On This Day in Cricket - June 12

June 12 is a special date in cricket history, packed with unforgettable moments. In 1983, West Indies’ Winston Davis tore through Australia with a fiery 7-wicket haul in the World Cup. England clinched a thrilling Test victory over New Zealand in 1973, and in 1990, Mike Atherton celebrated his first Test century and the day also marks the birthdays of New Zealand’s Rod Latham (1961), Australia’s Terry Alderman (1956), Zimbabwe’s Ray Price (1976), who nearly spun his team to a Test upset, and Ian Craig (1935), Australia’s youngest Test captain and it’s a date that shines with cricketing brilliance and legacy.

On This Day - June 12, 1990 - Mike Atherton’s Century saves the Test for England Team

The first Test of New Zealand’s 1990 tour of England, held at Nottingham from June 7, ended in a draw, but Mike Atherton’s stubborn century lit up the match. On the final day, June 12, Atherton’s patient 151 off 382 balls, studded with 16 fours, carried England to 345/9 declared. His 495-minute grind was pure grit, steadying England from a wobbly 4/1 after Graham Gooch fell first ball.

(Mike Atherton scored 151 runs off 382 balls)

Atherton’s key 96-run partnership with Robin Smith (55) blunted New Zealand’s attack, led by Richard Hadlee’s 4/89. New Zealand’s first innings folded for 208, with Martin Crowe’s 59 countered by Phil DeFreitas’ 5/53. Their second innings crawled to 36/2 in 17 overs before time ran out and Atherton’s maiden Test ton earned him Player of the Match, keeping the series tied at 0-0 with a display of pure determination.

On This Day - June 12, 1999 - New Zealand Hammers India by 5 Wickets in the ODI World Cup

On June 12, 1999, the World Cup Super Sixes match at Nottingham saw New Zealand clinch a thrilling five-wicket victory over India in a tense chase. India, batting first after winning the toss, posted 251/6 in 50 overs, driven by Ajay Jadeja’s classy 76 off 103 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes. Mohammad Azharuddin’s 30 off 43 helped, but the early losses of Sourav Ganguly (29) and Rahul Dravid (29) stung. Extras (35) padded the score. Chris Cairns grabbed 2/44 for New Zealand.

(New Zealand defeated India by 5 wickets)

Chasing 252, New Zealand reached 253/5 in 48.2 overs, led by Roger Twose’s steady 60 not out off 77 balls, earning him Player of the Match. Matt Horne’s gritty 74 off 116 set the stage, while Adam Parore’s quick 26 not out off 14 sealed the deal. Nathan Astle (26) and Stephen Fleming (15) chipped in, despite Debasis Mohanty’s 2/41 keeping India in the game and extras (35) boosted New Zealand’s effort. Twose’s calm knock and Horne’s solid start outshone India’s fight.

On This Day - June 12, 2009 - West Indies Thrashes India in the 2009 T20 World Cup

On June 12, 2009, at Lord’s, West Indies stunned defending champions India with a seven-wicket victory in the T20 World Cup, chasing down 154 with 8 balls to spare. India, batting first after winning the toss, reached 153/7 in 20 overs, powered by Yuvraj Singh’s blazing 67 off 43 balls, packed with six fours and two sixes, and Yusuf Pathan’s brisk 31 off 23. Dwayne Bravo’s 4/38, nabbing Gautam Gambhir (14) and MS Dhoni (11), and Fidel Edwards’ 3/24, dismissing Rohit Sharma (5) and Suresh Raina (5), kept India in check.

(West Indies defeated India by 7 wickets)

West Indies’ chase was anchored by Bravo’s unbeaten 66 off 36, with four fours and three sixes, and Lendl Simmons’ 44 off 37. Their 58-run partnership steadied the innings at 100/3. Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s quick 18 not out sealed the win in 18.4 overs. India’s bowlers—Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, and Pragyan Ojha—each took a wicket, but couldn’t halt West Indies’ charge. Bravo’s all-round brilliance earned him Player of the Match, marking a memorable upset.

On This Day - June 12, 2010 - Virat Kohli Starts his T20I Journey for India against Zimbabwe

At just 21, Virat Kohli burst onto the T20I scene with a confident debut against Zimbabwe on June 12, 2010, at Harare Sports Club. His unbeaten 26 off 21 balls, laced with three fours and a six, guided India to a six-wicket win, chasing 112 with 30 balls left, hinting at his future greatness. Zimbabwe, sent in to bat, limped to 111/9 in 20 overs, with Chamu Chibhabha’s 40 off 30 and Craig Ervine’s 30 off 42 offering some fight. India’s spinners dominated, with Pragyan Ojha’s 2/11, Vinay Kumar’s 3/24, and debutant Ravichandran Ashwin’s 1/22 stifling the hosts.

(Virat Kohli made his T20 Debut against Zimbabwe)

India’s chase stuttered at 12/2 after Murali Vijay (5) and Naman Ojha (2) fell early. Suresh Raina’s quick 28 off 17 steadied the ship, but Ray Price’s 2/24 removed Raina and Rohit Sharma (10). Kohli, cool under pressure, joined Yusuf Pathan (37* off 24) for a match-winning 64-run stand, sealing the victory and Pathan’s explosive knock earned him Player of the Match, but Kohli’s composed debut knock set the stage for India’s 1-0 series lead and marked the start of a stellar career.

