Cricket is a religion in India and we are no more debating it. The World Cup fervour sweeping the nation has unequivocally demonstrated that the passion for the game continues to soar even with the emergence of new contenders like football or the homegrown ‘kabaddi’.

This year, however, has been one of the wildest roller coasters for India’s cricket. The women’s team added many feats to its cabinet throughout the year, while the men’s team fell short of triumph on multiple occasions at the final stages.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

This year’s highlight would be the ODI (One Day International) Men’s World Cup, which took place in India in October and November this year. With a stellar beginning, with each definite win, India moved an inch closer to the coveted cup. 

Despite a fiery performance ticking all the boxes throughout the season, India got flung far away from the World Cup in the finals against Australia, ending up on the losing side at the grandest stage of all.

Australia, led by captain Pat Cummins, took the trophy home for his nation for the sixth time in the game’s history.

This defeat extended the ICC-tournament trophy drought of the men-in-blue for more than a decade, having not won it since the Champions Trophy 2013.

World Test Championship loss against Aussies

Cummins’ men not only shattered India’s world cup dreams but also overpowered Rohit Sharma & Co in the World Test Championship finals at the Oval in England, which took place in June.

Stretched till the fifth and final day of the match, the 2023 WTC final brought the same fate for India as the one in the 2021 WTC final against New Zealand, a heartbreaking defeat.

Landslide Asia Cup win

Despite two dreadful losses in the finals of ICC tournaments, India managed a prolific victory in this year’s Asia Cup, which took place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in August and September.

India aced through the group stages and Super 4s and bowled out the Lankans for a mere 51 runs in the final to lift the trophy for the eighth time.

India top team in all formats

With a win over Australia in the ODI series in September, India has been ranked as the No 1 ODI team. This meant that India was at the top of the rankings in all the three formats, a historic feat only achieved by South Africa in 2012. 

Women’s historic wins against England, Australia

Achievements made by India’s women's side shone the brightest this year. In two historic one-off Tests against England and Australia, Indian women shattered two records and a million stereotypes.

India W defeated England W by 347 runs, the record-highest win margin by runs in women’s test cricket in December this year. A few days after that, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side crushed the Australia W in a test played in Mumbai’s Wankhede, registering their first victory against the current ODI world champions.

Inaugural Women’s U-19 WC title for India

India registered their first-ever ICC title in women’s tournaments by winning the inaugural Women’s U-19 world cup held in South Africa in January this year.

India U-19 W defeated the English side in the finals and emerged victorious in the 16-team tournament. Skipper Shafali Verma led her side from the front, along with dazzling performances from young talents Parshavi Chopra and Shweta Sehrawat.

Inclusion of cricket in ‘LA28’ Olympics

Cricket returned to the sporting pinnacle—the Olympic Games—after 128 years, as its inclusion was announced in October this year by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The reason for proposing cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 (LA28) as an additional sport was its recent development as the fastest-growing team sport in the world and the potential the IOC sees in it, as stated by the governing body chief. The games will see high-voltage T20 cricket played on the American west coast in July 2028.

Dual gold in Asian Games for men and women

The Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China this year witnessed the active participation of both India's men’s and women’s teams, showcasing their full prowess in the medal competitions. As the games progressed, the tournament was a cakewalk for both, as Ruturaj Gaikwad's men's team and Harmanpreet Kaur's women’s team brought gold medals home at the Asiad.

Kohli surpassed Sachin’s 50 ODI centuries

‘Emperor’ Virat Kohli registered his name in the golden books of cricket history as he slammed his 50th ODI ton at the crucial semi-final tie at this year’s World Cup against New Zealand. 

With this, Kohli now not only has the most ODI tons, but also surpassed his idol, legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record, widely regarded across the cricketing fraternity as unassailable. The picturesque moment was a visual poem when Kohli brought up this feat in front of the ‘master blaster’ Tendulkar, present in the stands at the Wankhede.

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