The famous ‘BanglaWash’
Surprise. Surprise! Yes you read it right. It's the ‘underdogs’ Bangladesh cricket team which makes a cut in the top teams of 2015. Not very long ago, nobody predicted a Bangladesh win in a match against a Test playing nation. Come 2015, they have proven all critics wrong. In a complete turn around and transformation of events, the Bangla Tigers not just defeated the top cricketing nations, but they have Banglawashed them as well (Banglawash is a term given to a Bangladesh whitewash). The team famously known as the Bangla Tigers reached the quarter finals of the World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand before a controversial end to the mega event against India. Many put their success at the quadrennial event down to luck, but somewhere in their heart but somewhere that doubt had crept in, that belief that this Bangladesh side was capable of turning things around. Earlier Bangladesh only ‘won hearts’ but this past year, they won both hearts and matches. Openers made 100s, the middle order batsmen contributed, bowlers took wickets and the team won the matches. It was no more a one man show to win hearts; it was now a team show to win the matches. After the most successful World Cup campaign in the nation's history, Bangladesh hosted Pakistan, India and South Africa; the three power houses of world cricket. They whitewashed Pakistan and next on the cards were the Indians. The 2011 World Champions avoided a Banglawash but lost the ODI series 1-2. In a three match ODI series, Bangladesh triumphed 2-1. The team's performance in Tests and in away conditions has not been tested, but they look ready to give any side run a run for its money.
Kiwis bring surprise
The Kiwi team surprised one and all by the performance they put up at the 2015 World Cup. The runners up at the mega event sealed its berth in the quarter final without losing a single game. The only game that they lost in the biggest event was the final against neighbours and co-hosts Australia. The best part about New Zealand's World Cup success was it was never a one man show. It was a team effort in which every player played his part. Captain Brendon McCullum, striking at 188 runs per 100 balls in the 2015 World Cup, led the team from the front and gave the team breathtaking starts higher up the order. Martin Guptill, McCullum's opening partner, calmly played the role of a second fiddle while his captain was busy ruining opposition bowler's numbers. When Baz failed, Guptill scored a double hundred. Guptill was the top scorer for the Black Caps with 547 runs, which also was the most in the tournament. When the batting department faltered, the bowlers took the baton in their hands. Trent Boult, who took 22 wickets, found a perfect partner in Tim Southee. Southee holds the record for the best figures in an inning at the 2015 World Cup when he took seven wickets against Sri lanka. The duo was ably supported by spin legend Daniel Vettori. Players on the bench, when got a chance, didn't let the team down as well.
Barca win treble
Only eight European teams have had the distinction of winning the European Cup alongside domestic cup and league competition - termed as a 'treble'. But only one has had the honour of winning the treble twice: FC Barcelona. When they did it in 2008/09 under manager Pep Guardiola, who was leading his former playing side, against Manchester United, many commended their achievement. Fast forward to six years later, they were up against Juventus — another side chasing a treble dream. But after 90 minutes, the Italian side came up short to the Catalans who were impressive throughout. Now under luis Enrique, yet another former player, Barcelona added yet another trophy to their glittering cabinet. This was only weeks after their league triumph ahead of Real Madrid —their bitter rivals — and cup win over Athletic Bilbao. The combination of lionel Messi and Neymar had found a superb 'third' to aid their free-flowing attacking movement in the form of Uruguayan luis Suarez. To add to their splendid 2015, Barcelona wrapped up the year with the Club World Cup title against River Plate in Yokohama, Japan by a margin of 3-0. This was Barca’s third Club World Cup title (2009 and 2011 earlier).
Back to back WC for NZ
All Blacks won the 2015 Rugby World Cup beating arch-rivals Australia 34-17. New Zealand beat France 62-13 in the quarter-final stage, before narrowly edging South Africa 20-18 in the semi-finals. In the 2015 Rugby World Cup dream team, there were seven All Blacks members out of 15 selected. They are the only team to have never lost a pool match at the Rugby World Cup and have made it to the semifinals in 7 out of 8 World Cups — their worst performance was in 2007, when they lost in the quarterfinals. In the World Rugby sevens series, New Zealand topped their Pool but were eventually stunned by USA 12-14 after a late try that was converted after the buzzer. The All Blacks perform the famous haka (a Maori dance) before each match. Two major news rocked the Black Caps this past year. First the death of legendary player Jonah lomu, the giant number 11. He was the youngest ever All Black when he made his debut at the age of 19 years and 45 days. He died on 18th November 2015 and secondly, Richie McCaw brought to an end a glittering career after lifting the World Cup trophy at Twickenham. He captained the side 110 times and won 131 times in his 148 caps.
Merc dominant
Mercedes had one hell of a season where they won 16 races, securing 18 pole positions and 12 one-two finishes before finishing top of the constructors championship. lewis Hamilton claimed 2015 Driver's championship at the USA Grand Prix. This was Mercedes' fourth title overall. They also won their second consecutive Constructor's Championships. The W06 chassis has proven the class of the field, supported by the 1.6-litre V6 power unit, and apart from the Singapore GP where they struggled with grip on the streets of the Marina Bay Circuit, they were the car to beat at every race in 2015. Their raw pace advantage in qualifying allowed them to control races from the front. But they still have some way to go to match Ferrari's reign of superiority between 2000 and 2004 when they won five successive drivers' and constructors' championships, winning 56 out of 82 races. Mercedes ended the season with record 703 points. Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's rivalry continued to thrill fans in 2015. In the 2016 season, Mercedes will sure be the ones to look out for.
GB win Davis Cup
Playing on an uncomfortable and less than preferred clay, Andy Murray ended yet another wait for Great Britain - that of the Davis Cup. Previously he had put to rest two long waits in a Grand Slam by a Briton and then a Briton to win Wimbledon. Both those records belonged to Fred Perry who had won in 1936. This 79-year-long wait for the team title came in Belgium's own backyard, days after Murray had played on the hardcourts of london during the ATP World Tour Finals. On Sunday, as Murray collapsed on the red dirt in Ghent, the team celebrated around him and then hugged him in unision. Britain had beaten Belgium 3-1 with only David Goffin winning his match against Kyle Edmund. In the doubles rubber, the brother duo of Murray and Jamie Murray were taken to four sets but won eventually over Goffin and Steve Darcis. Murray’s fourth rubber win ensured he ended the Davis Cup with eight maximum wins in the year — the third player to do so. The story becomes even more remarkable taking into account Great Britain were almost relegated in 2010.
Aus win fifth World Cup
Australia yet again topped the summit at the cricketing world during the 2015 season. It is not just because of their performance at the World Cup, but throughout the year, Aussies were far above the rest. The Kangaroos had a mixed start to group stage in the World Cup. After beating England in the opener, Australia's next match against Bangladesh was called-off and the Baggy Greens lost the subsequent match against New Zealand to put themselves in a spot of bother. However, Australia overcome the difficult period to win their next six games to clinch the tournament in style. Especially in the knock out stage, Australia breezed past Pakistan with 16 overs left and repeated the same against India in the semifinal. After scoring 328, India was never in the game and lost the match by 95 runs. The Kangaroos had an even more comfortable outing against New Zealand in the final. Earlier in the year, Australia started off brilliantly by winning the tri-series involving India and England. They end the year on a high by winning the ODI series in England 3-2. They also scored their second highest ODI score by putting 417 against Afghanistan in the World Cup. Overall Australia played 19 matches in the calendar year and won 15 and lost three. But, the Baggy Greens had a mixed year in Tests. Of the 13 played, Australia won seven Tests and lost three. Notably the big one was the Ashes as they lost 3-1. In the experimental day/night Test, Australia beat New Zealand and won the series 2-0.
Mirza-Hingis win nine titles
Sania Mirza scaled to new heights in 2015 when she partnered Swiss-woman Martina Hingis. The duo won nine titles together in a little over six months while Mirza finished the year with ten titles in her bag. Deservedly after such a year, Mirza finished as top of the doubles ranking. After ending her partnership with Hsieh Su-Wei, Mirza joined forces with Hingis and the combination won Indian Wells, Miami and Family Circle Cup (Charleston) on the trot to help the Indian climb atop the WTA Doubles Rankings. Up next came the big ones in Wimbledon and US Open. On the hardcourts, they lost in the finals of Toronto and Cincinnati but won later in Guangzhou, Wuhan and Beijing before rounding off in style at WTA Finals in Singapore. Sania had won this title last year too but with Cara Black who had retired at the end of the 2014 season. The pair ended 2015 with a 22-match winning streak.