Category: Sports

Novak Djokovic demonstrated that age is just a number when he proceeded to the 2024 Australian Open semifinals, marking his 50th Grand Slam appearance. Djokovic defeated third seed Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling quarterfinal on January 21, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. This victory not only keeps Djokovic’s bid for an 11th Australian Open title alive, but it also sends a strong statement to his detractors, particularly after a slow 2023 season.

Despite a sluggish start, Djokovic recovered from losing the opening set and showed remarkable resilience throughout the 3-hour, 37-minute match at Rod Laver Arena. His defence, especially during a crucial 33-shot run in the third set, changed the momentum in his favour. Djokovic’s ability to outlast the 21-year-old Spaniard was critical, as Alcaraz struggled to maintain his previous domination in drop shots and court coverage.

The match also marked a historic milestone for Djokovic, who is now just two victories away from claiming his record-breaking 11th Australian Open title and 25th Grand Slam crown. He will next face second-seeded Alexander Zverev, who advanced to the semifinals by overcoming Tommy Paul.

Nigeria’s cricket team made history on Monday, upsetting New Zealand in a dramatic ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup group match at the Sarawak Cricket Ground in Malaysia. In a rain-affected encounter shortened to 13 overs each side, Nigeria batted first and scored 65/6. New Zealand fell short in their pursuit, scoring 63/6, handing Nigeria a stunning two-run victory—their first in the competition.

This victory moved Nigeria to the top of Group C with three points, ahead of South Africa (two), Samoa (one), and winless New Zealand. Earlier, Nigeria’s opening match against Samoa was called off without a toss owing to weather.

Hannah O’Connor dismissed Victory Igbinedion for 1 early in New Zealand’s bowling innings. Captain Lucky Piety (18 off 22) and Lillian Udeh (19 off 25) made vital contributions. Chasing 66, New Zealand’s opener Kate Irwin was run out on the first ball, leaving the team at 7/2. Anika Todd (19) and Eve Wolland steadied the innings but were unable to complete the chase.

In the final over, New Zealand needed nine runs, but Udeh’s disciplined bowling limited them to four, with a run-out clinching the victory.

The Indian women’s kho kho team made history by winning the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025 in the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, defeating Nepal 78-40 in the final.

India dominated from the start, with incredible pace, strategy, and coordination. In Turn 1, India’s attackers scored 14 points in three batches, defeating Nepal’s defence seven times. Captain Priyanka Ingle’s quick touches pushed India’s total to 34, while Nepal failed to record a single Dream Run.

Nepal made a comeback in Turn 2, with Manmati Dhami and Samjhana B ousting key Indian players. Dipa BK’s efforts resulted in an ALL OUT, closing the distance, but India maintained an 11-point halftime lead of 35-24.

India tightened its grip in Turn 3, limiting Nepal’s advances. Despite Dipa BK’s solid performance, India’s persistent attack left no chance for recovery. The pivotal moment occurred in Turn 4, when Chaithra B’s Dream Run lasted 5 minutes and 14 seconds, securing India’s unbeatable lead of 78 points.

India’s journey to success included convincing wins over South Korea, Iran, and Malaysia in the group stages, followed by victories over Bangladesh and South Africa in the knockout phase. This milestone brings kho kho, a beloved indigenous sport, to the international stage.

Pratika Rawal, an Indian cricketer, made history by hitting 444 runs in her first six ODI innings, being the first player, male or female, to do so. The previous best was set by Tom Cooper of the Netherlands, who scored 392 runs, while Thailand’s Natthakan Chantham set the women’s record with 322.

The record-breaking performance occurred during the third One-Day International versus Ireland at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. India, who had previously won the three-match series 2-0, put up a convincing performance, scoring 435/5 in 50 overs, their highest Women’s ODI total to date. Pratika, who opened alongside captain Smriti Mandhana, had an outstanding innings, scoring a century and playing a key part in India’s domination.

The teenage opener’s consistent performance in her debut series has moved her to the top tier of cricketers. Her astounding feat demonstrates her potential as a future star of Indian cricket. India’s strong performances in this series reinforce their growing strength in women’s cricket, and they hope to finish the series with a sweep.

Pratika’s record-breaking start is both a personal achievement and a reflection of the growing standards in Indian women’s cricket.

India’s women’s cricket team made history by scoring their highest-ever ODI total of 435/5 against Ireland in Rajkot on Wednesday, surpassing the men’s record of 418/5 against the West Indies in 2011. This victory also moved India into the elite group of teams to reach 400 Women’s ODIs, alongside New Zealand and Australia.

Smriti Mandhana led the charge with a scorching 135 off 80 balls, becoming the quickest Indian woman to achieve a century in under 70 balls. She smashed Harmanpreet Kaur’s previous record of 87 balls to get her tenth ODI century, joining legends such as Australia’s Meg Lanning and New Zealand’s Suzie Bates.

Mandhana’s form has been outstanding in 2024, with 996 runs at an average of 62.25, including five centuries. Her stunning performance was aided by Pratika Rawal, who scored her first ODI century off 100 balls. The duo combined for a record 233-run opening stand, India’s third-highest in ODIs.

