Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday, March 26

Reuters

Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday: - - - - TENNIS Sony Open (to 30) Nishikori stuns Federer to set up Djokovic semi-final MIAMI - A tireless Kei Nishikori shocked 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer 3-6 7-5 6-4 on Wednesday to claim his second top five scalp in two days and reach the semi-finals of the Sony Open. (TENNIS-MIAMI/, moved, by Steve Keating, 700 words) - - - - BASEBALL Tight divisional races loom in race for AL pennant We look ahead to the 2014 American League baseball season with a five-part package consisting of an overall preview, a look at the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox, brief profiles of all 15 AL teams, five MLB teams to watch and five MLB players to watch. (BASEBALL-AMERICAN/ (PREVIEW), moved, by Larry Fine, 800 words) SEE ALSO: (BASEBALL-REDSOX/, moved, 600 words) (BASEBALL-PENPIX/AMERICAN, moved, 1100 words) (BASEBALL-TEAM/, moved, 480 words) (BASEBALL-PLAYERS/, moved, 450 words) - - - - NBA Pacers edge out Heat in possible preview of East final Indiana and Miami performed at a playoff level in a battle that saw the Pacers rally in the final minutes for a victory over the defending champion Heat. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), moved, by The Sports Xchange, 600 words) - - - - NHL Rangers defeat Flyers in possible playoff preview In a preview of a potential first-round Eastern Conference playoff series, the New York Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 at Madison Square Garden. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), moved, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - SOCCER UEFA Congress, Astana, Kazakhstan Platini makes plea to FIFA to ban third party owners ASTANA - The practice of players being owned by secretive agents, businessmen or investment companies out to make a quick buck is not only damaging soccer but is an affront to human dignity and must be halted, UEFA president Michel Platini said. (SOCCER-UEFA/CONGRESS-PLATINI, moved, by Mike Collett, 650 words) - - Bundesliga Dortmund's Watzke discusses German club's targets BERLIN - Borussia Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke discusses their fine European run and their upcoming Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid, the injury and possible new contract for Ilkay Guendogan, their solid financial forecast and their rivalry with Bayern Munich. (SOCCER-GERMANY/DORTMUND (INTERVIEW), by Karolos Grohmann, expect by 1500, 500 words) - - English Premier League City bid to put the knife into Arsenal LONDON - Manchester City will look to compound Arsene Wenger's miseries when they visit the Emirates stadium in the Premier League this weekend, knowing a win would edge them closer to the title and knock Arsenal out of the race for good. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moved, 600 words) - - - - CRICKET World Twenty20 Netherlands v South Africa (0930) England v Sri Lanka (1330) England bid to keep semi-final hopes alive England must beat Sri Lanka to stay in control of their destiny in the tournament while South Africa seek their second successive win against the Netherlands in the early game in Chittagong, Bangladesh. (CRICKET-WORLD/T20, expect by 1300 GMT/9 AM ET, 500 words) (Asia duty editor: John O'Brien)