11 Indian Athletes Who Made Us Proud While We Were Watching The Cricket World Cup

Let's #BleedBlue for every sportswoman and sportsman in this country.

1. India's football team defeated Nepal in the first round of the World Cup qualifiers.

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They still have a long way to go to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but this win is a step in the right direction. Along with the ISL taking off in the country, we may well see a surge in the quality of football soon.

2. Saina Nehwal made us proud at the All England Badminton Open.

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The golden girl of Indian badminton tragically missed out on the gold medal at this year's All England Open, despite getting off to a great start in the final. However, she's still our best Badminton player, and there are greater things awaiting this champion athlete from Telangana.

3. This two year old set a national record in archery.

Satyanarayana Cherukuri / Via youtube.com

Dolly Shivani Cherukuri, a two-year-old toddler from Vijaywada, became the youngest Indian to score over 200 points at a trial event last week. Her father has said that Dolly's next target is the Guinness Book of World Records.

4. Golfer Anirban Lahiri clinched the Maybank Malaysian Open, as well as the Hero Indian Open.

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February was a landmark month for the 27 year old, as Lahiri celebrated his first win on the European Tour by clinching the Maybank Malaysian Open. Repeating the feat at the Hero Indian Open later that same month was the cherry on the cake.

5. Sania Mirza paired up with Martina Hingis to win the Women's Doubles at the Indian Wells Masters.

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She may have retired from the singles game, but Sania Mirza showed us why she's such a dominant force on the double's circuit when she won the Indian Wells Women's Doubles event with former prodigy Martina Hingis.

6. D. Harika and Koneru Humpy made the quarter finals of the World Women's Chess Championship.

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Both Koneru Humpy and Grandmaster D. Harika qualified for the quarter finals of the World Women's Chess Championships in Sochi, Russia. Harika made us proud by beating former champion Alexandra Kosteniuk to earn her spot.

7. Wrestler Bajrang Punia bagged gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Wrestling Championship in USA.

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After claiming silver medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, 20 year old Bajrang Punia triumphed at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Wrestling Competition in Colorado, USA. He beat Vladimir Flegontov for the prestigious win.

8. India's Women's Hockey team triumphed in Round 2 of the World League.

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It is common knowledge that hockey is often ignored when it comes to Indian sports, but these ladies made the entire nation stand up and take notice when they beat Poland 3-1 to win the FIH Hockey World League Round 2. Chak de!

9. Surya Sekhar Ganguly Won the International Grandmasters Chess Title.

Sagar Shah / Via youtube.com

We're really good at this Chess thing, aren't we? Surya Ganguly defeated Cuban Ortiz Suarez Reynaldo to take top honours at the recently concluded LIC International Grandmaster's Chess Tournament.

10. Shooting ace Manavjit Singh Sandhu won Bronze at the 2015 World Cup in Mexico.

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Although he just missed the cut for the Olympic quota, Manavjit Singh Sandhu fought hard for his medal at the World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico. It was India's first medal in the tournament.

11. Tanvie Hans, who plays football for Tottenham Hotspur, is the inspiration for Gurinder Chadha's new musical.

Tanvie Hans / Via youtube.com

Tanvie Hans, a Delhi born girl who has been playing with English club Tottenham Hotspur for the last two years, just made the news by being at the centre of Gurinder Chadha's new musical. You go, girl!