from 2008 to '11, with the Red Sox.

Oakland's pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Mesa, Arizona, on Tuesday. The first full-squad workout is set for Feb. 22.

The Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals and New York Mets have completed a three-way trade that sends outfielder Andrew Benintendi from Fenway to K.C., the teams announced Wednesday night.

Royals outfield prospect Khalil Lee goes to the Mets, while Royals outfielder Franchy Cordero goes to the Red Sox.

The Red Sox also get right-handed prospect Josh Winckowski and a player to be named later from the Mets, plus two players to be named later from the Royals.

The Royals also receive cash considerations from the Red Sox.

Benintendi, once a part of the Red Sox's vaunted outfield core, missed most of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, landing on the injured list Aug. 12 because of a strained right rib cage, with Boston later ruling him out for the year.

He had just a .103 average with no home runs and one RBI in 52 plate appearances in 14 games.

Benintendi is a career .273 hitter and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2017. He led all Red Sox players with 15 runs scored during their 2018 postseason run that ended with a World Series championship.

He has one year remaining on a two-year, $10 million deal reached in February 2020 before he becomes eligible for arbitration in 2022 and a free agent in 2023.

Lee was drafted by the Royals in the third round in 2016 and was named a Baseball America Rookie All-Star for his play that year in rookie ball. He reached Double-A in 2018 and 2019, and played in the Puerto Rican Winter League the past two years. He has a .256 average in the minor leagues with 37 home runs and 192 RBIs in 1,719 plate appearances.

Cordero was limited to 16 games in 2020 because of injuries, hitting .211 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 38 plate appearances after being acquired from the San Diego Padres. He is a career .236 hitter with power and can play all three outfield positions.

Winckowski was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th round in 2016. He was the Northwest League Pitcher of the Year and a postseason All-Star while with Class A Vancouver in 2018. He reached Advanced A ball in 2019 and has a 3.35 ERA and 1.297 WHIP in the minors.

WHEATLAND, Mo. — When the Lucas Oil Speedway season gets under way on April 3, late model driver Jason Sivils will be looking for redemption.

Sivils’ 2020 season effectively ended on the opening lap of the ULMA late model season opener in May, when a brutal rollover destroyed his car and left him with lingering concussion symptoms for several weeks.

A few weeks later, Sivils tried to make a few laps until his engine expired and his driving season was over.

He spent the rest of year as crew chief for series title contender Johnny Fennewald, who won six races and barely missed grabbing his fourth straight track championship.

After an offseason spent rebuilding his wrecked race car, Sivils is ready to give Fennewald and the other late model competitors a run for their money.

“Chris Davis and Dwight Brown encouraged me to rebuild the old car,” Sivils said. “It’ll be ready for the start of the season. The joke at the shop is make it all the way to the backstretch and maybe by 2022, we can make it a full lap.”

Sivils, 36, has been racing for 20 years after an introduction to the sport as a five-year-old. His father, Steve Sivils and uncle, Noel Russell, competed in the Volkswagen Bug class at the time. Sivils and his father still bond over racing as a father-son activity.

Upon graduation from Missouri S&T with an engineering degree, Sivils got his first late model which remain his favorite to race.

Sivils said the engineering degree has led him to do a variety of professional projects, including heavy bridge construction, wastewater treatment plans, roads, sidewalks and trails. His technical expertise has made for a successful partnership with Chad Wehr of Wehr’s Machine and Racing Products.

Fellow racers often ask for technical assistance, and Sivils is always quick to offer help.

“I’ve helped cars that have won points titles,” Sivils said. “I’ve never focused on points, I’ve focused on having fun. We’re gonna spend this year focused primarily on having fun, but we are going to run Lucas for points to see if we can finish in top 10.”

The Lucas Oil Speedway season includes 14 events, from opening night through the Aug. 28 crowning of multiple division champions.

Competing classes include Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Models, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Second-generation Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli champion Simon Gregg announced the formation of the Peter Gregg Foundation and Peter Gregg Gallery, paying tribute to his father — an American sports car legend.

Peter Gregg won the Trans Am Series title in 1973 and 1974, winning three races and placing second three times in a Porsche Carrera. He won his final two Trans Am races at Wisconsin’s Road America and California’s Laguna Seca in a Porsche 935 in 1979, giving him 22 victories in 54 starts. He also won six career IMSA championships and was a six-time winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona – an event he won overall four times.

The Peter Gregg Foundation will foster the careers of aspiring engineers by providing mentorship and roles with current contending race teams. The Foundation will feature an annual scholarship program for five deserving young people with an interest in working on high-performance sports cars. The recipients will be mentored by professionals, including drivers, team owners and mechanics, from the sports car field.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, the Foundation will open the scholarship contest on March 1. The winners will be announced in late spring. The recipients will be relocated to Jacksonville where they will work with mentors on a Porsche to get it race ready. The car will be auctioned off, and the scholarship winners will be assigned to a private team or race shop. The list of participating teams will be announced at the beginning of the contest.

In addition, the Peter Gregg Gallery will launch at the end of February with a combined in-person and virtual ceremony. The Gallery includes several of the elder Gregg’s cars that have been restored by his son, including a pair of nice street Porsches and a Lola Can-Am car.

