Sports Update – 2011-2012

  • The Border–Gavaskar Trophy is a Test cricket series, played between India and Australia. Australia won the 2011–2012 series 4-0, and regained the trophy for the first time since 2007-2008.Commonwealth Bank Series 2011-12- the Australian Tri-Series refers to the one day international (ODI) cricket tournament held in Australia each summer, and contested by Australia and two touring teams (India and Sri Lanka- 2011-12). The series is played during the height of the Australian cricket season, in the months of December, January and February.
  • BCCI decided to sack Indian Team’s bowling Coach Eric Simons on 13 February 2012. Joe Daves of Queensland will take the charge of the new bowling coach.
  • India striker Sunil Chhetri was on 20 December 2011 voted Player of the Year by the All India Football Federation.
  • Veteran batsman Rahul Dravid was selected for the Polly Umrigar Award for India’s best cricketer of 2010-11.
  • The Australian Cricket Board appointed Mickey Arthur as the head coach of Australia’s national cricket team.
  • India’s national field hockey team coach is Michael Nobbs from Australia.
  • Serbian tennis star, Novak Djokovic was awarded with the highest Serbian award, the Gold Star of Karadjordje on 15 February 2012.
  • Argentina’s Lionel Messi was awarded the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or on 9 January 2012 in Zurich. He won the award for the third consecutive year for being the world’s outstanding footballer.
  • Novak Djokovic (Serbia) emerged victorious in the men’s single category while Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) lifted the trophy in the women category of the 2012 Australian Open. Leander Paes (India) and Radek Štěpánek (Czech Republic) won the Men’s Doubles. Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva (Russia) won the Women’s Doubles. BethanieMattek-Sands (US) and HoriaTecău (Romania) won the Mixed Doubles in 2012.
  • Japan won the 2011 Soccer FIFA Women’s World Cup by 3-1 in Penalty Shootout, defeating U.S.
  • Ricky Ponting was appointed an officer in the general division of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to cricket and the community.
  • Rajasthan won the 78th Ranji Trophy by defeating Tamil Nadu on 23 January 2012 at the MA Chidambaram stadium, Chennai.
  • Dutch teenager Laura Dekker on 21 January 2012 became the youngest sailor to complete solo circumnavigation of the world.
  • Sahara returns as Team India (cricket) sponsor.
  • The 18-year-old Shiva Thapa (56kg category) on 11 April 2012 became the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics by beating Japan’s Satoshi Shimizu 31-17 to enter the final of the Asian qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan. India will have an unprecedented seven boxers in the Olympic Games after teen sensations Shiva Thapa (56kg) and Sumit Sangwan (81kg) booked their London Olympic berths by advancing to the finals in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan.