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SPORTS JANUARY 05, 2024 | The Indian Eye 42

YEAR-ENDER REVIEW 2023

Top cricketing moments:

From Virat’s 50th ODI century

to Maxwell’s Wankhede epic

OUR BUREAU smashed the fastest World Cup cen-
tury in just 40 balls against the Neth-
New Delhi
erlands, most people thought that
very year, every month, every perhaps the best of Maxwell was past
day, cricket is a gift that keeps them.
Eon giving. Be it breaking of
records, unexpected upset victories, But what followed at Wankhede
strokes filled with intent and positiv-
ity and stories highlighting resilience, was an instant classic knock.
determination, courage, heartbreak, The Australian spirit and traits
humour and joy that come with the
game, this simple sport involves hit- of resilience, determination,
ting a red/white ball with a wooden patience and bravery that had
bat is more than a game to its die-
hard followers. helped build a star-studded,
2023 was no different as years- multi-time World Cup-winning
old records were shattered, some
upset wins were recorded. Some empire came to the surface.
empires continued rising to the top,
some fell on the floor with a thud. Despite heat, cramps and back
With the amount of international spasms that could have threatened
and league cricket action offered Maxwell’s further participation in
this year, it would be a humungous the tournament, the all-rounder
task to truly list out moments that registered Australia men’s first-ever
defined this year as their magnitude double ton in just 128 balls, with 21
is different to diverse set of people fours and 10 sixes and won Australia
worldwide. the game single-handedly with skip-
Nonetheless, here are some top per Pat Cummins (12* in 68 balls)
cricket moments of the year, without absolutely nailing the role of an ice-
any ranking: cold anchor. The gulf of champion-
ship titles and big match experience
Virat Kohli completes was exposed and sent Afghanistan
50th ODI century packing out of the contention for
semifinals.
ust a decade back, Sachin Virat Kohli had a magic run in 2023 (ANI) Afghanistan beats England in
Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI
Jcenturies looked impossible to From lifting Sachin on his shoul- Glenn Maxwell’s 201* against 2023 Cricket World Cup
break. Then stepped up a youngster ders following India’s World Cup tri- Afghanistan he Afghan Tigers showed the
from Delhi, piling up runs and cen- umph back in 2011 at the same venue, world that it is here to stay
turies at a rate never seen before Virat had come a long way, standing n a chase of 292 runs against Af- Tduring the Cricket World Cup
every year. shoulder to shoulder with his idol in ghanistan, Australia was in a spot held in India, a place many of its
On that eventful November 15 debates of “Who is the greatest ODI Iof bother at 91/7. With a World
this year during the ICC Cricket batter of all time?” Cup semifinal spot on the line, even stars consider as their second home
because of the popularity they enjoy
World Cup semi-final at Wankhede Though Virat had outclassed one single mistake could have sent here and the amount of investment
Stadium against New Zealand, Virat his idol statistically, he still did not the great Australian empire of cricket Indian cricket has made in raising
became the first player to make 50 forget that he was a kid growing up crumbling to heaps, out of contention them from ground level.
ODI centuries, achieving this feat in on Sachin’s heroics on the field, ac- for the semis. The win against defending cham-
front of the legend himself, who was knowledging the Master Blaster’s Then arrived the ‘Big Show’,
clapping for him in the audience. claps with a bow. Glenn Maxwell. Having already Continued on next page... >>

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