Richa Ghosh added a quick 59 from 42 balls to keep the momentum going. Rawal also set a record of 444 runs in her first six One-Day Internationals, averaging 74.

India’s aggressive batting rewrites history in Women’s ODIs, cementing its dominance.

Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old Indian wildcard, made a great impact against Novak Djokovic in the opening round of the Australian Open. The American, representing the United States, surprised Djokovic by winning the opening set 6-4, putting the Serbian under strain. However, Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open champion, rallied to win the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Djokovic hailed Basavareddy following the match, recognising the American’s outstanding performance. He claimed, “He was the better player for a set and a half. He deserves every round of applause he received as he exited the court.” Djokovic said that he knew little about Nishesh prior to the match, but was pleasantly impressed by his skills. “It’s always difficult to face someone with nothing to lose, and I was amazed by his shots. Djokovic added, “I wish him all the best in his career.”

Nishesh is the son of Indian parents who come from Andhra Pradesh. He was born on May 2, 2005, in Newport Beach, California in the United States. It was in December of 2024 that he made the transition from the ATP Challenger Tour to the professional circuit.

Former first-class cricketer Devajit Saikia has been voted as the next secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), succeeding Jay Shah, who became the ICC Chairman last year. Saikia’s appointment was approved during the BCCI’s Special General Meeting on Sunday, along with the election of Prabhtej Singh Bhatia as the new treasurer.

Rajeev Shukla, BCCI Vice President, announced the appointments, saying, “Devajit Saikia has been elected as the new BCCI secretary, and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia will serve as treasurer.”

Saikia, who played first-class cricket for Assam in 1990-91, has extensive administrative experience. He had held the positions of BCCI Joint Secretary and Assam Cricket Association Secretary. Following Jay Shah’s election as ICC Chairman, Saikia served as the BCCI’s acting interim secretary before assuming the role legally.

Jay Shah recognized for his vast contributions to cricket, began his term as ICC Chairman on December 1. During his tenure as BCCI president, India hosted the 2023 Cricket World Cup and built the magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium. Shah’s leadership also settled the Champions Trophy 2025 hosting dispute, with the tournament slated for Pakistan and another neutral location.

In a breathtaking display of skill, 14-year-old Ira Jadhav hit an unbeaten 346 off 157 balls to lead Mumbai to a massive 563 for 3 over Meghalaya in the Women’s Under-19 One Day Trophy at Alur.

Jadhav’s blazing innings included 42 boundaries and 16 sixes, resulting in an incredible strike rate of 220.38. Her outstanding effort laid the groundwork for a devastating 544-run victory when Meghalaya slumped to 19 all out, with six players removed for ducks.

Jadhav’s innings included a 274-run partnership with skipper Hurley Gala, who contributed 116 off 79 balls, while Jadhav scored 149 off 71 balls in the stand. She followed up with a 186-run partnership with Diksha Pawar, hitting 137 off just 50 balls. The onslaught resulted in three Meghalaya bowlers allowing more than 100 runs each.

In 2010, Lizelle Lee of South Africa scored 427 not out in a women’s U-19 match, but Jadhav’s inning is currently the most by an Indian. She’s on India’s U-19 T20 World Cup standby list for Malaysia after failing to sell in the WPL 2025 auction.

In the year’s first Grand Slam, defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic are drawn opposite one another, preventing a rematch of their thrilling semifinal match from 2024. 

Sinner begins his title defence against Nicolas Jarry after startling Djokovic in the semifinals of the previous year and defeating Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set final to win his first Grand Slam championship. While Fritz faces fellow countryman Jenson Brooksby in his opening match, his area of the draw features strong opponents including Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Medvedev.

Djokovic is up against a tough draw as he attempts to win his record-tying 11th Australian Open title. He might play Alexander Zverev in the semifinals after facing third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. Djokovic will make his tournament debut alongside his new coach, Andy Murray, at the event, which begins Sunday morning in Melbourne.

In the women’s draw, former U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens will face two-time reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka, who is hoping to win Melbourne Park for a record-breaking third consecutive year. 

Vietnam claimed a thrilling 5-3 aggregate victory to lift the trophy for the third time, following their previous triumphs in 2008 and 2018. In the first leg, they secured a narrow 2-1 win, setting the stage for a tense second leg at Rajamangala Stadium against defending champions Thailand.

The match started with a bang as Pham Tuan Hai gave Vietnam an early lead in the eighth minute, igniting hopes of a decisive victory. However, Thailand responded in the 28th minute when Ben Davis equalized, keeping the contest alive. The second half saw Thailand’s Supachok Sarachat put his team ahead in the 64th minute, raising the stakes for Vietnam.

The game took a dramatic turn in the 74th minute when Weerathep Pomphan received a red card, leaving Thailand with ten men. Vietnam capitalized on this advantage when Pansa Hemviboon scored an own goal in the 82nd minute, putting Vietnam back in control. Nguyen Hai Long then delivered the final blow, scoring deep into injury time to secure Vietnam’s victory.

This hard-fought win not only earned Vietnam their third championship title but also showcased their resilience and ability to perform under pressure.