Correct Answer :   Sonam Maskar

Debutant Sonam Maskar bagged a silver medal for India in the women’s 10m air rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.

Competing in her maiden World Cup, Sonam shot 252.1 in the eight-woman final, finishing 0.9 behind Germany’s Anna Janssen at the Egypt International Olympic City Shooting range late on Sunday. Poland’s Aneta Stankiewicz took home the bronze.

Earlier, Divyansh Singh Panwar had struck gold in the men's event with a world record score in the final. In other results, debutant Simranpreet Kaur Brar finished a creditable fifth in the women's 25m pistol event.

The teenager, competing at this level for the first time in individual events, had earlier in the day, topped the qualification round with a score of 586, ahead of the likes of Germany's reigning world champion Doreen Vennekamp and former Olympic champion Anna Korakaki of Greece, among others.

Two other Indians in the fray could not make it to the top eight as Rhythm Sangwan shot 582 to finish ninth and Manu Bhaker ended 14th with a score of 580. Doreen and Anna won gold and silver respectively with scores of 39 and 37 in the final, while Hungary's Veronika clinched the bronze.

India continue to top the season-opening World Cup stage with two gold and three silver medals in their kitty after three days of competition. Two Indians, Sonam and Nancy, had made the final after shooting 632.7 and 633.1 to finish the 60-shot qualification round in fifth and fourth spots respectively.

Sonam, however, was strongest off the blocks in the 24-shot final, her 53.0 in the first five-shot series giving her the early lead.

It was quite an unprecedented final, with the scores huddled so close to each other that at the end of 10 shots, the difference between the leader Sonam and Nancy, who was placed eighth at that stage, was just 0.8.

Anna took over the lead from Sonam after the 14th shot as, despite a 10.9 from Sonam on the 13th, Anna’s consistent high 10s bore fruit.

At one stage, it did look that it would be a double podium for India, but Poland’s Stankiewicz pipped Nancy for bronze, while Sonam could not catch up with the experienced Janssen..

Source : Free Press Journal

Correct Answer :   Netherland

Netherlands defeated India to win the final of the first FIH Hockey 5s Women's World Cup played in Muscat, Oman on Saturday (27th Jan 2024)

* In the final match, India had to face a 7-2 defeat by the Netherlands.
* Jyoti Chhatri (20th minute) and Rutaja Dadaso Pisal (23rd minute) scored goals for India.
* The Polish women's team finished third in the competition.

Tournament Awards and Honours :

* Best Goalkeeper: Marta Kucharska (Poland)
* Best Junior Player - Deepika Soreng (India)
* Top scorer – Teresa Viana (Uruguay) with 19 goals
* Best Player - Noor De Baat (Netherlands)

FIH Hockey 5s Women's World Cup 2024 :

The first edition of the FIH Hockey 5s World Cup was held from January 24 to January 27 in Muscat, the capital of Oman.

Teams :

A total of 16 teams participated.

* Pool A – Fiji, Malaysia, Netherlands, Oman
* Pool B – Australia, South Africa, Ukraine, Zambia
* Pool C – India, Namibia, Poland, United States
* Pool D – New Zealand, Paraguay, Thailand, Uruguay

Indian women's team :

* Captain – Rajani Etimarpu (Goalkeeper)
* Vice Captain – Mahima Chaudhary
* Other members – Bansari Solanki, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Jyoti Chhatri, Mariana Kujur, Mumtaz Khan, Azmina Kujur, Rutuja, Dadaso Pisal and Deepika Soreng.

Hockey 5-s?

* Hockey 5-s is a new and shorter format of hockey played with great speed and high skill.
* In this match which lasts a total 20 minutes, both teams have five players each.
* The playing field for this shorter format is half the size of the regular field.
* As per FIH rules, the turf size of Hockey 5-S will be a maximum of 55 X 42 metres, while the minimum is 40 X 28 meters..

Source : FIH Hockey

Correct Answer :   Rohan Bopanna

Rohan Bopanna is the fourth Indian to reach the top of the doubles rankings after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza.

Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna climbed to a career-best world No. 1 in the latest ATP Rankings for doubles released on Monday (29th Jan 2024).

At 43 years and 331 days, Bopanna is the oldest world No. 1 in men’s tennis. He is also the fourth Indian tennis player after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to reach the top of the tennis rankings. All four are also the only Indian Grand Slam winners.

“I think it's just going to inspire a lot of people,” Bopanna said. “I don't think just in tennis. People all over the world, being 40 and above, I think it's just going to inspire them in a different way.”

Rohan Bopanna won his career’s first men’s doubles Grand Slam at the Australian Open 2024 on Saturday to jump two places in the ATP Rankings. Bopanna’s Australian partner Matthew Ebden is the new world No. 2.

The timing of Bopanna’s rise in the rankings also comes at a good time for Indian tennis with the Paris 2024 Olympics on the horizon.

The first to qualify for the men’s doubles will be the top 10 players in the ATP doubles rankings, as long as they have an available partner from their country inside the top 300 in June.

