India's Perfect 3 in 3 - Life comes a full circle

This was India's 3rd straight big tournament ICC World title having conquered the T20 World Cup in 2024 followed by the Champions Trophy in 2025 and now the T20 World Cup of 2026. With this victory, India also becomes the first team to successfully defend their title and it also emerged third time triumphant in the T20 World Cup having won the inaugural edition in 2007 and then the 9th version in 2024 and now the current 10th time its been staged in 2026. Incidentally the only 2 common links across these 3 victorious campaigns happen to be Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel who both played crucial roles in enabling India win these 3 world titles across the last 3 years.

India also happen to be the first country to have won the T20 World Cup thrice. One coincidence running across as an underlying theme is that India's victories in the T20 World Cup on all 3 occasions came about while batting first. The only final which India lost was in 2014 in which they were also inserted into bat by eventual champions Sri Lanka. In 10 editions of the T20 World Cup being conducted, this also happens to be the first time the home nation is capturing the trophy. Another noteworthy coincidence is that India have now won 2 Limited Overs World Cups at home with the ODI World Cup triumph in 2011 and this T20 World Cup victory 15 years later in 2026. In both these editions, they only lost one game and both times the opponent was South Africa. Another strange coincidence not directly involving India but a reign of luck favouring them is that every time Zimbabwe have defeated Australia in a World Cup game, the victors in that particular World Cup were to be India. This has also happened 3 times now first with Zimbabwe's victory over Australia in the Prudential ODI World Cup of 1983 and after that in the inaugural T20 World Cup of 2007 held in South Africa and now recently in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Also India avenged revenge against their rivals New Zealand in the final, a team who they have always lost in T20 World Cups prior to this losing all their 3 encounters previously viz in 2007, 2016 and 2021.

The records don't end there. India's coach Gautam Gambhir became the first cricketer ever to win the T20 World Cup both as a player and coach. He was part of the initial success way back in 2007 & now led the side as coach to succeed in 2026. In fact Gautam Gambhir is the only Indian cricketer to have been part of 3 Indian World Cup victories in a capacity of either a player or a coach being a member of the victorious T20 World Cup squad of 2007 followed by the ODI World Cup conquest in 2011 and now as coach of the successful 2026 T20 World Cup winning side. Gambhir also incidentally happened to be the highest run scorer for India in both the 2007 T20 World Cup final as well as the 2011 ODI World Cup final.

India also finally got 3rd time lucky at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In fact since 2023, their only 2 defeats in ICC world events happened to come by at this stadium with India heartbreakingly going down in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 vs Australia at this very ground. The other defeat was at this tournament when they were literally given a pounding by South Africa who pounced their way to a commanding victory which almost put India's chances of qualifying to the next stage in jeopardy. Ending the curse of Ahmedabad at the biggest stage of a final was indeed sweet redemption especially considering the ill fated hoodoo circumambulating around this particular pitch across the last couple of years. Another superstition looming which India arrested was winning a World Cup final on a Sunday. All of India's prior World Cup victories be it the ODI World Cup final of 1983 & 2011 and 2024 T20 World Cup final was won on a Saturday. The T20 World Cup final of 2007 was held on a Monday due to Heritage Day in South Africa. All of India's World Cup final losses be it the ODI World Cup (2003 & 2023) and T20 World Cup (2014) were both on a Sunday.

The Solar month of Maasi which is when the Sun orbits in the sign of Aquarius that runs around the period from approx mid February to mid March has also been very lucky when it comes to Indian cricket. In fact India has claimed major titles during the March leg on the 10th, 9th and 8th respectively across multiple years. Thus Maasi month or Kumbha Masam as it's called especially the time interval that falls in the month of March has been extremely lucky for India from a cricketing parlance.
10th March 1985 - India win the one and only World Championship of Cricket. This was a championship held by Australia to commemorate 150th anniversary of European settlement in the State of  Victoria and comprised of the then 7 test playing nations and was one of the first world cricket events to be played in coloured clothing much before the advent of the first World Cup in coloured shades which saw its ingress only in 1992.
9th March 2025 - India claimed the Champions Trophy and in the process also became the only side to claim this title for the 3rd time.
8th March 2026 - India won the T20 World Cup 2026 becoming the first team not only to win at home but also the first side to successfully defend their trophy and also the first country to win the T20 World Cup for the 3rd time.

All of the above sounds absolutely rosy and seems like India is an invincible and unstoppable force when it comes to white ball cricket. But that was not the case for over a decade with India coming up short many a time towards the final hurdle despite putting up commendable performances. After the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, India went through a wretched run devoid of major ICC World trophies till they finally arrested the slide by claiming the T20 World Cup in jaw dropping humdinger fashion in 2024. After that there's not been looking back with the team going from strength to strength adding 3 titles to the kitty back to back. This golden run now especially seems all the more welcoming even though some may brush this off as being a regular occurrence but the barren run prior to that was extremely painful to say the least. India have finally found the mojo of the winning mentality by knowing how to cross the final hurdle. This particular T20 dominance was superbly spectacular considering that it was at home when the team was under tremendous pressure to deliver and defend their title. And boy oh boy they did it in swashbuckling fashion. Let's hope this streak keeps going in the ascendancy and the team is able to win more laurels in the days and years to come.

