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If you thought 2011 was the best year in sports with India lifting the Cricket World Cup, Formula One making its debut in India, Barcelona shimmering with another European Cup, Manchester United knocking Liverpool off its perch and Djokovic bullying the likes of Nadal and Federer , then rest assured, 2012 will only pick up from where 2011 ended. For all sports devotees, 2012 promises to deliver a plethora of mega sporting events.

The top contenders

The year could not have started better for football fanatics in India. The charismatic Bhaichung Bhutia bid farewell to the national team with a high profile friendly with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. Apart from this, the tennis season starts with the Australian Open from January 16, followed by Rolland Garros, Wimbledon and finally the US Open. It would be interesting to see whether Novak Djokovic is able to continue his dominance, especially as both Nadal and Federer would be hungry for revenge with another protagonist in Andy Murray vying to break his final jinx with the support of new coach Ivan Lendl.

In cricket, IPL-5 starts on April 4, promising another season of thrills for the cricket-loving nation. This year, Sri Lanka hosts the T20 World Cup in September and would be looking to win on home soil. Subcontinent giants India and Pakistan will be among the favourites to lift the trophy as well.

Europe's heavyweights descend

This year is a special treat for the football fans as the Carling Cup Final, FA Cup Final, UEFA Champions League Finals are all lined up in April-May. In domestic competitions, a stronger Real Madrid would look to end Barcelona’s dominion, while in England the clubs from Manchester would look to fend off competition from rivals to vie for the title. On the international arena, the 2012 Euro Cup will take place from June 8 to July 1 in Poland & Ukraine. A younger Italian team along with Germany, England, Netherlands and France will look to counter the Spanish flamboyance.

The year of the Olympics

The bumper event for 2012, the Olympics, being held in London, kicks off from July 27 and will culminate on August 12. USA would like to regain its top spot after China toppled the former, accumulating greater number of gold medals in 2008. Indian sporting fraternity caught in the web of babudom and doping scandals would like to justify its good performance in the Commonwealth Games with wrestling, boxing, archery and tennis being the sports to watch out for.

In motorsport, the Formula One season starts from March 16 with the Australian Grand Prix. India will host its second Grand Prix, and would look to remove the flaws in track and organization from its inaugural race. Other than that the Buddh International Circuit will also host the new i1 supercar race in April.

Overall, the year promises to be an entertaining one for sport lovers with plenty to cater to the needs of all.

Syed Hamza
[email protected]

 

Syed Hamza, DU Beat correspondent and photographer for Barefoot magazine, recalls his dream-like experience of being the official photographer for Bhaichung Bhutia’s farewell match.

Walking into Jawaharlal Nehru stadium amidst the roar of over 35,000 fans, I felt like a star myself. The chants of “INDIA-INDIA” could have given goose bumps to anyone standing in the middle of the pitch. Yes, I am talking about the India-Bayern Munich match where, I can proudly boast, I was present on the ground as a photographer for Barefoot, an online magazine on Indian football.

The feeling that you get when you look through the lens and you find the majestic Arjen Robben making another of his trademark runs, rushing towards you with indomitable precision is simply astonishing, to say the least. At that moment, I genuinely considered myself the luckiest person alive to witness this once-in-a-lifetime fest from an extraordinarily close distance.

Oh, and if you are not envious of me already , I should tell you that it is even more amazing if the preceding night you actually get to meet these superstars at a press conference and manage to shake hands with them and get a picture to flaunt among your friends. I know a lot of you would want to kill me right now but well, all I can say is that I’m a lucky dog. This isn’t the first time I got lucky though; the other times are not relevant here I suppose.

Coming back to the match, everyone did expect India to lose and to do so by a margin. But no one would have thought that we would maintain a clean sheet throughout the second half and even come close to scoring a few times. Practically, it couldn’t have been better. The only thing that could be better than this would be that I were on the other side of the lens or India had won the match (I did mention “practically”, didn’t I?). Baichung Bhutia couldn’t have had a better farewell after all he put his heart and soul in trying to make the sport popular in India for the last sixteen years.

For me, the two hours on the pitch were the best I ever had, more than a dream, an exhilarating actuality.

Syed Hamza
[email protected]