SPORTS INDIA AND WORLD World Cup Cricket History The idea of organising a World Cup of cricket was mooted and agreed to in principle in 1971 when such a proposal was discussed at a meeting of the International Cricket Conference in London. However, due to various commitments the tournaments could not be staged until 1975 when the original plan of a South African team's visit to England fell through following opposition to the country's racial policy. England's Prudential Assurance Company came forward with sponsorship and for three consecutive years - 1975, 1979 and 1983, the one-day limited overs cricket tournament was held in England. It became famous as the Prudential Cup. In the first two tournaments, apart from the six full members of the International Cricket Conference (England, Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, India and Pakistan), Sri Lanka, before being elevated to Test status in 1981, had joined East Africa in 1975 and Canada in 1979 (two top teams among the associate members) to complete the groups in the tournaments proper. The West Indies, under Clive Lloyd, not only won the first two tournaments in 1975 and 1979 but in true Calypso style they produced sparkling cricket and confirmed their unassailable supremacy in this game. India broke the West Indian stranglehold in 1983 to open a new chapter in the brief annals of this prestigious tournament. Year Hosting Country 2011 India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka 2007 West Indies, Bermuda 2003 South Africa, Kenya & Zimbabwe 1999 UK 1996 India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka 1992 Australia 1987 India & Pakistan 1983 UK 1979 UK 1975 UK - See more at: http://www.onlinegk.com/games-and-sports/world-cup-cricket- history/#sthash.gZwkr3Hn.dpuf Higest Individual Scores In One Day International Cricket 264 Rohit Sharma, India vs Srilanka, Eden Garden, November 2014. 237 Martin Guptill, New Zealand vs West Indies, Wellington, March 2015 219 Virender Sehwag, India vs West Indies, Indore, December 2011. 215 Chris Gayle, West Indies vs Zimbabwe, Canbera, February 2015 209 Rohit Sharma, India vs Australia, Bangalore, November 2013. 200 * Sachin Tendulkar, India vs South Africa, Gwalior, February 2010. 194* Charles Coventry, Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh, Bulawayo, August 2009 194 Saheed Anwar, Pakistan vs India, Chennai, May 1997 189* Viv Richards, West Indies vs England, Manchester, May, 1984 189 Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka vs India, Sharja, October 2000 188* Gary Kirsten, South Africa vs UAE, Rawalpindi, February 1996 186* Sachin Tendulkar, India vs New Zealand, Hydrabad, November 1999 183* Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India vs Srilanka, Jaipur, October 2005 183 Virat Kohli, India vs Pakistan, Dhaka, March 2012 183 Sourav Ganguly, India vs Sri Lanka, Tauton, May 1999 181* Mathew Hayden, Australia vs New Zealand, Hamilton, February 2007 181 Viv Richards, West Indies vs Sri Lanka, Karachi, October 1987. - See more at: http://www.onlinegk.com/games-and-sports/higest-individual-scores-in-one-day- international-cricket/#sthash.2ybdDqd7.dpuf History Of FIFA World Cup Football The World Cup football tournament is organised by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) once in four years since 1930. It was on July 18, 1930 that the first-ever World Cup match was played between Uruguay and Chile, at the newly built Centenary Stadium in Montevideo (Uruguay). The World Cup now officially designated as Jules-Rimet Cup, named after the French lawyer who was the President of FIFA from 1921 to 1953, is 12 inch high and made of solid gold. Winner at a Glance Year: 2014 Venue: Brazil Winner: Germany Runners: Argentina Man of the Match: Mario GOETZE (GER) Adidas Golden Shoe: James RODRIGUEZ(COL) Adidas Golden Ball: Lionel Messi(Argentina) adidas Golden Glove: Manuel Neuer(GER) FIFA Fair Play award: Colombia Best Young Player Award: Paul Pogba(FRA) Year: 2010 Venue: South Africa Winner: Spain Runners: Netherland Adidas Golden Shoe: Thomas MUELLER(GER) Adidas Golden Ball: Diego FORLAN(URU) adidas Golden Glove: Iker CASILLAS(ESP) FIFA Fair Play award: Spain Best Young Player Award: Thomas MUELLER(GER) Year: 2006 Venue: Germany Winner: Italy Runners: France Adidas Golden Ball: Zinedine ZIDANE (FRA) Adidas Golden Shoe: Miroslav KLOSE (GER) Yashin Award for the Best Goalkeeper: Gianluigi BUFFON (ITA) Best Young Player Award: Lukas PODOLSKI (GER) FIFA Fair Play award: Spain, Brazil FIFA Award for the Most Entertaining Team: Portugal Year: 2002 Venue: Korea/Japan Winner: Brazil Runners: Germany Adidas Golden Ball: Oliver KAHN (GER) Adidas Golden Shoe: RONALDO (BRA) Yashin Award for the Best Goalkeeper: Oliver KAHN (GER) FIFA Fair Play award: Belgium FIFA Award for the Most Entertaining Team: Korea Republic Year: 1998 Venue: France Winner: France Runners: Brazil Adidas Golden Ball: RONALDO (BRA) Adidas Golden Shoe: Davor SUKER (CRO) Yashin Award for the Best Goalkeeper: Fabien BARTHEZ (FRA) FIFA Fair Play award: England, France FIFA Award for the Most Entertaining Team: France Year: 1994 Venue: USA Winner: Brazil Runners: Italy Adidas Golden Ball: ROMARIO (BRA) Adidas Golden Shoe: Oleg SALENKO (RUS), Hristo STOICHKOV (BUL) Yashin Award for the Best Goalkeeper: Michel PREUDHOMME (BEL) FIFA Fair Play award: Brazil FIFA Award for the Most Entertaining Team: Brazil Year: 1990 Venue: Italy Winner: Germany FR Runners: Argentina Adidas Golden Ball: Salvatore SCHILLACI (ITA) Adidas Golden Shoe: Salvatore SCHILLACI (ITA) FIFA Fair Play award: England Year: 1986 Venue: Mexico Winner: Argentina Runners: Germany FR Adidas Golden Ball: Diego MARADONA (ARG) Adidas Golden Shoe: Gary LINEKER (ENG) FIFA Fair Play award: Brazil Year: 1982 Venue: Spain Winner: Italy Runners: Germany FR Adidas Golden Ball: Paolo ROSSI (ITA) Adidas Golden Shoe: Paolo ROSSI (ITA) FIFA Fair Play award: Brazil Year: 1978 Venue: Argentina Winner: Argentina Runners: Netherlands Golden Shoe: Mario KEMPES (ARG) FIFA Fair Play award: Argentina Year: 1974 Venue: Germany Winner: Germany FR Runners: Netherlands Golden Shoe: Grzegorz LATO (POL) Year: 1970 Venue: Mexico Winner: Brazil Runners: Italy Golden Shoe: Gerd MUELLER (GER) Year: 1966 Venue: England Winner: England Runners: Germany FR Golden Shoe: EUSEBIO (POR) Year: 1962 Venue: Chile Winner: Brazil Runners: Czechoslovakia Golden Shoe: Florian ALBERT (HUN), Valentin IVANOV (URS), Drazen JERKOVIC (YUG), Leonel SANCHEZ (CHI), VAVA (BRA), GARRINCHA (BRA) Year: 1958 Venue: Sweden Winner: Brazil Runners: Sweden Golden Shoe: Just FONTAINE (FRA) Year: 1954 Venue: Switzerland Winner: Germany FR Runners: Hungary Golden Shoe: Sandor KOCSIS (HUN) Year: 1950 Venue: Brazil Winner: Uruguay Runners: Brazil Golden Shoe: ADEMIR (BRA) Year: 1938 Venue: France Winner: Italy Runners: Hungary Golden Shoe: LEONIDAS (BRA) Year: 1934 Venue: Italy Winner: Italy Runners: Czechoslovakia Golden Shoe: Oldrich NEJEDLY (TCH) Year: 1930 Venue: Uruguay Winner: Uruguay Runners: Argentina Golden Shoe: Guillermo STABILE (ARG) Adidas Golden Ball: Diego MARADONA (ARG) Adidas Golden Shoe: Gary LINEKER (ENG) FIFA Fair Play award: Brazil Year: 1982 Venue: Spain Winner: Italy Runners: Germany FR Adidas Golden Ball: Paolo ROSSI (ITA) Adidas Golden Shoe: Paolo ROSSI (ITA) FIFA Fair Play award: Brazil Year: 1978 Venue: Argentina Winner: Argentina Runners: Netherlands Golden Shoe: Mario KEMPES (ARG) FIFA Fair Play award: Argentina Year: 1974 Venue: Germany Winner: Germany FR Runners: Netherlands Golden Shoe: Grzegorz LATO (POL) Year: 1970 Venue: Mexico Winner: Brazil Runners: Italy Golden Shoe: Gerd MUELLER (GER) Year: 1966 Venue: England Winner: England Runners: Germany FR Golden Shoe: EUSEBIO (POR) Year: 1962 Venue: Chile Winner: Brazil Runners: Czechoslovakia Golden Shoe: Florian ALBERT (HUN), Valentin IVANOV (URS), Drazen JERKOVIC (YUG), Leonel SANCHEZ (CHI), VAVA (BRA), GARRINCHA (BRA) Year: 1958 Venue: Sweden Winner: Brazil Runners: Sweden Golden Shoe: Just FONTAINE (FRA) Year: 1954 Venue: Switzerland Winner: Germany FR Runners: Hungary Golden Shoe: Sandor KOCSIS (HUN) Year: 1950 Venue: Brazil Winner: Uruguay Runners: Brazil Golden Shoe: ADEMIR (BRA) Year: 1938 Venue: France Winner: Italy Runners: Hungary Golden Shoe: LEONIDAS (BRA) Year: 1934 Venue: Italy Winner: Italy Runners: Czechoslovakia Golden Shoe: Oldrich NEJEDLY (TCH) Year: 1930 Venue: Uruguay Winner: Uruguay Runners: Argentina Golden Shoe: Guillermo STABILE (ARG) - See more at: http://www.onlinegk.com/games-and-sports/history-of-fifa-world-cup- football/#sthash.xiPWbO2S.dpuf US Open Tennis 2014 Womens Single - Serena Williams of USA won the 18th Grand Slam title of her career, beating Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3, 6-3 to claim a third consecutive Womens SIngle trophy at the US Open. Womens Double - Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia clinched the Women's Doubles title by defeating Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Flavia Pennetta of Italy. Mixed Double - Sania Mirza of India and Bruno Soares of Brazil defeated Abigail Spears of USA and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico to clinched mixed doubles Grand Slam crown in US Open Tennis. Mens Single - Marin Cilic of Croatia clinch US Open Men's Single Title defeating Kei Nishikori of Japan. Mens Double - Bob Bryan and his brother Mike Bryan of USA defeated Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez of Spain in their men's doubles final match at the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament. 2013 Womens Single - Top-seeded Serena Williams won her fifth U.S. Open championship and 17th Grand Slam title overall by beating No. 2 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Womens Double - Andrea