On This Day in Cricket - May 26

May 26 is etched in cricket history with epic moments and legendary birthdays. In 1999, Sourav Ganguly (183) and Rahul Dravid (145) forged a colossal 318-run World Cup partnership against Sri Lanka, a record that stunned fans. Fast forward to 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad in a lopsided IPL final to claim their third title. The day also marks the birthdays of Sunil Narine (born 1988), KKR’s three-time IPL champion and T20 wizard, and Paul Collingwood (born 1976), who led England to the 2010 T20 World Cup. It’s a day when cricket’s stars and stories shine bright. On This Day - May 26, 2024 - Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad to win their 3rd IPL Title

On This Day - May 26, 2024 - Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad to win their 3rd IPL Title

26th May 2024 saw Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinch their third IPL title in a one-sided final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. SRH, batting first after winning the toss, crumbled to 113 all out in 18.3 overs, the lowest total in an IPL final. KKR’s bowlers dominated, with Andre Russell taking 3/19, Mitchell Starc and Harshit Rana claiming two wickets each, and Sunil Narine’s economical 1/16 adding pressure. SRH’s Pat Cummins top-scored with 24, but early dismissals of Abhishek Sharma (2) and Travis Head (0) set the tone.

(KKR lifted their third title on 26th May 2024)

Chasing 114, KKR raced to victory in just 10.3 overs, finishing at 114/2, led by Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 52 off 26 balls and Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 39. Narine fell early for 6, but KKR’s powerplay yielded 72 runs, the most in an IPL final. Starc earned Player of the Match, while Narine, with 488 runs and 17 wickets, was named Player of the Series, becoming the first to win the IPL MVP award thrice. KKR’s comprehensive eight-wicket win, with 57 balls to spare, marked their first title since 2014.

On This Day - May 26, 2013 - Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings to win their first title

Winning their first IPL title in 2013, Mumbai Indians (MI) outshone Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a thrilling final on May 26 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. MI, batting first after winning the toss, posted 148/9 in 20 overs, thanks to Kieron Pollard’s explosive 60 not out off 32 balls, with 7 fours and 3 sixes. Ambati Rayudu chipped in with 37, while CSK’s Dwayne Bravo took 4/42. Early wickets fell, with Dwayne Smith (4) and Rohit Sharma (2) gone cheaply, but Pollard’s late fireworks set a competitive total.

(Mumbai Indians won their first IPL Title in 2013)

CSK, chasing 149, struggled from the start, slumping to 3/3 after losing Michael Hussey (1), Suresh Raina (0), and S Badrinath (0). MS Dhoni’s fighting 63 not out off 45 balls, with 5 sixes, kept hopes alive, but MI’s bowlers, led by Lasith Malinga (2/22) and Harbhajan Singh (2/14), kept the pressure on. CSK finished at 125/9, falling 23 runs short. Pollard earned Player of the Match for his game-changing knock, while Shane Watson was named Player of the Series.

On This Day – May 26, 1976 - Paul Collingwood, England’s First T20 World Cup Winning Captain, Was Born

The T20 World Cup-winning captain of the England team, Paul Collingwood, born May 26, 1976, in Durham, was a gritty allrounder whose heart and hustle defined his career. Celebrating his 49th birthday today, Collingwood’s 68 Tests yielded 4,259 runs, including a double-century in Adelaide in 2006, and 17 wickets, while his 197 ODIs produced 5,092 runs and 111 wickets, with a best of 6/31. In 36 T20Is, he scored 583 runs and took 16 wickets. His finest hour came in 2010, leading England to the T20 World Cup title, their first global trophy since 1979, beating Australia in the final.

(Paul Collingwood with the T20 World Cup 2010)

A stellar fielder, he nabbed 96 Test catches and 108 in ODIs. For Durham, he played 23 of their 26 professional years, amassing 16,844 first-class runs and leading them to the 2013 County Championship. In the IPL, he scored 203 runs for Delhi Daredevils in 2009. Retiring from Tests after the 2010-11 Ashes (a three-time winner) and ODIs in 2011, he continued with Durham until 2018, even hitting a T20 century at 41. Later, he coached England and Scotland, proving his knack for getting the job done, always with a smile.

