2016 has surely been an year to remember for all of us alike. From history getting made to players getting glorified, 2016 has had it all! Not just cricket but almost every othet sport has given us a memory to cherish this year. So let us just take some time out and relive ten of the most memorable sporting moments from 2016 for India.
1. AFC Cup Semifinal
When Bengaluru FC took the field in the second-leg of the AFC Cup semifinal, their blue jerseys started representing India instead of Bengaluru. With the whole country backing the blues, it became a moment to remember for Indian football fans when the final whistle was blown. The men in blue defeated the defeating champions Johor Darul Takzim 4-2 on aggregate and became the first Indian club to reach the finals of AFC Cup. It was a moment that will be remembered by almost every Indian football fan for a long long time.
2. PV Sindhu’s Olympic Silver
It was a massively disappointing Olympics campaign for India this year. However, one historical journey made sure the pinch of happiness defeated the pain altogether. PV Sindhu took Indian badminton a notch higher by bringing the first silver medal for Indian badminton. In a stunning display of her skills and power, Sindhu created history and wiped off the tears of so many heartbreaks. This surely will be remembered by every Indian for years to come.
3. Glory In Paralympics
After a disappointing Olympics campaign, the Paralympics event brought along a few reasons to smile. With 19 competitors, this was India’s strongest bid at the Paralympics. The competitors made it sure that the Indian flew high in Rio. India managed a total of four medals including two gold, a silver and a bronze. That wasn’t all, a few more finished a heartbreaking fourth showing the strength of Indian contingent.
4. Kohli’s Invincible Record
After routing England 4-0, Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to win five successive Test series. It was a dominant year for India as they outsmarted New Zealand and England at home and also defeated West Indies in their own backyard.
5. Dipa Karmakar’s Proud Performance
Dipa Karmakar failed to grab a medal but surely won millions of hearts with her remarkable performance. After becoming the first athlete to represent India in Gymnastics, Dipa missed the bronze by a whisker and finished a heartbreaking 4th. She received accolades from all over the world and made India proud even without a medal.
6. Third Kabaddi World Cup For India
India defended their kabaddi title in style as they managed to become champions of Kabaddi for the third consscutive time. This title was more memorable as it was hosted by India itself. The title also added to the increasing popularity of India’s glorious sport in the country.
7. Asian Champions Trophy Final
This Diwali was lit up with some additional silver shining as both men and women brought home the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy. While the men defeated Pakistan 3-2 in a crunch final, Women defeated China 2-1 a week later.
8. Junior Men Hockey World Cup Title
Delight from Hockey didn’t seem to end just with the asian title. A World Championship glory awaited the men in blue. India lifted their second Junior Men Hockey World cup after defeating Belgium 2-1 in the final. It will always be remembered as a glorious moment in the history of Indian Hockey.
9. 500th Test Match
It was a memorable day when Green Park, Kanpur was ready to host New Zealand for India’s landmark 500th test. India thumped New Zealand by a massive 197 runs to make the test even more memorable. Ravi Ashwin became the world’s second fastest to reach 200 wickets thus adding another reason to remember the landmark test.
10. Sania Mirza’s Run At The Top
Sania Mirza continued her fine form from 2015 to credit another record to her name in 2016. Sania along with her partner Hingis won 41 consecutive matches thus falling short by just three games for the record of most consecutive matches won in women’s doubles. They now stand second in the overall list with Sania Mirza staying on top of WTA rankings for more than 80 consecutive weeks now.
We hope these memories bring a smile on your face. Do share your views and suggestions in the comments section below.