The Hindu-Review-January-March-2024-english Sports Current Affairs
- The 10th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) concluded with Puneri Paltan emerging as champions for the first time, after a closely contested final against Haryana Steelers. The final score read 28-25 in favor of Puneri Paltan, with the match taking place on March 1. Pankaj Mohite shone brightly for Paltan, scoring nine raid points, including a crucial super raid that proved to be a game-changer.
- The scenic town of Shimla has become the centre stage for the first-ever Asian River Rafting Championships, officially opened on March 4th, 2024, by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
- B. Sai Praneeth, the decorated Indian badminton player, has announced his retirement from the sport.
- Spain’s women’s team secured a historic victory over France, winning the first-ever UEFA Women’s Nations League with a convincing 2-0 triumph in Seville. The win represents a significant achievement for Spain in the realm of women’s football, further solidifying their position as a dominant force in the sport.
- Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur grandly inaugurated the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 3.0 at the Luhnu Cricket Ground in Bilaspur on March 5, 2024. Chief Guests Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and Indian cricket team coach Rahul Dravid graced the occasion as chief guests.
- Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, inaugurated the 5th ONGC Para Games, praising para-athletes for their unwavering determination. The event took place at Thyagaraj Stadium, New Delhi with the presence of Shri Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, and senior officials from Oil & Gas PSUs.
- England’s James Anderson claimed his 700th Test wicket by dismissing India’s Kuldeep Yadav in Dharamsala on the morning of Day 3 of the final Test against India. This historic milestone makes Anderson the third bowler to reach the 700 -wicket mark in Test cricket.
- Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have won the BWF French Open men’s doubles title, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang PoHsuan in the final.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young Indian opener, has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2024. In the women’s category, Annabel Sutherland of Australia claimed the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for February 2024.
- Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy 2024 after beating Vidarbha by 169 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This was their 42nd Ranji Trophy title, showcasing their dominance in Indian domestic cricket. Mumbai ended their 8 -year drought by winning the championship after last lifting the title in the 2015-16 season.
- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen clinched victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, starting from pole position. It marked Red Bull’s second consecutive one-two finish in the 2024 Formula One season.
- The V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2024 highlights India’s continued descent into electoral autocracy since its downgrade in 2018. The report underscores the deterioration of democratic principles, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression, media independence, and civil liberties. India’s status as one of the top standalone autocracies further accentuates the gravity of its democratic decline.
- Australian wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade has announced his decision to retire from red-ball cricket (firstclass cricket).
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) organized an exhibition cricket match to promote voter education and inclusivity. The match was played between the Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA) Team and the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) team on March 16, 2024, at Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi.
- In the final of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain defeated Daniil Medvedev of Russia in straight sets, with a score of 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.
- In the women’s long jump event at the 3rd Indian Open Jumps Competition, Nayana James from Kerala recorded a personal best mark of $6.67 \mathrm{~m}$ to secure the gold medal.
- Ace table tennis player Sharath Kamal will be the Indian team’s flagbearer for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. The announcement was made by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
- Indian star paddler G. Sathiyan has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first-ever Indian to win a men’s singles trophy at a WTT Feeder Series event. This historic moment took place in Beirut, Lebanon, where Sathiyan triumphed over his compatriot Manav Thakkar with a 3-1 (6-11 11-7 11-7 11-4) victory in the final of the WTT Feeder Beirut 2024.
- Australian Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari emerged victorious, marking a remarkable comeback just two weeks after undergoing appendicitis surgery. The race was filled with drama, including the first retirement in two years for Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
- Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to score $ \mathrm{1 2 , 0 0 0}$ runs in the T20 format. Kohli accomplished this remarkable feat during the opening match of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
- In a historic move, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host a day-night Test match between the Australian and English women’s cricket teams. This will be the first time a pink-ball Test is played at the iconic venue. The four-day match is scheduled from January 30 to February 2, 2025.
- Haryana clinched the team titles in both the boy’s and girls categories with an impressive combined haul of 19 medals at the Boxing Sub Junior National Championship. Haryana showcased its dominance by finishing on top in both categories. The tournament witnessed the participation of 612 boxers, including 337 boys and 275 girls.
- The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team created history by posting a mammoth 277/3 against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match in Hyderabad. This score surpassed the previous highest total in the IPL of 263 runs, set by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Pune Warriors India in 2013.
- Indian paddler Sreeja Akula clinched the women’s singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024 in Beirut, Lebanon. The world no. 47 Indian came from behind to secure a 611, 12-10, 11-5, 11-9 victory over the lower-ranked Sarah D Nutte of Luxembourg in the final.
- Veteran Kenyan allrounder Collins Obuya has announced his retirement from cricket following Kenya’s defeat to Uganda in the third-place play-off match at the African Games.
- The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has appointed former Indian men’s hockey team captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and Chile’s Camila Caram as co-chairs of the FIH Athletes Committee. This announcement was made by the FIH on March 27, 2024.
- IIT Madras is set to host the prestigious ‘6th Shaastra Rapid FIDE Rated Chess Tournament’ on March 30 and 31, 2024. The tournament, sanctioned by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), will draw the participation of esteemed players from across the globe, including Grandmasters, International Masters, and Women Grandmasters.
- Sharfuddoula has created history by becoming the first Bangladeshi umpire to be appointed to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. His appointment was confirmed following the International Cricket Council’s annual review and selection process.