Bopanna was ranked 19th at the start of the 2023 season. He struggled with a knee injury in 2022 and had to withdraw from multiple events, including the Davis Cup. However, he has been in top form since his recovery.

Alongside Ebden, Bopanna won the Indian Wells Masters to become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion in history last year. The Indo-Australian pair made the men’s doubles semi-finals at Wimbledon and the final at the US Open.

Bopanna also reached the mixed doubles final at the 2023 Australian Open with Sania Mirza.

Consequently, Bopanna jumped to a then career-best No. 3 in the men’s doubles rankings in November last year.

Sumit Nagal, at world No. 121, is the top-ranked Indian tennis player in ATP Rankings for singles. He jumped 16 spots in the rankings after reaching the second round at the Australian Open. Nagal defeated Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, then world No. 27, in the first round.

In the WTA Rankings, Ankita Raina, who was ousted in the qualifying rounds at the Australian Open, is India’s top player in women’s singles at world No. 228. Prarthana Thombare is India’s top-ranked player in women’s doubles at world No. 183..

Source : Olympics

Correct Answer :   Man Singh

Man Singh became only the second Indian man to clinch a gold medal at the Asian Marathon Championships as he won the race with a personal best time here on Sunday (21st Jan 2024).

The 34-year-old Man Singh clocked two hours, 14 minutes and 19 seconds (2:14:19) to win the competition. His earlier best was 2:16:58, which he had clocked while finishing 11th in the Mumbai Marathon last year. China’s Huang Yongzheng took the silver with a time of 2:15:24 while Kyrgyzstan’s Tiapkin Ilya came third in 2:18:18.

Another Indian in the fray, AP Belliappa finished sixth with a time of 2:20:20.

In the women’s marathon race in Hong Kong, Ashvini Madan Jadhav finished eighth with a time of 2:56:42 while Jyoti Gawate ended at 11th in 3:06:20.

Gopi Thonakal was the first Indian man to win the Asian Marathon Championships title in 2017. He had clocked 2:15:48 to win the gold in Dongguan, China.

Man Singh’s time on Sunday was below the Paris Olympics qualifying mark of 2:08:10. He had finished eighth in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year in 2:16:59.

Correct Answer :   Suryakumar Yadav

India’s Suryakumar Yadav was named ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year for 2023 on Wednesday (24th Jan 2024). The star India batter continued his rise in T20I cricket with 733 runs in 17 innings in 2023 with a strike rate of 155.95. he left behind Sikandar Raza, Alpesh Ramjani and Mark Chapman to clinch the award.

Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year : West Indies captain Hayley Matthews won the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year for 2023.

Matthews T20I record in 2023 : 700 runs and 19 wickets in 14 matches

Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year (2023) :

* New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra was named the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year for 2023. The Kiwi all-rounder beat South Africa pacer Gerald Coetzee, Sri Lanka fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka and Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to win the ward. Ravindra had a brilliant ODI World Cup 2023 where he smashed 578 runs as New Zealand reached the semi-finals.


Rachin Ravindra’s record in 2023 :

* 820 ODI runs at 41, Strike Rate 108.03, 18 wickets at 46.61, economy 6.02
* 91 T20I runs at 18.20, Strike Rate 133.82, 5 wickets at 32.80, economy 9.11

Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023 :

* Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield was named the ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year for 2023. Other nominees were Bangladesh’s Marufa Akter, England pacer Lauren Bell and Scotland all-rounder Darcey Carter.


Phoebe Litchfield’s record in 2023 :

* 87 Test runs at 21.75
* 344 ODI runs at 49.14
* 88 T20I runs at 88


Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2023 :

* Bas de Leede of Netherlands was named as the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2023. He was Netherlands’ best player during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier and the ODI World Cup in India.


Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023 :

* Queentor Abel of Kenya was named ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2023. She took 30 T20I wickets at an average of 7.36 and scored 476 T20I runs at 34..

Source : First Post

Correct Answer :   Tai Tzu Ying

An inspired Tai Tzu Ying secured her first women's singles India Open title with a dominating straight-game win over Chen Yu Fei, in Delhi on 21st January 2024, Sunday.

The former world number one from Chinese Taipei, who is set to retire after this season, used her cross-court smashes and delightful drops to completely outplay her Chinese rival 21-16 21-12 in the summit clash which was a rematch of the Tokyo Olympic final.

On that evening, the Chinese had the last laugh but Tai Tzu on Sunday showed why she is revered as one of the greatest players of the game with a masterclass performance at the KD Jadhav Indoor stadium here.

Earlier, Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai claimed the Mixed Doubles title, defeating World No. 5 duo Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin of China 21-16, 21-16 in the final of Super 750 badminton tournament.

Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the 2022 champions, will face reigning world champions Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea in the men's doubles final in the last match of the evening..

Source : Outlook India

Correct Answer :   Ravi Kumar Dahiya

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who missed the entire 2023 international season due to injuries, marked his return with a bronze medal at the Grand Prix De France Henri Deglane  wrestling tournament in Nice, France .