Summary of India's 3 in 3 Victories

Continuous 3 Year World Title Championships
2024 T20 World Cup - 29th June 2024
2025 Champions Trophy - 9th March 2025
2026 T20 World Cup - 8th March 2026

India's 3 T20 World Cup Triumphs
2007 T20 World Cup - 24th September 2007
2024 T20 World Cup - 29th June 2024
2026 T20 World Cup - 8th March 2026

India's March Month Glories
1985 World Championship - 10th March 1985
2025 Champions Trophy - 9th March 2025
2026 T20 World Cup - 8th March 2026

South Africa's redemption and date with destiny!

South Africa have perennially been the most unluckiest team when it comes to the sport of cricket. They have produced absolute genius cricketers across their rich history but when it came to world cricket tournaments, luck always deserted them. Due to apartheid, they were cut off from the cricketing fraternity for decades together deeming them not being able to participate in any of the first 4 ODI World Cups held in 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1987. Their casting away from the game also meant that few of their hallmark cricketers such as the Pollock brothers Peter & Graeme, opening batsman Barry Richards, all rounder Mike Procter and a slew of others got limited opportunities to represent the Rainbow nation and showcase their prowess on the global stage.

Once South Africa made their way back into the cricketing circle from 1991 onwards, ill luck has hit them constantly like a plague which just seemed unrelenting. It was almost a case of 'oh so near yet so far' every time that it felt like a farce with them repeatedly failing towards the final hurdle come what may. Also some of the consequences made it feel like as if there was an almighty's curse hanging on around this nation for eternity. This was however not resonated in the other sport which South Africa is passionate about viz Rugby where they were able to reel off 4 World Cup titles in which they always used to have that extra ammunition to win those major titles. The killer instinct and that lady luck was more prevalent with the Rugby team and an ample example of that was them winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup Quarter finals, Semi finals and Final all by a solitary point.

When it came to cricket, since their readmission, they have been one of the most consistent teams but without any result to show of. Apart from spells of bad luck, they've had a tough time dealing with their arch enemies from the Southern Hemisphere Australia especially and New Zealand to some extent when it came to knockout clashes. In every alternate ODI World Cup from the time they started participating viz 1992, 1999, 2007, 2015 and 2023, the Proteas were undone in the semifinals with luck also playing foil against them.

When it came to ODI World Cups, they had a sterling display in their very first major tournament viz the 1992 ODI World Cup held in Australia & New Zealand. In their semifinal encounter, they were robbed off against England when a despicable rain rule put paid to them going further in their frontier. With 22 required off 13 deliveries, rain intervention revised it to 22 off 7 and then finally 22 off 1 delivery which meant South Africa's stellar progress ended in a rather dubious and wretched way. This streak of bad luck that got implanted in 1992 just continued on and on across years and decades. In the 1996 ODI WC, they had an unblemished record winning all 5 games convincingly in the group stage only to play the lowest ranked side from the other group West Indies with Brian Lara scoring a brilliant century and knocking them out of the WC in the only match which they lost. 

1999 was the most hurting as they again had a seriously amazing campaign and went out on a tied encounter with the Aussies in the semifinals. They had the match in the grasp but unfortunate turn of events made them fall short in their progress yet again. The 2003 home ODI WC was a bitterly disappointing experience for them with rain again playing havoc and a wrong reading of the rules making them exit the tournament much to the chagrin of the home fans who were shattered no end. There was a misreading of the DLS par score which the Proteas thought was the winning score only to be later told that they ended up one run short marking a shocking exit from the tournament in the group stages.

The 2007 WC in the Caribbean again saw them through in their passage to the semifinals setting up a mouth watering clash with their hardcore rivals Aussies who were instrumental in knocking them out from the 1999 WC. It was a chance to avenge revenge but alas it was not meant to be as an invincible Australian side was just too strong on that day. In 2011 South Africa were the only side to defeat eventual World Cup champions India but came a cropper against the Kiwis in spin friendly conditions despite not having to chase a major total in the quarter final stage.

When it finally looked like the moment of reckoning was going to be fulfilled, South Africa were knocked out in the semifinals of the 2015 ODI WC in a clash of the ages against the hosts Kiwis. It was shell shocking to see their 2 marquee men Dale Steyn and AB Devilliers crestfallen no end. Here again it was a rain curtailed match which somehow played in the hands of the Kiwis. One would reckon that a full 50 over game could have had a different result but that's the way it is with luck and South Africa always going in polar directions. The 2019 ODI WC was a rebuilding phase with many of their senior pros not being part of the squad and it ended in a dismaying outcome where they couldn't qualify to the semifinals. This was probably the only ODI WC where South Africa were nowhere near coming close to being champions.

