Sportstar ACES Awards 2025: List of nominees for National Team of the Year Award
Sportstar ACES Awards 2025: List of nominees for National Team of the Year Award
2024 was a landmark year for Indian sports, marked by historic achievements. D. Gukesh became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, while India’s men’s and women’s chess teams clinched gold at the Olympiad in Budapest. The men’s cricket team ended its ICC trophy drought with a T20 World Cup win. Indian athletes shone at the Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Let’s celebrate these and other milestones at the seventh Sportstar ACES Awards.
The Indian men’s cricket team has celebrated an outstanding year, marked by a historic triumph in the T20 World Cup held across the West Indies and the USA. This victory ended an 11-year wait for an ICC title, with India powering through the tournament unbeaten — a rare feat achieved only once in the tournament’s nine editions.
In the Test arena, India showcased resilience and skill, drawing the series 1-1
against South Africa with a victory in the second Test and demonstrating remarkable dominance by overturning a 0-1 deficit to win the home series against England 4-1. Additionally, it secured a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh on home soil.
The team’s performance in limited-overs matches was equally commendable, with successful T20I series wins away against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. The only setback in ODIs came in Sri Lanka, yet India’s consistency across formats remained commendable.
However, a first-time whitewash at home in a three-match Test series served as a reminder of the high standards the team has set. Despite this rare occurrence, India’s success on the world stage, particularly the T20 World Cup win, highlights a year of remarkable achievements and resilience, with the team proving its mettle across formats and conditions.
Won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, held in the West Indies and USA
Jasprit Bumrah was named player of the tournament at the T20 World Cup
Beat England 4-1 and Bangladesh 2-0 in home Test series, drew 1-1 in South Africa
The Indian men’s hockey team backed up a successful 2023 by winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. It was the first time in 52 years that India won back-to-back medals at the Olympics after clinching bronze in Tokyo three years earlier.
India beat Australia in Olympic hockey for the first time in 52 years and followed it up with a thrilling penalty shootout win over Great Britain in the quarterfinals, despite being a man down for nearly 42 minutes.
India fell agonisingly short of making the final, losing 2-3 in the semifinals to Germany. But it bounced back in the third-place match to beat Spain.
India also successfully defended its Asian Champions Trophy crown by defeating host China 1-0 in the final.
Won Olympic bronze medal in Paris
Successive Olympic medals for the first time in 52 years
Beat Australia in the Olympics for the first time in 52 years
Defended Asian Champions Trophy title in China
The Indian women’s table tennis team had a memorable 2024 season. The team comprising Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Ayhika Mukherjee finished second behind China in its group at the World Team Championships in Busan in February. In its 2-3 group-stage loss to China, the team had two shocking wins as Ayhika beat World No. 1 Sun Yingsha while Sreeja upset World No. 2 Wang Yidi.
The team eventually lost 1-3 to Chinese Taipei in the round of 16, but the result played a crucial role in its historic first-ever qualification for the Olympics.
At the Paris Olympics, the Indian team of Manika, Sreeja, and Archana Kamath reached the quarterfinals after beating Romania 3-2.
The team – Manika, Sreeja, Ayhika, Diya Chitale, and Sutirtha Mukherjee – won its first-ever medal – a bronze – at the Asian Championships in Astana after beating South Korea 3-2 to reach the semifinals.
Reached the round of 16 at the World Championships in Busan
Qualified for the team event at the Olympics for the first time
Reached the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics
Won its first-ever medal – a bronze – at the Asian Championships
(text needed)
Won India’s first-ever gold medal in the open section at the Chess Olympiad
D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi won individual gold medals at the Chess Olympiad
Helped retain the Gaprindashvili Cup, awarded to the country with the best overall performance across both open and women’s categories
The Indian women’s team, comprising Divya Deshmukh, D. Harika, R. Vaishali, Tanya Sachdeva, and Vantika Agarwal, had a historic run at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, with the country claiming its first-ever gold medal in the women’s section.
India was clinical throughout the tournament. The team, led by the experienced Abhijit Kunte, won nine out of 11 rounds while dropping only one round against Poland.
Divya and Vantika also bagged individual gold medals.
Won India’s first-ever gold medal in the women’s section at the Chess Olympiad
Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agarwal won individual gold medals at the Chess Olympiad
Helped retain the Gaprindashvili Cup, awarded to the country with the best overall performance across both open and women’s categories
