After recording the biggest win in the ODI World Cup History by defeating Sri Lanka by an enormous 302-run margin, India became the first team to qualify for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup semi-finals. And what a rollercoaster journey has it been!

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Meeting an array of high-pressure situations head to head, our team has been on a winning streak. The players have persevered through every roadblock and, in the process, gave us some really memorable bytes while guaranteeing us a spot in the semis. With India possibly (and hopefully) being just 4 matches away from lifting the World Cup trophy, we looked back at some of our favourite and unforgettable moments in the team’s matches so far.

Hindustan Times

1. When Jasprit Bumrah took the first wicket for the World Cup and dismissed Australia’s Mitchell Marsh for a duck

The man didn’t waste any time to let everyone know he was coming for all the batsmen. In the 2023 WC tournament, he currently ranks 5 with 15 wickets taken in 7 matches.

2. When KL Rahul hit the ball a little too well for his own good

And, of course, we begin with recalling KL Rahul’s unamused reaction to hitting a 6 that was supposed to be a 4. He concluded the first World Cup match against Australia just 3 runs short of a century. TBH, he was so close to the century that winning at that moment hurt. It was one of the very rare occasions when winning a match felt bittersweet.

3. Of all the interesting catchouts, Kuldeep Yadav’s dramatic catch he nearly lost that dismissed Rashid Khan was one hell of a sight

4. Nothing, just Rohit Sharma hitting a century and breaking Chris Gayle’s record for the most International sixes

5. Only if we knew whatever was Hardik Pandya chanting before taking Imam-ul-Haq’s wicket

6. Watching Virat Kohli return to bowl in an ODI after 6 years was such a treat

7. The umpire not declaring the wide (presumably) so that Virat Kohli could complete his century was the most endearing moment in this World Cup, and you can’t change my mind

8. Of course, Virat Kohli’s 48th ODI century

The chasemaster is just two 100s away from breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most centuries in an ODI

9. But it was KL Rahul’s selfless cricket which really won our hearts that day

10. Mohd. Shami’s first ball-first wicket against New Zealand that left us wondering why he wasn’t added to the playing eleven after all

That man has taken 14 wickets in 3 matches. He’s at his best and we now know who’s NOT leaving the team.

11. Virat Kohli’s saving the day with his chase but getting out 5 runs short of his 49th ODI century made us happy and really sad at the same time

12. But that victory against New Zealand is incomplete without remembering Ravindra Jadeja, who came at a crucial time, struck a match-defining partnership with Kohli, and concluded the match with a 4

13. Captain Rohit Sharma’s 87-run innings that rescued India against England on the pitch favouring the bowlers

As Sunil Gavaskar remarked, his 87 runs were worth more than a 100 that day.

14. But the day was dominated by the bowlers. Together, Shami, Bumrah, and Kuldeep took 9 wickets and bowled England out with 100 runs remaining

15. India versus Sri Lanka saw 3 *almost* centuries by Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer. The almost here is scarring

16. There’s a fire that Mohd. Siraj has that peaks when bowling Sri Lanka

The man repeated the Asia Cup history and took three wickets in one over.

And of course, while we’re at it, our team has the best fielders too. As Sachin Tendulkar mentioned in the IND-SL dressing room medal ceremony, it is “a reflection of your commitment to doing something for your colleague, for your team, and for the country”.

We love how the men’s Cricket World Cup has proceeded for India so far. Here’s manifesting the third WC trophy.