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New Delhi: The dreaded 2020 is lastly coming to an finish. If the worldwide impact of the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, the sporting world additionally misplaced a few of its favorite pupil this yr.
From the legendary Diego Maradona to former India soccer captain PK Banerjee, from Dean Jones to Kobe Bryant…the losses might be arduous to fill. As we take child steps into 2021, a take a look at the sporting icons who left for heavenly abode.
Diego Maradona (Oct 1960 – Nov 2020)
One of the best footballers of all time, the Argentina star was born in Lanus, a city close to Buenos Aires, on October 30, 1960. He began taking part in soccer within the streets round his neighbourhood and on the age of twelve, he was a part of the kids’s workforce Los Cebollitas.
The World Cup-winning footballer represented Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, and Newell’s Old Boys as a participant. Diego was thought of solely liable for taking Argentina to their second World Cup title in 1986.
With the Argentine workforce, he gained the World Cup at Mexico 86, a match wherein he stood out, above all, in a match towards England. He scored two objectives, together with one together with his hand which went down in historical past as ‘the hand of God,’ and one other distinctive strike that’s thought of top-of-the-line within the historical past of the competitors.
Maradona was hospitalised after he complained of being fatigued usually. His checks on the La Plata clinic revealed a blood clot within the mind, which docs later revealed was operated on efficiently. He handed away on November 25 after struggling a coronary heart assault.
Kobe Bryant (Aug 1978 – Jan 2020)
American basketball legend Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash alongside together with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. The 41-year-old Bryant had gained 5 National Basketball Association (NBA) championships in his 20-year-long profession whereas taking part in for Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant grew to become certainly one of NBA’s hottest gamers and the face of the Lakers throughout his profession. Winning a file 4 NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, he was the general league MVP in 2008, a two-time NBA scoring champion, and 12 All-Defensive alternatives.
He teamed with Shaquille O’Neal in a flamable partnership to guide the Lakers to NBA titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002. He later teamed with Pau Gasol to win two extra titles in 2009 and 2010.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist with the dominant U.S. workforce, Bryant retired in 2016 after scoring 60 factors in his remaining NBA sport. In December 2017, the Lakers hung banners retiring his No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys within the Staples Center rafters in an unprecedented double honor.
PK Banerjee (June 1936 – Mar 2020)
The former India soccer captain PK Banerjee handed away on the age of 83 after a chronic sickness in March. The legendary Indian footballer was an integral a part of India’s gold medal-winning workforce within the 1962 Asian Games and even scored within the remaining towards South Korea as India fought towards all odds to script a historic 2-1 triumph in Jakarta.
Banerjee, who was the primary footballer to obtain the Arjuna Award (in 1961), represented India within the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and performed a pivotal function within the 4-2 victory towards Australia within the quarter-finals the place India ultimately completed fourth.
Banerjee was additionally bestowed with the FIFA Fairplay Award (in 1990), and the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit in 2004.
Balbir Singh Sr (Dec 1923 – May 2020)
Three occasions Olympic medal-winning hockey legend, Balbir Singh Sr. handed away on May 25 because of a number of well being points on the age of 96. The iconic center-forward was certainly one of India’s most completed athletes and was the one Indian among the many 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee throughout the fashionable Olympic historical past.
He gained three gold medals — in 1948 in London, in 1952 in Helsinki, and in 1956 in Melbourne. Balbir Singh continues to be remembered for scoring 5 objectives in India’s 6-1 victory over the Netherlands within the Helsinki Games in 1952. In 1957, he was conferred with Padma Shri Award for his contributions and achievements within the area of hockey.
Dean Jones (Mar 1961 – Sept 2020)
Former Australia cricketer Dean Jones handed away because of a cardiac arrest on the age of 59 on September 24 in the course of the thirteenth version of the Indian Premier League (IPL). A gritty, attacking participant, the Victorian made 3631 runs at a mean of 46.55 in Tests, whereas in ODIs he made 6068 runs, at 44.61, with seven tons of and 46 fifties. He additionally stays No.5 on the all-time ICC Batting Rankings within the format.
His most memorable Test innings got here in 1986 when within the warmth and humidity of Chennai, he battled exhaustion and sickness to make a heroic 210 in what could be solely the second tied Test ever.
Jones went on to make 10 extra tons of, with a career-best 216 towards West Indies in Adelaide in 1989. He retired from worldwide cricket in 1994 – a lot too early, in keeping with his supporters, however went on to play first-class cricket until the 1997/98 season.
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