The 2023 ODI WC saw a familiar story unfolding. After a creditable run in the group stages, they set up a clash with the Aussies in the semifinals who they were facing for a third time at this phase. When questions were asked whether South Africa would be third time lucky, the same hoodoo transpired yet again. It was a double whammy as they not only lost to Australia their perennial rivals but also to rain with weather playing spoilsport as always is the case with them. Kolkata was in the midst of cold hazy climate with ball swinging in all directions and the Aussies exploited the early advantage by scalping quick wickets and putting the Saffers on the mat. Despite defending a low score, South Africa fought hard and made a meat of it but again it was the grit and resolve of Australia who are always known to be exceptional in such stages that managed to win a closely fought low scoring chase.

Apart from the ODI World Cup, this pandemic hex was evident in the T20 World Cup as well albeit not to the same extent in terms of foiled attempts. In the 2009 T20 WC, South Africa came in as firm favourites winning all their games setting up a semi final shootout with Pakistan. In a closely contested game, the Saffers lost out eventually falling short by 7 runs. The 2014 T20 WC semifinal saw them being gunned down by India courtesy largely a Virat Kohli chasing masterclass. The indisputable crowning choking moment was reserved for the T20 World Cup final of 2024. South Africa who were always vary when it came to knockouts and especially semifinals finally got a shot to play their first ever World cup final with their opponents being India. Chasing a target set of 176, South Africa were well on course and firmly placed to win with just a run a ball 30 to get off the last 5 overs which in general parlance of a T20 format or any version whatsoever is a walk in the park. But they bottled it up by choking at the most inopportune time with just 26 required off the last 4 overs. It was a fightback of epic proportions by India and South Africa's worst fears came compounding drastically as they lost this final title clash by a mere 7 runs. All those history of bad luck got accentuated and this almost felt like a God sent message that South Africa can just forever bid goodbye to winning a world title. It was just too hard to digest the pain for a South African supporter after all the years of extreme disappointments notwithstanding. South Africa's only triumph remained the title won in the inaugural ICC Champions trophy held 27 years back in 1998. At that time it was christened as the ICC Knockout. Since then 27 years have passed with no major world title of repute.

And then when it all felt lost, finally the moment of reckoning culminated and got conquered on 14th June 2025. It was the 3rd World Test Championship and it was the first time that the Proteas managed to reach the finals. The format of this test cycle has been questioned and debated a lot but South Africa did no wrong in managing to reach the final across 2 years of competing with 8 other teams in the competition. And guess what their final title rival was yet again Australia who have been their nemesis on multiple occasions across decades. This was seen as a David vs Goliath battle with Australia red hot favourites to lift the WTC title for a second time running. All of South Africa's heartbreaks with Australia have always come in the semifinals having lost the ODI WC of 1999, 2007 and 2023. In 2015 when an impending ODI WC final looked like looming large between Aus vs SA, the Kiwis came in the way and averted it. Thus for the first time, South Africa got to play Australia in a final but having known Australia's daunting record in finals and also their hegemony at Lords having hardly lost a test match there over the last century, it seemed too hard an ask to even expect for the Proteas to topple the men adorning the Baggy Green. Over the last 25 years dating back to 1999, Australia had won 9 of their 10 finals adding 5 ODI WCs (1999,2003,2007,2015,2023), 2 CT (2006,2009), a T20 WC (2021) and defending champions of WTC (2023). Their only defeat in the final over this period was to England in the 2010 T20 WC. 

South Africa however finally managed to have their slice of history which they had been waiting with bated breadth for 27 years. The Proteas eventually won a World cricket title after years of agony and pain. It came in the most purest form of Test cricket deeming it extra special. To add to the touch of magic was that it was against their greatest cricketing rivals Australia who have been one of the major adversaries in South Africa being traumatised down the years especially in global ICC events. Another tinge of icing was the fact that the weather for once actually saved them by enabling to bat on a Day 3 Lords pitch which had eased out with the sun shining leading to perfect batting conditions. It was however not all hunky dory as South Africa were shot out for a paltry score in the first innings conceding a good enough lead of 80 runs to the Aussies. In the second innings, with Australia reeling at 73/7, South Africa's perpetual woes of not closing out things came to haunt with the lower order contributing over 130 runs setting up a competitive target of 282 runs.

It was however South Africa's moment in the sun having gutted out and putting a performance of fine calibre shunting out the Aussie bowlers by having a remarkable Day 3. The resolute partnership between centurion Aiden Markram and captain Temba Bavuma blunted out the Aussies from making any sort of comeback. And when the final runs were scored, it sparked off a sea of celebration with an air of excitement that was palpable. South Africa had finally achieved their pinnacle moment of winning a World Championship for the first time ever in their storied cricketing legacy. It was also their first global ICC tournament victory which had come after 27 years in 1998.

South Africa's cricketing journey in the global stage is punctuated with acrimony aplenty with them being labelled as everlasting chokers. Two of their defining disheartening defeats came in the month of June, one being a year earlier to India in the 2024 T20 WC and the other being almost 26 years to the day in that epic semifinal showdown against Australia at Edgbaston in the ODI WC 1999. This victory ironically was also achieved in the meritorious month of June making the bitterness of the past deliciously extra sweet. This has been a long time coming and they deserve to cherish and celebrate every bit of this momentous occasion that will be etched in South African cricketing folklore. This win by South Africa is a story of redemption and hope for what the country has gone through all these years and it's befitting that they finally marked their date with destiny.