Atletico de Kolkata won Indian Super League 2016

Atletico de Kolkata claimed their second Indian Super League title in three years after bettering Kerala Blasters 4-3 (1-1) on penalty shootout in a lack-lustre final. The match was tied in 1-1 at the break and after 90 minutes of regulation time. Mohammed Rafi put the hosts ahead in the 37^th minute and Henrique Sereno Fonseca equalized seven minutes later at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium.

Jewel Raja turned out to be the jewel in ATK's crown, calmly dispatching the last penalty, after Sameehg Doutie, Borja Fernandez and Javi Lara all converted their spot kicks. Only Iain Hume's shot was blocked by Kerala custodian Graham Stack. The home team took first strike in the shootout. Antonio German, Kervens Belfort and Mohammed Rafique scored while Elhadji Ndoye blasted over from 18 yards and Cedric Hengbart's shot was acrobatically saved by ATK goalkeeper Debjit Majumder.

ATK also defeated Kerala in the final of the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2014. The match received an early dose of pace with chances created at both ends, but poor technique coupled with signs of nervousness, prevented the two team's premier forwards from capitalizing on the opportunity. Kerala forward Kervens Belfort outran India international Pritam Kotal and found the in-form CK Vineeth free on the left, who undid the good work with poor technique. The ball was quickly hurled towards ATK's star striker Iain Hume, who peeled away from his marker but was equally wayward in controlling the ball.

Eight teams, 60 matches, more than two months of football has finally come down to two teams playing one last match this year to go for the title itself. Atletico de Kolkata and Kerala Blasters have both gone wayward on multiple occasions this season. But they have pushed forward with sheer determination and now have the title within touching distance.

MotoGP 2016: Grand Prix of Spain

All Weekend the leading three were in a league of their own. Rossi, Lorenzo, and Marquez had filled the top three spots of almost every practice session and lined up next to each other on the front row of the grid. The three biggest names in MotoGP were alongside each other once more and everything in practice had indicated that there was almost nothing to choose between them.

As is typical of the Spanish GP, the grid was packed with mechanics, guests and officials but the riders did their best to block it out and run through their race plans. With all three on the same hard front and medium rear tyres, managing tyre life could very well decide the race but those concerns would came later. Race can’t be won in the first corner, but they can certainly be lost.

Across the line they went as the second lap began as the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP pair stretched their lead. Marquez attacked Pedrosa into Turn 6, running wide as his line was blocked. Through Turn 9 Lorenzo launched a similar attack on Rossi, the Italian holding off his teammate as the Hondas clawed back the gap with Marquez now in third.

After a terrible start to the race, lannone set about making up for lost time and quickly got past Pol Espargaro and ran away with seventh place. This would be one of the last battles of the race as the field stretched out, only a handful of riders within a second of each other. For the 113^th time in his career and the 87^th time in the premier class, Valentino Rossi pulled a wheelie across the line to celebrate victory. Behind him Jorge Lorenzo took his 100^th premier class podium finish and Marquez was able to keep the lead of the championship, his lead reduced slightly to 17 points.

West Indies won T20 World Cup 2016

A Brilliant knock from Carlos Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels gave West Indies their second World T20 Champion title in Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Carlos hit four sixes in last over in four balls to win the title. This year Under 19 World Cup Trophy, Women T20 World Cup Trophy and Men T20 World Cup Trophy are lifted by West Indies Team.

So far, in World Cup West Indies lost only one match to Afghanistan in Super 10 round. They beat England twice including Final match, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India in Semi-Final. England was in game till 19^th over and set a target of 19 runs in last over. Ben stokes went for the final over and Carlos Brathwaite smashes four sixes in four balls to clinch the title and created history.

Virat Kohli was the top scorer in the World Cup with 273 runs in five matches in knockout rounds. Marlon Samuels was awarded Man of the Match award for his brilliant knock in Final. Samuels walked to the crease in the second over of the chase, when England had surprised West Indies by using Joe Root with the new ball, and he duly claimed Johnson Charles and Chris Gayle in his first over.

Virat Kohli won the Man of the tournament award in 2016 World T20 Final. He scored 273 runs at an average of 137. This was the sixth edition of the tournament. Next T20 World Cup will be hosted by Australia in 2020. 

