On This Day: MS Dhoni leads India to Champions Trophy 2013 victory; becomes the 1st captain to win all three ICC trophies

MS Dhoni has won the World T20, World Cup and Champions Trophy as Indian captain.

23^rd June 2013 was the day when India defeated England in the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy that year in Birmingham and MS Dhoni became the first and only captain in cricket history to win all the three major ICC trophies- World T20 in 2007 and World Cup in 2011 before that.

MS Dhoni for India camp post COVID-19 lockdown? Experts share their views

It was a big day for the Indian team and its fans as there has been no increase in the trophy cabinet as far as ICC trophies are concerned after this win. MS Dhoni’s captaincy reign was the most fruitful for India and today, Team COC recaps all the three ICC trophy wins by the most successful captain India has ever had.

ICC World T20 2007 – South Africa  

The International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to cash in on the rising popularity of the T20 format. They also had to make up for the losses that happened due to an ill-fated World Cup in West Indies, which was marred by two big teams India and Pakistan being knocked out in league stages and was slammed for the tournament being too long.

Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan, and England were seen as the favorites to win, given that they adopted the format earlier than other teams, while India came into this tournament, hosted by South Africa, having played just one match before it.

“I hadn’t seen anything like it before,” Rohit Sharma recalls scenes after SF win over Australia in 2007 World T20

When the BCCI selectors sat down to pick the team, the senior players Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid chose to sit out of the young men’s format and despite the presence of Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, selectors picked MS Dhoni as the captain.

The side featured a host of youngsters like Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Sreesanth, RP Singh, and many more. India was pitted in Group D with Pakistan and Scotland and after their match with Scotland was washed out, they met Pakistan in Durban.

The match ended up in an exciting tie with Uthappa and Misbah making half-centuries. This resulted in the first-ever bowl out of the T20 World Cup, which was won by India as Uthappa, Harbhajan and Sehwag hit the stumps, while none of the Pakistani bowlers managed to do so.

In the Super 8s stage, India lost to New Zealand but managed to beat England in a high-scoring thriller in which Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes in an over from Stuart Broad and made a 12-ball fifty. They then defeated hosts South Africa in a must-win match and knocked them out of the competition.

When MS Dhoni's words "fired up" Sreesanth against Australia in 2007 T20 World Cup

India then bettered a rampaging Australian team with Yuvraj Singh making 70 in 30 balls and booked a place in the finals against rivals Pakistan.

In what can only be called an all-time great match, India beat Pakistan by 5 runs in the final with Gambhir making 75 and Irfan Pathan taking 3/16 and MS Dhoni became the first Indian captain to win the World T20 trophy and a revolution in Indian cricket gave birth to the Indian Premier League, the next year.

ICC World Cup 2011- India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

India hosted the ICC World Cup for the third time, along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The last two times in 1987 and 1996, India had made it into the semi-finals, but under a new captain and with this being Sachin Tendulkar’s sixth and final chance to lift the coveted trophy, the Men in Blue were extra determined to win.

Placed in Group B with England, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and Ireland; India started off the tournament with a massive win over Bangladesh in Dhaka, scoring 370 runs with Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli scoring centuries.

Suresh Raina recalls how MS Dhoni's sad face inspired him to win 2011 World Cup quarter-final for India

Another high scoring encounter against England ended up in a tie as Sachin Tendulkar and Andrew Strauss scored centuries.  Netherlands and Ireland suffered losses as Yuvraj Singh shined with the bat and the ball. South Africa handed India their first loss in the group stage despite a ton from Tendulkar. The Men in Blue ended the group stage with a win over the West Indies with Yuvraj Singh hitting a good century.

India then faced defending champions Australia in the quarter-finals in Ahmedabad. The tightly fought match saw Ricky Ponting’s century taking Australia to 260/6. But then half-centuries from Gambhir, Tendulkar and Yuvraj and a quick 34* from Suresh Raina took India into the semi-finals, where they faced Pakistan in Mohali.

‘I saw Sachin dancing for the first time’: Harbhajan recalls Team India’s celebration after 2011 World Cup win

India batted first and Tendulkar’s 85 anchored the team to a competitive 260/9. Despite best efforts from Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah, Pakistan managed 231 runs and India made it into their third World Cup final.

Sri Lanka met India in the final in a packed Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Sri Lanka batted first and Mahela Jayawardene scored a sublime ton to take them 274/6. In return, Lasith Malinga removed Sehwag for a duck and Tendulkar for 18 runs. Then Gambhir (97), first with Kohli (35) and then captain MS Dhoni himself (91*) took India closer to the victory.

MS Dhoni earned the win by hitting that unforgettable six off Kulasekara and the whole country went into a tizzy as India became world champions for the second time and Dhoni was named the Player of the finals.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013- England  

Looking to cash in the popularity of the World Cup, ICC organized the Champions Trophy 2013 in England featuring the eight top teams in the ODI rankings.

India was placed in group B with West Indies, Pakistan, and South Africa. Shikhar Dhawan’s 114 helped India to 331 enabling them to win their first match against South Africa by 26 runs in Cardiff. The next match saw them facing the West Indies, who made 233/9 in 50 overs as Ravindra Jadeja picked 5/36. In reply, India chased down the total easily with over 10 overs to spare as Dhawan scored 102*.

"Dhoni is quite laid back, while Kohli is expressive," Sivaramakrishnan explains difference in the two captains

Big India- Pakistan tie was reduced to 40-overs a side due to rain which saw the Green Army making 165 runs. India’s target was further reduced to 102 runs in 22 overs, which they attained easily given Dhawan’s 48 and Kohli’s 22*.

India met Sri Lanka in the semi-finals in Cardiff, won the toss and chose to field. Sri Lanka managed just 181/8 with Ishant Sharma taking 3/33. Shikhar Dhawan again made 68 runs as India won the match by 8 wickets with 15 overs to spare.

WATCH: Ashwin narrates how Dhoni plotted Jonathan Trott’s dismissal in Champions Trophy 2013 final

The hosts England met an unbeaten Indian team in the final, which turned into a 20-overs per side affair due to rain. India struggled to 129/7 with Virat Kohli top-scoring with 43. England was going great guns at one stage with Morgan (33) and Bopara (30) looking to take England to their maiden 50-over ICC title.

But then Ishant Sharma dismissed both batsmen in two balls in one over and changed the course of the game, handing India a 5-run win and the title of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 winners.

With this trophy in hand, MS Dhoni became the first and only captain to lift all the three ICC trophies.