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Yearender 2022: From the T20 World Cup to the FIFA World Cup, best stories from the past year

 

With 2022 on its way out and 2023 knocking on the doors, the world of sports had a rather memorable year. From the T20 World Cup to the FIFA World Cup as well as the Commonwealth Games, here are some of Indian Express’s best sports stories from the last year.

FIFA World Cup: Messi has final chance to complete Argentina’s holy trinity with Kempes and Maradona

Mario Kempes celebrates scoring a goal in the 1978 final, Diego Maradona lifts the World Cup trophy after the 1986 final and Lionel Messi after Argentina’s semifinal win against Croatia at Qatar 2022. (FIFA on Twitter/AP)

Lionel Messi: The king without the crown; an apt summation of his international career. Fitting that the man who thus described Messi was Mario Kempes, Argentina’s original No. 10, the force behind their first World Cup title. For Kempes, the king with the crown was always Diego Maradona, though he had his differences with him in later years. Kempes, perhaps, was the king who never wore the crown. He would often joke “I was more famous for my hair than the goals.” His long, lazy locks were envied and coveted, allied with his debonair good looks. He was a hero, though never a cult hero, more of an aloof hero, his fame never soaring to the reaches of outer space like Messi or Maradona.

-Sandip G

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/fifa-world-cup-messi-has-final-chance-to-complete-argentinas-holy-trinity-with-kempes-and-maradona-8330134/

FIFA World Cup: Morocco’s resilience sends Spain’s possession kings home

Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty in a shootout at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Morocco and Spain, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Watching his Panenka trickle into the centre of the goal, Achraf Hakimi turned back, almost broke into a dance step, then froze, perhaps in a sudden surge of emotion. His teammates, their arms spread out to embrace him, rushed onto him. Hakimi, as if teasing them, tore away into the direction of Yassine Bounou, the goalkeeper they fondly call Bono, the rockstar of the night who made a brace of saves in the shootout, off Sergio Busquets and Carlos Soler, the second and third attempts of Spain. Their first shot, by Pablo Sarabia, had rebounded off the post, as Morocco beat Spain 3-0 in the tie-breaker after the game ended goalless after 120 minutes.

–Sandip G

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/morocco-knocks-out-spain-on-penalties-8309851/

Stadium is emptied, athletes told to leave so that IAS officer can walk with dog

The IAS officer at Thyagraj stadium in Delhi. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

Over the past few months, athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium have been complaining about being forced to wrap training earlier than usual, by 7 pm. The reason, according to them, is this: Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar walks his dog at the facility about half-an-hour later.

-Andrew Amsan

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/delhi-thyagraj-stadium-is-emptied-athletes-told-to-leave-so-that-ias-officer-can-walk-with-dog-7936450/

Express Investigation: Qatar World Cup kicks off in a month, spare a thought for these men

No compensation, say families of Indians who died in Qatar working on projects linked to FIFA World Cup.

In the shadow of the Al Bayt Stadium will be the stories of those migrant workers from India who poured into the Gulf state to turn this unlikely desert destination into a global football hub and returned home to their families in villages from Bihar to Punjab and Telangana — in coffins. Over eight months, The Indian Express investigated official records, interviewed job agents, migrant welfare activists and local officials across the country, and filed Right to Information applications to track down the families of migrant workers who died in Qatar while working on projects or in jobs linked to the World Cup.

–Mihir Vasavda

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/express-exclusive/qatar-world-cup-kicks-off-in-a-month-spare-a-thought-for-these-men-indian-workers-dead-8219599/

Wanted to prove not just Kenyans and Ethiopians, an Indian can win in steeplechase too: Avinash Sable after historic silver

Abraham Kibiwot, of Kenya, right, leads Avinash Mukund Sable, left, of India in the men’s 3000 meters steeplechase final during the athletics in the Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. (AP/PTI)

The gushing praise for the rising star of Avinash Sable came from Kenya’s Olympic and two-time world champion Conseslus Kipruto, the first of two from the long-distance superpower that the Indian audaciously left behind while claiming a historic Commonwealth Games silver in the 3,000m steeplechase.

– Shivani Naik

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/commonwealth-games/wanted-to-prove-not-just-kenyans-and-ethiopians-an-indian-can-win-in-steeplechase-too-avinash-sable-after-historic-silver-8075236/

Meet new BCCI president Roger Binny: Railway guard’s son, World Cup winner, dog-rescuer, loves fishing but doesn’t rock the boat

As replacement to the incumbent president Sourav Ganguly, Binny may have to resort to more than diplomacy to put his point across. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)

When Roger Binny was in his early 20s, Hemu Adhikari, the former all-rounder turned coach, spotted a peculiarity in the young medium pacer’s bowling action during a summer camp in Mumbai. In his pre-delivery stride, Binny’s non-landing foot pointed backwards – a habit from his javelin throwing days. Old school army man Adhikari tried his best to reposition the foot. He first tapped Binny’s ankle, later even tied bamboo strips. But nothing worked.

– Nihal Koshie

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/meet-new-bcci-president-roger-binny-railway-guards-son-world-cup-winner-dog-rescuer-loves-fishing-but-doesnt-rock-the-boat-8215423/

Shahbaz Ahmed’s strict father still can’t believe the Team India debutant dropped out of engineering to play cricket

Shahbaz Ahmed with his parents. (Special arrangement)

When one goes to Hathin and asks for Shahbaz Ahmed’s house to any of the town folk, the reply comes, “wo RCB ka cricketer na, dusra talla bahut mast ban raha, aapko duur se hi nazar aa jaayega (That RCB cricketer no, his house’s second floor is quite amazing, you’ll notice it from a distance).” There is nothing fancy about the house but the kids playing on the streets take inspiration from Shahbaz’s house. Because it gives them inspiration that if Shahbaz, who learned the basics of his cricket on these streets and went on to play for India, one day they can also do it.

– Pratyush Raj

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/shahbaz-ahmed-team-india-family-bio-story-8199138/

Moosewala’s cricket connection: Sarfraz Khan’s inspiration

Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan celebrates after scoring his century during the second day of the Ranji trophy final cricket match between Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru. (PTI)

An emotional Sarfaraz Khan struggled to hold his tears after his hundred when suddenly he roared, slapped his thigh and lifted his index finger to the skies. The tears were for his father, the GodFather in his life; the thigh-pump was for the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. It’s as if Sarfraz had invoked the famous Moosewala song called 295, whose lyrics runs thus: “Bhavein Aukhi Hoyi Ae Crowd Tere Te/ Bolde Ne Aivein Saale Loud Tere Te/ Par Ik Gall Rakhi Yaad Puttra/ Aaha Bapu Tera Bada Aa Proud Tere Te”

–Devendra Pandey

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/tears-for-father-thigh-slap-for-the-singer-sidhu-moosewala-7987334/

India-Pakistan border blurs in Kartarpur as Bishan Singh Bedi and Intikhab Alam catch up over some jazz

“When the saints go marching in…” The jazz of Louis Armstrong floats in Kartarpur on the Ravi river’s west bank outside Lahore. A great Indian Sikh spinner, a respected Pakistani Muslim captain and a legendary African-American musician, who also sang gospel songs, have found a way to mingle at the fabled shrine.“I could see tears welling up in his eyes when I sang that song,” Intikhab Alam says over the phone about meeting his old friend Bishan Singh Bedi at Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara. “We both go a long way and that song, too, plays a role in it. In fact, we all cried when we met.”

– Sandeep Dwivedi, Sriram Veera

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/borders-blur-in-kartarpur-as-bedi-intikhab-catch-up-over-some-jazz-8192135/

Big hits alone wouldn’t decide this T20 World Cup; Sachin Tendulkar details the science of running between wickets in Australia

Sachin Tendulkar presents a manual on how to cover the 22 yards. (Express Photo/Illustration)

There is one question that many ask me: why didn’t I prefer a runner to run for me? Why was it that over a 24-year career, I just used it once, in a World Cup game against Pakistan when Virender Sehwag ran for me? The answer is linked to a cricketing myth or tradition that I don’t agree with. It’s said that it’s the striker’s call when the ball is in front of the stumps and the non-striker’s call when the ball rolls behind the popping crease. I certainly don’t agree.

–Sachin Tendulkar

Full Story: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/t20-world-cup-sachin-tendulkar-details-the-science-of-running-between-wickets-in-australia-8219808/