6 Unforgettable Matches That Brought Alive The Spirit Of Challenge
It is currently the test match season, which will be soon be followed by the IPL season, then by the World Cup and the T20. Then there's also the Royal Challenge Bold League where local teams can participate and win a playoff with the Royal Challengers Bangalore! You can catch up on the highlights of the league here. The point is, there’ll always be newer tournaments to keep cricket fans glued to the TV. And yet, despite all the new and interesting games, some matches will always be remembered years on for their own distinct reasons.
Whether it was for a one-of-a-kind win or a nifty move, these are some of the most unforgettable matches that’ll live on in everyone’s hearts and minds.
1. India Vs West Indies, 1983 (India wins first World Cup)
The “1983 World Cup” will always be a special tournament for every Indian cricket fan. The epic final is remembered not only for the fact that India won it’s first World Cup but also because no one thought they would be able to defeat two-time defending champions—the West Indies team. Some have described this match akin to a “David taking on Goliath” kind of situation, where the underdog emerged victorious.
2. India Vs Sri Lanka, 2011 (India wins second World Cup after 28 years)
The magic of 1983 was repeated once again in 2011. India won the World Cup for the second time after a gap of 28 years! Under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, India defeated Sri Lanka by 6 wickets. The cherry on the cake was that the match was played and won on the home ground of the boys in blue. All of Mumbai and India lit up to celebrate the win at Wankhede Stadium.
3. India Vs Pakistan, 2007 (India wins the first T20 championship against Pakistan)
An India Vs Pakistan match is always an intense affair that brings everyone in front of the TV screens. But, having these arch-rivals face-off at the finals of the first ever T20 championship made it all the more interesting. MS Dhoni was just appointed as captain of the Indian team for the inaugural T20 tournament and he led his team to a memorable victory.
4. India Vs Bangladesh, 2012 (Sachin Tendulkar scores 100th century)
The whole country had been waiting for this moment. Sachin Tendulkar had already come close to it twice before but got out in his 90s after scoring his 99th century against South Africa in March 2011. But the inevitable had to happen. This epic moment came true during the Asian Cup match in 2012 while playing against Bangladesh. Tendulkar became the first batsman to score his 100th century in international cricket.
5. India Vs Sri Lanka, 2014 (Rohit Sharma scores 264 runs in an ODI)
With this incredible match, Rohit Sharma became the first ever batsman to score two double hundreds in an ODI. He smashed a record of 264 runs from just 173 balls and hit 33 fours and nine sixes. India won this match against Sri Lanka by 153 runs.
6. India Vs England, 2007 (Yuvraj Singh hits six sixes in a single over)
Another iconic match that has not just gone down in Indian cricket history but also in international cricket records, was the one where Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes in one over. Most people remember this surreal moment as if it just happened the other day. Yuvraj became the first man in the world to hit six sixes in an over, in a T20 tournament.
What other cricket matches do you fondly remember? Tell us all about it too.
