SPORTS JANUARY 2017
- 3rd ODI: England beat India by 5 runs
England beat India by a narrow margin of five runs in the third and final cricket One-day international in Kolkata on 22nd January. India won the series 2-1, India's KM Jadhav was adjudged the Man of the Series. The three-match series went into the record books with a total of 2090 runs that eclipsed 1892 runs scored in the Afro-Asia Cup in 2007.
- Wriddhiman Saha's maiden double ton helps rest of India lift Irani Cup
Rest of India has lifted the Irani Cup Cricket Trophy. The winners chased down the 379 run target set by Gujarat with six wickets still in hand in the fourth and final day at Mumbai on 24th January. For Rest of India, Wriddhiman Saha's career-best unbeaten first-class knock of 203 was the stand-out performance.
It was also the highest score by a wicketkeeper batsman in the tournament's history. This together with skipper Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten 116 helped Rest of India overhaul the target. - Saina Nehwal wins 2017 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold
Saina Nehwal defeated Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong in the women's singles final of the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold in Sibu and won Malaysia grand prix gold. - Sports Ministry reconstitutes committee to identify athletes under TOP Scheme
The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has reconstituted TOP committee with objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects for 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games under Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme.
The committee will be headed by Abhinav Bindra, Olympic Gold Medalist. Its members are Anil Khanna, Prakash Padukone, Karnam Malleshwari, P. T. Usha, Murlidhar Raja, Anjali Bhagwat, Rekha Yadav, Dr. S.S. Roy and Inder Dhamija.
The committee will select elite athletes to provided financial assistance for their customized training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support. It will decide on its own procedures and will be competent to invite subject experts as and when required. It will have initial tenure of one year. - India won in 1st ODI against England, Kohli made record
15 Centuries by Kohli in successful chases in ODIs the most by a batsman. Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's 14 hundreds. Both Kohli and Tendulkar have scored 17 centuries each while chasing, but Kohli has done so in 96 innings compared to Tendulkar's 232. - India's women boxers finished 3rd at Nation's Cup
With on gold and four 4 silver medals India women boxers finished commendable 3rd at the 6th Nation's Cup in the Serbian city of Vrbas on 15th January. Haryana-girl Neeraj defeated Kazakhstan's Jaina Shekerbekova to win the lone gold for the country.
However, former World Championships silver-medallist Sarjubala Devi in the 48kg category, Priyanka Chaudhary in 60kg category, Pooja in 69kg category and Seema Poonia in the 81kg plus category had to be content with silver medals after losing their respective summit clashes. - Kapil Dev inducted into Legends Club Hall of Fame
Cricket icon Kapil Dev was inducted into Legends Club 'Hall of Fame' in presence of former India captains Ajit Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar and Nari Contractor at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on 17th January. Kapil Dev, who led India to the emphatic World Cup victory in 1983, is considered as the country's greatest all-rounder. - Chennai defeated Mumbai Rockets
Chennai defeated Mumbai Rockets in the summit clash to clinch the 2017 Premier Badminton League (PBL) title. The match was played at Siri Fort Complex in New Delhi.
Premier Badminton League is a franchise league.It is managed and commercially owned by the Badminton Association of India. It was founded in 2013. It was earlier named as Indian Badminton League (IBL). Later, it was rechristened to Premier Badminton League before the start of the second season in 2016. The tournament aims at bringing top Indian players along with International players on the same platform. - India beat England by 15 runs, seal series
India defeated England by 15 runs in the second One-day International at Cuttack on 19th January, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. At the Barabati Stadium, sent into bat, India plundered 381 for six in the stipulated 50 overs. In reply, despite skipper Eoin Moragan's 102, the visitors could manage only 366 for eight in the stipulated 50 overs. - Agut subdues Medvedev to begin 2017 with Chennai Open title
Roberto Bautista Agut captured his fifth ATP singles title defeating Danill Medvedev in the final of the Chennai Open on 8th January. It was the second time that Agut was playing a final at the Chennai Open, having ended runner-up to Janko Tipsarevic in 2013. Last year, Agut had won two of his four titles in Auckland and Sofia. He had claimed two victories in 2014. Chennai Open: Bopanna & Nedunchezhiyan bag men's doubles title
In Chennai Open tennis, Rohan Bopanna and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan were crowned the champions in the doubles category. They defeated compatriots Purav Raja and Divij Sharan in the summit clash on 8th January. A doubles history was created even before the first ball was hit, as it was the first time in the ATP event’s 22-year existence that four Indians featured in the finals. In singles, Spain's No. 2 seed Roberto Bautista Agut won the trophy effortlessly by demolishing Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4 in just over one hour 13 minutes.- Cristiano Ronaldo wins FIFA best player award
Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's best player at the inaugural Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich. Real Madrid and Portugal forward Ronaldo beat Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann to the prize.