Punjab Warriors clinch HIL Title

Jaypee Punjab Warriors were today crowned Hockey India League champions as they clinched their maiden title after thrashing Kalinga Lancers 6-1 in a lop-sided summit clash here today. The Punjab based side was third time lucky as they had finished runners-up in the last two editions. They lost to Delhi Waveriders in 2014 and to Ranchi Rays Last year.

The Warriors, who had finished second in the round robin league phase, totally dominated the final match of the fourth edition of the tournament at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium. They lead 2-1 at the end of the second quarter but pumped in the two field strikes with each field goal counting as two in the final two quarters to take the game away from the reach of Kalinga Lancers.

Armaan Qureshi (4^th Minute), Matt Gohdes (39^th) and Satbir Singh (42^nd) found the target for Punjab Warriors while Captain Mortiz Fuerste scored the consolation goal for Kalinga Lancers in the 24^th minute. The Warriors forward line was too good to handle for the Lancers who had to defend their citadel for most part of the final two quarters. The match started on an attacking note as Kalinga Lancers were straightaway put under pressure by a series of attacks from Jaypee Punjab Warriors.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Waveriders got the better of defending champions Ranchi Rays 2-0 in the bronze medal play off match to finish third. The Warriors walked away with a winner’s cheque of Rs 2.50 crore along with the winner’s trophy. Kalinga Lancers pocketed a cheque of Rs 1.25 crore for finishing as runners up. The player of the tournament Award of Rs 50 lakh was awarded to Rupinder Pal Singh of Delhi Waveriders.

Mark Knowles of the Warriors walked away with the Man of the Match Award, which carried Rs 50,000. The goal of the match award of Rs 50,000 was awarded to Armaan Qureshi of the Warriors. The Emerging player of the Award of Rs 25,000 was awarded also to Armaan Qureshi. The Dhruv Batra Maximum Goals award of Rs 20 Lakh was awarded to Kalinga Lancers Glenn Turner. The Ponty Chadha Upcoming Player of the Tournament award of Rs 20 Lakh went to Sumit of Ranchi Rays.

ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup 2016

The West Indies Team with some brilliant batting after a quick succession of wickets swept the Indian team aside to win their first ever ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup final by five wickets in Mirpur (Bangladesh). Earlier, the Indian batsmen faltered when it mattered most as the three-time champions were bowled out for 145 by the West Indies.

The same batsmen, who helped India stay unbeaten earlier in the competition, failed to apply themselves in the big game after they were put in to bat by the West Indies on a green top and were sent packing in 45.1 overs. Sarfaraz Khan was the lone exception as he saved India the embarrassment of being bowled out for a sub-100 total with a fifth fifty plus score in six innings, also making him only one to score most half centuries in the history of tournament.

While the Indian batting flattered to deceive, the West Indies bowlers did well to exploit the conditions. Joseph ran through top order before Ryan John landed crucial blows for his team. Chema Holder kept things tight to maintain pressure on the Indian batsmen conceding only 20 runs in 10 overs with a timely wicket.

India had won U-19 Cricket World Cup three times in past. KU Party was awarded as the Man of the Match and Mehedi Hasan Miraz from Bangladesh was awarded as the Man of the series. Next World Cup tournament will held in 2018 in New Zealand.

Big Bash League 2016

The fifth BBL final was a tale of two innings and two collapses. Kevin Peterson who is in marvelous form scored 74 before Usman Khawaja who is in simply superhuman touch, made 70 which as wickets tumbled proved enough to hand Sydney Thunder their first title. Thunder had never finished outside the bottom two for the first four sessions and 2015-16 has been a topsy turvy one too.

They lost four consecutive games after winning their first three and only crept into the finals when their fate was beyond their control. Thunder have won only 11 out of 41 matches since the Big Bash inception and Hussey has been at the helm of nine of them, including a final on the same day Thunder won the inaugural Women BBL too. In final game, Hussey was given a guard of honor by Stars led by their captain, David Hussey.

Stars were 50 for 2 in seven overs when the other opener Luke Wright fell, but Pieterson was unperturbed. In Peter Handscomb and David Hussey, Pieterson found a pair of willing assistants to run hard and exploit the MCG vast expenses. But when Kallis bowled Hussey with a magnificent Yorker, it sparked a collapse as Stars lost six wickets for 45 runs.

In response, Khawaja ends the BBL with 345 runs in four innings, three of which were genuinely match winning. In last Ben Rohrer flicked to leg for two, and drove down the ground for six to win the game. Usman Khawaja was named Man of the Match and Chris Lynn was named as Man of the Series.