Team India will create history by reaching another ICC final and they are the only team in the world who have played all ICC event final now. India have played 8 finals since 2000 in ICC events which is also a record and four times, they emerged victorious. India won two Champions Trophies, 1 ODI World Cup, and 1 T20 World Cup during this phase. After 2000, Indian cricket has been evolved as before this period, we played only two finals, and both times we won the tournament. The first win came against West Indies in the 1983 WC Final and then, India won the World Series tournament after beating Pakistan in the final.
In this special segment, let’s revisit India’s three famous victories in ICC Finals with the hope of seeing Team India winning another ICC title.
World Cup Final against West Indies at Lord’s (1983)
Who would have thought India will script history at the home of cricket when they played the final against might West Indies who won two World Cups in 1975 and 1979. India had defeated West Indies earlier in the group stage so morale was high and they had believed that they can turn around things. Cricket was evolving in India but our country was waiting for one glorious moment in this sport. We had only cheered India’s Olympics success in Hockey but other sports were struggling to get that milestone. It was a 60-over game and India batted first. Amarnath and Srikkanth put a good stand but India collapsed to bowl out on 183. The figure of ‘83’ did wonder for India.
The Indian team had a long discussion in dressing-room and with the believe of turn-around, India bowlers came to defend this total. In the 80s, chasing such target wasn’t an easy thing. West Indies lost their 6 wickets on 76 and the best moment came when Kapil Dev picked a stunner to dismiss dangerous Viv Richards who scored 33 off 28 balls. West Indies couldn’t sustain after this wicket and bowled out on 140. India won the final by 43 runs and become the first Asian and second team in the world to win ODI World Cup. It was India’s maiden ICC Trophy. This title pushed cricket on high and later, we hosted the WC in India in 1983 and 1996. This one victory inspired many aspiring cricketers to find their career in cricket.
World Cup Final against Sri Lanka at Wankhede (2011)
After Kapil Dev’s success at Lord’s in 1983, India waited for long 28 years to win the World Cup. We reached the semifinals in 1987 and 1996 but failed to cross the line. Ganguly led us to the second WC Final in 2003 but Australia took the glory from us. India hosted the World Cup final and Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was cheering for Men In Blue. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Indian bowlers were pretty economical in the first powerplay and Sri Lankan openers were struggling. Sri Lanka managed to hold the nerves and they avoided blows in middle-order. Mahela Jayawardene scored a fighting hundred and firing in death-overs helped the Lankan side to get 275 runs on board.
Malinga’s opening spells haunt Indian fans as Sehwag and Sachin both got out in powerplay. Gambhir and Kohli revived India with a half-century stand. Dilshan provided a breakthrough with Kohli’s wicket and then, Dhoni came at number 5 in place of Yuvi. This call proved worthy for Team India. The duo took the game away from Sri Lanka. Gambhir missed out a hundred by 3 runs and Dhoni remained not out on 91. He hit a winning six against Kulshekhra to finish the game for India. It was India’s second victory in WC Finals out of three and they become second joint-successful side after Australia in World Cups.
World Cup Final against Pakistan at Johannesburg (2007)
2007 was the year when ICC came out with the idea of the T20 World Cup and South Africa hosted the first edition. After an early exit from the ODI WC, India and Pakistan both made entry into the final of the T20 World Cup. Both sides played each other in the group stage where the match ended in a tie. India won the toss and elected to bat first. Yusuf Pathan made his debut and opened with Gambhir. India lost two wickets in powerplay and then, Yuvraj and Gambhir put a half-century stand for the 3rd wicket. Gambhir’s 54-ball 75 and Rohit Sharma’s late 16-ball 30 helped India to get 157 on board.
RP Singh struck twice in the powerplay to dismiss Hafeez and Akmal. Imran Nazir looked solid and scored 33 off just 13 balls before getting run-out. Pakistan lost regular wickets in middle-overs and they were 7 down after 16 overs. Misbah ul Haq fought for Pakistan and took 34 runs in the next two overs. Joginder Sharma bowled the final over for India and Misbah got out when Pak needed six off the last four balls. Sreesanth picked a fine catch to get Misbah after 43. India won this game by 5 runs and become champion of the T20 World Cup. It was India’s only T20 WC success. They came close to repeat it in 2014 but lost to Sri Lanka in the final.
India will now appear in one more final and it will an inaugural World Test Championship final. It will be held in Southampton against New Zealand. India’s record against New Zealand isn’t so convincing in ICC knockouts. India lost to New Zealand in the 2000 Champions Trophy Final and then, suffered a defeat in World Cup 2019 semifinal. India’s last ICC trophy came in 2013 when we defeated England in the final of the Champions Trophy.
