Focus Merit

Category: Sports Current Affairs

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards 2019

January 16, 2020

The International Cricket Council (ICC) declares the winners of the best cricketers every year to motivate the players for their best efforts. The winners of the ICC Awards are chosen by the panel of former players, elite umpire, match referee and veteran media persons. Some key awards are:

  • Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Best Cricketer of the Year – Ben Stokes (England)
  • Test Cricketer of the Year – Pat Cummins (Australia)
  • ODI Cricketer of the Year – Rohit Sharma (India)
  • T20I Performance of the Year – Deepak Chahar (India, 6-7 v Bangladesh)
  • Emerging Cricketer of the Year – Marnus Labuschagne (Australia)
  • Associate Cricketer of the Year – Kyle Coetzer (Scotland)
  • Spirit of Cricket Award – Virat Kohli stopping the fans booing Steve Smith at the Oval
  • David Shepherd Trophy for Umpire of the Year – Richard Illingworth

FIH nominates Rani Rampal for ‘World Games Athlete of the Year’

January 11, 2020

India women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal has been nominated for the World Games Athlete of the Year 2019 award. Rani was instrumental in India qualifying for the first time in back-to-back Olympic Games.

The 25 athletes nominated for this award from 25 sports have been recommended by their international federations and in Rani’s case, the FIH has recommended her name for the award for her outstanding performance and her ability to lead by example.

This will be the 6th edition of the WGA initiative that recognises and honours an athlete or a team for their outstanding performance or for their social commitment or particularly fair behaviour.

Ladakh wins 7th National Ice Hockey Championship women trophy

January 10, 2020

Ladakh women team has won the 7th National Ice Hockey Championship women trophy. The match was held at the Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink. In the final match, Ladakh scoring 2 goals against Delhi and won the tournament. The tournament was organised by the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) in association with the Ladakh winter sports club. 4 women teams representing Chandigarh, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Ladakh participated in the tournament.

Virat Kohli retains top spot in ICC Test rankings

January 9, 2020

India skipper Virat Kohli retained his top spot among batsmen while Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane slipped in the latest ICC Test rankings. With 928 points, Kohli is way ahead of second-placed Australian maestro Steve Smith (911). Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne grabbed a career-best third place.

Pujara was placed sixth, down one rung, with 791 points, while Rahane occupied the ninth spot after slipping a couple of positions with 759 points. In bowling, India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, returning from an injury layoff, remained static at sixth position with 794 points, while spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (772 points) and seamer Mohammed Shami (771) were ninth and 10th respectively.

NADA bans Women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur for 4 years

January 9, 2020

Indian women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur has been banned for 4 years from the sport by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA). This ban was imposed on her for involving in doping violation. The sample of Sarbjeet was collected during 34th Women Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Vishakhapatnam. The Agency found her guilty of anti-doping rule violation.

According to NADA, her sample had presence of prohibited substance namely — Di-hydroxy-LGD-4033 (LGD 4033 METABOLITE), Selective Androgen Receptor Modulations (SARM), and Ostarine (Enobosarm). Sarbjeet had previously won the 71kg event at the women’s national weightlifting championships in February last year.

Veteran former Italy international, Daniele De Rossi announces retirement

January 7, 2020

AS Roma legend and World Cup winner – Veteran former Italy international, Daniele De Rossi announced his retirement from football , just six months after joining Argentine giants Boca Juniors. De Rossi played only seven matches for the Buenos Aires outfit, scoring once, but stated that he needed to return home for family reasons.

Leo Carter becomes 7th cricketer to hit six 6s in an over

January 7, 2020

New Zealand‘s batsman Leo Carter has become the seventh batsman in the history of cricket to smash six 6s in an over. He achieved the feat in New Zealand’s domestic T20 tournament Super Smash. Representing Canterbury, he smashed Knight’s bowler Anton Devcich for six 6s in the 16th over of the innings.

Other 6 players who have achieved the feat are: Gary Sobers (West Indies), Ravi Shastri (India), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa), Yuvraj Singh (India), Ross Whiteley (England) and Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan). Yuvraj is the only batsman to have scored six 6s in an international T20I.

Bhubaneswar: 1st edition of Khelo India University Games

January 7, 2020

The 1st edition of Khelo India University Games is scheduled to be held at the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha from February 22 to March 1, 2020. Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the logo and jersey of Khelo India University Games.

Khelo India University Games will witness over 4,000 athletes from 100 Universities across India vying for top honours in 17 different disciplines namely archery, athletics, boxing, fencing, judo, swimming, weight-lifting, wrestling, badminton, basketball, football, hockey, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, rugby and kabaddi.

P Magesh Chandran wins 95th Hastings International Chess title

January 7, 2020

India’s P Magesh Chandran wins the title in the 95th edition of the prestigious Hastings International Chess Congress at Hastings in England. France’s Romain Edouard, who was the only player to end the tournament a half-point behind Chandran, took the second spot.

Saurabh Chaudhary wins gold at 63rd National Shooting Championship

January 5, 2020
saurabh chaudhary

17-year-old Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh has won the men’s 10 metres air pistol gold at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Sarabjot Singh of Haryana got the second place, while world number two Abhishek Verma settled for bronze. Sarabjot also won the junior men’s gold.