On This Day In Cricket - October 15

The day of October 15 marks several cricketing milestones. In 2023, Afghanistan stunned defending champions England by 69 runs in the World Cup in Delhi, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 80 and Mujeeb Ur Rahman's three wickets sealing their second-ever tournament win. New Zealand claimed their first ODI title in 2000, beating India by four wickets in Nairobi's ICC KnockOut final, thanks to Chris Cairns' unbeaten 102. India sealed their seventh Women's Asia Cup in 2022, thrashing Sri Lanka by chasing 66 in under nine overs, led by Smriti Mandhana. In 1964, India edged Australia by two wickets in a thrilling Bombay Test. Steve Camacho, West Indies pioneer, was born in 1945.

On This Day - October 15, 2021 - Chennai Super Kings defeats Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 Runs to Win the IPL 2021

October 15, 2021, brought the IPL final to Dubai International Stadium, where Chennai Super Kings grabbed their fourth crown by outlasting Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in a contest that swung wildly. KKR's toss win led to bowling first, yet CSK built 192 for 3 with calculated aggression over 20 overs. Faf du Plessis owned the night, his 86 from 59 deliveries a blend of crisp drives through covers and hefty pulls that exploited any width, pure class under lights. Ruturaj Gaikwad eased in 32 to anchor the powerplay, avoiding early risks. Robin Uthappa then unleashed 31 in 15 balls, slicing late cuts and whipping to leg, before Moeen Ali's unbeaten 37 off 20 added flair with ramps over slips that bowlers rarely saw coming.

Sunil Narine clawed back for KKR, his 2 for 26 mixing doosras to snag key breakthroughs amid the onslaught. The chase started hot for KKR at 91 without loss, Venkatesh Iyer blasting 50 off 32 in fearless mode, lofted covers flying and Shubman Gill matching with 51 off 43, solid yet scoring freely. Collapse hit fast though, 91 for 0 becoming 125 for 8 as CSK's bowlers pounced. Shardul Thakur's 3 for 38 relied on sly slower balls that deceived timing, turning the screw. Josh Hazlewood's two wickets came from tight lines, Ravindra Jadeja's from sharp spin, both unrelenting.

On This Day - October 15, 1984 - Ravi Rampaul Was Born Today

Trinidad welcomed Ravi Rampaul on October 15, 1984, and cricket gained a durable West Indies pacer who spanned 2003 to 2021 with swing that bit late and pace that hurried. Across 18 Tests, 49 wickets fell to him, best 4 for 48 on seaming tracks where extra bounce unsettled edges. ODIs highlighted his edge with 92 caps, 117 scalps, two five-fors including 5 for 49 that shredded lineups. T20Is numbered 27, with 31 wickets at 18.5 strike rate, yorkers thudding into stumps in tight overs.

Batting added surprise, like that gritty unbeaten 86 versus India in Chennai, a No. 10 epic that pushed boundaries and nearly stole a win, etched in ODI lore. Over 170 T20s in leagues and domestic, 231 wickets averaged just over 21, consistency shining through variations. Central to West Indies' 2012 T20 World Cup charge, his bouncers rattled and smarts won games. A six-year international gap ended with a 2021 return, grit overriding setbacks. Injuries nagged, but Rampaul embodied Caribbean fire, versatile, tough, leaving a mark on all formats through sheer will and skill that mentors still reference.

On This Day - October 15, 2023 - Afghanistan defeats England by 69 Runs

Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium hosted a World Cup stunner on October 15, 2023, Afghanistan toppling England by 69 runs in a mismatch that redefined underdog tales. Batting ahead, Afghanistan hit 284 in 49.5 overs, Rahmanullah Gurbaz rampaging 80 off 57 with cheeky ramps and heaved sixes that pierced field gaps. Ikram Alikhil's 58 steadied middle, rotating smartly, Mujeeb Ur Rahman's 28 off 16 exploding late with slogs. Adil Rashid countered England's fightback at 3 for 42, googlies turning, Mark Wood's 2 for 50 searing fast.

England crumbled chasing, 215 all out in 40.3 overs despite Harry Brook's 66 off 61 grinding singles and boundaries. Top-order freefall to 91 for 4 exposed frailties. Mujeeb Ur Rahman's 3 for 51 twisted carrom balls wickedly, Rashid Khan's three leg-spinners beguiled, Mohammad Nabi's two off-breaks cunning. A collective stranglehold prevailed. Mujeeb's bat and ball flair nabbed Player of the Match, points haul under Jonathan Trott fueling belief. This beatdown spotlighted Afghanistan's rise, skill trumping reputation in a tournament shift.

On This Day - October 15, 2022 - India Women defeats Sri Lanka Women by 8 Wickets to win the Women’s Asia Cup

Sylhet's final on October 15, 2022, saw India Women seal seventh Asia Cup title, routing Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in clinical fashion. Sri Lanka batted post-toss, yet imploded to 65 for 9 in 20 overs against India's seam-spin combo. Renuka Singh dominated 3 for 5 over three overs, swing nipping edges pre-settlement, yorkers thudding. Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Sneh Rana two apiece, spun traps, stifling runs.

