As we put a bow on 2019, it's fun to look back at those memorable sports moments we witnessed this year. From all sports, not just cricket or football, we had a lot to celebrate in the world of sports.?
Here's a look at the most notable sports moments from 2019:
In September, Indian badminton reached a new high after PV Sindhu stormed to the World Championship title after beating Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7. It was a first for an Indian, and a performance worthy of a champion. It was the moment that pronounced the real coming of age for Indian badminton.
PV Sindhu did come agonisingly close to a top finish on four previous occasions, but had to settle for two silver and two bronze medals.? She was not going to let this one go, not for the fifth time. She was full of appetite and minerals to change and script history. That she did, and in fine style - outclassing her Japanese opponent to become the first Indian shuttler to achieve the feat. It was one of the finest moments in India's recent sports history.
The wait that had lasted ages finally had its day of redemption - the inventors of cricket had their moment of glory. In an epic final that went to a super over, England held their nerve to win their first 50-over World Cup.
Can a one-day game ever again match the theatre of those closing moments, with Trent Boult taking what would have been a match-winning catch before stepping on the boundary rope, and with?Ben Stokes deflecting a throw from the boundary for six overthrows, which should have been five?
The game ended in an unprecedented fashion - England won by virtue of boundary count, but the game was much more than the result. Then to see New Zealand players accept the result with their customary grace, it was a game that will be remembered for centuries.
One of the most dominant teams of this generation, US women's football side yet again showed their prowess as they lifted their fourth World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Netherlands.
The United States women's soccer team was as good as American players promised ¡ª maybe even better. US won their second consecutive World Cup when Rapinoe converted a tie-breaking penalty kick in the second half and Rose Lavelle added a goal.
The Americans never trailed in the tournament and set records with 26 goals and a 12-game World Cup winning streak dating to 2015.
After a 12 year wait, South Africa triumphed on the grandest stage to relaunch their resurgence in rugby. The Springboks' won their third World Cup final victory - this time a 32-12 win over England.
Those predicting a comfortable England win were guilty of overlooking South Africa¡¯s proud World Cup heritage. They had never fallen at the final hurdle nor conceded a try in their two previous finals. Both records remained intact.
At 22, this talented gymnast is on her way to being one of the most dominant American athletes ever. At the world championships in Stuttgart, Germany in October, she won five gold medals - in the team competition, the individual all-around, the vault, the balance beam and floor exercise. That gave her 25 world championship medals, that surpass the U.S.S.R.'s, Vitaly Scherbo¡¯s record for the most ever.
Simone had a scintillating time at the 2016 Rio Olympics when she won four gold and one bronze medal. It includes one team gold and the rest were all individual prizes. All that the American has won has come in just six years. Having made her debut at the World Championships in 2013, the 22-year old has been absolutely dominant. She has had one of the best decades for an athlete ever.?
This year¡¯s win was a defining moment for the golfer,?not because it was the best victory of his career, or even because it signified the start of his second life (that happened seven months earlier at the 2018 Tour Championship).?This win finally linked his decades of experience on the golf course, and he showed exactly why he is considered the greatest golfer of all time.
Woods outlasted competitors like Brooks Koepka and Francesco Molinari at Augusta National to win his fifth Masters title.
The dazzling and daring Liverpool wrote their name on the famous Champions Trophy for the sixth time as they came out trumps in the all-English final against Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool lifted the trophy that was taken from their grasp in Ukraine last season and now stand behind only Real Madrid and AC Milan as serial winners of this tournament. An early Mohamed Salah penalty and a late strike by Divock Origi gave Liverpool their greatest moment since their 2005 European title win.
The Toronto Raptors had years of playoff disappointments. After opting to trade for superstar Kawhi Leonard and other pieces, the gamble paid off.
Leonard would lead the Raptors to their first NBA championship in franchise history, beating the Golden State Warriors. The entire country of Canada rallied behind its team during this historic run.
Two of the modern day tennis greats going against each other, at a Wimbledon final, is all a tennis fan could ask for. The clash lived up to the billing, and it was fascinating stuff. It had everything - emotions, nerves, intensity, grit, and passion. In the end, Djokovic prevailed in a humdinger, 7-6,1-6,7-6,4-6,13-12.
For Federer, it was an opportunity missed, he had two championship points, but failed to take advantage. In the end, Djokovic deserved it, to claim his 5th Wimbledon title. The match lasted over five hours, the longest in Wimbledon men's singles history.
Four years since running her first marathon, which she won, Kosgei is now the fastest woman in history over the 26.2-mile (42.2km) distance at the Chicago Marathon. The Kenyan recorded at two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds.
The 25-year-old Kosgei bested the previous mark of 2:15:25 set by Britain's Paula Radcliffe in London 16 years ago. Kosgei's run came little more than 24 hours after fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run 26.2 miles in less than two hours, clocking 1:59:41 in Vienna.
In this inspirational story, Allyson Felix came back from a period out of the sport while giving birth to her first child, Camryn, to become the most successful athlete in the history of the IAAF World Championships.
Felix was part of the USA team that won the mixed-gender 4x400 meter relay. As such, she bagged her 12th medal, overtaking Usain Bolt for most IAAF World Championship medals.