Uttar Pradesh: Sports

The major sports played in Uttar Pradesh can be classified in two groups:

1.    Traditional sports
2.    Modern sports

Many renowned sportspersons have brightened the name of Uttar Pradesh. Nawab Mian, the famous Olympic shooter, Dhyan Chand, field hockey player, Sanjiv Balian, volleyball player and Anuj, wrestler, all of them have brought glories to the state. The traditional sports of Uttar Pradesh include swimming, wrestling, water-sports, kabaddi, etc. These games are played according to the local traditional rules. Cricket is becoming very popular than the game of field hockey. UP state won its first Ranji Trophy tournament in the year 2006.

The Green Park stadium in Kanpur, an internationally recognized stadium in Uttar Pradesh, has witnessed major victories. The headquarter of UPCA i.e. Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association(UPCA) is in Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh.

Nitin Kumar, Dhyan Chand and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay are some of the finest players from UP state in field hockey sports. One of the new built international stadiums of the state is in Noida, Uttar Pradesh named as Greater Noida Cricket Stadium. India’s inaugural F1 Grand Prix race was hosted in the Buddh International Circuit on October 30, 2011.