NEW DELHI: The past year saw India’s finest sports teams rise to the occasion, delivering stellar performances on the global stage. Their remarkable achievements have earned them nominations for the prestigious Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2024, where teamwork, strategy, and perseverance take center stage.
With the grand ceremony set for February 22 in Lucknow, anticipation is running high for the coveted Team of the Year award. The evening promises to celebrate squads that showcased unity, resilience, and a winning mindset.
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This edition’s theme, #MoreSweatMoreGlory, honors the dedication and grit of athletes and teams who continue to push boundaries across various sports.
The TOISA 2024 Jury comprises of former long-jumper and senior vice-president of AFI, Anju Bobby George; Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt; Former captain of the Indian hockey team, Dilip Tirkey; Paralympic medalist Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia; Olympic medallist, boxer Vijender Singh.
Team of the Year Nominees (combined from all sports):
Men’s cricket team
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Clinched the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies
Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya played crucial roles in this monumental achievement, cementing India’s legacy in T20 cricket. The T20 World Cup win in June reaffirmed India’s strength in T20 cricket, with seasoned players and young talent contributing to the title. The Indian men’s cricket team kicked off the year with a historic Test win over South Africa at the Centurion to level the series 1-1 to become the first Asian team to beat the Proteas in a Test at Supersport Park. Later in January, India blanked Afghanistan 3-0 in a T20I series.
Women’s cricket team
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Swept South Africa 3-0 at home in ODIs
– Defeated West Indies 3-0 at home in ODIs
– Beat New Zealand 2-1 at home in ODIs
The Indian women’s cricket team endured a disappointing year in multi-team tournaments highlighted by a group stage exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in UAE and also lost to Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup. But India did fairly well in bilateral series. In One-Day Internationals, India defeated New Zealand 2-1 and swept South Africa and the West Indies 3-0 at home. In T20 Internationals, India defeated Bangladesh 5-0 away and the West Indies 2-1 at home. The second rubber was washed out in Chennai, resulting in a 1-1 draw in the three-match series against South Africa. Additionally, the Indian women’s cricket team defeated South Africa in the one-time Test match.
Men’s Hockey team
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Won the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics
In 2024, the Indian men’s hockey team showcased remarkable resilience and skill, culminating in a bronze medal at the Paris Summer Olympics. This achievement marked their second consecutive Olympic bronze, following their podium finish in Tokyo 2020. India ended a 41-year-long medal drought in hockey at the Summer Games and 13th overall.
Shooting team
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Manu Bhaker/Sarabjot Singh – Bronze medal at Paris 2024 Olympics in mixed team 10m air pistol
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Indian shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh made history by securing a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. This achievement marked India’s first-ever medal in a shooting team event and was the nation’s second medal at the Paris Games. Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh finished third in the qualification round, narrowly missing the gold medal match by a single point. In the bronze medal match, the duo faced South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin and Wonho Lee, defeating them 16–10 to clinch the bronze. This medal made Manu Bhaker the first female shooter from India to win an Olympic medal and the first Indian athlete since independence to secure two medals in a single Olym- pic Games. This accomplishment added to Sarabjot Singh’s growing reputation in international shooting competitions.