Inoka Ranaweera scraped 18 not out, the lone bright. India gobbled 66 in 8.3 overs, Smriti Mandhana's unbeaten 51 off 25, thundering six fours, three sixes, lofted drives soaring. Harmanpreet Kaur unbeaten 11 guided post-Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues cheap outs. Renuka's spell won Player of the Match while Deepti Sharma's 13 wickets, 94 runs series earned her the Series of the Player award. Dominance echoed through attack precision, batting blitz, cementing Asian reign with inspiration rippling regionally.

On This Day - October 15, 2020 - King XI Punjab defeats Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 8 Wickets

Sharjah pulsed with drama on October 15, 2020, as Kings XI Punjab stole an 8-wicket IPL win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the final ball. RCB batted first and were 171 for 6. Virat Kohli 48 off 39 rotated the things in RCB’s favour, along with Faf du Plessis. Aaron Finch 20, and Shivam Dube 23 were not able to score much. Chris Morris 25 not out off 8 smashed late lift. Murugan Ashwin 2 for 23 economical, Mohammed Shami 2 for 45 probing.

Punjab chase was ignited by KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal who managed to make the best out of the powerplay overs in the game. Chris Gayle scored 53 off 45 with five sixes booming. Rahul unbeaten 61 off 49 navigated to 177 for 2 last ball. Morris, Navdeep Saini resisted. With Nicholas Pooran’s six on the last ball of the match, the contest became one to remember for the fans.

On This Day - October 15, 2009 - Victoria defeats Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 7 Wickets

The Champions League T20 at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium on October 15, 2009, witnessed Victoria's authoritative 7-wicket triumph over Royal Challengers Bangalore, underscoring domestic strength. RCB batted first, stuttering to 127 for 6 amid spin grip. Manish Pandey's 39 off 28 timed drives sweetly, Rahul Dravid's 33 off 35 steady accumulation, yet acceleration eluded. Andrew McDonald's medium-pace 4 for 21 exploited turns, variations inducing rash shots as Clint McKay's 2 for 26 maintained a squeeze.

Victoria's chase flowed to 133 for 3 in 15.5 overs, Rob Quiney's 29 built patiently, Brad Hodge's 25 off 20 sliced cuts fiercely. David Hussey unbeaten 31 off 15 exploded three sixes over deep midwicket, finishing emphatically. RCB's Dale Steyn pace probed one wicket, Balachandra Akhil seam one, Roelof van der Merwe spin one, but defense faltered. McDonald's all-round mastery, batting contributions too secured Player of the Match, propelling Victoria in League B.

On This Day - October 15, 2006 - India defeats England by 4 Wickets

India launched the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy emphatically on October 15 at Jaipur, overpowering England by 4 wickets with 123 balls to spare in a comprehensive fashion. Fielding first on the assisting turf, India's seam-spin axis routed England to 125 all out in 37 overs. Munaf Patel's 3 for 18 seamed prodigiously, bounce felling openers with steep lift as Irfan Pathan's three swung late, Ramesh Powar's three off-breaks turned sharply.

Paul Collingwood 38 ground defiantly, Kevin Pietersen 27 countered briefly, yet collapses ensued. Chasing 126, India sauntered in 29.3 overs to 126 for 6, Virender Sehwag's 9 off 4 slashed boundaries igniting. Sachin Tendulkar's 35 off 41 classic pushes rotated, Yuvraj Singh unbeaten 27 off 61 nurdled gaps astutely. Steve Harmison two wickets bouncer-heavy, James Anderson two swung, but inaccuracies mounted. Munaf's incisive burst clinched Player of the Match, igniting India's campaign with bowling synergy.

On This Day - October 15, 2011 - New Zealand defeats Zimbabwe by 10 Wickets

Stealing a 10 wicket win, New Zealand completely dominated Zimbabwe in the first T20I at Harare on October 15, 2011. Chasing a modest target of 124, the Kiwis reached it without losing a single wicket in just 13.3 overs, finishing at 127 for no loss. Brendon McCullum was the star, scoring a blazing 81 not out from 46 balls, hitting 5 fours and 6 sixes, while Martin Guptill supported with a steady 40 not out from 36 deliveries. McCullum’s explosive innings set the tone, allowing New Zealand to finish the game with 39 balls to spare. Zimbabwe struggled to build partnerships, ending their 20 overs at 123 for 8. Brendan Taylor was the lone fighter, scoring 50 off 46 balls with 5 fours, while Forster Mutizwa contributed 16 and Elton Chigumbura 14.

Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum led the bowling for New Zealand, taking two wickets each and keeping the run rate in check. The match was about New Zealand’s superior batting and bowling, with tight fielding and aggressive hitting. Zimbabwe’s effort was never enough to challenge the visitors, who led the two-match series 1-0 after this convincing win at Harare Sports Club. Brendon McCullum was deservedly named Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance.