1996 – A Kenyan World Cup Victory

Kenya, playing their first World Cup, pulled off one of the greatest upsets by bowling West Indies out for 93 in Pune. The West Indies side included Brian Lara, Shivanrine Chanderpaul, Richie Richardson, and Jimmy Adams. Despite Kenya’s modest total of 166, they stunned the cricketing world by securing a historic win. However, West Indies advanced to the semi-finals, while Kenya finished bottom of their group.

1988 – Mark Greatbatch's Stubborn Century

Mark Greatbatch marked his Test debut with a marathon second-innings century in Auckland. England had gained a first-innings lead thanks to Martyn Moxon's 99. New Zealand overtook England but by day four, they were only 132 ahead with five wickets in hand. Greatbatch’s six-hour vigil ensured the match ended in a dull draw, one of the most uneventful in Wisden’s history.

2000 – Younis Khan’s Fighting Debut Century

Younis Khan scored a gritty second-innings century on debut against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. Pakistan, still behind on the first-innings deficit, saw Younis form a crucial 145-run stand with an injured Wasim Akram. Pakistan set a target of 220, but Sri Lanka, led by Arjuna Ranatunga, chased it down despite late drama. The victory gave Sri Lanka a 1-0 series lead.

2008 – South African Openers Rewrite Records

South Africa’s Neil McKenzie and Graeme Smith tormented Bangladesh's bowlers, reaching 405 at the end of day one in Chittagong. They went on to break the record for the highest first-wicket partnership (415). Smith also notched his fourth double-century. Bangladesh followed on and lost by an innings and 205 runs.

1908 – The Birth of Alf Gover

Alf Gover, one of cricket’s greatest coaches, was born in Surrey. His cricket school in south London trained both young hopefuls and legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Viv Richards. As a fast bowler, he took over 1500 wickets in first-class cricket and played four Tests between 1936 and 1946. Gover passed away at 93, at the time the oldest living Test cricketer.

1975 – The First Cricket World Cup Begins

The inaugural Cricket World Cup took place in England, marking the beginning of the biggest event in limited-overs cricket. Eight teams participated, and the final at Lord’s saw the West Indies, led by Clive Lloyd, defeat Australia to claim the first-ever World Cup title.

1983 – India’s Historic World Cup Triumph

India stunned the cricketing world by defeating the mighty West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final at Lord’s. Under Kapil Dev’s leadership, India defended a modest total of 183, with Mohinder Amarnath playing a crucial role. This victory revolutionized Indian cricket.

1999 – Shoaib Akhtar Stuns with Raw Pace

Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar burst onto the international scene in the 1999 World Cup, becoming the first bowler to officially break the 100 mph barrier. His express pace left batsmen in awe, and he played a key role in Pakistan reaching the final.

2007 – India Wins the First T20 World Cup

MS Dhoni led India to victory in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa. The thrilling final against Pakistan saw India win by five runs, with Joginder Sharma taking the final wicket. This victory popularized T20 cricket worldwide.

2019 – England Wins a Thrilling World Cup Final

England won their first-ever ICC Cricket World Cup in a dramatic final against New Zealand at Lord’s. The match ended in a tie, leading to a Super Over, which also ended in a tie. England won based on the boundary count rule, in what is regarded as one of the greatest cricket matches of all time.