Madrid [Spain], March 3 (ANI): A breakthrough year for women’s cricket in India has been recognised by the Laureus World Sports Awards, with the Nominees for sport’s most prestigious honours revealed today, according to a release.The India Women’s Cricket Team is shortlisted for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award in recognition of their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup triumph – and their inspirational performances that have enthralled the cricketing world.They will compete with five sporting teams who made their mark in 2025, each staking their claim to win the iconic Laureus statuette. Nominees from eight Awards categories will attend Madrid’s Cibeles Palace for a gala event at which the winners – chosen by the Laureus World Sports Academy – will be revealed.In 2025, the India Women’s Cricket Team delivered a breakthrough triumph on home soil, winning their first ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title in Mumbai.They recorded the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history in a dramatic semi-final win over Australia, before defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final to spark celebrations across the country.Despite three consecutive group-stage losses to South Africa, Australia and England taking them to the brink of elimination, India rallied to reach the final for the third time, where a dominant performance sealed their first World Cup title.Their nomination is the third time Indian cricket has been featured at the Laureus World Sports Awards. Sachin Tendulkar – a Laureus Academy Member – received the Laureus Sporting Moment Award in 2020, for his victory lap following India’s win in the 2011 Cricket World Cup; and last year, Rishabh Pant was nominated in the Comeback of the Year category, as was the wrestler Vinesh Phogat in 2019, while Neeraj Chopra was shortlisted for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award in 2022 following his victory in the Olympic javelin competition.Five equally inspirational stories of teamwork and resilience make up this year’s Laureus World Team of the Year Award shortlist. The England Women’s Football Team became only the second team to defend the UEFA Women’s European Championship, with a penalty shootout victory over reigning world champions Spain.In the US, the European Ryder Cup Team claimed a 16th Ryder Cup title: Europe’s first away win since 2012. The McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team secured a 10th World Constructors’ Championship with six races to spare, with driver Lando Norris sealing the World Drivers’ Championship. Oklahoma City Thunder matched the 1996/97 Chicago Bulls’ regular-season win record on the way to a first NBA championship.In the UEFA Champions League final, Paris Saint-Germain recorded a 50 victory over Inter Milan, as part of a six-trophy year in 2025.Tennis World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz leads the Nominees for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award, after winning Grand Slam titles at the French Open and US Open. Alongside Alcaraz are his rival Jannik Sinner, who triumphed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon; Ousmane Dembele, Paris Saint-Germain’s top goal-scorer and the Ballon d’Or winner; Mondo Duplantis, who went undefeated while winning the world title and setting four new world records; MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez, who ended a six-year wait for the crown; and Tadej Pogacar, who sealed a third career yellow jersey at the 2025 Tour de France.Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Nominee Jannik Sinner said, “Looking back at 2025, it was a year where I’m incredibly proud of the work we put in. Defending my Australian Open title was a great start, and reaching all four Grand Slam finals, especially winning Wimbledon, was truly special. I’m incredibly grateful for my team and everyone who supports me. And to the media, thank you for the Laureus nomination. It’s an honour to be considered for the most prestigious Award in sport alongside such an amazing group of athletes.”The 2024 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, Aitana Bonmati, is nominated again, following a domestic treble for FC Barcelona and an unprecedented third Ballon d’Or trophy. A trio of World Athletics Championships stars join Bonmati on the shortlist: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became only the second woman in history to win the ‘Triple Crown’ with gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay; middle-distance legend Faith Kipyegon secured a record fourth World Championships gold in the 1500m; and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the World Championships 400m record before winning relay gold.Swimming legend Katie Ledecky brought her World Aquatics Championships medal tally up to a historic 30, and tennis World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka stayed on top throughout 2025 thanks to a US Open title and three Grand Slam final appearances.Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Nominee Aitana Bonmati said, “I’d like to thank Laureus and their panel of global sports media for nominating me for this Award for the third time in a row. It’s a pleasure to be recognised, but this nomination wouldn’t be possible without my teammates and all of the staff and coaches for my club and national team. These Awards help us athletes give visibility to our own causes: thanks to Laureus, my work and the achievements of my fellow Nominees can inspire girls and boys around the world, and that’s a huge source of pride for me.”In the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award, teenage winger Desire Doue is recognised after scoring twice in the UEFA Champions League final for Paris Saint-Germain, alongside a second-placed finish in the 2025 FIFA Kopa Trophy voting.His fellow Nominees include 19-year-old João Fonseca, who debuted in the main draw of all four of tennis’ Grand Slam events; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who became the fourth player in NBA history to be named regular season MVP, Finals MVP and Scoring Champion in the same season; Luke Littler, who became the youngest-ever PDC World Darts champion and World No.1; Formula One driver Lando Norris, who pipped four-time champion Max Verstappen to a first World Drivers’ Championship; and Yu Zidi who, at just 12-years-old, became the World Aquatics Championships’ youngest medallist with a bronze in the 4x200m relay.The Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award celebrates stories of resilience, including that of Amanda Anisimova, who returned to tennis after stepping away to protect her mental health and went on to reach both the Wimbledon and US Open finals.Egan Bernal recovered from a near-fatal crash in 2022 to win a Grand Tour stage in 2025, while Rory McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam with a first Masters victory to end an 11-year wait for another Major.Triple jumper Yulimar Rojas won a bronze medal in the Triple Jump at the World Championships just a year after undergoing surgery for a torn Achilles tendon, and England captain Leah Williamson lifted both the UEFA Women’s Champions League and European Championship trophies one year on from returning to football after an ACL injury. Simon Yates completes the shortlist, the 2025 Giro d’Italia winner overcoming the memories of losing a 38-minute lead in 2018.Two former Award winners – and a three-time Nominee – are shortlisted for this year’s Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award. 2019 and 2020 winner Chloe Kim won an eighth X Games gold to become the competition’s most decorated woman; 2025 winner Tom Pidcock sealed a first Grand Tour podium at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana; and skateboarder Rayssa Leal received a fourth Nomination after winning X Games gold and a Street world title.World Surf League champions Yago Dora and Molly Picklum both ended 2025 as the World No. 1-ranked surfers, and Kilian Journet summited all 72 of the accessible 14,000-foot peaks in the United States on foot and bicycle in just 31 days.Amongst the Nominees for the 2026 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award are three stars of the World Para Swimming Championships: Simone Barlaam won four golds, with a hat-trick in three days; Gabriel Araujo set a new world record in the 150m individual medley and picked up three golds; and 17-year-old David Kratochvil won seven medals, including four golds.The trio are joined on the shortlist by World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Championships MVP and leading scorer Kelsey DiClaudio, and two stars from the World Para Athletics Championships: sprint and long jump gold medallist Kiara Rodriguez and Catherine Debrunner, who won five golds and set a new championship record in the 1500m T54.The Laureus Sport for Good Award honours community sports-based programmes that use sport to improve young lives. This year, the shortlist includes Futbol Mas, which promotes inclusivity, teamwork and respect through footballbased wellbeing projects in Europe, Africa and South America; MindLeaps, a global organisation that combines dance classes with educational support to build cognitive skills and develop youth employability; ASD Gruppo Sportivo Valanga, an Italian programme that offers educational opportunities through multisport workshops and sports psychology; Rugby For Good in Hong Kong, China, which champions social and gender equity for children with ADHD through a familyfocused rugby model; Kings County Tennis League, which repurposes public sports spaces in New York City to give disadvantaged young people access to tennis; and Transformacion Social TRASO in Mexico, which offers twice weekly boxing and martial arts sessions alongside professionallyled group therapy for children and young adults.The full list of Nominees is:Laureus World Sportsman of the Year:Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) Tennis – won the French Open and US Open, ending 2025 as the year-end World No.1Ousmane Dembele (France) Football – top goalscorer as Paris Saint-Germain won six titles in 2025, and winner of the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA awardsMondo Duplantis (Sweden) Athletics – won third consecutive outdoor world championship and set four new world records, whilst going undefeated in 2025Marc Marquez (Spain) Motor Cycling – the 2025 MotoGP World Champion, winning 11 Grand Prix races across 17 startsTadej Pogacar (Slovenia) Cycling – won a third yellow jersey at the 2025 Tour de France, claiming four stage winsJannik Sinner (Italy) Tennis – winner of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, alongside the ATP Tour Finals title and the Paris MastersLaureus World Sportswoman of the Year:Aitana Bonmati (Spain) Football – claimed a third-consecutive Ballon d’Or after winning the domestic treble with FC Barcelona and reaching the Champions League and European Championship finalsMelissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) Athletics – became only the second woman to win the World Championships Triple Crown – the 100m, 200m and 4x100mFaith Kipyegon (Kenya) Athletics – won a fourth World Championships gold medal in the 1500m final: the first woman to achieve the featKatie Ledecky (USA) Swimming – won two gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships, taking her total World Championship medal count to 30Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) Athletics – broke the World Championships 400m record, whilst winning gold with Team USA in the 4x400m relayAryna Sabalenka Tennis – year-end World No.1 for the second-consecutive year, after reaching three Grand Slam finals and winning the US OpenLaureus World Team of the Year:England Women’s Football Team- defended their European Championship title with a penalty shoot-out victory over reigning world champions, SpainEuropean Ryder Cup Team Golf – claimed a 16th Ryder Cup title after a 15-13 win: Europe’s first away win since 2012India Women’s Cricket Team – won a maiden World Cup title, after recording the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history in a semi-final win against AustraliaMcLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team (UK) Motor Racing – won their 10th World Constructors’ Championship with six races to spareOklahoma City Thunder (USA) Basketball – equalled the 1996/97 Chicago Bulls team for most NBA season wins en route to winning their first NBA championshipParis Saint-Germain (France) Football – won a first UEFA Champions League title, defeating Inter Milan 5-0 and a historic six titles across the calendar yearLaureus World Breakthrough of the Year:Desire Doue (France) Football – scored twice for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final and finished second in voting for the 2025 FIFA Kopa TrophyJoão Fonseca (Brazil) Tennis – debuted at all four Grand Slam tournaments, reaching the third round of the French Open and WimbledonShai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) Basketball – became the fourth player in basketball history to win the NBA regular season MVP, Finals MVP and scoring champion in the same seasonLuke Littler (UK) Darts – became the youngest-ever PDC World Darts champion, completing the career Triple CrownLando Norris (UK) Motor Racing – won a maiden Formula One World Drivers’ Championship title at the final race of the seasonYu Zidi (China) Swimming – the youngest-ever World Aquatics Championships medallist at only 12-years-oldLaureus World Comeback of the Year:Amanda Anisimova (USA) Tennis – reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals, two years after stepping away from tennis to prioritise her mental healthEgan Bernal (Colombia) Cycling – won a first Grand Tour stage since a near-fatal crash in 2022Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf – won a first Masters title, ending an 11-year wait for another Major win, and completed the Career Grand SlamYulimar Rojas (Venezuela) Athletics – returned to the global stage at the World Athletics Championship, winning bronze after a two-year absence due to an Achilles injuryLeah Williamson (UK) Football – won the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the European Championships, one year after returning to football following an ACL injurySimon Yates (UK) Cycling – won the 2025 Giro d’Italia, seven years after losing a 38-minute lead in 2018Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year:Yago Dora (Brazil) Surfing – won a first WSL World Championship title and secured the WSL World No.1 seedKilian Jornet (Spain) Ultra Running – summitted all 72 of the 14,000-foot peaks in the USA over the course of just 31 daysChloe Kim (USA) Snowboarding – became the most decorated woman in X Games history with an eighth gold medal in SuperpipeRayssa Leal (Brazil), Skateboarding – won Street gold at the SLS Super Crown World Championships, her fourth consecutive titleMolly Picklum (Australia) Surfing – won the first World Surf League championship after defeating 2023 champion, Caroline Marks, in a best-of-three matchTom Pidcock (UK) Cycling – won the European XCO title as well as a first Grand Tour podium at the Vuelta a EspanaLaureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year with Disability:Gabriel Araujo (Brazil) Para Swimming – won three gold medals at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships whilst breaking the world record in the 150m individual medleySimone Barlaam (Italy) Para Swimming – four golds at the World Aquatics Championships took his career tally to 23Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) Para Athletics – won five gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships, setting a championship record in 1500m T54Kelsey DiClaudio (USA) Para Ice Hockey – finished the World Championship as MVP and leading scorerDavid Kratochvil (Czech Republic) Para Swimming – won four gold, two bronze and a silver medal at the World Para Swimming ChampionshipsKiara Rodriguez (Ecuador) Para Athletics – won three gold medals and set the Women’s Long Jump T47 championship record at the World ChampionshipsLaureus Sport for Good Shortlist:A.S.D Gruppo Sportivo Valanga (Italy) Multi-sport x Employability – offers educational opportunities through a combination of sports workshops and sports psychologyFutbol Mas (Global) Football x Wellbeing – promotes inclusivity, teamwork and respect through football tournamentsKings County Tennis League (USA) Tennis x Inclusion – breaks down economic barriers preventing local youth from accessing tennisMindLeaps (Global) Dance x Employability – develops cognitive skills through an innovative programme of dance classes and academic tuitionRugby For Good (Hong Kong, China) Rugby x Inclusion – champions social and gender equity for children with ADHDTransformacion Social TRASO (Mexico) Martial Arts x Wellbeing – offers twice-weekly boxing and martial arts classes alongside professionally-led group therapy. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)