On This Day - June 12, 2013 - Australia vs New Zealand in 2013 Champions Trophy Ends in Draw

Becoming a rain-interrupted affair, the Australia vs. New Zealand clash in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy at Birmingham on June 12 ended with no result. Australia, batting first after winning the toss, posted 243/8 in 50 overs. Adam Voges led with 71 off 76 balls, featuring seven fours, while George Bailey scored 55 off 91 and Matthew Wade added 29, and Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten 29 off 22, with two sixes, boosted the total.

(Australia vs New Zealand ended in a draw at ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

Mitchell McClenaghan’s 4/65, including Shane Watson (5) and Voges, and Nathan McCullum’s 2/46 kept New Zealand in check. New Zealand’s chase of 244 was cut short at 51/2 in 15 overs due to rain. Kane Williamson (18 not out) and Ross Taylor (9 not out) were at the crease when play stopped. Clint McKay took 2/10, dismissing Luke Ronchi (14) and Martin Guptill (8) and both teams shared a point, leaving Australia winless in Group A.

On This Day - June 12, 2014 - Moeen Ali Makes his Test Debut for England

The start of the 2014 England vs. Sri Lanka Test series at Lord’s from June 12-16 saw a thrilling draw, marking Moeen Ali made his Test debut for England against Sri Lanka in a thrilling, high-scoring draw that showcased his promise as an all-rounder. England, batting first after Sri Lanka opted to field, racked up an imposing 575/9 in 130.3 overs. Joe Root stole the show with a masterful unbeaten 200 off 298 balls, anchoring the innings with elegance and grit. Matt Prior chipped in with a brisk 86, while Moeen, walking in at his first Test, showed composure with a valuable 48 off 98 balls, signalling his ability to contribute under pressure and Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Pradeep toiled hard, finishing with 4/123.

(England vs Sri Lanka ended in a draw)

Sri Lanka responded with a strong 453/10 in 138.4 overs, driven by Kumar Sangakkara’s classy 147 and Angelo Mathews’ resolute 102. James Anderson led England’s bowling with 3/93, keeping the pressure on. In their second innings, England posted 267/8 in 69 overs, with Gary Ballance’s unbeaten 104 holding the fort and Rangana Herath’s crafty 4/95 keeping Sri Lanka in the fight. Set a target of 201/9 in 90 overs, Sri Lanka leaned on Kaushal Silva’s gritty 57 and Sangakkara’s composed 61. But Anderson’s fiery 4/25 and Stuart Broad’s probing 3/43 ensured England stayed in control and the match ended in a draw, with no result possible, but Root’s epic double ton earned him Player of the Match.

On This Day - June 12, 2019 - David Warner Century Helps Australia defeat Pakistan by 41 Runs

As the 2019 World Cup heated up, Australia secured a 41-run victory over Pakistan in Taunton on June 12. Batting first after Pakistan’s decision to field, Australia posted 307/10 in 49 overs. David Warner’s gritty 107 off 111 balls, with 11 fours and a six, and Aaron Finch’s 82 off 84, including six fours and four sixes, built a solid 146-run opening stand. Mohammad Amir shone with 5/30, dismissing Shaun Marsh (23), Usman Khawaja (18), and others, while Shaheen Afridi took 2/70.

(Australia defeated Pakistan by 41 runs)

Pakistan’s chase faltered early at 56/2, losing Fakhar Zaman (0) and Babar Azam (30). Imam-ul-Haq’s 53 off 75 and Mohammad Hafeez’s 46 off 49 kept hopes alive, but Pat Cummins’ 3/33, including Shoaib Malik (0), tilted the game. Wahab Riaz’s fiery 45 off 39 and Sarfaraz Ahmed’s 40 off 48 fought back, but Mitchell Starc’s 2/43 and Kane Richardson’s 2/62 sealed Pakistan’s fate at 266/10 in 45.4 overs.

On This Day - June 12, 2024 - India Defeats USA by 7 Wickets in the T20 World Cup

On June 12, 2024, India proved why they were favourites in their T20 World Cup Group A clash against USA in New York, clinching a seven-wicket victory to lock in their Super Eights spot. USA, asked to bat first, managed just 110/8 in 20 overs. Nitish Kumar’s gritty 27 off 23 and Steven Taylor’s 24 off 30 gave some fight, but Arshdeep Singh’s sensational 4/9, including Shayan Jahangir (0) and Andries Gous (2), ripped through their top order. Hardik Pandya’s tight 2/14 and Axar Patel’s 1/25 piled on the pressure.

(India defeated USA by 7 wickets)

India’s chase of 111 started shakily, with Saurabh Netravalkar’s 2/18 dismissing Virat Kohli (0) and Rohit Sharma (3). Rishabh Pant’s 18 off 20 was cut short by Ali Khan (1/21), but Suryakumar Yadav’s composed 50 not out off 49, with two fours and two sixes, alongside Shivam Dube’s steady 31 not out off 35, guided India home in 18.2 overs. Their 72-run stand sealed the win. Arshdeep’s bowling brilliance earned him Player of the Match, as India’s cool-headed chase showcased their strength in a high-stakes game.