8 iconic moments in Indian cricket over the last 2 decades (2000-2019)

#5. Commonwealth Bank Series triumph, 2007-08

India's first ODI series win in Australia since 1985

This was a tri-series involving hosts Australia, India and Sri Lanka. In the league stages, the home team had emerged as the strongest with five wins from eight matches.

India defeated the Australians once and the Sri Lankans twice to advance to the best of three finals with the hosts. In the first final at Sydney, Indian bowlers were able to restrict the Aussies to 239. Praveen Kumar (2 for 49) and Harbhajan Singh (2 for 38) had been the pick of the bowlers. India’s response began well with a 50-run opening partnership between Robin Uthapa and Sachin Tendulkar before the former was dismissed for 17. When Yuvraj Singh got out the score was 87 for 3 and the home team seemed to have the upper hand.

But the Mumbai boys Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma were not ready to give up just yet. They put together a partnership of 123 runs and pulled India out of trouble. Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 117 while Sharma scored 66 as India won the match by six wickets.

In the second final at Brisbane, India batted first and scored 258 thanks largely to Sachin’s 91. When Australia came out to bat, they were put in trouble with the fall of early wickets. At 32 for 3, the Indians were truly on the top but Matthew Hayden, along with Andrew Symonds staged a recovery with an 89-run partnership. Unfortunately for the Aussies, both fell in quick succession and at 123 for 5, Indians could sense the title.

But the strong Aussies had few more weapons up their sleeves. Mike Hussey and James Hope were involved in a fightback which threatened to take the game away from the Indians. However, after Hussey’s (44) wicket at 199, the visitors took control of the procedings. Ricky Ponting’s men were bowled out for 249 giving a ten-run victory to the Indians.

And with that the Commonwealth Bank series as well. Kumar was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4 for 46 and was adjudged as the Man of the Match. This was India’s first One-Day Series victory down-under since the World Series win in 1985. Dhoni had in fact gone on record to say that this victory was even greater than the World T20 victory.

#6. 50-over World Cup victory, 2011

The victorious Indian team

The World Cup was returning to the Indian sub-continent after a gap of 15 years and expectations from the Indian fans were high. This was also going to be Sachin Tendulkar’s last World Cup and nobody wanted him to retire without a World Cup trophy in his cabinet.

India began their campaign well with just one loss (against South Africa) in the group stages. In the quarterfinals, they were up against a formidable Australian side. After choosing to bat first, the Aussies made 260, courtesy a century by skipper Ricky Ponting. But the Indians were up to the task and half-centuries by Tendulkar (53), Gautam Gambhir (50) and Yuvraj Singh (unbeaten 57) propelled them to a five-wicket victory.

This set-up a mouth-watering semi-final clash between India and Pakistan. India batted first and Tendulkar with 85 (although he received several chances), steered the Indians to a total of 260. This was the same score that the Indians had chased in the quarterfinals, but probably the pressure of the match got the better of the Pakistanis.

They were bowled out for 231, thus giving the Indians a chance to become the first host country to win a World Cup. In the finals at Wankhede, Sri Lanka put a good total of 274 with an unbeaten century from veteran Mahela Jayawardene. This was a big total to chase in a World Cup final.

The home side lost Virender Sehwag in the very first over, but the crowd remained calmed as Sachin was still there at the crease. 37th ball of the innings changed this, with Tendulkar’s wicket the hopes of the entire nation looked to have gone for a toss. However, this wasn’t the team of the 1990s which relied just on Sachin. Gautam Gambhir (97) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (unbeaten 91), who had promoted himself ahead of the in-form Yuvraj Singh, were involved in the partnership of their life to take India closer to the title.

Dhoni finished the match with a six and India lifted the ODI World Cup after a gap 28 years. Tendulkar was carried around the shoulders of his teammates around the ground as the entire nation celebrated the victory.

Tendulkar, with 482 runs, was the second highest run-getter of the tournament (behind Tilakaratane Dilshan who scored 500), while Yuvraj Singh was adjudged as the Player of the Tournament for his all-round performance.

A moment Indian fans will never forget.