Current Affairs February 2016 - Sports

News 1 - Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi wins MRF Challenge.

Brazilian racing driver, Pietro Fittipaldi topped the 2015 MRF International Challenge series, the fourth edition of this event, held at Madras Motor Racing Track in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2016.

Fittipaldi is the 17-year old grandson of former Formula One World champion Emerson Fittipaldi. He won a pair of the total four races and collected 244 points to win this challenge.

News 2 - Novak Djokovic (men’s) Angelique Kerber (women’s) winners of 2016 Australian Open.

German female tennis ace, Angelique Kerber won the women's singles title in the 2016 Australian Open final on January 30^th. She defeated Serena Williams 6-4 3-6 6-4. This is Kerber's first grand slam title.

In the men’s competition, Serbian player Novak Djokovic won the title for the sixth time, equaling Roy Emerson's record. Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 to claim his 11th grand slam.

News 3 - Kidambi Srikanth wins the Syed Modi International badminton Title.

Kidambi Srikanth won his first Syed Modi International Badminton Championship on January 31, 2016. He beat China's Huang Yuxiang 21-13, 14-21, 21-14 in the final held at Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium, Lucknow. Srikanth has won the Thailand Grand Prix Gold, Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold and India Super Series and China Super Series premier previously.

South Korean Sung Ji Hyun was the women’s singles title winner. The championship prize money includes $ 120,000.

News 4 - Aditya Mehta wins the 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship.

Aditya Mehta won the 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship held in Indore. He defeated Manan Chandra 6-3 in the final of the National Billiards & Snooker Championship 2016 on 31 January.

Vidya Pillai won the National Snooker Championship in the women’s category by defeating Amee Kamani 4-2.

News 5 - Kohli Replaces Finch as No 1 Batsman in T20 Internationals.

Virat Kohli was named the top ranked batsman in the T20 format on February 06, 2016. He replaced Aaron Finch in the ICC list for the shortest format of cricket. Kohli had scores of 90 not out, 59 not out and 50 in the three-match series, which brought 47 rating points to take Kohli ahead of Finch with 892 points to Kohli’s credit. The latest rankings also show India to be No.1 T20 team in the world.

News 6 - 12th South Asian Games inaugurated in Guwahati.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 12th South Asian Games 2016 on February 05, 2016 at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Guwahati, Assam. The South Asian Games are focused on 3-Ts of Teamwork, Togetherness and Talent.

There are 8 participating nationsin the game that are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.

News 7 - Sapna Devi bags gold in 12th Asian Games' women's Wushu Taolu competition.

On February 07, 2016 in the 12th Asian Games held at the Rising Sun Sports Complex in Assam, India's Sapna Devi won a gold medal in the women's Wushu Taolu (Changquan) competition. Sapna scored the best 9.45 points to win the gold. Nepal's Susmita Tamang won the silver scoring 8.72 and Pakistan's Nazia Parvaiz bagged the bronze scoring 6.30 points.

News 8 - Australian team wins three-match women’s ODI series against India.

On February 07, 2016, he Australian women's cricket team emerged victorious in the three-match ODI series against India by 2-1. The first two matches were won by Australia but India somehow managed to clinch a victory in the third one day international. The Indian team collected a five-wicket victory in the third and last match so as not to suffer a complete whitewash.

News 9 - Chinappa Wins Gold in Squash in 12^th South Asian Games.

On February 08, 2016, India’s ace squash player Joshna Chinappa won the gold medal in the women’s individual category at the 12th South Asian Games (SAG). India has topped the medal charts due to exemplary performance of its athletes in the event that is held in Guwahati for the first time. Pakistan’s Maria Wazir was defeated by Joshna 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7.

News 10 - The New Zealand cricket team wins Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.

New Zealand cricket team won the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy of cricket against Australia, 2-1 on February 08, 2016. The trophy is an important event in the region due to the subdued potential conflicts between the nations. To clinch the title, in the third and final match played at Seddon Park, Hamilton, NZ defeated Australia by 55 runs. The NZ team was led by Brendon McCullum.

News 11 - New Zealand cricketer Brendon Barrie McCullum retired from One-Day Internationals.

Brendon Barrie McCullum of New Zealand on February 08, 2016 retired from One-Day Internationals (ODIs). However, He had announced about his retirement on 22 December 2015.

In his debut ODI, he was a 20-year-old batsman in 2001 against Australia at Sydney. Brendon played the last match against the same side in 2016. He was considered a very good batsman and a renowned captain for the Kiwi’s team.

News 12 - Lord's to Host Women's World Cup Final in 2017.

Lord's is going to host the Women's World Cup Cricket in 2017, the ICC has announced on February 08, 2016. The fixtures have been allocated to Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and Somerset during the tournament that takes place between June 26 and July 23. Eight teams will participate in the single-league format, where each team will be playing with the other at least once.

The top four will qualify to the semi-finals. The winners of semifinals will play in the final at Lord's on July 23.

News 13 - Quinton de Kock becomes the youngest player to score 10 ODI centuries.

