10 Iconic Moments in World Cricket

With cricket being played for several centuries, the sport has a long storied history. If you immerse yourself in the annals of cricket, you will come across tons of moments that are cherished wholeheartedly by fans.

From individual brilliance on the field to collective team efforts, the sport has seen everything, captivating fans and experts alike. 

On that note, we’ll delve into the 10 most iconic moments witnessed in cricketing history.

10. Jonty Rhodes’ Superman Run Out

Jonty Rhodes made himself a name for his superb fielding. He showed a glimpse of it early on in his career while playing against Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup.

Pakistan were batting on 135 for 2 while chasing 194, with Inzamam-ul-Haq and captain Imran Khan in the middle. Inzamam tried to play the next delivery, but the ball hit his pads and went towards Rhodes, who was fielding at point.

Inzamam wanted to take a leg bye, but Imran refused, prompting Inzamam to go back. Till then, Rhodes gathered the ball, sprinted towards the stumps, and jumped like a superman to uproot the wickets out of the ground. That run out changed the momentum of the match, helping South Africa win by 20 runs.

9. Lasith Malinga’s 4 Wickets in 4 Balls

Sri Lanka’s Yorker King, Lasith Malinga, became the first bowler to take 4 wickets in 4 consecutive deliveries in international cricket. He achieved this rare feat against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup.

South Africa were chasing the modest target of 210 runs set by Sri Lanka. By the end of the 44th over, they were cruising at 200 for 5, with 10 runs needed to win. But Malinga gave them a scare in his 2 overs. 

Coming in to bowl the 45th over, Malinga gave away 6 runs in the first 4 balls but then dismissed Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall on the next 2 deliveries. He came back into the attack in the 47th over and removed Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini on the first 2 balls to make it 4 in 4.

8. Shane Warne’s Ball of the Century

The year was 1993 and a young Shane Warne was playing in his first-ever Ashes Test. The match was played at Old Trafford.

Warne bowled his first delivery of the match to England’s Mike Gatting and left everyone stunned. He bowled a leg spin that pitched outside the leg stump and turned sharply to clip the off stump, leaving Gatting bemused on the crease.

7. Glenn Maxwell’s Mad Knock in World Cup

Glenn Maxwell is well known for his outrageous batting knocks, and one such knock came in the 2023 ODI World Cup when his team needed it the most.

Australia were taking on Afghanistan at the Wankhded Stadium and chasing the target of 292. But they found themselves in a tricky situation at 49 for 4 in 8.2 overs.

In came Glenn Maxwell, who faced the hat-trick ball straight up but somehow managed to survive. He took some time to settle as further wickets fell on the other end, reducing them to 91 for 7 in 18.3 overs.

Despite struggling with cramps in the humid Mumbai conditions, Maxwell kept Australia in the fight, along with captain Pat Cummins. He didn’t spare any Afghani bowlers, smashing them across the park.

His onslaught helped him score an unbeaten 201, taking Australia over the ropes by 3 wickets.

6. Yuvraj Singh’s 6 Sixes in 6 Balls

If you turn back some pages of history books, you will find Yuvraj Singh’s clean striking against Stuart Broad without fail. It was the 2007 World Cup match in Durban where Yuvraj slammed 6 sixes in 6 balls in Broad’s one over.

An altercation between him and Andrew Flintoff had charged Yuvi to the next level. And he unleashed his beast against Broad, depositing all 6 balls behind the fence.

He became the first batter to smash 6 sixes in 6 balls in T20Is and also hammered the fastest fifty in the T20 World Cup off 12 balls.

5. First Tied Test Match

In the storied history of Test cricket, only 2 matches have ended in thrilling ties. The fans witnessed the first-ever tied Test match way back in 1960. 

Australia were hosting the West Indies for a 5-match Test series. The first match of the series turned out to be absolutely breathtaking.

Batting first, the Windies posted 453 runs on the scoreboard. In the second innings, Australia managed to take a lead of 53 runs, scoring 505 runs.

The third innings of the match saw the visitors put up 284 runs, setting a target of 233 for Australia. The hosts, in reply, had a tough time chasing the target, first struggling at 92 for 6 and then slumping to 232 for 9, with 1 run needed to win.

But a clever run out from Joe Solomon prevented Australia from crossing the victory margin, ending the match in a sensational tie.

4. First ODI Double Century

Everyone knows Sachin Tendulkar scored a double ton against South Africa in ODIs in 2010. However, he wasn’t the first batter to reach the glorious mark.

Belinda Clark, the former Australian women’s cricketer, breached the 200-run mark 13 years before Tendulkar’s exploits. During the 1997 Women’s World Cup, Clark slammed her double century against Denmark, remaining unbeaten on 229 runs off 155 balls.

3. Brian Lara Climbs Mt. 400

In April 2004, the West Indies and England were playing the last match of the 4-match Test series in Antigua. England had the series in their pocket with a 3-0 lead.

The Windies won the toss and elected to bat first. Brian Lara came to the crease after the first wicket fell on 33 in 13.4 overs. 

The left-hander forged some crucial partnerships with his fellow teammates, taking on every English bowler. Eventually, he accumulated an unbeaten 400 runs off 582 balls. To date, Lara’s 400 remains the highest individual score in Test cricket.

2. India Stuns the World

After a remarkable run in the 1983 World Cup, India reached the summit clash, where they faced off 2-time champions the West Indies. 

No one gave a chance to India against the mighty Windies, as they scored a paltry 183 batting first. But India’s bowlers produced an extraordinary performance, wrapping up the Windies for 140 and winning the championship by 43 runs.

The Kapil Dev-led Indian team lifted their maiden World Cup and marked the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket.

1. The Birth of Ashes

England versus Australia is the oldest and fiercest rivalry in cricket. Both of these teams contest in the Ashes, which signifies the battle between them in Test cricket.

England and Australia started playing against each other way back in 1877. However, it wasn’t until 1882 that the Ashes came into its own form.

During the 1882 Oval Test, Australia beat England on English soil for the first time. After the humiliating defeat, The Sporting Times newspaper took a sly at England by publishing a mock obituary of English Cricket, mentioning that the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.

When England toured Australia for the 1882-83 series, they were determined to reclaim the Ashes, made by burning a pair of bails and putting them into the urn, by defeating Australia.

That marked the beginning of the most competitive rivalry in cricket, with both teams fighting for the Ashes.

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