On This Dayin Cricket - June 26

June 26 has seen some cool cricket moments over the years. In 1951, Aussie allrounder Gary Gilmour, who grabbed 6/14 in the 1975 World Cup semi-final, was born. In 1995, Dominic Cork burst onto the scene for England, snagging 7/43 on his Test debut against West Indies at Lord’s. Back in 1937, a young Len Hutton flopped on his Test debut, scoring 0 and 1 against New Zealand and then in 2024, Louis Kimber went wild, smashing 43 runs off one over in a County Championship game. In 2022, Madhya Pradesh clinched their first Ranji Trophy, beating Mumbai. And in 1745, the first known women’s cricket match happened in Surrey.

On This Day - June 26, 1999 - Mithali Raj Makes her ODI Debut for India

The WODI debut of Mithali Raj was a spectacular one, as she powered India Women to a massive 161-run victory over Ireland Women in the only ODI at Milton Keynes on June 26, 1999. Batting first, India posted an imposing 258/0 in 50 overs, with Mithali, on debut, smashing an unbeaten 114. Alongside her, Reshma Gandhi, also debuting, scored an unbeaten 104, their partnership boosted by 40 extras. Ireland’s bowlers, including Heather Whelan and Isobel Joyce, couldn’t break through, conceding runs at 5.16 per over.

(Mithali Raj Made her ODI Debut on 26 June, 1999)

Chasing 259, Ireland struggled against India’s disciplined attack, managing just 97/9 in 50 overs. Purnima Rau led the bowling with 4/33, while Rupanjali Shastri, another debutant, took 2/9. Clare Shillington top-scored for Ireland with 21. Wickets fell steadily, with Renu Margrate and Neetu David also striking. The Indian bowlers kept things tight, with five maidens from Deepa Marathe and three each from Rau and Shastri. Mithali’s century on debut set the tone.

On This Day - June 26, 2024 - South Africa Becomes the First Team to Qualify for T20 World Cup 2024 Finals

Making their place in the Finals of the T20 World Cup 2024, South Africa delivered a crushing performance against Afghanistan in the first semi-final on June 26 at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba. Afghanistan, batting first after winning the toss, crumbled to a mere 56 runs in 11.5 overs, their lowest T20I total. South Africa’s bowlers were relentless. Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi each took 3 wickets, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje grabbed 2 apiece.

(South Africa booked their spots in the T20 World Cup 2024 Finals)

Afghanistan’s top order collapsed early, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz out for a duck and Azmatullah Omarzai top-scoring with 10. The pitch, criticized for uneven bounce, didn’t help and chasing 57, South Africa lost Quinton de Kock for 5, but Reeza Hendricks (29* off 25) and Aiden Markram (23* off 21) steered them to 60/1 in just 8.5 overs, winning by 9 wickets with 67 balls to spare and Jansen earned Player of the Match for his 3/16. Afghanistan’s dream run ended in disappointment, but their journey to the semis was historic. South Africa, unbeaten in the tournament, marched confidently to their first-ever T20 World Cup final.

On This Day - June 26, 2022 - India defeats Ireland by 7 Wickets

With a new captain and rain-shortened match, India defeated Ireland by 7 wickets in the 1st T20I at Malahide, Dublin, on June 26, 2022, taking a 1-0 series lead. Ireland, batting first after India’s toss win, reached 108/4 in 12 overs, led by Harry Tector’s unbeaten 64 off 33 balls, earning him Cricinfo’s MVP. Yuzvendra Chahal, named Player of the Match, took 1/11, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya also claimed wickets.

(India defeated Ireland by 7 wickets in the first T20)

India chased 109 in 9.2 overs, finishing at 111/3, with Deepak Hooda’s unbeaten 47 off 29 and Hardik Pandya’s 24 off 12. Ishan Kishan scored a quick 26 off 11, but Craig Young took 2/18 for Ireland. Rain reduced the game to 12 overs per side, and India’s powerplay yielded 45/2. Ireland’s 50-run 4th-wicket stand between Tector and Lorcan Tucker (18) was their highlight, but India’s batting depth shone. Hardik, leading India, praised the team’s effort, while Ireland’s Andy Balbirnie hoped for crowd support in the next game.

On This Day - June 26, 2024 - Ollie Robinson Concedes 43 Runs in One Over

Conceding a world record of 43 runs in a single over, England’s Ollie Robinson endured a nightmare spell for Sussex against Leicestershire in the County Championship at Hove and Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber hammered six fours and two sixes off Robinson’s bowling, with three no-balls inflating the damage in a nine-ball over that ended with a single. The 43-run over smashed the County Championship record for the most expensive over, overtaking the 38 runs Shoaib Bashir conceded earlier that week.

(Ollie Robinson was hit for 43 runs in one over)

Robinson, who has taken 76 wickets at an average of 22.92 in 20 Tests since 2021, faced a tough day as Kimber’s onslaught powered Leicestershire’s chase and the over began with a six and spiralled as Kimber’s aggressive hitting exposed Robinson’s struggles, marking an unwanted record in his career. Sussex ultimately lost by 18 runs, but Robinson’s record-breaking over became the headline.

