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Happy Birthday Shikhar Dhawan: When Injured Opener Destroyed Australia In World Cup

Akshita Patel∙ Updated: Dec 5 2024, 9:50 AM

When Shikhar Dhawan oozed masterclass against Australia [Source: @tctv1offl/X.com]When Shikhar Dhawan oozed masterclass against Australia [Source: @tctv1offl/X.com]

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan’s international career peaked during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup when he scored a gritty hundred against arch-rivals Australia. Dhawan, who was weathering the pain of a broken thumb, unleashed his masterclass to slam a heroic knock.

Shikhar Dhawan, an explosive opening batter, won many crucial games for India in his short yet impactful stint in the national colours. Besides scoring a century on Test debut, Dhawan won fans’ hearts with a resilient knock in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Facing Australia at The Oval Stadium in London in a group-stage match, Shikhar Dhawan struck on his left thumb by Pat Cummins early in his innings. He was in excruciating pain. But with medical team assistance, he took a couple of painkillers to continue batting. 

When Shikhar Dhawan served India in excruciating pain

Despite sustaining a broken thumb, the southpaw persevered owing to his sheer determination. With 16 boundaries, he slammed 117 runs in 109 balls. Shikhar Dhawan's inning was a blend of elegance and resilience, propelling India to a commanding total of 352/5. Eventually, India went on to secure a 36-run victory in the crucial encounter.

This knock marked Dhawan's 17th ODI century and third in the World Cup history, entering an elite group of three players with three World Cup centuries. In this process, he also became the first batter to reach 1,000 runs on English soil in the least number of innings - just 19 at 64.76 average.

But Dhawan's injury was a severe one, and that did cut short his World Cup campaign. It was also his last World Cup appearance for India. However, the knock against Australia is one of the most courageous in cricket history.

As Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his birthday today, his contributions, especially in ICC tournaments, remain a legacy of consistency, courage, and match-winning expertise.