Pakistan Super League comes home
For the first time in the history of the tournament, the whole edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was played in Pakistan. Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Multan were the four venues that hosted 34 matches. Each stadium saw full house as the cricket hungry nation saw their national heroes and international stars showcase their talent.
COVID-19 halts sporting activities globally
In March, the sporting activities around the globe were either postponed or cancelled due to the pandemic. The major events that were cancelled include but are not limited to Uefa Euro Cup 2020, Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon, ICC T20 World Cup. Other that were postponed include French Open, Indian Premier League. Other then this many bilateral series were also stopped.
England’s pace giants reach milestones
James Anderson and Stuart Broad continued their fantastic runs in Tests as they completed 600 and 500 wickets in the format. Anderson dismissed Azhar Ali to reach this feat while Broad did this against West Indies in July.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni retires from International Cricket
In August, India’s most successful captain across formats Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket. He did it in the most MSD way with a message on social media “Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. From 1929 hrs consider me as Retired,” He captained India for nine years straight from 2007 to 2016 and won all three ICC trophies. He also led India to the top of rankings in both Tests and ODI’s.
Rafael Nadal joins Roger Federer with 20 Grandslams
In October, Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets (6-0,6-5,7-5) to become only the second player in the history of the sport to achieve this feat. The Spaniard also won the French Open title for the 13th time, another record.
Lewis Hamilton equals Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 record
The British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of most championships after winning his seventh world title. He is now the most decorated racer in the history of the sport with 94 wins, 97 poles and 163 podiums finishes.
Khabib Nurmagomedov keeps his unbeaten record intact
In October, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254. Such was Khabib’s dominance that the match only lasted 1:34 seconds. After the win, he retired from the sport with an unbeaten record of 29-0.
Diego Maradona passes away
On November 26, the legendary football player Diego Maradona passed away in Buenos Aires, his native town. He was regarded as one of the greatest to grace this game and was instrumental in Argentina’s World Cup success in 1986. He wore number jersey for his country and also served as manager of the national team from 2008 to 2010.
Robert Lewandowski wins FIFA Best Men’s Player
On December 18, Poland and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski won the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2020. He beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the award. The Polish striker scored 55 goals for club and country in the year and won the Uefa Champions League as well.
Fawad Alam vindicates his selection in Mount Maunganui
On December 30, Fawad Alam scored his second test match hundred making him the player with the longest gap of 4215 days between two centuries. He played a gritty knock against a quality New Zealand attack on Day 5 of the Test match and almost took Pakistan on the brink of draw.