Peter Gregg won the Trans Am title in 1973 and 1974, winning three races and placing second three times in a Porsche Carrera. He won his final two Trans Am races at Road America and Laguna Seca in a Porsche 935 in 1979, giving him 22 victories in 54 starts. He also won six career IMSA championships and was a six-time winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona – an event he won overall four times.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek became the first NHL player this season to be pulled during a game because of a positive COVID-19 test, the league said on Wednesday.

Nosek did not return to play in the third period of the Knights' 5-4 win at home over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

According to the NHL, Nosek was pulled "upon notification" that he had "returned a positive test," which was "in precise accordance with the terms of the league's COVID Protocol." Nosek was immediately isolated from his teammates and close contact tracing started.

All media availability with both teams was canceled after the game. Nosek was placed on the NHL's COVID protocol-related absences list on Wednesday.

Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said his team didn't find out about Nosek until after the game but that the NHL put "everybody on red alert" in canceling media availability.

"It's a good call by the league to shut it down and get everyone away from each other," he said.

The NHL said that the Golden Knights' game against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night is still scheduled. Rapid PCR point-of-care tests will be administered to all players and staff on both teams in advance of that game, in addition to the daily lab-based PCR testing.

While Nosek was the first player to be pulled from a game for a positive test, he isn't the first to be pulled because of the NHL's COVID-19 protocols. Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson was removed from a game in January after experiencing flu-like symptoms. He went on to test negative for COVID-19. In both cases, the teams completed their games.

Eakins said he wasn't surprised that the Ducks' game against Vegas was allowed to finish after Nosek was pulled.

"I have an inside track on what's going on with our leadership at the very top of the NHL spectrum," he said. "I know what they've gone through. I know how they're employing experts and looking at studies on how many cases are actually confirmed [transmissions] from one team to another team. I had no problem with it last night at all."

The NHL has postponed 34 games this season because of COVID-19 protocols. Of those games, 16 have yet to be rescheduled.

"We're staying diligent within our group. All we can do is hope that the teams we're playing against are doing their best too," Eakins said.

Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar is in a race to be fully fit for next week's Champions League clash against Barcelona after the Brazil star was injured in Wednesday's 1-0 French Cup win over Caen.

Neymar went down after a robust challenge from Steeve Yago in the 56th minute, holding his left thigh as he left the field to be replaced by Kylian Mbappe.

Moise Kean scored the only goal early in the second half before Neymar limped off the pitch raising concerns about participating in the Camp Nou clash against his former club.

After the game, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino said Neymar injured his adductor but wouldn't say how long he could be out.

"It's hard to know now, we'll see [Thursday] with the doctor, for the moment it's hard to say," Pochettino said. "Can he be there [at Barcelona] next week? I need more information. Is he affected in the adductors? Yes."

PSG will already be without the injured Angel Di Maria for the Barcelona game, who injured his thigh last Sunday against Marseille.

Thomas Tuchel believes Kepa Arrizabalaga can still rescue his Chelsea career but urged the goalkeeper not to try too hard to impress on his first start for the new Blues boss.

Kepa's future at Stamford Bridge looked doomed under Tuchel's predecessor Frank Lampard after falling out of favour as the club brought in Eduoard Mendy from Rennes to become their first-choice goalkeeper.

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The Blues signed Kepa from Athletic Bilbao for a world-record fee of £71.6 million in August 2018 but were willing to listen to offers this summer if the majority of that sum could be recouped.

No club was interested at that price and Kepa has played just four times since Mendy's arrival in September. However, Tuchel's arrival has given him opportunity for a fresh start, beginning with Thursday's FA Cup fifth round tie at Championship side Barnsley.

"He will play tomorrow, he will start tomorrow," said Tuchel, who was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in December before succeeding Lampard last month.

"And from outside, of course we had a view on his situation, and some difficulties on the sporting side.

"Maybe also the circumstances of his transfer maybe a little bit on his shoulders. That was the impression from outside.

"From inside I see a nice guy, I see a nice personality, an open personality, a hard-working guy, with obviously a lot of quality.

"So the good thing for him is that we start new, it's a new start for him. I don't have a history with him and I hope there will be no difficulties, because I don't see them coming.

"He's a clear guy, an open guy. He does everything to impress in training. I'm happy I feel all three goalkeepers in a good atmosphere, they are competitors to each other, it's a very special position in football of course, it's a very decisive position, it has its own rules.

"If you make mistakes everybody sees them and talks about them. So you need a lot of mental strength and quality and I see this in all three goalkeepers. Kepa has a chance tomorrow and I hope he can show what he shows in training."

Asked whether Kepa can turn things around at Chelsea, Tuchel replied "absolutely, today, absolutely" before adding: "Nobody wants to sit [on the bench], I absolutely understand that. No goalkeeper wants to sit [on the bench] and none of my guys wants to travel tomorrow to sit on the bench.

"They don't want to sit and I don't want them to want to sit. I want them to be on the pitch, to play huge roles. At the same time, we give the same amount of support to Edou and hopefully to Willy [Caballero].

"The situation is for Kepa the situation he finds right now. We didn't make a change in the first game and Ed was strong in the moment. So tomorrow is an opportunity to show and hopefully, it's very important for me to say this, he doesn't want to overachieve. I want him to do a normal match tomorrow.

"He does not have to show me or anybody else tomorrow he is ready to be Spain's No. 1 in the summer. He just has to show his quality. Not more or less. So we have to manage expectations because I don't expect him to score and keep a clean sheet. I just want him to help us with his quality and he gives a solid performance to help the team.

"He has big goals to achieve and personal ambition. But this is normal, it's why he's here."