On This Day in Cricket - August 15

With the calendar turning to August 15, cricket history shines with milestones. In 1964, Fred Trueman became the first bowler to claim 300 Test wickets at The Oval. Jack Russell, born in 1963, set a world record with 11 dismissals in a 1995-96 Test. In 2005, Ricky Ponting’s 156 and a gritty last-wicket stand saved Australia at Old Trafford. Sri Lanka stunned India in 2015 with Dinesh Chandimal’s 162 in Galle. MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina announced their international retirements in 2020. Ian Botham’s explosive 86-ball ton in 1981 and Wally Hammond’s 217 in 1936 marked historic feats.

On This Day - August 15, 2020 - MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina Announce Their Retirement

August 15 2020, was a gut-wrenching day for cricket fans. India’s Independence Day turned sombre when Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina, two giants of the game dropped their retirement bombshells on Instagram. Dhoni born July 7, 1981 in Ranchi Jharkhand was a legend who redefined cricket. Back in 2004, with that long hair and steely calm he burst in as a wicket-keeper-batter who could do it all. In 90 Tests, he smashed 4,876 runs at 38.09, with six centuries and 33 fifties, snagging 256 catches and 38 stumpings. In 350 ODIs, he piled up 10,773 runs at 50.57 with 10 tons and 73 fifties mastering the art of chasing.

(MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina retired on August 15, 2020)

His 98 T20Is brought 1,617 runs at 37.60. In the IPL, he steered Chennai Super Kings to five titles racking up 5,439 runs in 278 matches at a 137.45 strike rate. Suresh Raina, born November 27 1986 in Muradnagar Uttar Pradesh, was all heart. From his 2005 debut, his left-handed flair and fielding wizardry lit up games. He scored 768 runs in 18 Tests, one century included and 5,615 runs in 226 ODIs at 35.31, with five centuries. In 78 T20Is, he made 1,605 runs at 29.18 including a ton. A key piece of the 2011 World Cup puzzle, Raina was a CSK icon in the IPL, smashing 5,528 runs in 205 games at 136.73 strike rate.

On This Day - August 15, 1998 - Sherfane Rutherford Was Born Today

On August 15 1998, in Georgetown Guyana, Sherfane Rutherford entered the world, destined to become a T20 beast. This left-handed batter with a knack for monster sixes and the occasional right-arm fast-medium spell embodies Caribbean swagger. He debuted for West Indies in T20Is against Bangladesh in 2018 followed by ODIs against England in 2023. By August 2025, he played 16 ODIs, hammering 637 runs at a stunning 57.90 average and 104.59 strike rate, with a century of 113 and six fifties. In 39 T20Is, he scored 586 runs at 20.92 with a 139.52 strike rate and three fifties.

(Sherfane Rutherford was born on August 15, 1998)

T20 leagues are his playground,3,421 runs in 206 matches at a 137.22 strike rate with 14 fifties that get crowds roaring. In the Caribbean Premier League, he blasted 970 runs for Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots helping clinch the 2022 title. His IPL stints with Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians (2020 champs), and Kolkata Knight Riders (2024 champs) often saw him as a reserve but Gujarat Titans splashed INR 2.6 crore for him in IPL 2025. Domestically, he’s got 486 runs in 17 first-class games and 1,487 in 51 List A matches.

On This Day - August 15, 2023 - Oval Invincibles Defeats London Spirit by 2 Runs

The Oval was a cauldron of chaos on August 15 2023, as the Oval Invincibles scraped a 2-run thriller over London Spirit in The Hundred Men’s Competition. Batting first, the Invincibles racked up 189/4 in 100 balls. Will Jacks was on fire blasting 68 off 42 balls with five fours and four sixes, while Heinrich Klaasen’s unbeaten 46 off 24 balls was pure brute force. Sam Curran’s 35 off 17 balls added late venom on a pitch begging for runs.

(Oval Invincibles defeats London Spirit by 2 Runs)

Spirit’s Nathan Ellis and Daryl Mitchell grabbed two wickets each but the scoreboard kept ticking. Chasing 190, London Spirit came out swinging, with Adam Rossington’s 61 off 32 balls setting pulses racing. But the wheels fell off as Jacks took 2/22, and Adam Zampa’s 2/24 choked the middle order. Matt Critchley’s 32 off 13 balls nearly pulled off a heist, but Spirit stalled at 187/7. With 14 sixes flying, the match was a spectacle. Jacks’ all-round magic earned him Player of the Match, and the Invincibles’ two points kept them ruling the table while Spirit slumped to seventh.

On This Day - August 15, 2014 - India Gets All-Out on 148 Against England on Day 1

August 15, 2014 was a nightmare for Indian cricket fans at The Oval in the 5th Investec Test. England, opting to bowl under grey skies, turned the pitch into a seamer’s paradise, bowling India out for a measly 148 in 61.1 overs. MS Dhoni was the lone fighter, carving out 82 off 140 balls with 15 fours and a six. Only Murali Vijay (18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13) scraped double figures; the rest collapsed like dominoes.

(India got all out for for 148 runs on day 1)

Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes were ruthless, each claiming three wickets while James Anderson and Stuart Broad bagged two apiece as their swing and seam sliced through India’s lineup. By stumps, England’s openers, Alastair Cook (24 not out) and Sam Robson (33 not out) had strolled to 62/0 in 19 overs, shrugging off India’s bowlers like Varun Aaron and Ishant Sharma. Dhoni’s defiance was heroic but the day belonged to England’s bowlers, who exposed every crack in India’s batting.

On This Day - August 15, 2005 - England vs Australia Ends in a Draw

The 3rd Test of the 2005 Ashes at Old Trafford, ending August 15 was pure cricket drama as it concluded in a draw that kept the series knotted at 1-1. England batted first, stacked 444 with Michael Vaughan’s silky 166 and Ian Bell’s gritty 59 setting the tone. Shane Warne and Brett Lee each snagged four wickets for Australia but England’s batsmen stood tall. Australia answered with 302, Warne’s scrappy 90 stealing the show though Simon Jones’ six-wicket haul kept them in check.

(3rd Test Match between England and Australia ended in a draw)

England’s second innings featured Andrew Strauss’ stylish 106 leading to a declaration at 280/6, setting a steep 423-run target. Ricky Ponting’s 156 was a captain’s epic with all grit and guts but England’s bowlers, Andrew Flintoff with four wickets, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard with two each kept the pressure on. Australia hung on at 371/9, surviving a nail-biting final session. Ponting’s knock won him Player of the Match and the game was the 2005 Ashes in a nutshell, tense, thrilling and unforgettable.

On This Day - August 15, 1989 - Ishwar Pandey Was Born Today

Born August 15 1989, in Rewa Madhya Pradesh, Ishwar Chand Pandey is a story of grit. This 6’2” right-arm medium-pacer didn’t touch a cricket ball seriously until after his class 12 exams yet he became a domestic force. His bounce and mid-130s kph pace rattled batters. In 75 first-class matches, he took 263 wickets at 25.92 with best figures of 8/84 and three 10-wicket hauls. In 58 List A games, he nabbed 63 wickets at 37.11 and in 71 T20s, he claimed 68 wickets at 25.39 with a best of 4/20.

(Ishwar Pandey was born on August 15, 1989)

He even chipped in with 945 first-class runs, including a fifty showing he could swing the bat. Pandey’s 2012-13 Ranji Trophy dominance, leading the wicket-takers earned him India A spots and a call-up for India’s 2013 New Zealand tour, though he never played. In the IPL, he bowled for Chennai Super Kings, Pune Warriors, and Rising Pune Supergiants.

On This Day - August 15, 2022 - Birmingham Phoenix Defeats Trent Rockets by 7 Wickets

On August 15 2022, Birmingham Phoenix put on a show, smashing Trent Rockets by 7 wickets in The Hundred Men’s Competition at Edgbaston. Phoenix chose to bowl after winning the toss, holding Rockets to 145/6 in 100 balls. Daniel Sams’ unbeaten 55 off 25 balls and Lewis Gregory’s 35 not out gave some late fight but Benny Howell’s 3/28 kept the lid on. Chasing 146, Phoenix roared to 149/3 in just 86 balls.

(Birmingham Phoenix defeated Trent Rockets by 7 Wickets)

Moeen Ali’s 52 off 28 balls was all fireworks, and Liam Livingstone’s unbeaten 51 off 32 balls sealed it, their partnership hitting 100 runs in 63 balls. Luke Wood’s 3/17 was Rockets’ only spark in a losing effort. Moeen’s blazing knock earned him Player of the Match, and Phoenix’s third straight win cemented their spot at the top.

On This Day - August 15, 2022 - Afghanistan Defeats Ireland by 27 Runs

August 15 2022, brought a rain-soaked thriller in Belfast where Afghanistan beat Ireland by 27 runs in the 4th T20I, tying the series at 2-2. Ireland opted to bowl and Afghanistan posted 132/6 in 11 overs, fueled by Najibullah Zadran’s 50 off 24 balls with four fours and three sixes and Rashid Khan’s unbeaten 31 off 10 balls, smashing three sixes. Gareth Delany’s 3/33 was Ireland’s highlight.

(Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 27 runs)

Chasing 133, Ireland tanked early, losing wickets in the powerplay and George Dockrell’s 41 not out tried to save them, but they limped to 105 in 11 overs. Fareed Ahmad’s 3/14 and Rashid’s 2/21 were brutal with Rashid’s all-round genius earning him Player of the Match. At Civil Service Cricket Club, Afghanistan’s 50-run sixth-wicket stand was the difference. Ireland’s batting folded, setting up a blockbuster series finale.