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National and International Sports updates,  Important for Competitive Exams.

Pankaj Advani Clinches 14th Asian Snooker Gold in Doha

Indian cue sports legend Pankaj Advani has once again showcased his brilliance on the international stage by clinching his 14th gold medal at the Asian Snooker Championship on 20 February, 2025 in Doha, Qatar. This remarkable achievement comes just days after his triumph at the National Snooker Championship in Indore, further cementing his status as India’s premier cueist.

In the final match, Advani faced tough competition from Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh, a former champion. Despite Sarkhosh’s strong start, Advani demonstrated his renowned composure and tactical brilliance, delivering decisive breaks of 93 and 66 to take control of the match and secure the title with confidence.

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 from March 22 to May 25

The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to take place from March 22 to May 25, 2025. This highly anticipated cricket tournament will feature ten teams competing in 74 matches across 13 venues. The tournament will kick off with a thrilling match between the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Key highlights of the IPL 2025 include:

  • Double-Headers: The tournament will include 12 double-headers, with afternoon games starting at 03:30 PM IST and evening games at 07:30 PM IST.
  • Playoff Venues: The playoffs will be held in Hyderabad and Kolkata, with Hyderabad hosting Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, and Kolkata hosting Qualifier 2.
  • Final Venue: The grand finale will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on May 25, 2025.

The IPL continues to be a major sporting event in India, attracting top cricketing talent from around the world and providing fans with high-quality entertainment and thrilling matches.

Khelo India Winter Games 2025 Postponed Due to Lack of Snow in Gulmarg

The second and final leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled for February 22, 2025 has been postponed due to insufficient snowfall. Events in alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, and snowboarding will be rescheduled once weather conditions improve.

The first leg took place in Ladakh (Jan 23-27) at NDS Sports Complex and Guphuk Pond, featuring ice hockey and ice skating. A total of 19 teams are competing across six disciplines, with Ladakh leading the medal tally (4 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze).

Gulveer Singh Breaks 17-Year-Old National Record in Indoor 3000m

India’s Gulveer Singh set a new National Record in the Men’s Indoor 3000 meters at the David Hemery Invitational meet in Boston, clocking 7 minutes 38.26 seconds. He broke Surendra Singh’s 17-year-old record by 11 seconds and secured the silver medal. Romain Legendre won gold, while Morgan Beadlescomb took bronze.

Gulveer Singh now holds three National Records in the outdoor 5000m, outdoor 10000m, and indoor 3000m.

Services Team Tops Medal Tally as 38th National Games

The 38th National Games concluded with a grand ceremony held at the International Sports Stadium in Golapar, Haldwani, on February 14, 2025. The event was graced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha officially declared the conclusion of the Games.

Top Teams: The Services team topped the medal tally with 68 gold, 26 silver, and 27 bronze medals. Maharashtra and Haryana followed with 54 gold and 48 gold medals respectively.

Eco-Friendly Initiatives: The Games implemented eco-friendly practices, including planting trees in honor of the athletes.

Future Host: The National Games torch will now pass to Meghalaya, where Chief Minister Conrad Sangma plans to promote sports across Northeast states.

Recognition: Uttarakhand’s sports infrastructure development was praised, and the state’s athletes were congratulated for their achievements.

Cristiano Ronaldo Ranked as the World’s Highest-Paid Athlete in 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes in 2024 with a total income of $260 million, according to sports industry news site Sportico. He retained the top spot for the second consecutive year, earning $215 million in wages from Saudi club Al-Nassr and $45 million from endorsements.

The top five highest-paid athletes are:

  1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($260 million)
  2. Stephen Curry ($153.8 million)
  3. Tyson Fury ($147 million)
  4. Lionel Messi ($135 million)
  5. LeBron James ($133.2 million)

The top 100 athletes collectively earned $6.2 billion, with $4.8 billion from salaries/prizes and $1.4 billion from endorsements. However, no female athlete made the list.

The highest-earning female athlete, Coco Gauff, earned $30.4 million, falling short of the 100th-ranked athlete, NFL quarterback Daniel Jones ($37.5 million).

Sachin Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) set a new National Games record (84.39m) to win gold in Javelin Throw

The 38th National Games in Uttarakhand (12 Feb 2025) saw record-breaking performances across multiple disciplines.

  • Javelin Throw: Sachin Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) set a new meet record (84.39m) to win gold.
  • 5000m Race: Uttarakhand’s Ankita Dhyani won gold in the women’s event.
  • Water Sports: Services dominated, winning gold in K-2 500m and C-2 500m.
  • High Jump: Pooja (Haryana) set a new National Games record (1.84m), qualifying for the Asian Championships.
  • 400m Hurdles: Ruchit Mori (Gujarat) won gold (50.97s); Vithya Ramraj (Tamil Nadu) won the women’s event but lost in the 4x400m relay due to a baton drop, allowing Kerala to win gold.
  • 5000m Race (Men): Sawan Barwal (Himachal Pradesh) set a new meet record (13:45.93s) and qualified for the Asian Championships.
  • Fencing: Haryana won gold in the men’s foil event.
  • Hockey: Haryana’s women’s team defeated Jharkhand 2-1 to enter the final against Madhya Pradesh.

With finals approaching, the competition remains intense, with athletes achieving remarkable feats.

India Clean-Sweep England 3-0 in Men’s Cricket ODI Series

India delivered a dominant performance to clean-sweep England 3-0 in the ODI series. The final match, held in Ahmedabad on February 12, 2025, saw India defeat England by 142 runs.

Shubman Gill was the star of the match, scoring a brilliant 112 off 104 balls, his seventh ODI century. Gill’s innings, along with Virat Kohli’s 52 and Shreyas Iyer’s 78, helped India post a formidable 356 runs in 50 overs.

England struggled in their chase, being bowled out for 214 in 34.2 overs. Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel were the standout bowlers, taking two wickets each. This victory marked India’s second-largest win in terms of runs in ODIs against England.

First-Ever Olympic Esports Games to be Held in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The first Olympic Esports Games will be held in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This event is part of a 12-year deal signed with Saudi Arabia in 2023.

The IOC has been exploring Esports for years, aiming to attract a younger audience as interest in traditional sports declines. After launching the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021 as a test, the IOC formalized its commitment by partnering with Saudi Arabia for the Olympic Esports Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed that there is now a clear roadmap for the Games, with preparations beginning in 2025. A six-member committee will decide which Esports titles will be included in the competition.

Saudi Arabia has made major investments in global sports, including football, Formula One, boxing, and golf. However, critics accuse the country of “sportswashing” to distract from human rights concerns, a claim that Saudi Arabia denies.

India retained U19 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup Title

Trisha Gongadi put out a sparkling all-round performance as a dominant India retained their U19 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup title with a nine-wicket win over South Africa in the summit clash at the Bayuemas Oval on 2 Feb 2025.

A stellar bowling performance, with the spinners taking nine wickets – three of which went to Trisha – along with fielders stepping up nicely, helped Niki Prasad-led India bowl out South Africa for 82 on a slow pitch.

In the chase, Trisha made 44 not out off 33 balls while Sanika Chalke slammed an unbeaten 26 off 22 deliveries to help India complete the chase in 11.2 overs. This victory marks India’s second successive triumph in the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, showing their dominance at this level as they also became the first side to win the title without losing any game.

Brief Scores:

  • South Africa 82 all out (Mieke van Voorst 23, Fay Cowling 15; Trisha Gongadi 3-15, Parunika Sisodia 2-6)
  • India 84/1 in 11.2 overs (Trisha Gongadi 44 not out, Sanika Chalke 26 not out; Kayla Reyneke 1-14)

India won by nine wickets.

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa wins Tata Steel Masters 2025

Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa clinched the prestigious Tata Steel Masters 2025 title by defeating World Champion D. Gukesh in a thrilling tiebreaker on 2 Feb 2025 at Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. This victory makes him the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand in 2006 to claim the prestigious title.

The event ended dramatically, with both Gukesh and Pragg tied at 8.5 points after 13 rounds. In the tiebreak, Gukesh won the first of two blitz games and needed only a draw in the second to secure the title. However, Pragg staged a stunning comeback, winning both blitz games to clinch the championship.

Sachin Tendulkar Honoured with BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been honoured with the BCCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Board’s annual gala in Mumbai on 1 February 2025. Tendulkar, now 51, becomes the 31st recipient of this prestigious award, which was first introduced in 1994 to honor India’s inaugural cricket captain, Col. C.K. Nayudu.

Throughout his illustrious career, Tendulkar played an astounding 664 international matches for India, amassing the highest number of runs in both Test (15,921) and ODI (18,426) cricket history. He also holds the record for the most appearances in both formats, with 200 Test matches and 463 ODIs to his name. One of Tendulkar’s crowning achievements was being a crucial member of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team, marking his record sixth and final tournament appearance.

In recent years, other notable recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include former India head coach Ravi Shastri and wicket-keeping legend Farokh Engineer, who received the honor in 2023.

Jasprit Bumrah wins Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as ICC men’s cricketer of the year 2024

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been honored with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024, recognizing his exceptional performance across all cricket formats.

Bumrah becomes the first Indian pacer to win this award, joining an elite list of Indian cricketers that includes Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016), and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018). 

Bumrah played a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup victory in 2024, emerging as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. Additionally, he dominated Test cricket with 71 wickets in 13 matches, the highest by any bowler in 2024. Despite strong competition, Bumrah also won the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award.

PM Modi inaugurates 38th National Games in Dehradun

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 38th National Games in Dehradun on January 28, 2025. The event, held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, marks the 25th anniversary of Uttarakhand’s formation and features over 10,000 athletes from across India.

The theme for this year’s games is “Green Games,” emphasizing sustainability with eco-friendly medals and a tree planted for each medal winner.

The National Games of India is a prestigious multi-sport event where athletes from various states and union territories compete in disciplines such as athletics, boxing, and swimming.

Jasprit Bumrah wins ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award 

Jasprit Bumrah has been awarded the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2024 for his outstanding performance. He took an astonishing 71 wickets while bowling 357 overs in 13 matches, at an average of 14.92 in 2024.

Renowned for his yorkers and consistency, Bumrah was instrumental in India’s success across formats, including the ODI World Cup and major Test series.

Smriti Mandhana named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2024 performances

India’s opener and vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, has been named the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 for her exceptional performance.

She scored a career-best 747 runs in 13 innings, leading the Women’s ODI run charts, surpassing players Laura Wolvaardt (697), Tammy Beaumont (554), and Hayley Matthews (469).

This is her third ICC recognition, having won in 2018 and 2022 as well.

Iniyan Panneerselvam Clinches Johor International Open Chess Title

Indian Grandmaster Iniyan Panneerselvam, 22, secured the title at the 9th Johor International Open chess tournament in Malaysia on 24 Jan 2025. With a total of 8.5 points in nine rounds, Iniyan outperformed 84 participants from 8 countries, including four International Masters and one Grandmaster.

His victory in the final round against Vietnamese GM Nguyen Van Huy sealed his dominating performance. Iniyan finished 1.5 points ahead of his closest competitor.

Indian Cricket Team for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

On 18 January 2025, the BCCI announced a 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the ODI series against England. Key players like Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami are included.

ODI Series against England: Matches on 6, 9, and 12 February 2025.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Begins on 19 February 2025 in Dubai. India in Group A, playing: Bangladesh on 20 February, Pakistan on 23 February, and New Zealand on 2 March. All matches will be held in Dubai.

India Squad for Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain)

Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.

Kho Kho World Cup 2025: Men’s & women’s teams lift trophies

Indian Women’s and Men’s Teams: Both teams won the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup on January 19, 2025.

Women’s Final: India defeated Nepal 78-40 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi.

Men’s Final: India defeated Nepal 54-36 at the same venue.

Dominant Performance: The Indian teams showcased strong strategies and aggressive play, keeping their opponents on the defensive.

Acknowledgments: Women’s team coach Sumit Bhatia praised Nepal’s effort, while Captain Priyanka Ingle credited the win to the players’ and coaches’ hard work and dedication.

National Sports Awards 2024 conferred by President Droupadi Murmu

National Sports Awards 2024 conferred by President Droupadi Murmu on 17 January 2025 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award:

  • D. Gukesh (World Chess Champion)
  • Manu Bhaker (Olympic double medalist)
  • Harmanpreet Singh (Men’s Hockey Team Captain)
  • Praveen Kumar (Paralympic gold medalist)

Dronacharya Award: for Coaches:

  • Subhash Rana (Para-shooting)
  • Deepali Deshpande (Shooting)
  • Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey)
  • S. Muralidharan (Badminton)
  • Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football)

Arjuna Award: Given to 32 sportspersons, including:

  • Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani (Athletics)
  • Nitu, Saweety (Boxing)
  • Vantika Agrawal (Chess)
  • Hockey players: Salima Tete, Abhishek, Sanjay, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh
  • Para-athletes: Rakesh Kumar, Preeti Pal, Ajeet Singh, and others.

Lifetime Arjuna Awards: Recipients: Sucha Singh (Athletics) and Murlikant Petkar (Para-swimming).

MAKA Trophy: Awarded to Chandigarh University for being the top-performing university in the Khelo India University Games.

India Women’s Cricket Team Sets Records with 304-Run Victory Over Ireland in Rajkot

India’s Record-Breaking Victory: In Women’s Cricket, India achieved its largest-ever win by 304 runs against Ireland in the 3rd ODI in Rajkot, Gujarat, on 15 January 2025. India won the three-match series 3-0.

Historic Batting Performance:

India score 435/5 in 50 overs—its highest-ever ODI total and the fourth-highest in Women’s cricket history.

Smriti Mandhana scored 135 runs off 80 balls, registering India’s fastest ODI century.

Pratika Rawal scored her maiden ODI century with 154 runs off 129 balls, forming a 231-run partnership with Mandhana in 26.4 overs.

Richa Ghosh added a quick 59 runs off 42 balls.

Ireland’s Response: Ireland was bowled out for 131 runs in 31.4 overs.

Ira Jadhav Shatters Records with Unbeaten 346 in Women’s Under 19 One Day Trophy

On January 13, 2024, Ira Jadhav from Mumbai became the highest individual scorer in Women’s Under 19 One Day Trophy history. The 14-year-old prodigy played an unbeaten inning of 346 runs off 157 balls against Meghalaya at the Alur Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru.

Her extraordinary performance, which included 42 fours and 16 sixes, led Mumbai to a monumental total of 563 for 3 in 50 overs. Ira’s achievement surpassed the previous record held by Smriti Mandhana, who scored 224 runs off 150 deliveries in 2013 while playing for Maharashtra. This remarkable feat has set a new benchmark in women’s domestic cricket and highlighted Ira’s immense potential as a future star.

Suryakumar Yadav to Lead India in Five-Match T20I Series against England

The BCCI has announced a 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against England, starting on 22 January 2025 in Kolkata.

Suryakumar Yadav will captain the team, with Axar Patel as vice-captain. Mohammed Shami returns to the squad after over a year, joined by players like Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Tilak Varma.

After the T20I series, England will also play three ODIs, which serve as India’s final preparation for the Champions Trophy starting on 19 February 2025. The ODI squads are yet to be finalized, and BCCI plans to request an extension for submitting the Champions Trophy 2025 squad, which is due on 12 January.

Kho Kho World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in New Delhi

The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025 began on 13 January 2025 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, supported by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

The tournament features 20 men’s and 19 women’s teams. India’s men’s team, led by Pratik Waikar, is in Group A alongside Nepal, Peru, Brazil, and Bhutan.

The women’s team, led by Priyanka Ingle, is in Group A with Iran, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, with the finals scheduled for 19 January 2025.

Anahat Singh Clinches Under-17 Girls’ Singles Title at British Junior Open Squash Tournament

Anahat Singh, a 16-year-old top-seed Indian squash player, won the Under-17 Girls’ Singles title at the British Junior Open 2025 in Birmingham, England, on 6 January 2025.

She defeated Malika El Karaksy of Egypt in the final with a score of 3-2 (4-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3), coming from behind twice.

This is Anahat’s third British Junior Open title, following victories in the Under-11 category in 2019 and Under-15 category in 2023.

Earlier in the tournament, she beat Ruqayya Salem (3-1) in the semi-finals and Nadia Tamer (3-0) in the quarter-finals.

In 2024, Anahat won nine PSA Challenger titles, the most by any woman globally.

Varun Tomar becomes national shooting champion by winning the Men’s 10-meter Air Pistol finals

In the 67th National Shooting Championship 2024, Varun Tomar of the Indian Army emerged as the national shooting champion by winning the Men’s 10-meter Air Pistol finals at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on January 5, 2025.

His teammate, Pradhyumn Singh, won the Silver medal, while Aakash Bhardwaj from Rajasthan secured the Bronze medal.

Varun Tomar also triumphed in the Men’s Junior 10-meter Air Pistol event, winning the Gold medal, with Nikhil from Uttar Pradesh winning Silver and Pradhyumn Singh taking Bronze.

In the Men’s Youth 10-meter Air Pistol event, Chirag Sharma from Uttar Pradesh won the Gold medal, Dev Pratap, also from Uttar Pradesh, won Silver, and Mayank Choudhary of Rajasthan secured the Bronze medal.

Kho Kho World Cup in India from January 13 to 19, 2025

Inaugural Kho Kho World Cup: Scheduled in India from January 13 to 19, 2025.

Participation: Features 21 men’s teams and 20 women’s teams from 24 countries.

Trophies: Men’s trophy is blue (trust and determination), women’s trophy is green (growth and vitality).

Mascots: Tejas and Tara, gazelles representing speed, agility, and teamwork.

Significance: Aims to establish Kho Kho as a global sport.

National Sports Awards 2025

The National Sports Awards have been announced on January 2, 2025.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award Recipients:

  • D Gukesh: World Chess Champion
  • Manu Bhaker: Double Medalist in Paris Olympics
  • Harmanpreet Singh: Indian Hockey Team Captain
  • Praveen Kumar: Gold Medalist in Paris Paralympics

Arjuna Award:

Total recipients: 32 sportspersons, including:

  • Athletes: Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani
  • Boxers: Nitu, Saweety
  • Chess Player: Vantika Agrawal
  • Hockey Players: Salima Tete, Abhishek, Sanjay, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh
  • Para-Sportspersons: Rakesh Kumar (Para-Archer), Preeti Pal, Jeevanji Deepthi, Ajeet Singh, Sachin Khilari

Lifetime Achievement Arjuna Awards:

  • Veteran Athlete Sucha Singh
  • Veteran Para Swimmer Murlikant Petkar

Dronacharya Award for Coaches:

  • Subhash Rana (Para-Shooting)
  • Deepali Deshpande (Shooting)
  • Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey)
  • S Muralidharan (Badminton)
  • Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football)

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: Awarded to the Physical Education Foundation of India

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy: Awarded to Chandigarh University, Lovely Professional University, and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar

Award Ceremony: Awards to be presented by President Droupadi Murmu on 17th January 2025 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi share World Blitz Chess Championship Title 2024

In the World Blitz Chess Championship 2024, Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi shared the title after their final match ended in a tie in New York on 31 December 2024.

World Blitz Chess Championship 2024 – Open Section:

  • Carlsen led 2-0 and needed just a draw in the third game to secure the title.
  • Nepomniachtchi leveled the score 2-2, forcing tiebreaks.
  • After three draws in sudden-death games, Carlsen proposed sharing the title, which Nepomniachtchi accepted.

Women’s Section: Ju Wenjun from China defeated Lei Tingjie in the final to win the World Blitz Championship, completing a double after drawing five games.

India’s Performance: R. Vaishali, India’s lone hope in the knockouts, overcame an initial loss in the quarterfinals against China’s Zhu Jiner, winning 2.5-1.5 after four games. In the semifinals, Vaishali lost to Ju Wenjun in a one-sided match, 0.5-2.5.

West Bengal lifts Santosh Trophy by defeating Kerala

West Bengal clinched the prestigious Santosh Trophy national football championship title by defeating Kerala 1-0 in the final held on December 31, 2024, at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad.

This victory marks West Bengal’s record-extending 33rd title in the tournament’s history.

The match-winner came in the added time of the second half when Robi Hansda scored from close range after Aditya Thapa‘s header into the box.

The team, led by coach Sanjoy Sen, showcased incredible performance throughout the tournament, overcoming the absence of key striker Naro Hari Shrestha due to injury.

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