Ronaldo also won the Ballon d'Or in December with both honors recognition for success in the Champions League with Real and Euro 2016 with Portugal. Carli Lloyd of the United States was named the world's best female player. - FIFA WC to expand from 32 to 48 teams in 2026
The FIFA council has unanimously decided that the football World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32. An initial stage of 16 groups of 3 teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament. The sport's world governing body voted through the change at a meeting in Zurich on 10th January. The number of tournament matches will rise to 80, from 64, but the eventual winners will still play only seven games.
The tournament will be completed within 32 days - a measure to appease European clubs, who objected to reform because of a crowded international schedule. The changes mark the first World Cup expansion since 1998. - Sreejesh becomes member of FIH Athletes' Committee
The Indian hockey team captain PR Sreejesh on 11th January became a member of International Hockey Federation Athletes' Committee. The Committee comprises a total of eight current and former hockey players who have the responsibility to act as a liaison between the FIH and the athletes to make sure the players have voice in the FIH decision making process.
The FIH Athletes' Committee will also get to develop, collate, provide and promote resources for athletes on topics of direct concern including athlete health and welfare, career preparation and management, anti-doping, betting and match-fixing. - India rise to best FIFA rankings in over a decade
The Indian football team achieved its best FIFA ranking in over a decade as the side climbed to 129th in the latest list released on 12th January.
The Indian team has jumped 42 places in less than two years. Last year was very fruitful for India as they won nine of their last 11 International matches. A win against Peurto Rico, a side ranked 114th; in an International Friendly in Mumbai in September was the highlight of the year.
National coach Stephen Constantine said it was a "total team effort" that India achieved their best ever ranking since December 2005, which was 127th. - Gujarat wins First Ranji Trophy title beating Mumbai by five wickets
Gujarat won their first ever Ranji Trophy title beating Mumbai by five wickets in the final at the Holkar stadium in Indore on 13th January. - Ashwin, Jadeja end 2016 as top two Test bowlers in the world
The Indian spin duo, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have held on to the top two positions in the ICC Test bowlers rankings. The Indian team has also ended the year as the number one side in the latest list issued in Dubai on 1st January.
Ashwin also continues to lead the all-rounders' table with no change among the top five in the list. Jadeja remains at third spot.
In the Test batsmen's ranking, India skipper Virat Kohli has ended the year at second position with Australia's Steve Smith heading the chart. Meanwhile, Team India has ended the year as the No.1 ranked Test side with 120 ranking points, 15 points clear of second placed Australia. - Cristiano Ronaldo bags the Best Player of the Year title
Real Madrid and Portugal superstar was awarded the Best Player of The Year title at the Global Soccer Awards. Ronaldo was already awarded the Ballon d'Or earlier this year after he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Ronaldo was declared player of the year and his team Real Madrid the club of the year at the Globe soccer awards in Dubai. Mark Clattenburg was declared referee of the year, having officiated at the UEFA Champions League final, the UEFA Euro 2016 final and the English FA Cup final this year. - Sports ministry constitutes committee to suggest improvements to Sports Code
Sports Minister Vijay Goel has constituted a committee to suggest improvements in the National Sports Development Code.
In a statement, the ministry said in the wake of Indian Olympic Association episode, the Sports Minister has decided to constitute a Committee headed by Secretary (Sports) to suggest improvements in the National Sports Development Code and functioning of Sports Federations etc. The committee will give its report within one month.