On This Day - May 26, 1990 - Umar Akmal Was Born

Coming from a family with deep roots in Pakistan’s cricket heritage, Umar Akmal, born May 26, 1990, in Lahore, burst onto the scene as a prodigy. Alongside brothers Kamran and Adnan, both national team wicket-keepers, Umar debuted in 2009, dazzling with a 129-run Test century against New Zealand and a 102* in his third ODI against Sri Lanka. A right-handed middle-order batsman and part-time spinner, he played 16 Tests (1,003 runs, average 35.82), 121 ODIs (3,194 runs, average 34.34), and 84 T20Is (1,690 runs, average 26.00).

(Umar Akmal was born on 26th May 1990)

His aggressive style shone in the 2016 PSL, topping the charts with 335 runs for Lahore Qalandars. However, controversies marred his career. A 2020 suspension for not reporting corrupt approaches led to a 12-month ban, ending in August 2021, with a PKR 4.25 million fine. Off-field issues, including a 2014 arrest for assaulting a traffic warden and fitness struggles, cost him his central contract in 2017. His last international match was in 2019, and in 2021, he moved to play league cricket in California, signalling a shift from Pakistan cricket.

On This Day – May 26, 1988 – The Birth of the Mystery Spinner, Sunil Narine

The player who has been a nightmare for batsmen, Sunil Narine, celebrates his 37th birthday today, May 26, 2025, with a career that’s nothing short of legendary. Born in Trinidad, this mystery spinner has bamboozled opponents with his off-spin variations—knuckleballs, carrom balls, and skidders—while also smashing quick runs as a left-handed batsman. His 188 IPL matches for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since 2012 are the highlight of his journey, where he’s taken 190 wickets at an economy of 6.77, including a best of 5/19 against Punjab Kings in 2012.

(Sunil Narine was born on 26th May 1988)

He scored 1,749 runs at a strike rate of 166.09, with a maiden T20 century in 2024. Narine’s magic was key to KKR’s three IPL titles (2012, 2014, 2024), earning him the MVP award three times, a record. In 2024, he became the first to score 500 runs and take 15 wickets in an IPL season. Beyond KKR, he’s played 547 T20s worldwide, grabbing 584 wickets and scoring 4,591 runs. Despite challenges with his bowling action, which led to suspensions, Narine’s grit and all-round flair shine through.

On This Day – May 26, 1999 – Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid Make a 318 Runs Partnership in the World Cup

The second-highest ever partnership in the ODI World Cup came on May 26, 1999, when Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid lit up Taunton with a jaw-dropping 318-run stand for India against Sri Lanka. Chasing a big score after Sri Lanka opted to field, India lost Sadagoppan Ramesh early, but Ganguly and Dravid took charge. Ganguly smashed 183 off 158 balls, with 17 fours and 7 sixes, reaching his fifty in 68 balls and 150 in 143. Dravid, cool as ever, scored 145 off 129 balls, hitting 17 fours and a six, racing to his hundred in 102 balls.

(Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid made a 318 runs partnership)

Their partnership, lasting 45 overs, powered India to 373/6, with the duo piling on runs against a hapless Sri Lankan attack led by Chaminda Vaas. They broke records, setting the highest World Cup partnership at the time, only later surpassed. Sri Lanka, rattled, managed just 216, with Robin Singh’s 5/31 sealing India’s 157-run win. Ganguly earned Player of the Match, but the day belonged to their epic alliance, blending aggression and poise.

On This Day - May 26, 2005 - Mushfiqur Rahim makes his Test Debut for the Bangladesh Team

On May 26, 2005, a wide-eyed 18-year-old Mushfiqur Rahim walked out for his Test debut at the legendary Lord’s, becoming one of the youngest to play there, just behind Sachin Tendulkar. It was Bangladesh’s first Test tour of England, and Rahim slotted in as a specialist batter with Khaled Mashud behind the stumps, faced a red-hot English bowling line-up. He hung in there, grafting 19 runs off 56 balls in the first innings before Matthew Hoggard sent his stumps flying. In the second, he scratched out just 3 runs before Andrew Flintoff had him caught.

(Mushfiqur Rahim made his test debut on 26th May 2005)

Bangladesh had a tough day, crumbling to 108 all out in their first dig and 159 in the second, losing by a massive innings and 261 runs. England’s Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones tore through with four and three wickets, while Marcus Trescothick’s 194 powered England to 528/3 declared and though Rahim’s scores were modest, his grit hinted at big things to come and that Lord’s debut, despite the thrashing, marked the start of a journey that’d see him become a Bangladeshi cricket hero.