Last Updated on 1 week by Charbel Coorey

Those who aren’t familiar with the world of cricket might think it’s more of a background sport that can’t match up to the marvel of soccer or the spectacle of American football. The reality is that cricket has such a deep history and significance in many different cultures around the globe that it simply can’t – and likely never will – be cast aside. In comparison to other bat-and-ball games like baseball and golf, cricket is the only one with a specific target: the wicket. It also originated centuries ago, some say during the medieval period, as a children’s game.

For so long, cricket has been able to come into its own and develop into a full-fledged sport, allowing fans to form an identity around it and connect with other like-minded people. In the sport’s history, a handful of teams have achieved unbelievable victories and broken records that have defined the trajectory of cricket. Ready to find out which teams managed to achieve greatness? Then read on!

Cricket teams that defined the history of the sport

India National Cricket Team (1983 World Cup Winners)

It’s a well-known fact that India’s favourite sport is cricket. Most Indians have a special place in their heart for the sport, with it making its debut in the country in the 1700s, thanks to the British. Whether their first religion is Hinduism, Islam, or even Jainism, their second is usually cricket. So, when the India National Cricket Team won the Cricket World Cup for the first time in 1983, they sent the country into a frenzy.

Captained by all-rounder Kapil Dev, the team bowled and batted their way out of the group stage and into the semi-finals. They won by six wickets over England and thus advanced to face the reigning champions, the West Indies. Winning by an impressive 43 runs, they owed that advantage to the bowler’s exploitation of the pitch conditions and weather. To this day, it remains one of the most jarring upsets in the history of the sport.

For India, this incredible feat will forever be remembered. It propelled India to stardom within cricket, and it became a country to watch out for in international tournaments.

Imran Khan and the Pakistan Cornered Tigers (1992 World Cup)

On the topic of dramatic victories, let’s talk about Pakistan’s win in the 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup. Known fondly as the Cornered Tigers, this iconic team certainly didn’t seem like they’d clinch the trophy in the slightest. In fact, their initial performance suggested they would be out before they knew it. They won only five of their league games in the tournament, and national hero Imran Khan missed several matches. Fortunately, their luck changed when Khan entered the dressing room before their game against Australia, wearing a t-shirt depicting a tiger and telling his teammates to play like a “cornered tiger.”

His now legendary motivational words worked, and they went on to knock out Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand and qualified for the semi-final. Pakistan won against New Zealand by four wickets and faced England in the final. England had already had a rocky start, and Pakistan capitalised on that. Khan eventually sealed the deal by taking the final wicket. The team embodied the ferociousness of cornered tigers that year, becoming an event of pure national pride for the country.

Australia Men’s Cricket Team (1948)

If you thought the “Cornered Tigers” was a cool name, what about the term we all know and love in sports: The Invincibles? Well, that’s what the Australia Men’s Cricket team was known as in 1948, leaving the country to play 34 matches over 5 months and returning entirely undefeated. They effectively solidified their legacy in cricket and Australian history, led by one of the most legendary cricketers of all time, Don Bradman. He is statistically one of the greatest sportspeople in history, with a batting average of 99.94. Complementing his abilities with the other icons on the team that year, Australia were poised to win.

While they had 34 official matches to participate in, their schedule included a whopping 112 days of play in 144 days. Their incredible victory is so significant to cricket history because of the sheer skill of the team as a whole and the collective honours of the players.

England Men’s Cricket Team (1877-1930s)

Cricket’s earliest known history stems from none other than England. While there were variations of the game played in other parts of the world, England established it as an official sport, with formal Test cricket formed there too. Thus, the significance of the England Men’s Cricket team can’t be overstated—they essentially built the foundations of the cricket we know and love today. When England and Australia played the first-ever Test match in Melbourne, it introduced the idea of international cricket and birthed the Ashes series between the two countries.

Other than the evolution of the game itself, the English Men’s team was also part of establishing the International Cricket Council, which oversees the rules and regulations of cricket worldwide. Since England, Australia, and South Africa were already playing international matches, they needed a way to govern them. After two years of discussion, the ICC was founded in 1909.

And, of course, we can’t forget about England’s many accolades in cricket. The team’s skill and determination allowed them to win 36.9% of their matches over the years, ranking them the third most successful in Test cricket. They’ve also won one ICC Cricket World Cup (out of 13) and are undefeated against Ireland and Zimbabwe.