The Indian wrestler won his 61kg freestyle bronze medal bout 10-4 against Kairat Amirtayev of Kazakhstan. Dahiya trailed 2-4 in the first minute but used his experience to clinch the contest * convincingly.

* Dahiya overcame Julien Zinser of Germany in the round of 16 via technical superiority (13-2) followed by a 12-6 win over Zangar Kabylbekov of Kazakhstan in the quarter-final. However, the Indian suffered a 6-3 defeat against Arman Eloyan of France in the semi-final and was pulled into the  bronze medal bout.

* Dahiya last competed on the international stage at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships. He was ruled out of the Asian Championships in April 2023 after he sustained Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries on his right knee in February during practice.

* He aggravated the injury during the national trials in July  for the Asian Games and was forced out of action for the rest of the year. Subsequently, he did not compete at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

* For the upcoming events, Dahiya is expected to come down from 61kg to 57kg weight category. He is likely to compete at the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Kyrgyzstan in  April and the World Olympic Qualifiers in Turkey in May 2024..

Source : The States Man

Correct Answer :   Rohit Sharma

India’s Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most centuries in T20I cricket.

Since his T20I debut against England during a T20 World Cup 2007 clash in Durban, Rohit Sharma has smashed five hundreds in international cricket's shortest format.

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and Suryakumar Yadav of India are second on the list for most centuries in T20I cricket, having slammed four hundreds each in T20 internationals.

The likes of Czech Republic’s Sabawoon Davizi, New Zealand’s Colin Munro and Babar Azam of Pakistan share the third spot for the most centuries in T20I cricket. All three cricketers have recorded three centuries in T20I format.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Waseem, Evin Lewis, George Munsey, Glenn Phillips, Martin Guptill, Aaron Finch, KL Rahul, David Miller, Brendon McCullum, and Chris Gayle have hit two tons in T20Is. Know the cricketers with the most centuries in T20I cricket..

Source : Sports Adda

Correct Answer :   Pat Cummins

The cricketing world witnessed outstanding performances in December 2023, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) duly recognized the brilliance of Australia’s Pat Cummins and India’s Deepti Sharma. In a month that showcased cricketing prowess across formats, Cummins and Sharma stood out, earning the prestigious ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards.

1. Pat Cummins: A Bowling Maestro :

Australia’s skipper, Pat Cummins, capped off a stellar year with the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for December. Cummins played a pivotal role in Australia’s Test series triumph against Pakistan, displaying exceptional leadership and bowling prowess.

* Dominant Test Series Performance : Cummins led from the front in Australia’s Test series victory over Pakistan, contributing significantly to their successful campaign in 2023.

* Inspiring Melbourne Spell : The highlight of Cummins’ month came in the second Test against Pakistan in Melbourne, where he showcased his bowling mastery by taking ten wickets. His crucial five-for in the second innings, including the prized wicket of Mohammed Rizwan, secured a dramatic victory for Australia.

* Accolades and Nominations : Cummins, who played a key role in Australia winning the World Test Championship and the Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023, is now nominated for the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy in the ICC Awards 2023.

2. Deepti Sharma: Multi-Format Brilliance

India’s Deepti Sharma made history by winning her maiden ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for December. Sharma’s exceptional performances across all three formats, especially against England and Australia, earned her this well-deserved recognition.

* T20I and Test Brilliance : Sharma began the month with solid contributions in T20Is against England, setting the stage for a remarkable Test performance. In the Test against England, she scored 67 runs and showcased her bowling prowess with a stunning nine-wicket haul.

* Test Triumph Against Australia : Deepti continued her exceptional run in the Test against Australia, top-scoring with a crucial 78 runs, contributing significantly to India’s eight-wicket victory.

* Consistent ODI Performances : The subsequent ODI matches against Australia witnessed more brilliance from Sharma, including a remarkable five-for in one encounter.

Correct Answer :   Rameshbabu Praggnanand

Chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa made headlines by securing the number one spot among India's chess players following his impressive victory over World champion Ding Liren at the 2024 Tata Steel Chess tournament.

The 18-year-old defeated the reigning champion with the black pieces, and surpassed the legendary Viswanathan Anand to claim the top position in India.

Praggnanandhaa expressed his surprise at the outcome, stating, "I felt I equalized very easily, and then somehow things started to go wrong for him. Even after I won the pawn, I felt it should be holdable."

The young chess sensation, who started playing at the age of 5, emphasized the significance of defeating a world champion, saying, "The first time winning against a world champion in classical chess feels good."

In 2018, Praggnanandhaa became India's youngest Grandmaster and the world's second-youngest at the age of 12. Known for his exceptional skills and achievements, he is the fifth-youngest person ever to attain the title of Grandmaster.

Remarkably, his elder sister, R Vaishali, is also a Grandmaster, making them the world's first-ever brother-sister GM duo.

Meanwhile, in the Masters category of the Tata Steel Chess tournament, Grandmaster Anish Giri emerged as the sole leader heading into the first rest day. Giri's strategic moves and victory over D Gukesh contributed to his commanding position in the tournament..

Source : India Times