Update On This day, that year..

[Nairrk]

When Dinesh Karthik's last-ball six sealed India's Nidahas Trophy win

When Dinesh Karthik came to the crease, India required 34 off the final 12 deliveries in the Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh in Colombo. Mustafizur Rahman's impressive wicket-maiden in the 18th over left Karthik with a nervy Vijay Shankar at the other end of the crease as the pair looked to overhaul a herculean task in Sri Lanka. But what unravelled in the next two overs was simply unbelievable as Karthik made the most of Bangladesh's errs to finish off the chase successfully with a last-ball six.

He scored 22 runs in the penultimate over, punishing Rubel Hossain with two boundaries and as many six as he continuously missed the yorker length. Karthik pummeled the low-full toss over long-on for a six to begin the over before slogging the half-volley down to the same region for a four as Colombo went berserk. He then heaved the fullish ball down leg side over square leg for another six before he drew Hossain into bowling outside off only to get in position firmly to send the ball roaring down to the long leg boundary. And in a matter of just six balls, India's reduced the equation to 12 off the final six.

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[Nairrk]

March 16,2012

Sachin Tendulkar scripts history with the 'century' of centuries

It was March 16, 2012, Team India was playing against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup and the God of Cricket - Tendulkar registered his 100th international ton at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Exactly 8 years ago, on the same date, batting great Sachin Tendulkar did the unthinkable to script history in international cricket.  It was March 16, 2012, Team India was playing against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup and the God of Cricket - Tendulkar registered his 100th international ton at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Tendulkar became the first player to achieve this feat and he is still the only one to do it. It was Sachin's 49th ODI century, which is also the highest by any batsman.

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[Nairrk]

On this day: Yuvraj Singh fought illness to slam match-winning knock in 2011 World Cup

Yuvraj Singh was one of the heroes of India's memorable World Cup victory in 2011. The southpaw was awarded the Man of the Series in the tournament, as he scored 362 runs, while also picking up 15 wickets.

One of his most memorable performances came in the group stage of the tournament against West Indies. He scored a match-winning hundred in the game and also picked two important wickets to steer India to victory.

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[Nairrk]

When a bizarre rain rule left South Africa needing 22 from 1 ball in World Cup semifinal

South Africa scripted a fairytale run to the World Cup semifinal in what was their debut appearance in the tournament history. They won five matches in the round-robin stage including victories against defending champions Australia and the eventual champions Pakistan, while losing thrice. However, their impressive run was cut short by a bizarre rain rule.

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[Nairrk]

This day, that year: When Yuvraj Singh's magical performance ended Australia's World Cup hopes in 2011

The match had everything - century from the mighty Ricky Ponting, fifties from Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir, yet it was Yuvraj Singh's sensational double act that stole the show to help India beat the defending champions in Ahmedabad and set up a blockbuster semifinal clash against Pakistan.

Chasing the target of 261, Sachin and Gambhir had set the platform with their respective half-centuries before the middle-order began to choke with dismissals of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. But Yuvraj resisted the attack from the Aussies and led the charge with his 65-ball 57 laced with eight boundaries, while being ably supported by a 28-ball 34 from Suresh Raina to help India win by 5 wickets.

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[Nairrk]

MS Dhoni leads India to World Cup triumph after 28 years of wait

It's hard to forget the emotional outburst of the-then commentator, now head coach of Indian team Ravi Shastri after MS Dhoni slammed a six to end a 28-year wait for a World Cup trophy. His words reverberate in the ear almost as if it had happened yesterday. Yet, incredible as it may be, today marks the ninth anniversary of the historic triumph.

India defeated Sri Lanka in the final of the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai, and it couldn't have been a better place to achieve the remarkable feat for the Indian cricketers - Sachin Tendulkar in particular. It was reasonable to believe that the 2011 edition would be his final appearance in the showpiece event (as it was, eventually), and a World Cup trophy remained the only elusive piece of silverware missing in his highly enviable trophy cabinet. To lift the trophy in front of his home crowd must be spectacular, to say the least.

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[Nairrk]

When Sachin Tendulkar started the 'desert storm' in Sharjah

Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the best batsman to ever play the game of cricket as his abilities with the bat were no match to others during his playing days. In his 24-year long illustrious career, Tendulkar was the backbone of Team India and he played several glorious knocks.

One such epic knock of Sachin's came exactly 22 years ago in Sharjah. It was April 22, 1998, and India were locking horns with Australia at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium. Australia put 284/7 while batting first and the desert storm strikes during the innings break and the revised target of 277 in 46 overs was given to India.

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[Nairrk]

Adam Gilchrist's squash-ball stunt pays off as Australia complete World Cup hat-trick

On this day in 2007, Australia completed a hat-trick of World Cups, lifting the ninth edition of the tournament after beating Sri Lanka in the final. Till date, Australia is the only side to win three World Cups in a row. The Ricky Ponting-led side beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs (D/L Method), leading Australia to a record fourth World Cup triumph.

The hero of the final was Australia's legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, who scored a brilliant 149 off just 104 balls in a game shortened due to rains. In a 38-over match, which was further cut-short to 36 during the Sri Lankan innings due to more rains, Gilcrhist gave the Aussies an electrifying start, putting the Sri Lankans in early pressure.

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[Nairrk]

On this day: Punam Raut and Deepti Sharma create women's ODI history with record partnership

On May 15 in 2017, the Indian duo of Punam Raut and Deepti Sharma scripted history when it created the record for the highest partnership in the history of women's ODIs. The feat came against Ireland during a quadrangular series involving South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The partnership was also the highest overall (both men's and women's cricket) in ODIs for the opening wicket at the time.  The record was only broken two years later by the Windies duo of John Campbell and Shai Hope, who added 365 runs -- interestingly, against Ireland as well.

In the absence of Smriti Mandhana, who sustained an injury during the women's Big Bash League and was out of the quadrangular series, Deepti Sharma partnered Indian opener Punam Raut.

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[Nairrk]

When an emotional Sachin Tendulkar scored a magnificent 140 vs Kenya in WC'99

India have always had the upper hand against Kenya in World Cup matches. The 1999 Bristol encounter that summer was no different. The Kenyans managed only 235 at the loss of 7 wickets in reply to the massive target of 330 as India comfortable won the match by 94 runs. But the reason why it holds a significant place in Indian cricket history is because of Sachin Tendulkar's unbeaten 140.

While the knock warrants a place in the list of Sachin's best knocks in his illustrious ODI career, the reason behind its significance is the circumstances that it came under. Only a few days earlier, Sachin had lost his father. He had left the squad whilst the campaign for the same reason and hence missed the Zimbabwe game, the one India had lost.

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