The Sports Ministry had to suspend the IOA till the time it reverses its decision to appoint Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Chautala Life Presidents. Kalmadi has already backed out owing to public outrage but Chautala has refused to budge as of now. - India wins 4th consecutive SAFF Women's Championship title
India defeated Bangladesh 3-1 to win their fourth consecutive South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Football Championship title in Siliguri on 4th January. In the process, the Indian eves are now unbeaten in 19 matches having won 18 and drawn one. This was Bangladesh's maiden final appearance in the championship. - Dhoni step downs as captain
Mahindra Singh Dhoni has announced to step down as captain of Team India's limited over matches. He will, however, be available for selection for the ODI and T20 England series starting 15th of January. Dhoni had earlier stepped down as Captain of India's Test team. - Virak Kohli to lead in all three formats
Virat Kohli was officially appointed captain for all three formats of cricket. He took over leadership for the upcoming limited overs series against England. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, after more than nine years at the helm, will play only as keeper-batsman. Virat Kohli will lead a 15-member squad in both ODIs and Twenty20s against England. - Sania wins Brisbane women's doubles title but loses No.1 rank
Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza picked up her first title of the season, combining with American Bethanie Mattek Sands to lift the Brisbane International women's doubles title. The top-seeded Indo-American duo triumphed against the second-seeded Russian team of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the final. The trophy, however, ended Sania's 91-week reign as the world No.1 doubles player in the WTA rankings. That position was taken over by her partner Bethanie. - Djokovic wins Qatar Open tennis title
Novak Djokovic has won the Qatar Open tennis title. In an epic final in Doha on 7th January, the Serbian defeated Andy Murray. - Samit Gohel makes world record 359 for Gujarat
Gujarat batsman Samit Gohel created a world record in the ongoing Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Odisha by notching up the highest score by an opener in the history of first-class cricket on 27th December.
The 26-year old Gohel remained unbeaten on 359 as he surpassed the 117-year old record set by Surrey's Bobby Abel who scored 357 not out against Somerset at The Oval in 1899. - Meghalaya to host 2022 National Games
Meghalaya will host the 2022 National Games coinciding with its 50 years of statehood. In its meeting in Chennai, Indian Olympic Association, IOA accepted Meghalaya's bid to host the National Games overshadowing four other bidders Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Chhattisgargh and Uttarakhand.
Meghalaya State Olympic Association president John F. Kharshiing told a news agency that the IOA accepted Meghalaya's bid to host the prestigious games following the successful South Asian Games, which was co-hosted by Shillong and Guwahati earlier this year. Meghalaya had pledged 5 crore rupees as the bid amount for the game.
Meghalaya will be the third northeastern state after Manipur and Assam to host the National Games. Goa will host the next National Games in November 2017. - Kush Bhagat wins 3 gold medals in chess championship
Mumbai prodigy Kush Bhagat has won all three gold medals on offer in the 1st Western Asia Youth Chess Championships. The event held at Al Ain Chess Club in UAE, the second standard student of the NSS Hill Spring International School reigned supreme in all the three categories rapid, blitz and standard.
He achieved the feat of being the only Indian to bag all the crowns in the competition. A press release said, Kush overcame the challenges from 158 participants from 20 countries across the world. - Government suspends IOA for appointing Kalmadi, Chautala
Cracking the whip on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the Sports Ministry on 30th December suspended the Olympic body till the time it reverses the decision to make the scam tainted duo of Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala its life presidents.
The government took the firm decision after IOA failed to reply to its show cause notice with the deadline ending at 5 pm on 30th December. The IOA, in turn, had sought 15 days time from the Sports Ministry as its president N Ramachandran is out of the country.
Following the suspension, the IOA will cease to enjoy the privileges and prerogatives bestowed on it by the government as the National Olympic Committee (NOC).
Following the uproar while Kalmadi has declined the offer, Chautala continued to be defiant. The appointments of the tainted duo also didn't go down well within IOA's own house with former Hockey India chief and newly-appointed International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Narinder Batra resigning as the Olympic body's associate vice-president in protest.
No comments:
Post a Comment