The 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India, beginning on 5 October and concluding on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams will participate; Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. England are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition by defeating New Zealand in the final.

It will be the first men's Cricket World Cup to be hosted solely by India. The tournament will take place in ten different stadiums. The first and second semi-finals will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata respectively, while the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. As fans brace themselves for the 2023 World Cup in India, here at SportzPoint we look back at 10 of the most iconic moments from the tournament's history.

Read Also: ICC World Cup 2023: Full squad of every team

Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

1. MS Dhoni's World Cup-winning six, World Cup 2011

Indian captain MS Dhoni in a tense 2011 World Cup final run-chase, sealed the deal with an iconic six in the second last over of the match against Sri Lanka. His shot over long-on will always be the best moment of the World Cup as Team India ended their World Cup drought by lifting the title for the first time in 28 years.

2. Ben Stokes' accidental deflection, World Cup 2019

In the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's, England found themselves in a tight spot chasing New Zealand's 241. Ben Stokes, the hero of the match dived to complete a second run in a tense final over. A throw from the deep struck his bat and raced to the boundary. These accidental, vital runs tied the game and set the stage for a historic Super Over. England won the Super Over and the World Cup.

3. MS Dhoni's heartbreaking semi-final runout, World Cup 2019

In the semi-final clash between India and New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup, the 'Men in Blue' legend MS Dhoni found himself just inches short of his crease against Martin Guptill's brilliant throw from backward square leg. Guptill's direct hit hit the stumps and the dreams of more than a billion Indian fans along with it. The heartbreaking moment also turned out to be Dhoni's last one on the international stage as he announced his retirement a year later.

 4. Kapil Dev's Heroics, World Cup 1983

In the final of the 1983 Cricket World Cup, India faced the mighty West Indies. India were struggling at 183 for 6. Kapil Dev played an innings for the ages. His iconic 175-not-out turned the match on its head and led India to a historic victory, marking their first-ever World Cup win.

5. Adam Gilchrist's 149 and Australia's historic hat-trick, World Cup 2007

Australia's historic 2007 World Cup final win was built by Adam Gilchrist's inning of 149 in Bridgetown. The opener hit 13 boundaries and eight sixes and punished every single bowler from Sri Lanka's high-flying attack.

This inning also guided Australia to their third successive title, making them the first and only side so far to complete a hat-trick of World Cups.

Read Also: ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023: Fixtures and Schedules of Every Team

Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

6. Glenn McGrath's magical spell, WC 2007

Glenn McGrath's performance in the 2007 World Cup was just something else. He scalped 26 wickets in the tournament, leading Australia to their third consecutive title. His incredible consistency and dominance with the ball earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

7. Sachin Tendulkar's 'Desert Storm', WC 1998

During the 1998 tournament, Sachin Tendulkar's famous "Desert Storm" inning against Australia remains attached in memory. In a high-pressure match, Tendulkar's breathtaking 143 guided India to victory and showcased his unbelievable skillset in the game.

8. Herschelle Gibbs Hits 6 Sixes in 2007, WC 2007

The right-hander became the first player to hit six sixes in an over of International Cricket during the group game in Basseterre. Daan van Bunge was the bowler on the receiving end of the record. The leg-spinner had no answer as Gibbs continuously launched him over the rope.

Despite the match being cut to 40 overs each, South Africa still made 353-4. Gibbs scored 72 from 40 balls and managed only one other maximum in his inning before being dismissed by Luuk van Troost.

9. Wasim Akram Destroys England, WC 1992

Wasim Akram smashed a quick 33 in his side's inning of 249-6 in the final against England at the MCG. England had slipped to 69-4 in their reply, but Allan Lamb and Neil Fairbrother repaired the early damage with a fifth-wicket stand worth 72. However, Akram dismissed Lamb and new batsman Chris Lewis in successive deliveries, both bowled on the angle. Pakistan went on to win the match by 22 runs, allowing skipper Imran Khan to lift the trophy.

10. South Africa vs. Australia Tie, WC 1998

In a semi-final clash, South Africa needed one run off the final ball to reach the final. A mix-up led to a dramatic run-out, resulting in a tie. The 'Super Six' rule came into play, and Australia advanced to the final, leaving South Africa heartbroken.

This concludes the list of our Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history. For more amazing stats and news, follow SportzPoint.

