Amazing Action Ahead!
2018 was a big year in the sporting calendar -- the FIFA World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and some hard-fought cricket tournaments featuring Virat Kohli's No 1 Test team.
With the year sprinting to a close, we bring you, in pictures, some of the best action from the sports world.
Steve Smith dives to take a catch during Australia's ODI game against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, January 14, 2018.
Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal changes his shirt during his Australian Open match against Victor Estrella Burgos at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, January 15, 2018.
Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters
Ajinkya Rahane in action during the third Test against South Africa at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, January 26, 2018.
Photograph: James Oatway/Reuters
Gold medallist Shaun White hugs a friend after the Men's Halfpipe Snowboarding final at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea, February 14, 2018.
Photograph: Issei Kato
Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany compete during the Pair Skating Free Skating during the Pyeongchang Winter Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung, South Korea, February 15, 2018.
Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images
Ekaterina Moshkovskaia, a paralympic athlete from Russia, participates in the women's 6 km Biathlon for the visually impaired at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre in Pyeongchang, South Korea, March 10, 2018.
Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
Simon Patmore lies in the snow after winning the Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL Big Final as fellow Aussie Ben Tudhope rushes to congratulate him during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Paralympics at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre in Jeongseon, South Korea, March 12, 2018.
Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters
Brody Roybal, Josh Pauls and Joshua Misiewicz celebrate the US winning the ice hockey gold medal at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Paralympics at the Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung, South Korea, March 18, 2018.
Photograph: Carl/Reuters
A fan holds up a poster on Day 4 of the third Test between South Africa and Australia at PPC Newlands in Cape Town, South Africa, March 25, 2018.
Photograph: EJ Langer/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Ben Stokes avoids a short delivery from New Zealand's Neil Wagner on the fifth day of the first England-New Zealand Test at Eden Park in Auckland, March 26, 2018.
Photograph: David Gray/Reuters
Isco celebrates scoring Spain's third goal with Sergio Ramos during an international friendly against Argentina at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, March 27, 2018.
Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters
Kenya's Nicholas Okoth competes during the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Oxenford Studios, the Gold Coast, Australia, April 5, 2018.
Photograph: Jason O'Brien/Getty Images
Australians Daniel Fox, left, and Mitchell Kilduff embrace following the Men's S14 200m Freestyle Final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Optus Aquatic Centre, the Gold Coast, April 5, 2018.
Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
England's Chris Gregory serves against Dimitris Apostolou and Georgios Chrysostomou of Cyprus during a men's Beach Volleyball preliminary game at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Coolangatta Beachfront, the Gold Coast, April 7, 2018.
Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker, centre, competes during the Women's 200m Breaststroke Final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, April 7, 2018.
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh celebrates victory in the Men's 50m Breaststroke Final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, April 9, 2018.
Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Mauritius' Rhikesh Taucoory serves during his game against Scotland's Craig Howieson at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, April 10, 2018.
Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Ghana's Nadia Eke competes in the Women's Triple Jump final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium, the Gold Coast, April 10, 2018.
Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
Australia's Mitch Larkin competes during the Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, April 10, 2018.
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Australia's Thomas Cicchini, right, and England's George Ramm compete in a Men's Freestyle 57 kg wrestling bout at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, April 12, 2018.
Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Canada's Caeli McKay competes in the Women's 10m Platform Diving competition at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, April 12, 2018.
Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Real Madrid Manager Zinedine Zidane is thrown in the air by his players at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Madrid, May 27, 2018, to celebrate their Champions League triumph.
Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev to win the European Cup and Champions League for the 13th time.
Zidane quit as Real's manager soon after.
Photograph: Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Egypt's Ahmed Fathi scores an own goal against Russia at the St Petersburg Stadium, June 19, 2018.
Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
McLaren's Fernando Alonso and Sauber's Charles Leclerc crash during the Belgian F1 Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium, August 26, 2018.
Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters
Musicians perform on Day 1 of the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Optus Aquatic Centre, April 5, 2018.
Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
Big-wave German surfer Sebastian Steudtner drops in a large wave at Praia do Norte in Nazare, Portugal, November 9, 2018.
Photograph: Rafael Marchante/Reuters
Alexander Zverev celebrates beating Novak Djokovic to win the ATP World Tour Finals title at the O2 Arena in London, November 18, 2018.
Photograph: Action Images via Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
Prithvi Shaw injures his left ankle following an attempted catch on the boundary during the Indian's tour game against a Cricket Australia XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground, November 30, 2018.
Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
A dog from the charity Canine Partners acts as a 'ball boy' during a Champions Tennis doubles match between Mansour Bahrami and Juan Carlos Ferrero and Henri Leconte and Mikael Pernfors at the Royal Albert Hall in London, December 6, 2018.
Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters
Rical skippers Virat Kohli and Tim Paine indulge in some gamesupmanship on Day 4 of the second Test at the Perth Stadium, December 17, 2018.
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
