India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara started off the 13th edition of DY Patil T20 Cup with an uncharacteristic century to guide Indian Oil to an emphatic 10-wicket win over Air India. Pujara slammed an unbeaten 108 off 73 balls (14x4s, 2x6s) to register the commanding victory for his side. At the University Ground in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, Air India batted first to post 180 for four in their 20 overs.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
A blazing innings of 45 from Elton Chigumbura rescued Zimbabwe as they closed on 158 for four on day two of the second and final Test against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club on Friday.
To make Swachh Bharat a people's movement, Modi had also initiated a chain by inviting nine eminent personalities, including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, industrialist Anil Ambani along with several actors to spread awareness on cleanliness.
'From the beginning (I have told her) "Whatever it may be -- you are losing or winning -- on the ground you're not going to cry!" She never cried.' '"I don't want you to project that you are a loser. You are a winner".' Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com speaks to Leela Raj about her famous daughter, now in the West Indies for the women's T20 World Cup.
Star batsman Kevin Pietersen says he has no issues playing under England Test captain Alastair Cook and coach Peter Moores as he prepares for a national recall by resuming county cricket at Surrey.
He is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of the modern era. Extreme pace with the ability to swing the ball both ways makes Dale Steyn a complete pacer. The South African speedster reflects on his 11-year old career at the international stage. How did the dream of playing cricket begin for you and when did it start taking shape? I was about 10 or so when I first came in contact with cricket. I was visiting my family in Zimbabwe and played the game in the backyard. And I remember when I got back to school after the vacations in January, everyone seemed to be playing this crazy sport called cricket. I joined the party and since then there has been no looking back. Why fast bowling? I did everything when I was growing up. I was an opening batter in primary school, but fast bowling was one thing that I was always better at than anybody else. I started playing Men's club cricket at a very young age. I was like this little 14-year old playing against full grown men who were 25 years and upwards. You know, you start to get this confidence that you can get grown men out. Your own teammates fill you up with a lot of confidence when they see you get a great batsman out. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Northern Titan Cricket Academy. This was the same time when the 2003 World Cup was on and I got a chance to bowl to all the international pros who came for practice, made them jump around a little bit and built confidence from there.
Kolkata Knight Riders may be having a good time in the ongoing IPL season, having registered six victories from nine matches, but head coach Jacques Kallis warned against complacency, saying the team had slipped out of contention from a similar position last season.
Under scanner left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha today found a surprise visitor in legendary Bishan Singh Bedi, who dropped in at the Feroz Shah Kotla on the final day of the Duleep Trophy final to have an interactive session with him and three others.
He is certainly not the first to say this but World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner Rivaldo too feels India should follow the 'Japan model' in order to improve the standard of football in the country.
'When I was in Shrirampur I thought I would make it to the Indian team. There were a series of events that happened, and even if one link was missing, I don't think I would be here.'
Playing in a FIFA World Cup remains a pipe dream for India
India's new soccer league with its cast of celebrity owners, experienced foreign managers and a sprinkling of high-profile players will kick off on Sunday, igniting hopes of waking the country from its football slumber.
The diminutive batsmen believes that football might one day emulate the national sport of cricket in India.
Holders Vidarbha thrashed Mumbai by an innings and 145 runs to knock out the 41-time Ranji Trophy champions.
'Shriya and I are good friends. There is nothing more to it. All the actresses are so beautiful. I like all of them. If I have to pick, it would be Jacqueline Fernandez because I have met her a few times on Jhalak. I am comfortable around her.' Dwayne Bravo gets candid.
Kevin Jackson will condition the NFL champs for the Asean Cup in Thailand next month.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Even in a country where Cricket and Bollywood have always been a potent mix, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma's fairytale romance is special.
Bangladesh gearing up for their biggest battle against defending champions India in the cricket World Cup quarter-finals.
Overpower Sri Lanka by 144 to claim title
A list of some of sport's greatest comebacks after Tiger Woods ended an 11-year major championship drought with victory at The Masters on Sunday.
How Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar find themselves in a huge controversy.
'Somehow the Flying Sikh has endured in people's memory.'
The jury is still out on whether the Indian Super League (ISL) can wake the world's second most populous nation from its football slumber but the first week of the eight-team competition has at least made people sit up and take notice.
The 'sleeping giant' woke up to a new dawn with the Indian Super League putting Indian football on the global map, but the national team continued to paint a grim picture, plummeting to its worst-ever rankings in an eventful year for the sport.
Rediff.com lists 10 athletes who died way before time.
Full text of Rahul Dravid's Pataudi Memorial Lecture in New Delhi.
While a glitzy new league may inspire youngsters to take up the sport, India's hopes of becoming a soccer power rest with its development at a grassroots level, according to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.
'After I won the final I gave my father a call.' 'He said the family had followed my progress on TV and saw that I had won.' '"We are going to sleep now," he said.' 'I told him 'I am a world champion and you are going to sleep!'
From Novak Djokovic's top performances to Australia's ICC World Cup victory and Sania Mirza's fabulous run, we have these and many more scintillating moments frozen in time and presented to you in this special photo-feature...
A look at the top tweets from your favourite Bollywood celebrities.
The Supreme Court needs to step in and order an independent inquiry into the whole IPL scandal, conflicts of interest between office-holders of the BCCI, team-owners of the IPL and even members and captain of the Indian team, says KC Singh
There are some batsmen reputed, respected and feared for what they are: Destructive! They are the game-changers. It is not bats, but bludgeons that they wield.
The country of 1.3 billion is finally waking up to the most popular sport on the planet. Kushal Das, secretary general of the All India Football Federation, has said the country is aiming to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first Indian wicketkeeper and the fourth overall to effect 300 dismissals in One Day Internationals when he caught Ross Taylor, off the bowling of Mohammed Shami, in the opening ODI against New Zealand in Napier on Sunday.
'I felt sick shooting Bala because I think I was under extreme stress. Extreme, extreme stress.'
'He will always be an enigma.' 'But it's because of players like him that some people still watch doubles matches.'
Former Pakistan captain Tahir Zaman believes the resumption of hockey ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will prove beneficial to both countries and will also be a big boost for revival of the sport.
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