On This Day - June 26, 1993 - India’s Shivam Dube Was Born Today

Celebrating his 32nd birthday on June 26, 2025, Shivam Dube continues to shine as a dynamic allrounder for India and the IPL. Born in 1993 in Mumbai, Dube has carved a name for himself with his explosive left-handed batting and handy right-arm medium bowling and his journey began in Mumbai’s school cricket circuit, leading to a standout Ranji Trophy debut in 2017, where he took five wickets and scored 71 against Karnataka. Dube’s knack for big hits, especially against spin, grabbed attention when he smashed five sixes in an over twice, once in a Mumbai T20 league and again in a Ranji match.

(Shivam Dube was born on June 26, 1993)

This power-hitting earned him an IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019 for Rs 5 crore, though his true breakout came with Chennai Super Kings from 2022. There, he scored 289 runs in 2022 (strike rate 156.21), 418 in 2023 (158.33), and 396 in 2024 (162.30). In 2024, he averaged nearly 68 in the Ranji Trophy with two centuries and took 12 wickets. A T20 World Cup winner in 2024, Dube’s 531 T20I runs at a 140.10 strike rate highlight his growing stature at 32.

On This Day - June 26, 1976 - Mpumelelo Mbangwa was Born Today

The birthday of Mpumelelo "Pommie" Mbangwa, born on June 26, 1976, in Plumtree, Zimbabwe, marks the start of a unique cricket journey. A right-arm fast-medium bowler, Mbangwa debuted for Zimbabwe in 1996 against Pakistan, taking key wickets like Ijaz Ahmed and Wasim Akram and despite no family cricket background, he honed his skills under Dennis Lillee in Madras and at South Africa’s Plascon Academy. Known for his line-and-length bowling with swing, he played 15 Tests, taking 32 wickets at an average of 31.43, and 29 ODIs, securing 11 wickets.

(Mpumelelo Mbangwa was born on June 26, 1976)

His best Test figures were 3/23, and in ODIs, 2/24. However, his lack of pace led to inconsistency, and he holds records for the worst ODI strike rate (124.4) and four consecutive ducks. As a batsman, he scored just 34 runs in Tests and ODIs each, often batting at No. 11. After retiring in 2004, Mbangwa became a respected commentator, known for his thoughtful insights. His brief coaching stint ended in 2005 as he embraced a full-time TV career, leaving a lasting mark on cricket.

On This Day - June 26, 2022 - Madhya Pradesh defeats Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy Finals

Winning the Ranji Trophy in 2022, Madhya Pradesh defeated Mumbai by 6 wickets in a thrilling final at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium from June 22-26. Mumbai, batting first after winning the toss, scored 374, led by Sarfaraz Khan’s 134. Gaurav Yadav took 4 wickets for Madhya Pradesh. In response, Madhya Pradesh posted 536, with Yash Dubey (133), Shubham Sharma (116), and Rajat Patidar (122) shining. Shams Mulani claimed 5 wickets for Mumbai. Mumbai’s second innings saw them reach 269, with Suved Parkar’s 51 and Prithvi Shaw’s 44, but Kumar Kartikeya’s 4 wickets kept Madhya Pradesh in control.

(Madhya Pradesh defeated Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy Finals 2022)

Chasing 108, Madhya Pradesh lost 4 wickets but sealed the victory with Himanshu Mantri’s 37 and Rajat Patidar’s unbeaten 30. Shubham Sharma earned Player of the Match for his 116 and 30, while Sarfaraz Khan, with 982 runs in the season, was named Player of the Series. Madhya Pradesh’s triumph, their first Ranji Trophy, was credited to coach Chandrakant Pandit’s strategy and standout performances from Dubey, Sharma, and Kartikeya, marking a historic moment for the team.

On This Day - June 26, 2021 - England defeats Sri Lanka by 89 Runs

The last T20 match of the 2021 Sri Lanka tour of England saw England dominate Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Southampton on June 26, clinching a 3-0 series sweep and England, batting first after Sri Lanka’s toss decision, posted 180/6 in 20 overs, powered by Dawid Malan’s 76 off 48 balls and Jonny Bairstow’s 51 off 43. Dushmantha Chameera took 4 wickets for 17, but Sri Lanka’s batting faltered. Chasing 181, they crumbled to 91 in 18.5 overs, with Binura Fernando’s 20 the highest score.

(England defeated Sri Lanka by 89 runs)

David Willey led England’s bowling with 3 wickets for 27, while Sam Curran took 2 for 14. Malan, named Player of the Match, also took two catches and Sam Curran earned Player of the Series for his 25 runs and 5 wickets across the series. England’s strong powerplay (48/0) and Malan’s aggressive 50 off 30 balls set the tone, while Sri Lanka’s batting struggled, losing wickets regularly, including two reviews that failed.