On This Day In Cricket - November 28

Being the day of Keith Miller’s birth in 1919, Australia’s flamboyant allrounder who dazzled with bat and ball across 55 Tests. On this date in 1975, Michael Holding made a forgettable debut, going wicketless as West Indies crashed in Brisbane. In 2022, Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed a world-record seven sixes in a List A over, finishing with an unbeaten 220. November 28, 1979, saw England’s controversial two-run win over West Indies in Sydney, prompting the introduction of fielding circles. Adrian Barath’s sparkling debut century (2009), Shabnim Ismail’s WBBL final masterclass (2020), and memorable milestones for Dick Lilley, Nick Knight, Bert Vogler and Craig Kieswetter also mark this day in cricket history.

On This Day - November 28, 1997 - Taniya Bhatia Was Born Today

The lady who has been one of India’s most hardworking wicketkeepers in recent years, Taniya Bhatia built her career through consistency behind the stumps and steady contributions with the bat. Born on 28 November 1997 in Chandigarh, she made her international debut in 2018 and went on to play across all three formats until 2022. Her safest strengths came in her glovework, something clearly reflected in her numbers. In 2 Test matches, Taniya scored 66 runs with a best of 44 not out and collected 4 catches.

(Taniya Bhatia was born on November 28, 1997)

She featured in 19 ODIs, scoring 138 runs including a top score of 68 and adding 18 catches and 9 stumpings. Her busiest format was T20Is where she played 53 matches, making 172 runs and staying active with 23 catches and 45 stumpings. These figures underline her impact as a wicketkeeper who often contributed through sharp reflexes and reliable hands. In the WPL, representing Delhi Capitals Women, she played 18 matches and added 7 catches and 8 stumpings. She also holds notable records such as being ninth on the list for most catches in a Women’s Test innings and tenth for most dismissals in a Women’s T20I innings.

On This Day - November 28, 2001 - Rahmanullah Gurbaz Was Born Today

The dashing opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has quickly become one of Afghanistan’s most exciting modern day cricketers. Born on November 28, 2001, he made his international debut in 2019 and has already built an impressive record across formats. His aggressive batting and sharp wicketkeeping made him a regular pick soon after his first T20I innings where he scored 43 off 24 against Zimbabwe. He later added his maiden T20I century and finished as the highest run scorer in the T20 World Cup 2024, playing a key role in Afghanistan’s historic run to the semifinals.

(Rahmanullah Gurbaz was born on November 28, 2001)

Gurbaz made an instant impact in ODIs too. He debuted in 2021 and became the first Afghan batter to score a century on ODI debut. In 52 matches, he has scored 1888 runs with 8 centuries, 7 fifties and a best of 151. His strike rate of 87.24 shows how freely he scores, while his opening partnership with Ibrahim Zadran has been one of Afghanistan’s biggest strengths. In T20Is he has 2067 runs from 80 innings at a strike rate of 134.83, including 1 century and 11 fifties. Across all T20 leagues he has played 241 matches and piled up 5833 runs, proving his value in franchise cricket as well.

On This Day - November 28, 2023 - Australia defeats India by 5 Wickets

Winning the high-scoring thriller in Guwahati, Australia chased down a massive target of 223 and sealed the contest by 5 wickets on the final ball. India posted 222 for 3 in 20 overs, built almost entirely around a stunning unbeaten 123 from Ruturaj Gaikwad off 57 balls. He struck 13 fours and 7 sixes and controlled the innings from the third over. Suryakumar Yadav added 39 while Tilak Varma supported with an unbeaten 31. Extras also contributed 23 runs as Australia’s bowlers struggled, with Jason Behrendorff standing out for his 1 for 12 from 4 overs.

(Australia defeated India by 5 wickets)

Australia replied with aggression from the start. Travis Head smashed 35 from 18 and Glenn Maxwell produced one of his greatest T20I knocks. Maxwell scored an unbeaten 104 from 48 balls with 8 fours and 8 sixes. Australia were 128 for 4 in the 13th over, but Maxwell and Matthew Wade kept the chase alive. The equation reached 43 from 12 balls, yet Maxwell’s clean striking turned the match. Wade scored 28 off 16 and supported the final burst. Australia reached 225 for 5 in 20 overs and completed a sensational chase with zero balls left. Maxwell’s century powered the win and kept the series alive.

