On This Day In Cricket - December 8

8 December is a page in cricket history that has both highs and lows. This is the day when Sehwag's innings of 219 earned him the title of highest individual scorer of that time, former Australian captain Tim Paine was born, Indian got its unwanted hat-trick and the US president watched a live Test cricket match for the first time. Let's have a look at some of the key events of this date.

On This Day - December 8, 2011 - Sehwag’s Highest Individual Score in ODI

It was the day when Virender Sehwag played an inning that fans will never forget. Sehwag scored a total of 219 off 149 balls with 25 fours and 7 massive sixes against the West Indies at Indore’s Holkar Stadium. This was the highest individual score in ODI cricket at that time. Sehwag scored fifty in 41 balls, a hundred in 69 balls and a double century in just 140 balls in this match and became the player of the match. He got this title after surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's 200-run innings against South Africa in 2010. Sehwag’s score still comes at number 3 in the list of the highest individual scores in ODI.

India's total score was 418/5 and it was the highest ODI total by any team at that time.

Gambhir also played a brilliant inning of 67 runs with 11 fours, but Sehwag took all the limelight in this match. West Indies were all out at 265 and lost the match by 153 runs. For the first time, everyone witnessed a destructive and fearless innings in limited-overs cricket. It was something no one had ever experienced before.

On This Day - December 8, 2024 - Dark Day for Indian Cricket

8 December 2024, Many recall this day as 'A Dark Day in Indian Cricket,' and some call it 'India's unwanted hat-trick. ' For the first time, India lost its 3 big matches on the same day. It includes the senior men's team Australia vs India, 2nd Test at Adelaide, the senior women's team AUS-W vs IND-W 2nd ODI at Brisbane and the U19 Asia Cup final match of IND vs BAN. The senior men's team was all out for 175 in the second innings. Australia got the victory by scoring just 19 runs without losing any wickets in the second innings.

On the other side in Brisbane, the Indian women's team was defeated by the Australian team in the 2nd ODI. The AUS Women's team scored 371/8 in the first inning. Georgia Voll and Ellyse Perry played brilliantly and scored a century. India was all out for 249 runs and lost the match by 122 runs.

The Under-19 team played the ACC Asia Cup final against Bangladesh in Dubai. Bangladesh scored a total of 198 runs in the first inning, but the Indian team couldn’t make it and got all out for 139. Three big teams and three big losses in a single day left Indian fans heartbroken and speechless.

On This Day - December 8, 2001 - Vaas Destroys Zimbabwe with 8/19

Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas did something on this day in 2001 that has never been repeated. In an ODI match against Zimbabwe in Colombo, he took 8 wickets for only 19 runs, and the title for the only bowler to achieve the 8-wicket haul in ODIs. He swung the ball both ways and also took a hat-trick by dismissing Stuart Carlisle, Craig Wishart and Tatenda Taibu in three consecutive balls.

Zimbabwe's batsmen had no clue what to do. They were all out for just 38 runs in 15.4 overs. This match score was the lowest total in an ODI at that time. No one scored more than 16. Sri Lanka needed only 4.2 overs to chase the 39-run target. They won by 9 wickets with 274 balls to spare. It was also the second biggest win by balls remaining ever. Vaas became the Player of the Match and everyone witnessed one of the greatest spells in ODI cricket, which remains the most one-sided ODI match ever played.

On This Day - December 8, 1984 - Tim Paine Was Born Today

Tim Paine was born on 8 December 1984 in Hobart, Tasmania. He grew up to become one of Australia’s most respected wicket-keepers and leaders. He played 35 Test matches, scored 1,534 runs at an average of 32.63 and made 157 dismissals (150 catches and 7 stumpings).

After the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that shook Australia, Paine was made captain. He brought calm and respect back to the team. He led Australia to England in 2019 and they retained the Ashes. They became the first Australian team to win a series there in 18 years. He also played 35 ODIs in which he scored 890 runs, including one century of 111 runs against England. He just played 12 T20Is matches. His international Test career ended in 2021 because of an old texting scandal and then he subsequently retired from all cricket on 17 March 2023. Most fans and players still respect him a lot for the way he handled the toughest period in the history of Australian cricket.

On This Day - December 8, 1959 - Only US President to Ever Watch a Live Test Match

On the same day in 1959, American President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Karachi and attended the Pakistan vs Australia day four Test match at National Stadium. He is the only sitting US president to ever watch Test cricket live.

The cricket was extremely slow in those days. Pakistan scored only 104 runs and lost 5 wickets in 90 overs. Hanif Mohammad played very carefully and was 40 not out at the end of the day. Many people called it one of the most boring days of Test cricket ever, but President Eisenhower still clapped for good shots. He signed a cricket bat for the players and even wore a Pakistan team blazer. Later, Hanif scored 101 not out and helped Pakistan draw the match. Australia won the series 2–0.

On This Day - December 8, 2021 - Sajid Khan’s 12 Wickets

On this day in 2021, Sajid Khan bowled the match of his life against Bangladesh in Dhaka. The off-spinner took 12 wickets for 128 runs in the whole Test. He took 8/42 in the first innings and 4/86 in the second. It was the final day and rain plus bad light stopped the game again and again, but Sajid kept coming back and taking wickets on a turning pitch.

Pakistan scored 300/4d and gave Bangladesh a huge target. Bangladesh kept losing wickets, and Pakistan won by an innings and 8 runs just minutes before the match would have been called off because of light. This victory gave Pakistan a 2–0 series win. Sajid’s 12 wickets are still the best figures by a Pakistan spinner in Bangladesh. It was a special performance that showed how good he is even away from home.

On This Day - December 8, 2007 - Shoaib Akhtar’s Last Test Match

Shoaib Akhtar aka the Rawalpindi Express, played his last test match against India on 8 December 2007 in Bengaluru. It was the third test and nobody knew at that time that it was going to be his last Test match. Shoaib bowled 10 overs in India’s first innings and went for 23 runs without taking any wickets. He felt back pain and left the field for an MRI scan, but nothing serious was found.

He rested and came back in India’s second innings. He bowled 17 overs, took 1 wicket for 43 runs and got Sourav Ganguly out. The match went on for five days and ended in a draw. India won the series 1–0. Shoaib Akhtar played only 46 Tests but took 178 wickets with the best figures of 6/11. He bowled the fastest delivery ever recorded at 161.3 km/h. His career had injuries and bans, but he scared every batsman with his pure speed. Even though his last Test was quiet, Shoaib is still loved as one of the most thrilling fast bowlers cricket has ever seen.