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.

While team victories are the ultimate goal in IPL, the 'Player of the Match' (P.O.T.M) award is the direct recognition of a player's game-changing performance.

Winning P.O.T.M a couple of times shows how a player has outshined the rest and truly dominated the game. We will now explore the players with most P.O.T.M awards in IPL.

Keep an eye out, as Rohit Sharma is remarkably close to reaching the top.

1. AB de Villiers (25 P.O.T.M Awards)

The "Mr. 360" of cricket, AB de Villiers, holds the most P.O.T.M awards in IPL history with 25 awards throughout his career with DC and primarily Royal Challengers Bengaluru. 

Whether it was fast paced fifties or scorching hundreds, his impact was undeniable. His IPL career spanned from 2008-2021, and yet no one could match his numbers in terms of Player of the match awards.

Read Also: Most sixes hit by any batter in IPL history

2. Chris Gayle (22 P.O.T.M Awards)

Whether it's the list of most sixes in IPL or highest individual scores, this West Indies legend always finds his spot in the top for all of them. Chris Gayle has the second-most P.O.T.M awards in IPL with 22 awards in total.

He played for franchises like KKR, PBKS, and RCB, and won multiple awards at his prime years like 2011 (smashed 2 centuries), 2012 (claimed the Orange Cap) and of course, 2013, where he scored the monumental 175* against PWI.

3. Rohit Sharma (21 P.O.T.M Awards)

Rohit Sharma is the Indian player with most P.O.T.M awards in IPL and the third-highest in this list. He received 21 awards and is just an award away to equal Gayle's number. 

Sharma received 2 P.O.T.M awards in IPL 2025; one for his 75* (45 balls) against CSK in league stage, and the other for his 81 runs off 50 balls against GT in IPL Eliminator.

As Mumbai Indians are set to play the Qualifier 2 this season, there's high chances of Rohit bagging another one (or maybe 2).

Read Also: 16 Indian Cricketers with stands named after them at a stadium

4. Virat Kohli (19 P.O.T.M Awards)

One of the most consistent run-scorer and match-winner for RCB, Virat Kohli stands fourth with an impressive 19 P.O.T.M awards in IPL. He is like the heart of the team and doesn't need awards to measure his greatness.

Kohli has won a P.O.T.M award in IPL 2025 for his unbeaten 73 runs against Punjab Kings. He has scored 8 half-centuries so far this season and there might be another loading as RCB is set to play the Final.

Kohli received multiple P.O.T.M awards during the 2016 season where he scored the record-breaking 973 runs.

Read Also: IPL 2025: RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs

5. David Warner (18 P.O.T.M Awards)

The Australian legend, David Warner, had an incredible journey in IPL. He was the key player of every franchise that he represented, such as Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He won 18 P.O.T.M awards in IPL.

He has also been a three-times orange cap winner (2015, 2017, 2019), which tells a lot about his career peak in IPL and the shower of P.O.T.M awards in those years.

6. MS Dhoni (18 P.O.T.M Awards)

The five-time IPL winning captain, MS Dhoni, equals the number of P.O.T.M awards as Warner with 18 awards in IPL. His unparallel impact, captaincy, and match finishing abilities has earned him this high count of awards.

In IPL 2025, Dhoni won the P.O.T.M award by delivering a match-winning knock of 26* runs off just 11 balls against LSG, which also made him the oldest player to win a P.O.T.M award in IPL history, at the age of 43 years and 280 days.

The IPL is like a festival of sports for India as we call it. It is also the festival of explosive and jaw-dropping sixes. The list for most sixes hit by any batter in IPL history is led by one and only, Chris Gayle. It is not surprising one bit, is it? 

Dive into the list of several batters that are so close to match Gayle's six-hitting numbers, where some names will surely surprise you.

1. Chris Gayle (357 sixes)

When it comes to hitting sixes in IPL, there is Chris Gayle, and then there's everyone else. This West Indies legend tops the chart for most sixes hit by any batter in IPL history with 357 sixes (in just 141 innings)!