Indian star opener Smriti Mandhana has regained the number one spot in the women's ICC ODI rankings for the first time since November 2019, according to the latest update released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.

Also Read: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Full Schedule announced; India to face Pakistan on October 5

Mandhana surpassed Wolvaardt to claim top spot

The 28-year-old Mandhana has moved up one place to return to the top spot while South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has slipped to joint second place with new England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt after scoring 27 and 28 in the first two ODIs against the West Indies.

Mandhana now sits comfortably with 727 rating points after Wolvaardt held the top spot for over six months. The Indian star batsman has been in great form lately and scored the 11th century of her career, amassing 264 runs across five outings with a 52.80 averae and a strike rate of 90.41 during India's recent tri-series final against Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo.

Mandhana named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year

The India vice-captain had a stellar run in ODIs in 2024, following which she was named as the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, scoring more runs than she ever has before in a calendar year, racking up 747 runs in 13 innings. Mandhana is one of only four women to record at least 10 centuries, with her 4473 runs standing 10th on the all-time charts.

Mandhana’s rating points currently eight ahead of newly-appointed England skipper Natalie Sciver-Brunt at 719 points. Wolvaardt dropped to equal second alongside Sciver-Brunt, while fellow South African’s Tazmin Brits (up five spots to 27th) and Sune Luus (up seven places to 42nd) are among the big movers this week on the list for ODI batters.

Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, being the only other Indian batters in the top 30, placed at 15th and 16th, respectively.

Women's ICC ODI Rankings

In the history of Indian Test Cricket, reaching the 2000-run milestone has always been a matter of pride. While many have achieved this feat, only a few have done so with remarkable speed.

Currently, the record for the fastest Indians to score 2000 test runs is jointly held by Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, both accomplishing it in 40 innings. However, a new name is on the verge of making history: Yashasvi Jaiswal, with 1798 runs from 36 innings, needs only 202 more runs.

If Jaiswal reaches this in 3 or fewer innings, potentially in the upcoming test series against England (starts on June 20, 2025), he will break the legendary record and reach on top!

Now, let's look at the elite list of players who previously set the standard by being the fastest Indians to reach 2000 test runs.

1. Rahul Dravid (40 innings)

Rahul Dravid, famously known as "The Wall" for his brilliant defensive technique and concentration in tests, reached 2000 test runs in just 40 innings. His ability to bat for longer periods and wearing down the opposition was a key aspect for India's Test success.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

2. Virender Sehwag (40 innings)

Virender Sehwag, the aggressive opening batsman, matched Dravid's record by also reaching 2000 test runs in 40 innings. He was known for his fearless approach while batting at the top of the order.

He is also the only Indian to score 2 triple centuries in his test career.

3. Vijay Hazare (43 innings)

An icon of Indian cricket's early era, Vijay Hazare reached 2000 test runs in 43 innings. He was an incredible run-scorer in his time, known for his elegant batting and contributions.

His contributions mattered highly during a period when Indian cricket was finding its status on the international stage.

4. Gautam Gambhir (43 innings)

The bold left-handed opener, Gautam Gambhir, also reached 2000 test runs in 43 innings. He was a crucial part of India's top order in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Gambhir was known for his mental toughness and ability to play long innings when required, with high determination and focus.

Read Also: India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?

5. Sunil Gavaskar (44 innings)

Sunil Gavaskar, one of the greatest opener in Tests cricket history, scored 2000 test runs in 44 innings. He was known for batting fearlessly and facing West Indian fast bowlers without modern protective gear.

Gavaskar was the first player to reach 10000-run mark in test cricket history, and also holds the 3rd place for most runs for India in tests.

The Indian cricket team will tour England to play a five-match Test series against England from June 20, 2025. The first match of the England vs India Test series will be played at Headingley Stadium, Leeds.

The Test cricket battle between India and England has always been exciting and challenging, especially when the match is played on English soil. The Indian team has played a total of 67 Test matches in England from 1932 to 2022. India's record in these matches has not been so strong. India has won only 9 times, while the English team has defeated the Indians in 36 matches. The remaining 22 matches have been drawn, which tells the story of this historic struggle and how hard the Indian team has to work to win on English soil.

Also Read: England vs India Test Series: Here is India's overall test record against England in England

In this article, we will take a look at those 9 test matches that India won on English soil.

England vs India Test series: 9 test matches India won so far on English soil

1. By 4 Wickets (1971)

India has tamed the British cricket lion in its own den for the first time in 1971. It was a historic day when India beat England in the third and final Test by four wickets with 205 minutes to spare at the Kennington Oval, to clinch the series 1-0.

The victory established at least three firsts. This was the first time India won a Test in England. It was the first time in, 28 Tests since June 1968 that England was defeated and it was also the first time that India triumphed in two series in one year, having defeated the West Indies earlier.

2. By 5 Wickets (1986)

The 1986 win at Lord’s was India’s first at the iconic venue. Under the leadership of Legendary Kapil Dev, Team India went on to win at Headingley. This win also paved the way for Team India to win the historic Test series on English-soil.

In the first Test of the series, India bowled England out for 294 and replied with 341, with Dilip Vengsarkar scoring a superb 126*. Kapil Dev’s all-round performance and Chetan Sharma’s five-wicket haul in the second innings helped India dismiss England for 180. Needing just 134 to win, India achieved the target with 5 wickets to spare, scripting a historic triumph at the "Home of Cricket."

3. By 279 Runs (1986)

The Indian team carried the momentum into the second Test at Leeds where the bowling attack completely blew away England with the visitors winning by 279 runs inside 4 days. Roger Binny took 7 wickets in the match including a five-wicket haul in the first innings and was ably supported by Kapil (3 wickets), Madan Lal (3 wickets) and Maninder Singh (4 wickets).

4. By an innings and 46 Runs (2002)

India's first Test victory in England in the new millennium took place in 2002 when Sourav Ganguly's team thrashed the hosts by an innings and 46 runs in the third Test at Leeds to level the four-match series 1-1.

India crossed the 600-run barrier for the first time against England as Sachin Tendulkar (193), Rahul Dravid (148) and Sourav Ganguly (128) ripped apart the English bowling attack to declare the first innings on 628 for 8. The bowlers then led India to victory with Anil Kumble leading the way with 7 wickets in the match while Harbhajan Singh (4), Zaheer Khan (3) and Ajit Agarkar (2) played the supporting roles. England had won the first match at Lord's while the second and fourth match ended in draws as Ganguly and Nasser Hussain shared the trophy.

5. By 7 Wickets (2007)

Five years after the Leeds victory India repeated history by claiming the series 1-0 under Rahul Dravid by winning the second Test at Nottingham. India took a massive 283-run first innings lead after bowling out the hosts for 198 with Zaheer Khan (4) and Anil Kumble (3) leading the wickets tally.

Captain Michael Vaughan's hundred in the second innings couldn't save England's batting collapse as they got bowled out for 355 thanks to some brilliant bowling by a fired-up Zaheer, who took a five-wicket haul after the jellybean prank which England had played on him during India's first innings.

This meant that India needed just 73 runs to win which they chased down in 24.1 overs with 7 wickets in hand and took a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. The third Test at The Oval ended in a draw as Sourav Ganguly lifted the Pataudi Trophy, named in honour of former India captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.

6. By 95 Runs (2014)

MS Dhoni led the Indian team in a five-match Test series and delivered the first blow on the hosts by winning at Lord's for the first time after 1986.

The first Test ended in a draw at Nottingham following which the teams locked horns on a green top at Lord's. Ajinkya Rahane scored one of the greatest hundreds in Indian Test history as he negotiated prodigious swing and seam movement against the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Such was Rahane's class that none of the other batsmen managed to score over 36 runs, which was the next best score coming from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. India made 295 and then conceded a first innings lead of 24 runs with Gary Ballance scoring a century. Bhuvneshwar took a six-wicket haul as England made 319.

Murali Vijay (95), Ravindra Jadeja (68) and Bhuvneshwar (52) then rose to the occasion with the bat in the second innings to help India set a target of 319 for the hosts. Ishant Sharma then produced one of the most memorable spells by an Indian bowler on English soil and picked up a record 7 wickets in the process as India bowled out England for 223 and registered a historic win at the Mecca of cricket.

7. By 203 Runs (2018)

As team India took the field in Nottingham, Kohli and his men were determined to make amends and they did it in style. After being put in to bat by Root, India were off to a commendable start thanks to KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan and after they departed, Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane put on a 189-run stand for the fourth wicket to take India to a commendable position. Rahane scored 81 and Kohli missed his century by three runs as he fell for 97. India were eventually bowled out for 329 but the stage was set for India to make a comeback in the series.

The bowlers didn't' disappoint as well. Led by Hardik Pandya, India rocked England and bowled them out for a paltry total of 161. Pandya answered his critics in style as he grabbed his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests.

With a lead of 168, India were again provided a solid start by their openers and after they fell, Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli led the charge as they planned to bat England out of the game. Pujara fell for a gritty 72 but Kohli scored his 23rd Test century and it was followed by a run-a-ball 52 from Pandya as the visitors declared for 352/7, with a lead of 520.

Chasing 521 to win, the England openers somehow managed to play out the nine overs on day four but the nervousness and fear was there in their mammoth chase. Bumrah got the wickets of Buttler and Woakes early and then Pandya got the wicket of Stokes to get England eight down. And finally Ashwin got the wicket of Anderson to earn a 203-run victory for the visitors

8. By 151 Runs (2021)

In one of the most dramatic finishes in recent memory, India defeated England by 151 runs at Lord’s in the second Test of the 2021 series. After setting a target of 272 thanks to a stunning 89-run partnership between Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, India’s bowlers went on the attack.

Led by Mohammed Siraj (4/32), India bowled England out for 120 in just 51.5 overs. The aggressive attitude under Virat Kohli’s captaincy and India’s never-say-die spirit made this a modern classic.

9. By 157 Runs (2021)

India secured a famous win at The Oval in the fourth Test of the 2021 series. Rohit Sharma scored his first overseas Test hundred (127), anchoring a solid second-innings effort.

Shardul Thakur played two impactful cameos with bat and ball, while the pace trio of Bumrah, Siraj, and Umesh Yadav dismantled England in the fourth innings. India won by 157 runs and took a 2-1 lead in the series, reaffirming their dominance on English soil.

The schedule of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 has been released. The Women's World Cup will begin on September 30 with hosts India playing their first match against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Also Read: BCCI announce Indian women's squad for ODI and T20I series against England

The eight-team tournament will be a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The much-awaited final will be played on November 2. Australia will begin their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

India vs Pakistan Match details

Due to tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistan will play all its matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the hybrid hosting model agreed upon by BCCI and PCB. In such a situation, the teams playing with Pakistan including India will go to Colombo, which is a neutral venue.

The most awaited match of the group stage between India and Pakistan will be played on 5th October in Colombo.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Venues

• India : Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam 
• Sri Lanka : Colombo

The tournament will be held at five major venues in the two countries. Bengaluru and Colombo have been shortlisted as potential hosts for the final.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Full Schedule

The Indian team has reached England, where an unofficial Test match is currently being played between India-A and the senior team. After this, England vs India Test series begin will start from June 20. Youngstar Shubman Gill will be seen captaining the Indian Test team for the first time. India has not won a Test series on England soil since 2007. In such a situation, under his captaincy, Team India will be eyeing to win the series.

Also Read: 6 cricketers who announced their retirements since last month

India's record in Tests in England has not been good and they have won only 9 Test matches. Here is India's overall test record against England in England.

India has a poor record in Tests on English soil

Team India has played a total of 69 Test matches on English soil so far, out of which the team has won 9 and lost 38. Apart from this, 22 matches have been drawn. Looking at the records, it can be said that India has always had to struggle to win Test matches in England.

England vs India Test Series: India's record in England

India has only won three-Test series against England away from home. The Men in Blue have an unwanted record against England in England. They won their first-ever test match, and subsequently, the series, in 1971 - at the seventh time of asking. Their first win also came after suffering 15 Test defeats in England. 

Last won series under Dravid's captaincy

India won the Test series on England soil in 2007 under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid. Since then, in 2011, 2014 and 2018, the Indian team had to face defeat in the Test series on the tour of England. Whereas the series played in the year 2021-22 was drawn 2-2.

In the year 2007, a three-Test match series was held between India and England, in which the first and last matches of the series were drawn. In the second Test match, India won by 7 wickets and in this match, Zaheer Khan proved to be the biggest hero for the team. He took a total of 9 wickets. It was because of him that India was successful in winning the Test series 1-0.

Also Read: Most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Tests

India Vs England Test Series: Full Schedule