Cricket runs in India’s veins. We #bleedblue, now and forever. As a country, we started out in this game as underdogs and have emerged as global champions. And it’s been a beautiful journey with so many amazing cricket memories. Want to know how far we’ve come? Take a trip down the 22 yards with these 11 unforgettable cricket memories every 90s kid will remember:
1. When Anil Kumble claimed all ten wickets in 1999.
Remember when Anil Kumble was on fire at Feroz Shah Kotla? Kumble dismissed Pakistan’s batting order in a mere 26.3 overs, leaving them with a final score of only 74. With this historic accomplishment, Kumble became only the second bowler ever, after England’s Jim Laker, to claim ten wickets in an innings of a Test match.
Source: India.com
2. The legendary opening duo that was Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
Tendulkar and Ganguly were an unforgettable opening duo for India, one of the best we’ve ever had. No Indian pair has even crossed 6000 runs together in ODIs to date, while these legends are at 8000+ runs together. By the way, their first match together was 24 years ago in 1996. Feel old yet?
Source: Twitter.com
3. When India didn’t let Australia win the “Final Frontier.”
Let us quickly refresh your cricket memories, because this one was yet another turning point in Indian cricket history. We’re talking about the test match against Australia in 2001 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. After a series win against every other test-playing nation, Australia wanted to defeat India and conquer the “final frontier.” And it looked like they would after they trashed us in Mumbai. But it was in this match that the Australians met their match in VVS Laxman and Dravid’s batting and Harbhajan Singh’s ripping bowling. We went on to win the next test at Chennai in a historic series victory.
Source: ndtv
4. Irfan Pathan’s test hat trick - you know the one we’re talking about!
That was another sensational cricket memory. 2006, test match series against Pakistan, Irfan Pathan’s bowling dismissed three of Pakistan’s batsmen in the last three balls of the opening over. Fans were left stunned!
Source: Sportskeeda
5. Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes against England.
This is one of those iconic cricket memories that we can never forget. Back in 2007, Yuvi took us to the T20 Semi-Final in style when he hit six sixes in a single over against England in the quarter-final. Shot after shot had the crowd screaming their lungs out!
6. And we won the 2007 T20 World Cup!
This one was such a special cricket memory. India was, once again, the underdog. Our senior players sat out of this series and a young team captained by Mahindra Singh Dhoni took the stage. In a nail-biting finale against Pakistan, we won by five runs. And the T20 format was set to become popular ever since.
Source: mykhel
7. Our bittersweet “almost” win with Sachin’s 175 against Australia
Books and books can and will be written about what Sachin Tendulkar meant to the world of cricket, in India and beyond. But the 2009 ODI against Australia is a match that always reminds us of how the God of Cricket was often the backbone of India’s batting. In that match, Tendulkar carried us after our top-order collapsed and scored 175 runs. He was dismissed when we were so close to winning - needing 19 runs off 18 balls with 4 wickets in hand. We lost the game but it’ll live on forever in our cricket memories.
Source: Sportskeeda
8. India’s golden trio scores a century each
A golden cricket memory from our golden cricketing trio. Back in 2002, India played a test match against England at Headingly. Rahul Dravid scored a century on day 1, and Tendulkar and Ganguly followed suit the next day. Trivia - it’s the only time our golden trio scored a century each together in a test innings.
9. Virendar Sehwag’s triple century crowned him as the “Sultan of Multan”
We’ve known and loved Sehwag for his aggressive no-holds-barred batting, and the 2004 test match at Multan against Pakistan is such an iconic cricket memory. Sehwag faced off formidable bowlers Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, and Abdul Razzaq but smashed it out of the park again and again, earning him an amazing triple century.
Source: Quora
10. MS Dhoni’s World Cup winning six in 2011
MS Dhoni is a man who will be remembered in cricketing history for many reasons, and his 2011 World Cup winning six is definitely one of the biggest. Dhoni finished us off strong with a match-winning six that won us the ICC World Cup for the first time since 1983 and Kapil Dev. We’ll never forget the phone calls right after the match when friends and family called to congratulate each other for this historic victory.
Source: ESPN
11. The last time Sachin Tendulkar ever lifted his bat.
“My life between 22 yards for 24 years.” These were the opening words of Tendulkar’s farewell speech. We’re not trying to make you cry...but it’s fine, we’ll wait for you to grab your tissue papers! Because this moment will always be one of our most important cricket memories. November 16, 2013 was a day when India felt deep sadness but also gratitude as Sachin Tendulkar played test cricket for the last time against West Indies at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. And the crowd yelled the nation’s heartbeat: “Sachin! Sachin!”
Source: Deccan Chronicle
After reliving all these amazing cricket memories, you know what you’re doing this weekend! Block the day, because you’re going to need it to rewatch all your favourite matches. And if you’re looking for a way to elevate the experience, GODESi’s collection of sweet and spicy Indian candies is sure to bowl you over. Grab your favourites, and get snacking!
