The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is here. With World Cup warm-ups beginning today, it has officially marked the start of the cricketing extravaganza. With all eyes on India Cricket Team ahead of official kick-off on October 5, there are memories to cherish and some nostalgia for fans of every generation. From Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup in 1983 to inspire generations to MS Dhoni hitting that six to finish off the game in 2011 or Virat Kohli lifting Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders, there have been many memories to cherish.
As we begin another World Cup, InsideSport takes a look at Top 5 memorable moments of India Cricket Team in the ODI World Cup.
Dhoni’s World Cup-winning six in 2011
It was the night when millions of dreams converged at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. MS Dhoni, with his calm demeanour, hit the winning six against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final. The image of him raising his arms remains eternally etched in our memories. And even 12 years later, the image of him hitting the six remains an iconic moment.
India’s first World Cup win in 1983
From being ruled to the ruler: Kapil Dev holding the World Cup trophy in 1983 has inspired generations of cricketers. Perhaps, it was the watershed moment in India’s cricketing history. It inspired the likes of Sachin Tendulkar who inspired another generation and the circle has continued ever since.
Kapil Dev led the team to victory against the West Indies in the final match. Kapil Dev’s remarkable 175 against Zimbabwe in league stage and the team’s spirited performance laid the foundation for India’s cricketing glory on the world stage.
Chetan Sharma’s Hat-Trick
An Indian pacer claiming a hat-trick wasn’t a regular occurrence those days. But in the 1987 Cricket World Cup, Chetan Sharma etched his name in history. He took the first-ever World Cup hat-trick for India against New Zealand. His impeccable bowling skills made this feat a cherished moment for Indian cricket fans. But India failed to defend the WC title at home, losing to England in semifinals.
Ganguly and Dravid’s Record-Breaking Partnership
Two of the best batsmen in Indian cricket history put on a show in England. Against Sri Lanka, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid commanded Sri Lankan bowling attack with sheer tenacity. The two stitched together a world record 318-run partnership for the second wicket. But that partnership was a world record for any wicket at that time. However, Rahul Dravid broke the record with Sachin Tendulkar in November 199 against New Zealand.
But their incredible partnership of 318 runs against Sri Lanka showcased remarkable batting prowess and remains etched in cricketing folklore as one of the most iconic moments of the tournament.
Virat Kohli lifting Sachin Tendulkar
A future icon lifting the greatest batsman India has ever seen and that perhaps would be one of the iconic moments of India’s World Cup campaign. After India sealed the 2011 World Cup title, Virat Kohli lifted Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulder as India Cricket Team took the victory lap at the Wankhede Stadium. Later Virat Kohli explained why he did that.
“This was that gift from all of those people for him because he kept giving, giving, giving for India. I thought what better way at his home ground to realise his dream and then he gets a lap of honour. So, we felt like this is the ideal thing to do for him, and we went ahead and did it,” Virat Kohli later explained.
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