Gayle's IPL journey spanned from 2009 to 2021, and he was the first batsman to cross the 300-mark in terms of sixes. He displayed his batting peak with franchises like KKR, PBKS, and especially RCB.

His most memorable six-hitting moment of IPL came in 2013 when he smashed 175* runs off 66 balls against PWI, hitting 17 explosive sixes.

Read Also: 5 batters with the most runs in IPL playoffs history

2. Rohit Sharma (302 sixes)

Known for his aggressive start and batting, Rohit Sharma, is the only batter who has hit 300+ sixes after Gayle in IPL history. He holds the second place, with 302 sixes (in 265 innings).

The hitman doesn't like to take things slow, and always delivers the ball out of the boundary with his powerful pulls and cover drives. Once he gets in his six-hitting zone, it truly gets difficult to stop him!

Sharma has consistently stood up for the team, and these numbers are about to get high as he will continue to play and dominate in IPL in the future.

3. Virat Kohli (291 sixes)

When has it occurred that there's a list of excellent batting records where this man doesn't hold a spot? 

Virat Kohli, the batting maestro, holds the 3rd position with 291 sixes (in 258 innings). Even though he is widely known for his exquisite cover drives and hitting smooth boundaries, his ability to time the ball perfectly out for a six has been phenomenal throughout his IPL career.

Kohli is just 9 sixes away to cross the 300-mark, that he might cross in IPL 2025 itself!

Read Also: IPL records - Batters with most 500+ runs seasons: Kohli breaks Warner's records

4. MS Dhoni (264 sixes)

MS Dhoni, like the greatest finisher he is, has hit an impressive 264 sixes (in 242 innings) in his IPL career so far. He has been brutal in the death overs and has always made sure his team takes the victory home when he his unbeaten at the crease.

Dhoni's six-hitting skills often changes the momentum of the game and puts the opposition under immense pressure, as he becomes unstoppable!

5. AB de Villiers (251 sixes)

The South African legend, AB de Villiers, holds several batting records and had delivered many cherishable moments for RCB throughout his IPL journey (2008-2021), and this is one of them. He is the 5th batter to have 250+ sixes in IPL history.

He hit 251 sixes (in 170 innings) which tells a lot about his phenomenal skills and love for hitting sixes. He had the ability to deliver the ball in every corner of the stadium and was called "Mr. 360" for a reason!

Read Also: Most Sixes in an innings by an Indian in IPL

Other batters with 200+ sixes in IPL history

India A started their England tour on a great note with a solid Day 1 display against the England Lions in Canterbury. Karun Nair headlined the day with a solid, unbeaten 186 with the bat for India A.

England Lions captain James Rew won the toss and decided to bowl first on a greenish pitch at the St. Lawrence Ground. 

India A lost captain Abhimanyu Easwaran early on 8 while Yashasvi Jaiswal went back to the dressing room after adding 24. 

When it looked like that, Rew took the right decision of bowling first, Sarfaraz Khan and Karun Nair put up a 181-run partnership for the third wicket to give India A the advantage after Day 1’s play. 

Karun Nair, who last played a test match in 2017, continued his great form and completed his fifty in 85 balls. 

Soon, Sarfraz Khan, who was dropped from the test squad, completed his fifty in 84 balls as well. When both batters were looking to get to the hundred mark first, Sarfraz was caught down the leg side on 92 off 119 balls and missed his ton.

Sarfaraz Khan gets dismissed 8 short of a well-deserved hundred.

Sarfaraz was looking good but was eventually caught down the leg side on 92.

Karun Nair is batting on 97!

India A 233/3 in the first inning!#ENGAvINDA #SarfarazKhan pic.twitter.com/pY7pCRmwZP

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) May 30, 2025

Nair, who was dropped on 89 off Ajeet Singh Dale, completed his 24th first-class ton off 155 balls.

Post that, incoming batter Dhruv Jurel and Nair started smashing the bowlers and changed their gears. Nair reached the landmark of 150 in 205 balls while Jurel reached his fifty in just 68 balls.

At the end of Day 1 of the 4-day unofficial test match, Jurel remained unbeaten on 82 off 104 balls while Nair remained unbeaten on 186 from 246 balls, with India A finishing with 409/3. 

Never before has an IPL team displayed such diverse batting depth as Royal Challengers Bengaluru did in IPL 2025. This season, they set a new league record by having 10 different players who each scored at least one half-century.

They broke the previous benchmark set by Mumbai Indians of nine different half-centurions in 2017. Find out how RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs to take this game to another level.

1. Virat Kohli (8 half-centuries)

The chase master, Virat Kohli, is leading the pack with 8 half-centuries to his name in IPL 2025. He started this season with a fifty and ended the league stage with scoring his 8th one of this season.

He's been incredibly consistent throughout, and scored 602 runs in 13 matches, with a strike rate above 147. He is also among the top 5 contenders in the race for Orange Cap.

Kohli fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs KKR: 59* runs (36 balls)
• vs MI: 67 runs (42 balls)
• vs RR: 70 runs (42 balls)
• vs PBKS: 73* runs (54 balls)
• vs RR: 62* runs (45 balls)
• vs DC: 51 runs (47 balls)
• vs CSK: 62 runs (33 balls)
• vs LSG: 54 runs (30 balls)

𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆 of the season for @virat.kohli 🔥

The King leading the chase for #RCB 👑

They need 113 runs from 60 deliveries.

Updates ▶ https://t.co/h5KnqyuYZE #TATAIPL | #LSGvRCB | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/9Ti12G4veI

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 27, 2025

2. Phil Salt (3 half-centuries)

The England batter, Phil Salt, proved to be a key opener along with Kohli for the team in IPL 2025. He also started the season with scoring a fifty against KKR, and contributed with 331 runs across 11 matches played.

Salt fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs KKR: 56 runs (31 balls)
• vs RR: 65 runs (33 balls)
• vs SRH: 62 runs (32 balls)

Read Also: IPL 2025: RCB create a unique record that none has achieved in league's history

3. Rajat Patidar (2 half-centuries)

The skipper, Rajat Patidar, has not been able to fire with the bat much, but he stood up for RCB whenever he could. This season, he scored 2 half-centuries against two big teams (MI & CSK).

Patidar fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs MI: 64 runs (32 balls)
• vs CSK: 51 runs (32 balls)

4. Devdutt Padikkal (2 half-centuries)

Batting at no. 3, Devdutt Padikkal, has served as a vital asset for RCB in crucial games. He proved the fans how he was deserving of his position in the playing XI, by delivering spectacular knocks and 2 half-centuries.

Unfortunately, Padikkal had to leave mid-season due to injury issues, but his contribution makes him the fourth batter that helped RCB create this unique history before the playoffs.

Read Also: Every heated moment of IPL 2025 that you missed

Padikkal fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs PBKS: 61 runs (35 balls)
• vs RR: 50 runs (27 balls)

5. Jacob Bethell (1 half-century)

The 21-year-old Jacob Bethell is the youngest half-centurion of this season for RCB. He scored his maiden IPL fifty against Chennai Super Kings and made his mark with a banger.

Bethell fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs CSK: 55 runs (33 balls)

6. Tim David (1 half-century)

Tim David is like the backbone of RCB who stands strong along the boundary line and never lets a ball pass through! Besides his on-field contribution with his spectacular catching and fielding skills, this power-hitter has delivered with the bat too.

David scored his maiden IPL fifty against PBKS and that was a treat to watch. He comes to bat at crucial times and makes sure his team reaches a defendable total.

David fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs PBKS: 50* runs (26 balls)

Maiden #TATAIPL fifty for Tim David 👊

Relive his three consecutive sixes 🚀

Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/7fIn60rqKZ #RCBvPBKS pic.twitter.com/iGtby4FPTy

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 18, 2025

7. Krunal Pandya (1 half-century)

Krunal Pandya is one of the most consistent all-rounder of this season for RCB. He has taken crucial wickets for the team and helped them earn those crucial points.

Apart from bowling, Pandya scored a match-winning half-century against Delhi Capitals. He came to bat at the time when RCB's batting order collapsed early, and delivered an amazing knock.

