On This Day In Cricket - October 14

Coming to the events of October 14, Tillakaratne Dilshan, born in 1976, emerged as a Sri Lankan cricket star, scoring 11 international hundreds in 2009 and inventing the "Dilscoop." In 1988, Glenn Maxwell, known for audacious batting, was born, later smashing a 51-ball World Cup century in 2015. Gautam Gambhir, born in 1981, played a pivotal 97 in the 2011 World Cup final. In 1953, Roland Butcher, the first black cricketer for England, was born. New Zealand secured a gritty draw against India in 1999, while Australia dominated the 2005 ICC Super Test, winning by 210 runs.

On This Day - October 14, 1981 - Gautam Gambhir Was Born Today

On October 14, 1981, Delhi welcomed Gautam Gambhir, a guy who would become India’s Mr. Dependable. This lefty batsman wasn’t about flashy shots as he was pure heart and hustle. Kicking off his international career in 2003, he racked up 4,154 runs in 58 Tests, averaging 41.95 with 9 hundreds and 22 fifties. In ODIs, he smashed 5,238 runs in 147 games, averaging 39.68 with 11 centuries. In T20Is, he scored 932 runs in 37 matches. His best years were 2008-2011, when he blasted eight Test tons and matched Viv Richards’ epic run of 50-plus scores in 11 straight Tests. He snagged the ICC Test Player of the Year in 2009 and the Arjuna Award.

Gambhir’s big moments are legendary, like his gritty 97 in the 2011 World Cup final, pushing India to the trophy, or his clutch 75 in the 2007 T20 World Cup win. In the IPL, he led Kolkata Knight Riders to titles in 2012 and 2014, scoring 4,217 runs in 154 games. With over 10,000 international runs, he hung up his boots in 2018, later becoming a commentator, politician, and Padma Shri winner. In 2024, the Indian Cricket Team appointed him as the Head Coach of the team in all the three formats.

On This Day - October 14, 1988 - Glenn Maxwell Was Born Today

Born October 14, 1988, in Melbourne, Glenn Maxwell is cricket’s wild card. This dude’s a batting tornado and tosses in some nifty off-spin. Since his 2012 debut, he’s played 7 Tests, scoring 339 runs with one century, and 149 ODIs, piling up 3,990 runs at a crazy 126.70 strike rate with four tons. In T20Is, he’s smashed 2,833 runs in 124 games at a wild 156.00 strike rate with five hundreds. Across 486 T20s, he’s got 10,846 runs and 194 wickets.

Maxwell’s 2023 ODI World Cup heroics of 201 not out off 128 balls against Afghanistan turned a sure loss into a win that had fans losing their minds. He also owns Australia’s fastest ODI fifty (51 balls) from the 2015 World Cup. In the IPL, he’s scored 2,819 runs in 141 games, and in the BBL, he dropped a bonkers 154 not out in 2022. Even after a mental health break in 2019 and a busted leg in 2022, Maxwell’s a spark plug. A wrist injury in 2025 slowed him, but his unreal fielding and crafty bowling make him a must-watch.

On This Day - October 14, 1993 - Ashton Agar Was Born Today

Ashton Agar came into the world on October 14, 1993, in Melbourne. This left-arm spinner, who can swing the bat, stunned everyone on his 2013 Test debut at 19. As a No. 11, he smashed 98, the highest ever in that spot and nabbed Alastair Cook as his first wicket. He’s played 5 Tests, taking 9 wickets and scoring 195 runs. In ODIs, he’s got 21 wickets in 22 games, and in T20Is, he’s taken 49 wickets in 49 matches, including a wild 6 for 30 against New Zealand in 2021 and a hat-trick against South Africa in 2020.

In first-class cricket, Agar’s bagged 165 wickets and 2,412 runs with three tons in 67 games. In T20s, he’s got 137 wickets and 1,408 runs in 174 matches. For Western Australia and Perth Scorchers in the BBL, he’s snagged 69 wickets in 94 games. A calf injury in 2025 was a bummer, but Agar’s a triple threat, bowling, batting, and diving catches.

On This Day - October 14, 1976 - Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan Was Born Today

Born on October 14, 1976, in Kalutara, Sri Lanka, Tillakaratne Dilshan was a total game-changer. Famous for his cheeky “Dilscoop” shot, flicking the ball over the keeper, he debuted in 1999 with a cracking 163 not out against Zimbabwe. When he moved to open in 2009, he went nuts, smashing 11 international centuries and earning the World T20 Player of the Series. In Tests, he scored 5,492 runs in 87 games at 40.98 with 16 hundreds, plus 39 wickets. In ODIs, he racked up 10,290 runs in 330 matches with 22 tons and took 106 wickets. In T20Is, he made 1,889 runs in 80 games with one century.

