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The tragic event though, was the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan, which had larger ramifications, including the shifting of the IPL to South Africa. Details on this and more below.
Cricket and Terror: The unfortunate mix
On the third day of the second test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, twelve gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lankan team bus as they were travelling to the stadium. Eight members of the team suffered injuries; two with gun shot wounds, and the repercussions for international cricket in Pakistan was massive.
Thankfully, the players escaped with minor injuries but six security guards were killed in the attack which occurred in a crowded area of Lahore.
Sri Lanka had agreed to tour Pakistan after India pulled out of a series following the Mumbai terror attacks in November, but with the attacks taking place, the possibility of fans getting to watch the national team play any time soon is bleak.
It's a pity for cricket in the country and a solution needs to be worked out for a team that hasn't played a full test series since 2007.
The Roll on effect
Like most terrorist attacks, the consequences of the one mentioned above were not restricted to cricket in Pakistan. The fear that it put in into organisers and international participants for sporting events across India was huge as well. First, the IPL got shifted to South Africa, and although the matches will still be played during prime time for the television audience in india, the fact that India's biggest sporting event needed to be moved out is a vindication of the grip that terror has acquired on sport.
This was followed by the English badminton team refusing to come down for the Yonex Open and the Australian Davis Cup team requesting for a change in venue. Not the best of times for sport in the subcontinent.
A first on Kiwi soil
When the good times roll, there's no stopping them. After the series victory over Sri Lanka in February, India pushed off to New Zealand in search of a maiden triumph in both formats, and part one was accomplished in style.
The five match ODI series began with a win and a no result, but it was in the third and fourth ODI that India stepped on the gas. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag blasted quick but contrasting centuries in the third and fourth match respectively to seal the deal. Sachin's 163 was an epic, a classic knock mixed paced to perfection, and he was unlucky not to have a double century having to retire hurt.
Sehwag then scored the fastest century by an Indian in an ODI (60 balls) in an innings which he described later that he felt "sorry for the bowlers". Such was the ferocity and India got their series win in style with a 10 wicket margin. They lost the last match, but they'd have taken a 3-1 result anyday.
The test series began on the right note as well, with a huge 10 wicket victory in the first test. Tendulkar was in his element again, with a brilliant 160 setting up a first innings total of 520, and Harbhajan did the rest with a six wicket haul in the second innings.
India found themselves in trouble in the second test, battling a 314 run deficit after the first innings, but batted through two whole days with centuries from Gambhir and Laxman to save the test. It was a test of character that they passed with flying colours, and stand just a draw away from a special series win.
Australia's ‘underdog' victory
For all their successes over the past few years, Australia's series win against South Africa must count as the one they're most proud of. With a rookie team led brilliantly by Ricky Ponting, they bounced back from their loss at home in January to retain the No.1 spot in the test rankings.
It's amazing how the tables turned. Just a month ago, they looked to have been unlocked by a Proteas outfit brimming with confidence. But Peter Siddle, Marcus North, Phillip Hughes, Andrew McDonald, names unheard of even a few months ago, rose to the occasion to deal South Africa a hiding in their own backyard.
The series also saw the emergence of Mitchell Johnson as an all rounder as he cracked a maiden test hundred and a knock of 96 to go with the 16 scalps he took to become the highest wicket taker.
Australia won the first test by 160 runs and the second by 175 runs, and even though they lost the third by an innings and 20 runs, they have ample reason to be happy.
South Africa prevailed in the two match T20 series, and April sees the start of the five match ODI series. Keep watching.
Rafa in control
The moment Rafael Nadal had saved the five match points against David Nalbandian in his fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, one sensed that it would be his tournament, and it was.
Mentally, he seems to be where Roger Federer was in 2005-2006, but the difference is that he doesn't necessarily believe he is destined to win, but is willing to work for the victory.
He admitted to being ‘afraid' of Nalbandian, but once he cracked that code, Del Potro, Roddick and Murray were no match for the No.1.
He swept to his 13th Masters Series title and is fast catching up on Agassi (17) and Federer (14).
Federer himself played a good week and a great second set against Andy Murray in the semi finals, but gave it away as easy with a flurry of unforced errors in the deciding set.
Andy Roddick had his moments too, with a win over Djokovic in the quarterfinals getting 81% of his first serves in being the highlight, but he couldn't get the better of Nadal in the semis.
Nadal also guided Spain to a win against Serbia in the first round of the Davis Cup, with wins over Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic, capping a fine month for him.
Argentina, Czech Republic, Croatia, United States, Israel, Russia and Germany make up the quarterfinal list.
India moved into the 3rd round of the Asia/Oceania zone as well with a 3-2 victory over Chinese Taipei.
Somdev Devvarman got India off to a positive start and Lee/Hesh won the doubles, with Rohan Bopanna losing the first singles. Somdev then won the first of the reverse singles to guarantee India's progress, and they now meet Australia in the nest round.
The Sony Ericsson Open is next, and Rafa is looking ominous. Will there be a challenge? Look out for it this week.
Reds on a roll
From the beginning of the season, Anfield has been abuzz with hope that this will be the year they finally get their hands around the Barclays Premier League. After looking good initially, they began to stutter but the Champions League has a way of awakening the Merseysiders to great deeds.
So after grabbing a historic win at the Bernabeu in the first leg in February, Liverpool dumped Madrid out of the competition with a 4-0 mauling at home. The confidence was back, and how. A trip to Old Trafford to salvage their only chance of a shot at the title beckoned.
And they rose to the challenge, smashing in four goals to complete a double for the season, and more importantly, dent the psyche in the camp United.
Since then, United have lost to Fulham while Liverpool brushed aside Aston Villa with another five goal burst and now the difference stands at just one point with a game in hand for Manchester.
With eight games to go, the race is definitely on.
Round three. Fight.
The second leg of the round of 16 in the Champions League was a goal fest, with 29 scored across the 8 matches.
Bayern added insult to injury with a 7-1 win to follow up on their 5-0 victory in the first leg over Sporting Lisbon. Barcelona went into free flow at the Camp Nou with a 5-2 victory over Lyon while Liverpool humiliated Real Madrid further with a 4-0 thrashing at Anfield.
Alex Ferguson finally got some revenge over Mourinho with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford and Arsenal scraped through on penalties against Roma.
Chelsea hung on for a 2-2 draw against Juventus to get through while Porto and Villareal made it through as well.
The unveiling of the draw later in the month tossed up some mouth watering clashes for the quarterfinals. Chelsea and Liverpool are set to meet for the fifth consecutive year in the competition, while Barcelona drew Munich in what is the tougher side of the table.
Manchester United and Arsenal seem to have relatively easier ties with Porto and Villareal respectively but would be unwise to take them lightly.
Bring on the quarterfinals.
Back with a bang
The wait was long. Television ratings for the PGA tour had dipped over the second half of the 2008 season, but cut to the month gone by and parity was restored, if not bettered. It was, after all, the return of Tiger Woods to tournament golf.
He began with a ninth place finish at the World Golf Championships in his first tournament back from a knee injury. It was to be the lull before the storm.
Going in as defending champion at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Woods found himself five strokes off the pace at the end of the third round. Sean O' Hair, a two time PGA winner who held the lead, should have fancied his chances, but the Tiger charge is a mental weapon like no other.
With five holes to go, the lead was down to one stroke. After trading a couple of holes, Woods went ahead on the 16th but a bogey on the 17th meant the leaders were tied heading into the 18th.
But stages like these are the ones in which the World No.1 thrives, and there was only going to be one winner.
Reaching the green in two, with the light fading fast, Tiger clutch putted a 16 footer for birdie to overcome the biggest final round deficit in his career and even by his standards, achieve a most dramatic victory.
With the Masters due to start next week, the timing couldn't have been any better.
Of brains and Brawns
Four weeks ago, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello were probably looking at alternative career options. The Honda F1 team was looking for buyers failing which they wouldn't be part of the season. On March 6th, Ross Brawn, the team principal, lead a buyout of the team in a decision which he said there was ‘no choice' about.
So Honda turned into Brawn GP and show their muscle they did. In spectacular fashion. A new team entering Formula 1 would usually be happy to garner championship points, but at the 2009 season opener in Melbourne, it was 1-2 for the Mercedez engine powered outfit.
Jenson Button lead from start to finish to clinch the second victory of his career; Lewis Hamilton drove a superb race in the ‘hardest car he'd ever driven' to go from 18th to 3rd; and Ferrari returned empty handed.
It's turned the Formula 1 season on its head with the traditional favourites struggling but it can only mean good news when the best drivers and teams have a point to prove.
Watch out for the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend. Rain is on the cards, and it should be a cracker.
The weeks ahead
Stay tuned for some great sporting action in April. The IPL begins on the 18th; Champions League quarterfinal action starts on the 7th; The clay court season kicks off with the Monte Carlo Masters; The Augusta Masters is back this week; and the world snooker championships are happening as well.
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File Photograph Copyright:  Tidalist (Tennis), Jose M Izquiredo Galiot (F1), Sandeep M (Cricket), Phillip Chambers (Football), James Marvin Phelps (Golf)
Do check out our photo gallery for a lot more sports action
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