South Africa's Quinton de Kock on February 10, 2016 became the youngest player to have 10 One Day International cricket centuries. He broke the record of Indian cricketer Virat Kohli in the third ODI against England in Centurion. De Kock's age was 23 years and 54 days when he scored the 10th century. Kock has been under consideration for the most promising young player as well.

News 14 - Kavita Raut Clinches Gold in the South Asian Games Marathon.

India’s long distance runner, Kavita Raut clinches gold in the marathon of the South Asian Games on February 12, 2016. The games were held in Guwahati for the first time. The 30-year old Raut easily clinched the marathon gold in 2 hours 38 minutes and 38 seconds. She has also been nominated as the 4th Indian woman to have qualified for Rio Games women’s marathon.

News 15 - Mirza, Hingis win St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.

On February 14, 2016, in St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis bagged their 13th women's double titles. The duo is one of the top seed pairs in the doubles version of the game. The Indo-Swiss pair defeated Czech-Russian pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Vera Dushevina 6-3, 6-1 in the finals that lasted for an hour. The Mirza-Hingis pair clinched an easy victory overall.

News 16 - West Indies Beat India in the Under 19 World Cup.

The West Indies won the Under-19 World Cup final on February 13, 2016 for the first time in their history after beating India by five wickets in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Put in to bat by the Caribbean’s, who won the toss, the script went completely out of control for the Indians. The Indian team was dismissed for 145 in 45.1 overs. Sarfaraz Khan’s 89-ball 51 was the only noteworthy contribution. In reply, the West Indies went on to overhaul the score in 49.3 overs.

News 17 - India tops the medal charts at the 12^th South Asian Games.

The 12^th South Asian Games recently concluded in Guwahati, Assam. India topped the medal count with a total of 308 medals - 88 gold, 99 silver and 30 bronze. On February 17, 2016, the last day of the event, female Indian boxers – M.C. Mary Kom (51kg), former world champion L. Sarita Devi (60kg) and Pooja Rani (75kg) – won gold in their respective categories.

News 18 - Brendon McCullum scores fastest test century.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum scored the fastest Test century on February 20, 2016. The New Zealand captain was playing his 101st and final Test, where he reached his 12th Test century from just 54 balls. McCullum was out at 145 when Nathan Lyon took a stunning catch in the deep to dismiss a 179-run partnership with Anderson.

News 19 - Punjab Warriors Win 2016 Hockey India League.

The Jaypee Punjab Warriors has won the fourth Coal India Hockey India League (HIL) title 2016 on February 21. The Jaypee Punjab Warriors clinched their Hockey India League (HIL) title at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Ranchi. The Chandigarh-based outfit beat Kalinga Lancers 6-1. Armaan Qureshi, Matt Gohdes and Satbir Singh scored a field goal each for the Warriors. The unique fact of the tournament was that each field goal counted for two.

News 20 - Dnipro FC Wins 2016 Nagjee International Club Football Tournament.

Ukraine’s Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk Football Club has won the Sait Nagjee International Club Football Tournament of 2016 on February 21, 2016 in Kozhikode. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk FC defeated Brazilian FC Atletico Paranaense by 3-0 goals.

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, being victorious, became the first European team to win this prestigious Football tournament held in India. The final was played at the EMS Corporation stadium at Kozhikode (Kerala), Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk FC defeated Atletico Paranaense FC of Brazil.

News 21 - The Asia Cup cricket tournament begins in Bangladesh.

The 2016 Asia Cup is a Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tournament began in Bangladesh. It was played from February 24 to 6 March 2016. It is the 13th edition of the Asia Cup, the fifth to be held in Bangladesh, and the first to be played using the T20 format. This tournament will be followed closely by the T20 World Cup, which will be hosted by India. The tournament will be a matter of much interest for the Asian cricket-loving community.

News 22 - Rohit Sharma named the Global Ambassador of Nissan.

Japanese Carmaker Nissan on February 24, 2016 named Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma as their new global ambassador. Rohit Sharma is an ace batsman in the Indian team and is known for superb performances, especially in tests and one day internationals.

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell and New Zealand women's team captain Suzie Bates are also recruited in same designations. The stint is backed monetarily.

News 23 - Long Distance Runner Lalita Babar Named as the Sports Person of the Year.

Lalita Babar was named as the Sports Person of the Year in the India Sports Awards 2015 in a ceremony on February 22, 2016. The Indian Sports Awards were offered at the conclusion of day one of ‘Turf 2015-16’, organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) with the support of the Sports Ministry. Babar qualified for Rio Olympics recently in the 3000m steeplechase event. She is also the current Indian national record holder.

News 24 - Mumbai won Ranji Trophy for the 41st time.

Mumbai on February 26, 2016 won the Ranji Trophy with an innings and 21 run victory over Saurashtra. It won the trophy for the first time in three seasons.

Mumbai has won 41 titles in 45 finals with 10 of them being an innings victory. Mumbai is already reckoned as the capital of cricket in India and this victory will make it subtler.