On This Day In Cricket - December 12

The day of 12 December is remembered for many big events in the history of cricket. From the birth of one of the biggest match winners Yuvraj Singh, to the birth of Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir, many memorable matches were also played on this day. Sunil Gavaskar's historic batting start, England's historic win and many big controversies also make this day even more memorable in cricket history.

On This Day - December 12, 1981 - Yuvraj Singh Was Born

Yuvraj Singh, one of the greatest match-winners in Indian cricket history, was born on 12 December 1984. He made his international debut in the 2000 Champions Trophy and showcased his match-winning abilities to the world with a blistering 84-run innings against Australia in the quarter-finals. Yuvraj Singh, not only an aggressive batsman but also an agile fielder, established his unique identity in world cricket.

Yuvraj Singh partnered with Mohammad Kaif and defeated England in the 2002 NatWest final and gave the Indian team a phenomenal victory. His six consecutive sixes in an over off fast bowler Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup are also among his most memorable performances. He was also named Player of the Tournament for his stellar performances with both bat and ball in the 2011 ODI World Cup. The surprising thing is that Yuvi was battling cancer at that time and kept this fact hidden from people. Later, after defeating a serious disease like cancer, he returned to the field once again and played his career’s best innings of 150 runs in the ODI match against England in 2017.

On This Day - December 12, 1987 - Mike Gatting vs Shakoor Rana Controversy in Pakistan

On 12 December 1987, a Test match played between Pakistan and England in Faisalabad ended in a very controversial manner. During the match, then-England captain Mike Gatting and on-field umpire Shakoor Rana clashed over a fielding change. The heated exchanges escalated to the point where the match was halted, with the umpire refusing to resume play until the England captain apologised.

This resulted in the suspension of play for an entire day, and the issue escalated to the point where the tour was even considered for cancellation. Although the matter was later resolved, the match resulted in a draw. This incident is considered one of the biggest controversies in cricket history.

On This Day - December 12, 2022 - England Won a Test Series in Pakistan After 22 years

On 12 December 2022, England achieved their first Test series win in Pakistan in 22 years. They achieved this feat by winning the third Test in Multan. Under the captaincy of Ben Stokes, England set Pakistan a target of 355 runs in the final Test. Initially, it seemed that Pakistan would win the match, but experienced fast bowlers James Anderson and Ollie Robinson bowled brilliantly, putting the hosts on the back foot.

However, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Nawaz extended their partnership and brought the match to a thrilling conclusion on the fourth day. But England bowler Mark Wood took four wickets, while Ollie Robinson and James Anderson took two wickets each and turned the match in England's favor. Ultimately, Pakistan lost the match by 26 runs, and England won the series 2-0.

On This Day - December 12, 1884 - Adelaide First Test Began Amidst Controversy

On this day in the year 1984, the Test match between Australia and England in Adelaide was on the verge of cancellation. This was due to a financial dispute between the Australian players and the ground management. Furthermore, Australian captain Billy Murdoch objected to umpire James Lillywhite officiating on the field, making it appear as if the match would not be played.

However, the matter was resolved through negotiations, and a replacement umpire was appointed in Lillywhite's place. It is reported that the new umpire was not well-skilled in the rules of cricket. The match was later held, and England, chasing a target of 66 in the final innings, won by 8 wickets. This was the 17th Test match in the history of Test cricket.

On This Day - December 12, 1981 - Sunil Gavaskar's Longest Indian Innings Began

On 12 December 1981 during a Test match between India and England in Bangalore. Former Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar played the longest innings in India’s first-class cricket history. England scored 400 runs in the first innings and then India began their innings.

Gavaskar opened the innings and batted for 708 minutes and scored 172 runs in 472 balls. He broke his own record of 593 minutes of batting during this match. His innings helped India reach 428/10 in the first innings. England then reached 174/3 in their second innings when the fifth day's play ended. As a result, the match ended in a draw and Gavaskar was named Player of the Match.

On This Day - December 12, 2017 - Chris Gayle's T20 Record of 18 Sixes

The Universe Boss Chris Gayle was playing for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final against Dhaka Dynamites on this day in 2017. He played an explosive innings of 146* off 69 balls. Gayle hit 18 sixes in this innings, which was the record for the most sixes in a T20 innings. Rangpur scored 206/1 while batting at first and won by 57 runs.

Gayle smashed 18 sixes in this match and broke his own previous record of 17 sixes in IPL against Pune Warriors in 2013. He achieved his this feat during his 175* off 66 balls while playing for RCB. However, Gayle's record of 18 sixes has now been broken by New Zealand’s Finn Allen, who hit 19 sixes in a match in Major League Cricket in 2025.

On this day - December 12, 1984 - Sohail Tanvir Was Born

On this day in 1984, Pakistani fast bowler Sohail Tanvir was born. Tanvir was very popular for his unique wrong-footed left-arm bowling style and batsmen often found it difficult to understand him, due to which he got a lot of success. He played a key role in Rajasthan Royals' victory in IPL 2008 and was also the Purple Cap holder. Tanvir became the first bowler to record 6/14 in 4 overs in IPL against Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur. His record remained unbroken for the next 11 years until West Indies bowler Alzarri Joseph broke it in 2019 with figures of 6/12 on his IPL debut.

Tanvir was not only a bowler but also had the ability to score quick runs in the lower middle order. He made his international debut in the T20 World Cup in 2007 and took a total of six wickets in that tournament. In the final match between India and Pakistan, he took 1/29 wickets by bowling 4 overs and gave Pakistan a comeback in the match by scoring 12 runs in four balls, but then Sreesanth gave relief to India by dismissing him and Pakistan lost the match by just 5 runs. On 7 March 2023, Sohail retired from international cricket.