There are specific days in the calendar when an entire nation unites in patriotic verve and January 26 is one such day for Indians across the globe. It was this day in 1950 when the Indian constitution came into effect and it is observed as India's Republic Day.
Like in every other field, the Indian cricket team has, over the years, gifted the country with some glorious moment. On the occasion of the country's 70th Republic Day, here are Team India's most famous victories on foreign soil.
India vs West Indies – World Cup final 1983
Mohinder Amarnath runs in towards the broadcast camera and Michael Holding swings across the line; the umpire raises the finger and India is the world champion!
Kapil's Devils did the impossible against the best team of that era while defending a paltry total of 183 in 60 overs. There were plenty of memorable moments in that tournament – Kapil Dev's game-changing 175 in the quarterfinal against Zimbabwe; the skipper's marvellous catch to dismiss Viv Richards in the final. But none as iconic as the one from the balcony of the Lord's Cricket Ground when Kapil Dev held the World Cup (then Prudential Cup) aloft, over his head.
As the man from Haryana stood grinning, the nation shed tears of joy for the impossible had just been achieved.
India vs England – Natwest Trophy final 2002
497th ball of the match, Zaheer Khan defends; Mohammad Kaif dives in to complete the run; he looks up and scampers across for the second. Sourav Ganguly takes off his shirt and twirls it excitedly in the air, on the hallowed balcony of Lords.
India had chased down an improbable target of 326 to hand England defeat. Kaif top-scored with 87 while Yuvraj Singh and Ganguly scored quickfire half-centuries to help India get over the line. It was a landmark moment for a very young Indian side under that was still looking to win their first big trophy on the international stage under Ganguly's leadership.
India vs Pakistan – World T20 final 2007
The tournament that saw the leader called MS Dhoni being born; the tournament that would eventually give birth to the world's richest cricket league, the IPL. Most importantly, this was the tournament where young India once again reigned supreme on the world stage.
Following the debacle of the 2007 50-over World Cup, people were moving away from the game in India and the senior players opted out the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup. But India managed to pull a rabbit and broke a lot of records.
From Yuvraj Singh's six 6s against England to Joginder Sharma's last overs – India created plenty of moments for the world to take notice. But the lasting memory of the tournament is Misbah-ul-Haq ramping a Joginder Sharma delivery high in the air and for everyone watching on TV, it seemed the ball would land in the crowd. But as gravity did its job, the ball fell into Sreesanth's arm at short fine leg. India was world champion again!
