As 2019 marks its arrival, PIONEER SPORT brings you a list of major sports events to look out for in the new year
In the cricket’s biggest showdown of 2019, England and Wales will host the 12th edition of ICC world cup from 30th May to July 14 in 11 different venues.
This is going to be the fifth occasion when England will host the mega event, after previously conducting in 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1999.
This year the edition will be played according to round robin format where all the ten participating nations will face each other once in a single group. This will be the first time since 1992 World cup in Australia and New Zealand that the cricket’s biggest carnival will be played in this format.
After 45 games of excitement in round-robin, the top four teams will then advance to the knockout stage and will compete for the title.
However, this time the tourney has received wide criticism due to lack of associate team in the tournament. Also after the increase of Ireland and Afghanistan in Test cricket in July 2017, it will be the first World Cup to be contested without all Test playing nations being present and no associate team at all.
However despite all that, the tournament will the biggest gala event at least for the subcontinent audiences as five teams including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will battle for the glory.
Going by the current form of the players, World Cup hosts England will the biggest contender for the title. The side has transformed completely under Eoin Morgan leadership after poor humiliating first round defeat in Australia and New Zealand four years ago.
In 2018, England’s dominance in ODI cricket was such that the side won five of the six bilateral series they played. Of those five, two triumphs came against defending world champions Australia, who they first thrashed 4-1 in Australia and then on the return trip at home, they whitewashed Kangaroo’s 5-0.
In the third ODI of that series in June, playing at Nottingham and riding on Jonny Bairstow’s 139 and Alex Hales’ 147, the side posted record 481 runs on the board, which is also the highest team total in One Day matches.
Also they beat India 2-1 in the three match series in England and won against New Zealand and Sri Lanka on away tours
However, the only disappoint was in the game against Scotland, where they lost by 6 runs.
Going by the current form and considering the home advantage England are the favourites for the glory this time but their inability to win at crunch situations and drought of ICC titles is something that the hosts need to come up strong.
INDIA
Virat Kohli’s record breaking run in international cricket achieved new heights in 2018, the skipper performed consistently well in all the three formats and compile bulk of runs to emerge as the highet run scorer of the year.
Under his leadership, for the first time, India won ODI series in South Africa and also emerged victorious against West Indies at home. While his deputy Rohit Sharma leads the sides win in Asia Cup with ease.
India’s batting looks strong with top three Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli all among runs. While Ambati Rayudu’s step up to bat responsibly at number four has reduced team management worries.
MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya provide depth and stability to the batting unit while the lethal duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah along with Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal adds to India’s strong bowling strength.
Now with only 13 games to play before the World Cup and squad almost final, India need to maintain consistency and avoid injury to key members.
This will also be the final World Cup appearance for MS Dhoni and the veteran wicketkeeper batsman will eye to win another World Cup for India.
However, the point to ponder for India is the side’s poor record in English soil in recent years, the side hasn’t got much success in English soil after 2013 ICC Champions Trophy win and Kohli’s men even failed to defend the CT title in 2017, when they lost against Pakistan by 178 runs.
AUSTRALIA
Since after the ball tampering scandal in March 2018, Australian cricket suffered a massive jolt. Once ‘Invincibles’ Aussies lost series against England in June, when they travelled for participating in the five-match series. And then failure against Pakistan and South Africa raised questions about its ability to win matches.
But by the time World Cup will start, the five-time champions will be boosted by the return of Steve Smith and David Warner. And it’s going to be a massive mistake for any side to take Australia lightly in the tourney.
Apart from India, England and Australia, 2017 Champions trophy winner Pakistan, last edition finalist New Zealand and South Africa will the other major contenders for the title.
While Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in addition with T20 world champions West Indies, which make into the World Cup finals after playing qualifiers along with Afghanistan will be also aiming for some impressive show.
Continental supremacy
In the first week of 2019, Sunil Chhetri will lead the Indian contingent to participate in the AFC Asian Cup.
This will be the fourth time India will feature in the continent’s biggest football event. It’s first after playing in Qatar eight years back.
In the 2011 edition, India lost all three games against Australia (4-0), Bahrain (5-2) and South Korea (4-1) to crash out of the tournament without a single point.
India registered its best ever finish in the tournament in its maiden appearance where the side went on to finish as runners up.
Placed in group A along with hosts UAE, Thailand and Bahrain. India will open its campaign against Thailand on 6th January followed by game against hosts UAE on 10th and final one against Bahrain on 14th January.
India’s primary goal at the start will be to advance into the second round, which they have failed to do so in past 34 years.
Stephen Constantine has named a young Indian side for the tournament with experienced Sunil Chhetri leading them from the front.
More punches to come
After rich medal winning performances in Commonwealth Games and Asiad, Indian boxers would aim to take the fine form in 2019 as well. With Sochi hosting the AIBA men’s boxing world championship from September 7 to 21, male pugilists have a great chance to show their caliber at the world stage one more time before the Tokyo Olympics.
Asian Games champion Amit Phangal, Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Gaurav Solanki, Naman Tanwar and Manish Kaushik will be eyeing for more achievements added to their name.
While the women’s championship will take place in Turkey in October, where Simranjit Kaur, Sonia Chahal, Manisha Moun, Lovlina and Pinky Jangra will also look to give their best and finish on podium.
In 2018 championship that took place in India, Mary won her record sixth World title, while Sonia settled with Silver after losing in summit clash match.
Also Lovlina and Simranjit bagged Bronze each after loss in seminfinal bout.
Copa Glory
Despite of the star studded squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia the failure of not being able to win the title will be in Brazil’s mind when the five-times world champion will host the Copa America cup in Brazil from June 14 to July 7.
With two of world’s top three most expensive players, Neymar and Philippe Coutinho, Selecao was sent packing in quarters by Belgium after Fernandinhio’s own goal and Kevin de Bruyune’s strike in the first half crashed its dream of winning the elite football title for the record sixth time.
The side will aim to remove that embarrassment by winning the South American glory, which for the first time will also feature Japan and Qatar (both of them outside South American continent.) While runners up in last two editions of the tourney, Argentina and its superstar Lionel Messi will also be hoping to break the final jinx this time. Also both Neymar and Messi will also be looking to challenge for football awards, as a successful outing with the national side and glory with their clubs and boost up their chances of winning individual awards as well.
Apart from these two sides, record 15 times champion Uruguay, two time defending champion Chile will be other major contenders for the title.
OTHER SPORTS
While in other major sporting events, Budapest will host the World Table Tennis championship from 21st April to 28th. After India’s record breaking performance in Asiad and CWG, where Manika Batra and Achanta Sharath Kamal performed way above what was expected and yield medals for the first time in Table tennis. India will look upto them again as another out of the box performance from them on a given day can turn fortunes.
Also in Artistic World Championship of gymnastics, at Stuttgart in Germany, Dipa Karmarkar will lead India’s challenge. The event will take place in Oct from 4th to 13th.
In athletics, Doha will host the IAAF World Championship from September 28t to October 6th.