India's Sports Round Up For 2014

After being trumped 3-1 in the Test series by England, India turned the tables around in the ODI series, beating the home team with a comprehensive margin of 3-1 to accomplish their first series triumph on English soil in 24 years.

Kolkata Knight Riders, a team that looked down and out at the start of the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League gradually picked up its game and eventually won the event by chasing down a stiff target of 200 against Kings XI Punjab in the final. No.3 Manish Pandey was the architect of their victory as the talented right-hander scored a brilliant 94 off 50 balls to take Kolkata home with three balls to spare.

Indian hockey team created history in Incheon when they beat Pakistan in a nail-biting final to clinch gold at the 17th Asian Games. A spirited India overcame their arch-rivals in what was a gripping final that ended in a 4-2 victory for India in a penalty shoot-out. The triumph gave India their first gold medal in the quadrennial event after 16 years and a direct ticket to the Rio Olympics in 2016.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) banned boxer Sarita Devi for a year for her refusal to accept the bronze medal at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon. Sarita had lost the 60-kg category semifinal bout to Ji-Na Park of South Korea in controversial circumstances despite dominating from start to finish. Sarita protested the verdict and refused to accept the medal and instead handed it over to Park.

Mary Kom added another feather to her great career as the former five-time World champion and London Olympic bronze medallist defeated Zhaina Shekerbekova of Kazakhstan in the women's flyweight (48-51 kg) division to win her first gold at the Asian Games.

Sania Mirza couldn't have asked for more - the Hyderabadi had a stupendous 2014 as not only she won the US Open mixed doubles crown with Bruno Soares of Brazil, but also clinched the Asian Games gold in the mixed doubles category with country-mate Saketh Myneni and then capped off the year in style by securing the women's doubles title at the WTA Championships in Singapore.

The god of tennis Roger Federer and the current World No.1 Novak Djokovic finally descended on Delhi and mesmerized the Indian fans with their artistic, effortless and elegant stroke-play during the third leg of the International Premier Tennis League. The public was extremely happy to see the two great champions on Indian soil and showered them with love and affection throughout the two days of their stay in the capital.

Atletico de Kolkata, the Sourav Ganguly co-owned side won the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League by beating Sachin Tendulkar's Kerala Blasters 1-0 in the final at Mumbai's D.Y. Patil Stadium in late December. Substitute Mohammad Rafique was the hero of the match as he scored in the final minutes of stoppage time to give Atletico a memorable and deserving victory.