On This Day - November 28, 2010 - India defeats New Zealand by 40 Runs

Getting the match underway at Guwahati, India posted a strong total of 276 in 49 overs after being asked to bat first. The innings was built around a superb 105 from Virat Kohli, who anchored the middle overs with calm strokeplay and steady rotation of strike. Gautam Gambhir added 38 at the top, while Yuvraj Singh contributed 42 to keep the scoreboard moving. Yusuf Pathan’s quick 29 from just 19 balls helped India finish well despite losing regular wickets in the final overs. Andy McKay was the most successful bowler for New Zealand with 4 wickets, while Kyle Mills supported him with 3.

(India defeated New Zealand by 40 runs)

Chasing 277, New Zealand struggled to build partnerships and were bowled out for 236 in 45.2 overs. Ross Taylor played a fighting knock of 66 and received some late help from Nathan McCullum, who made 35, and Kyle Mills with 32. However, the required rate kept climbing as India’s bowlers struck at key moments. Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh both picked up 3 wickets each, while Sreesanth delivered an important spell with 3 wickets that broke New Zealand’s middle and lower order. India’s all round performance ensured a comfortable 40 run win, with Kohli named Player of the Match for his century.

On This Day - November 28, 2005 - India defeats South Africa by 5 Wickets

For the final ODI of the 2005 India South Africa series at Wankhede, India chased down a target of 222 to win by 5 wickets with 15 balls left. South Africa posted 221 for 6 in 50 overs, built mainly on Jacques Kallis’ steady 91 from 146 balls. He held the innings together while the rest of the batting struggled for momentum. Graeme Smith scored 24, Mark Boucher added 35, and Shaun Pollock lifted the finish with a quick 30 from 17 balls. Irfan Pathan was India’s best bowler with 3 for 20 in 8 overs, while Harbhajan Singh picked up 2 important wickets.

(India defeated South Africa by 5 wickets)

In reply, India had an early setback when Gautam Gambhir fell for 0. Sachin Tendulkar made 30 and Virender Sehwag hit 27, but the chase truly settled once Rahul Dravid took control. The captain anchored the innings with a composed 78 not out from 106 balls, guiding India through key moments. Yuvraj Singh provided strong support with 49 off 64 balls to push the chase forward at a crucial stage. Though MS Dhoni fell for 12, Dravid and Mohammad Kaif finished the job as India reached 224 for 5 in 47.3 overs. The win helped India level the series 2-2, and Dravid was named Player of the Match.

On This Day - November 28, 1987 - Craig Kieswetter Was Born Today

The player who made a quick rise in England’s white ball cricket, Craig Kieswetter enjoyed a short but memorable career built on powerful batting and reliable wicketkeeping. Born in Johannesburg in 1987, he moved to England as a teenager and soon impressed for Somerset with attacking strokeplay. His domestic form, including 1242 runs at 59.14 in the 2009 County Championship, pushed him into England’s plans. He made an immediate impact in 2010 by scoring 143 on the Bangladesh tour and later played a key role in England’s 2010 World Twenty20 triumph. His 222 runs in that tournament included a match winning 63 in the final.

(Craig Kieswetter was born on November 28, 1987)

Across 46 ODIs, Kieswetter scored 1054 runs at an average of 30.11 with 1 century and 5 fifties. In 25 T20Is, he added 526 runs at a strike rate of 111.91. His domestic record was even stronger with 5728 first class runs at 39.23, 4254 List A runs at 39.38 and 3367 T20 runs at 31.76. He was also safe behind the stumps with 53 ODI catches and 12 stumpings. His progress slowed after inconsistency and growing competition from Jos Buttler. A serious facial injury in 2014 eventually ended his career in 2015.

On This Day - November 28, 1987 - Andre Fletcher Was Born Today

For the career of Andre Fletcher, the numbers show the journey of a powerful top order batter who built his reputation across the world’s biggest T20 leagues. Born in 1987 in Grenada, Fletcher made his international debut in 2008 and went on to play 25 ODIs and 60 T20Is for West Indies. In ODIs, he scored 354 runs, while his T20I tally reached 984 runs with a highest score of 84 not out and 6 fifties. His strike rate of 110.31 in T20Is reflected his attacking style at the top.

(Andre Fletcher was born on November 28, 1987)

Fletcher’s biggest success came in franchise cricket where he became one of the most experienced players in the format. He featured in 338 T20 matches and scored 8513 runs at an average of 28.85, including 5 centuries and 46 fifties. His best score in T20s was 118, and he smashed 725 fours and 391 sixes, showing his ability to dominate bowlers. In the CPL alone, he scored 3445 runs across 128 matches, while his performances in leagues like MLC, ILT20, LPL and BPL added to his reputation as a global T20 specialist. Along with his batting, Fletcher contributed as an athletic fielder with 165 catches in T20s.