Dilshan was a T20 rockstar, scoring 1,153 runs in 52 IPL games at a 114.49 strike rate and killing it in other leagues. He captained Sri Lanka briefly in 2011–12 and was a fielding ninja at backward point. He retired from internationals in 2016 but kept dazzling in legends leagues. Dilshan’s big hits, sneaky bowling, and electric vibe made him a fan favorite.

On This Day - October 14, 2023 - India Defeats Pakistan by 7 Wickets

On October 14, 2023, Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium was absolutely buzzing as India steamrolled Pakistan by seven wickets in the 2023 World Cup. India won the toss, chose to bowl, and their attack was straight-up lethal, bowling Pakistan out for 191 in 42.5 overs and Babar Azam made 50, and Mohammad Rizwan got 49, but Pakistan collapsed from 155 for 2. Jasprit Bumrah was on fire with 2 for 19, while Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja each took two wickets.

Chasing 192, Rohit Sharma went full beast mode, smashing 86 off 63 balls with six fours and six sixes. Shreyas Iyer sealed it with a cool 53 not out, wrapping it up in 30.3 overs. Shaheen Afridi nabbed two early wickets, but Pakistan couldn’t stop the Rohit show. Over 100,000 fans went wild as India kept their perfect World Cup record against Pakistan. Bumrah got Player of the Match for his magic.

On This Day - October 14, 2020 - Delhi Capitals Defeats Rajasthan Royals by 13 Runs

On October 14, 2020, in Dubai, Delhi Capitals scrapped their way to a 13-run IPL win over Rajasthan Royals. Batting first, Delhi posted 161 for 7, with Shikhar Dhawan firing 57 off 33 and Shreyas Iyer grinding out 53 off 43. Jofra Archer was a nightmare, taking 3 for 19, but Delhi’s middle order hung tough. Jaydev Unadkat grabbed two wickets, too.

Chasing 162, Rajasthan came out swinging with Jos Buttler’s quick 22 and Ben Stokes’ 41, but Delhi’s bowlers turned the heat up. Robin Uthappa’s 32 kept things spicy, but Anrich Nortje and Tushar Deshpande took two wickets each, with Kagiso Rabada and Ravichandran Ashwin chipping in. Rajasthan ended at 148 for 8, falling short. Nortje’s 2 for 33 won him Player of the Match. This win gave Delhi a playoff boost, and fans were glued to every ball of this classic IPL nail-biter.

On This Day - October 14, 2019 - India Women Defeats South Africa Women by 6 Runs

On October 14, 2019, India Women pulled off a heart-stopping 6-run win over South Africa Women in Vadodara, sealing a 3-0 ODI series sweep. Batting first on a slow pitch, India scraped to 146 in 45.5 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur battled for 38 off 76, and Shikha Pandey’s quick 35 off 40 gave them hope. Marizanne Kapp was deadly, taking 3 for 20, with Ayabonga Khaka and Shabnim Ismail grabbing two each.

Chasing 147, South Africa started strong but kept losing wickets and Laura Wolvaardt (23), Sune Luus (24), and Kapp (29) fought, but India’s spinners were clutch. Ekta Bisht was the hero with 3 for 32, backed by Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad with two wickets each. South Africa fell for 140 in 48 overs, so close yet so far. Bisht’s magic earned her Player of the Match, while Kapp got Player of the Series for her all-round hustle.

On This Day - October 14, 2018 - India defeats West Indies by 10 Wickets

During the second Test between India and West Indies at Hyderabad from October 12 to 14, 2018, India secured a commanding 10-wicket victory, completing a 2-0 series win. West Indies batted first and posted 311 in their first innings, with Roston Chase scoring a solid 106 and Jason Holder contributing 52. India responded strongly with 367, powered by Ajinkya Rahane’s 80 and Rishabh Pant’s 92. Umesh Yadav was the standout bowler for India, taking 6 for 88, while Kuldeep Yadav picked up 3 wickets. In the second innings, West Indies collapsed for 127, with Sunil Ambris scoring 38 and Shai Hope 28.

Umesh Yadav continued his brilliant form, claiming 4 for 45, supported by Ravindra Jadeja’s 3 wickets. India chased the small target of 36 without losing a wicket, with Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul both remaining unbeaten on 33. Umesh Yadav’s match figures of 10 for 133 earned him the Man of the Match award, while Prithvi Shaw’s consistent performance throughout the series made him the Man of the Series with 237 runs. India’s young players, including Shaw and Pant, impressed with their composure, while Kohli and Shastri praised the team’s depth and professional approach.