Pandya fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs DC: 73 runs (47 balls)

Read Also: Highest partnerships in IPL 2025

8. Romario Shepherd (1 half-century)

Romario Shepherd's half-century against CSK in IPL 2025 was is an explosive batting tale to talk about. His unbeaten 53* off just 14 balls left the bowlers and spectators stunned!

Shepherd single-handedly scored 33 runs off the 19th over and showered the fans with sixes.

Shepherd fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs CSK: 53* runs (14 balls)

Are you not entertained? 🤩

Romario Shepherd thrilled the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium with a 'blink and you miss' knock 🫡🔥

Updates ▶ https://t.co/I4Eij3ZNlN#TATAIPL | #RCBvCSK | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/uPDjTUpOvY

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2025

9. Liam Livingstone (1 half-century)

The English all-rounder, Liam Livingstone, etched his name in the list of half-centurions for RCB by scoring one against Gujarat Titans in their league match. He helped the team reach a respectable total when they had lost all hopes in the first inning of the match.

Livingstone fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs GT: 54 runs (40 balls)

10. Jitesh Sharma (1 half-century)

Here comes the 10th batter whose half-century was a special one for RCB. Jitesh Sharma, who became the stand-in captain for the team, scored his first fifty for the team in their last league match.

He showed no mercy to the bowlers and scored 85* off just 33 balls to help RCB chase down a big total and reach top-two in the points table. 

Read Also: Highest Successful Run Chases in IPL History

Sharma fifties in IPL 2025:

• vs LSG: 85* runs (33 balls)

𝙅𝙖𝙯𝙯𝙮 𝙅𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙝 😎

An absolute masterclass 👏#RCB fans, a word for your captain 👇

Updates ▶ https://t.co/h5KnqyuYZE #TATAIPL | #LSGvRCB | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/Z4GN9RoRKB

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 27, 2025

The first playoff match of the 18th season of Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played tomorrow, Thursday, May 29. The first qualifier match will be played between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

After the group stage, PBKS finished first in the points table while RCB finished second. Now the team that wins the Qualifier-1 match will get a 'Ticket to the Final'.

Also Read: Every heated moment of IPL 2025 that you missed

Both the teams had a great season so far and are among the favourites to lift their maiden IPL title this year. PBKS have qualified into the playoffs after 11 years while RCB made into the top-two for the first time after 2016.

Ahead of their clash in the IPL 2025 playoffs, PBKS and RCB met twice in the league stage this year with both teams winning one game each. Now, looking for their maiden title, both PBKS and RCB are now just a win away from getting into the final. However, the losing team will also get another chance in the qualifier two. 

From possible playing XIs to head-to-head record, here is everything you need to know about the Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Qualifier 1 in IPL 2025.

Match Details

• Match: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
• Tournament: IPL 2025, Qualifier 1
• Date: 29 May 2025
• Time: 7:30 PM IST
• Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadiu, New Chandigarh

Streaming Details

Cricket fans from India can watch the PBKS vs RCB Qualifier 1 LIVE on Star Sports TV Channels on Television. They can also stream the match LIVE on JioHotstar for free.

Pitch Report

The newly-constructed Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh provides an equal contest for both the batters and the bowlers. Out of eight IPL matches played at this ground so far, the team batting first five times while the chasing team came out victorious on four occasions. The average score at this ground is around 170 runs.

Weather Report

The New PCA stadium in Mullanpur is expected to witness temperature highs of up to 40 degree Celsius and lows of 24 degree Celsius on Thursday, with the forecast predicting a mostly sunny day, with the chance of a few clouds.

PBKS vs RCB: Head-to-Head Record

Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have faced each other 35 times in the IPL history so far. Out of these 35 matches, PBKS won 18 times while RCB defeated them on 17 occasions.

PBKS vs RCB: Recent Team Performances

Also Read: IPL Table toppers: IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025

Possible XIs

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh

Impact Subs: Yuzvendra Chahal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (c & wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

Impact Subs: Rajat Patidar

Fantasy Team Prediction

Prabhsimran Singh (vc), Josh Inglis, Phil Salt, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Priyansh Arya, Mayank Agarwal, Krunal Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harpreet Brar.