F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton Wins BBC Sports Personality Of The Year Lewis Hamilton has won the Sports Personality of the Year award, with golfer Rory McIlroy in second and athlete Jo Pavey in third place. Hamilton secured his second Formula One world championship in November after edging a battle with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. The 29-year-old, who has twice finished second in the running for the award, beat long-time favourite McIlroy in the public vote. “I am so speechless. Firstly I really want to say a huge congratulations to all the champions, I’m so proud and honoured to be among so much British sporting talent. A massive thank you to all the people that called in, I really was not expecting it - because dude (McIlroy), you had such an incredible year”. Lewis Hamilton, speaking at the Glasgow ceremony McIlroy became the first UK golfer to win backto-back majors, and then continued his good form by helping Europe win the Ryder Cup at Gle-
neagles. Jo Pavey became the oldest-ever female European champion by triumphing in the 10,000 metres in Zurich aged 40 years and 325 days, less than a year after the birth of her second child. Sir Chris Hoy, a six-time Olympic champion, received the Lifetime Achievement award. Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo won the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year prize, while Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley scooped Coach of the Year.
Tendulkar Named World Cup 2015 Ambassador
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced Sachin Tendulkar as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador. It will be the second successive time that the India maestro will be the Ambassador of ICC’s pinnacle tournament after he fulfilled the role in the previous event which was co-hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in 2011, ICC said in statement. In his role as ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador Tendulkar will promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives to enhance the profile of
the tournament which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Australia and New Zealand from 14 February to 29 March. Tendulkar retired from international cricket last year after representing his country in 200 Tests 463 One Day Internationals and one Twenty20 International. In a career spanning 24 years the 41 year old scored a total of 34 357 international runs and 100 centuries. Sachin Tendulkar added the missing World Cup title to his long list of achievements in his sixth attempt in 2011. He is the all time leading run getter in World Cup history with 2 278 runs in 45 matches at an average of 56.95. For his 673 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 he was awarded player of the tournament as India finished runner up to Australia. The 11th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup kicks off in Christchurch on 14 February when co host New Zealand take on former champion Sri Lanka. On the same day at the picturesque Melbourne Cricket Ground four-time world champion Australia will square off against England which reached the final the last time the event was staged in Australia New Zealand in 1992.
Pakistan’s Ajmal Pulls Out Of World Cup Squad Suspended Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has satisfied himself he can take the ICC test. Ajmal withdrawn from the World Cup squad because withdrew himself,” PCB Chairman Shaharyar he has no chance of getting his action cleared Khan told reporters. before the tournament. Pakistan Cricket Board officials met on Saturday and decided that all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who is also suspended from bowling in international cricket, will travel to Chennai, India for a test. If Hafeez clears the informal test than we will apply to the International Cricket Council to hold his official test for his bowling action to be cleared,” the PCB said in a statement. The 37-year-old Ajmal, who was named in the preliminary squad, will continue remedial work on his action and play domestic cricket until he has
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Khan Donates £30,000 Shorts To Rebuild Peshawar School Bolton boxer Amir Khan has donated a £30,000 pair of shorts to help rebuild the Peshawar army school where 141 children and staff were killed by the Taliban. Khan, who is of Pakistani origin, wore the shorts in his recent Las Vegas points-win against Devon Alexander. The black, white and gold shorts emblazoned with ‘Khan’ have a waistband made from 24-carat gold threading. Khan has raised money to build new schools in Pakistan in the past and has vowed to help again following the tragic attack. The 28-year-old said said he was ‘sickened’ by the ‘horrific’ killings, having become a father himself in May with the arrival of daughter Lamysah. “It was just very sad to see innocent kids being killed,” he added. “I want to donate the shorts for the Peshawar cause, rebuild a school and strengthen security around the area.
“We are very lucky in England. We have good security and I will be able to send my little girl to school and know she will be fine, but in Pakistan you cannot do that.” Following his US victory, his 30th in 33 contests, Khan now wants to fight unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather, lauded as the best poundfor-pound fighter in the world. But Mayweather wants to fight Manny Pacquiao instead - prompting the Bolton favourite to accuse him of ‘looking for excuses not to fight him’.
Afridi To Retire After World Cup 2015
Pakistan's experienced all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced his retirement from one-day internationals after next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Afridi told a news conference on Sunday that after the World Cup, which starts on Feb. 14, he will focus on T20 matches leading up to the T20 World Cup in India in 2016. Afridi has been named captain of the national T20 side by the Pakistan Cricket Board. “I am the first Pakistan player to be able to announce his retirement properly and on a high. I always wanted to do this having seen the problems faced by other bigger players in the past,” he said. “I have informed the Pakistan team
management about my decision but not the cricket board as yet. I want to go out of ODIs with selfrespect and with my fans wanting more from me,” he added. Afridi, 34, has played 389 oneday internationals plus 27 tests and 77 T20 matches for Pakistan. He held the ODI record for the fastest century, set in 1996 against Sri Lanka, until New Zealand's Corey Anderson bettered it this year. Afridi who is close to completing 400 wickets and 8000 runs in ODIs, having taken 391 wickets and scored 7870 runs so far, said he was hopeful he will be able to reach this landmark in the
World Cup. “Having taken a decision it is a big burden off my mind and I am confident I will be able to focus on giving my best in the World Cup,” said the colourful all-rounder. Known for his run-ins with the establishment and his outspoken comments on Pakistan cricket, Afridi retired from test matches during the series against Australia in England in 2010. “It was not an easy decision to take and I think many of my seniors also found it difficult to go out at the right time. But no one is indispensable in cricket and I am sure sooner or later someone will take my place in ODIs as well,” he said.
First Asian Boss In English Cricket New Leicestershire Chief Executive Wasim Khan The 43-year-old former Derbyshire, Sussex and says he is 'honoured and privileged' to become Warwickshire batsman is to take up his position the first British Asian Boss in English cricket. at Grace Road in January 2015. The team have not won a County Championship game since 2012, but Khan says he is taking on the role with his "eyes wide open" and wants to make Leicestershire "the leading non-Test match club in the country" within 5 years. He is the first non-white county Chief Executive, and there are many within the game who believe he can go all the way. Regardless of what happens next, he has already proved himself capable of defying expectation.
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