Cricket
How Many Trophies Has India Won in Cricket? Full List
The Indian Cricket Team has made the country proud several times over the decades. Check out their major and most memorable wins in each three formats of the game.
Sachin Tendulkar celebrates with the World Cup Trophy//Getty Imagess
Cricket in India dates back to the 18th century when it was introduced by the Britishers, which colonised the country at the time. Initially played by British officers and the elite, it soon spread across Indian society, with the first official Indian team playing in 1911. This Indian team, which was represented by the Hindus, Parsees and Muslims, and captained by the then Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, toured the British Isles for a series. A few years later, in 1928, The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was formed as the governing body of the Indian Cricket Team.
Cricket’s popularity in the country surged after India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup despite being the underdogs at the mega event. With a massive jump in popularity and fan base, the BCCI secured lucrative broadcasting deals, especially after launching the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. This transformed the board into the world’s richest cricket body, generating massive revenue through sponsorships and media rights. Today, India is recognised as the most cricket-crazy country in the world.
Major trophies India has won in ODI cricket
India played its first-ever ODI match on July 13, 1974, against England at Headingley, Leeds. Ajit Wadekar was the captain, leading a relatively new team in this format. India struggled in their debut ODI, scoring only 265 runs in 53.5 overs (ODI cricket was a 60-over format at the time), while England chased down the target comfortably. Although India lost, this marked the beginning of India’s journey in ODI cricket, a format in which they would go on to win multiple major titles. Take a look at the major trophies India has won in ODI cricket history.
1983 ODI World Cup
Until 1983, Indians had only passing interest in cricket, because India had not won any significant matches or tournaments. But this changed with the Prudential World Cup in 1983. Held in England, the tournament saw underdogs India lift the trophy and mark one of the most iconic moments in cricket history.
Led by Kapil Dev, the team won matches nobody expected them to, before eventually reaching the final, where they faced the West Indies, two-time World Cup champions, at Lord’s. After setting a not-so-great target of 183, India’s bowlers, especially Madan Lal and Mohinder Amarnath, rose to the occasion. Against mighty odds, they dismissed the West Indies for 140, sealing India’s most historic win. This victory sparked nationwide enthusiasm for cricket and the beginning of India’s journey as a dominant force in international cricket. The 1983 World Cup is still celebrated as a defining moment in Indian sports history.
2002 ICC Champions Trophy (Shared with Sri Lanka)
The first time India won the Champions Trophy was in 2002, when they shared the trophy with hosts Sri Lanka. Under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy, the Indian squad, comprising both senior and young players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Anil Kumble and Mohammad Kaif, performed well throughout the tournament. They advanced to the final against Sri Lanka, where rain intervened twice, causing both attempts to complete the game to be abandoned. As a result, the trophy was shared between India and Sri Lanka. This shared title marked an important phase in Indian cricket, as the team continued to improve and gain strength in limited-overs formats.
2011 ODI World Cup
India's long wait of 28 years to win their second ODI World Cup title came to an end in 2011. This remains one of the proudest moments in Indian cricket history. India, led by MS Dhoni, co-hosted the tournament with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. After performing well throughout the tournament, India made it to the final, where they clashed against Kumar Sangakkara-led Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Chasing 275, India started shaky but recovered thanks to key innings from Gautam Gambhir and Dhoni. Dhoni’s powerful six to seal the victory became an iconic moment in cricket history. This win was especially emotional, as it fulfilled Sachin Tendulkar’s dream of a World Cup victory after 22 years of dedication to Indian cricket. The 2011 win also established the legendary status associated with MS Dhoni, who earlier guided the team to the T20 World Cup in 2007, and would later also go on to win the 2013 Champions Trophy as captain.
2013 ICC Champions Trophy
With the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy win, MS Dhoni became India's most successful white-ball captain. This was his third ICC trophy as captain, the most by anyone in Indian cricket history. Players like Shikhar Dhawan, who ended the tournament with most runs, and Ravindra Jadeja, who topped the wickets chart with 12 scalps, played a key role in India lifting their second Champions Trophy. In the final, India faced the host nation, England, in a rain-shortened game. The MS Dhoni-led side set a target of 130 in 20 overs, with Virat Kohli’s 43 being a crucial contribution. Despite a modest total, India’s bowlers defended brilliantly, with Jadeja’s all-round performance earning him the Player of the Tournament award.b
ODI Asia Cup
Besides winning the World Cup and Champions Trophy twice each, India have also won the ODI Asia Cup seven teams, the most by any team. They first won it in 1984, followed by 1988, 1990–91, 1995, 2010, 2018, and 2023.
Major trophies India has won in T20I cricket
India’s first-ever T20 International match took place on December 1, 2006, against South Africa in Johannesburg. India won the match by 6 wickets, with South Africa scoring 126 runs and India successfully chasing the target with ease. The match marked the beginning of India’s journey in T20 cricket, which would later lead to their historic win in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
2007 T20 World Cup
India's 2007 T20 World Cup is as iconic as their 1983 ODI World Cup win. The victory in 2007 was what inspired the BCCI to start the Indian Premier League, which completely changed the landscape of T20 cricket not just in India but also for overseas players.
Led by a young MS Dhoni, the squad was a mix of emerging talent and experienced players, including Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, and Irfan Pathan. India had played only a solitary T20I before the World Cup, and were thus not one of the favourites to lift the trophy. However, they defied odds and defeated teams like England, South Africa and Australia to set up a clash in the final with arch rivals Pakistan. This match went down to the wire, before that iconic catch by S Sreesanth.
Pakistan needed 13 runs in the last over to win. MS Dhoni surprisingly chose Joginder Sharma, instead of the experienced Harbhajan Singh, to bowl the final over. Joginder started nervously with a wide, and then Misbah hit a six, leaving Pakistan needing 6 runs from 4 balls. Misbah attempted a scoop shot on the next ball, but Sreesanth caught it, sealing India’s victory and the 2007 T20 World Cup title.
MS Dhoni’s calm leadership in high-pressure moments made him a cricketing icon. The 2007 T20 World Cup win marked the start of a new cricketing era, leading to the creation of the IPL, which transformed cricket into a global, franchise-based sport.
2024 T20 World Cup
India’s victory in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup marked a historic end to their 11-year ICC trophy drought. Held in the West Indies and the USA, the tournament was all about India’s dominance as they went unbeaten, becoming the first team to claim the T20 title without a single loss.
In the semifinals, the Rohit Sharma-led India outclassed defending champions England, bowling them out for just 103 runs. This convincing 68-run victory propelled India to the final against South Africa. In the final showdown, India edged out South Africa by a tense seven runs, clinching the title and sparking celebrations across India.
Rohit Sharma with ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup Trophy//Getty Images
2016 Twenty20 Asia Cup
As mentioned above, India is the most successful team in the Asia Cup with eight titles - seven in the ODI format and one in the T20I format. India won the T20I Asia Cup in 2016 by defeating Bangladesh in the final. The match took place on March 6, 2016, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. The hosts, batting first, were able to muster only 120 runs in their 20 overs, with none of their batters scoring a half century.
The MS Dhoni led India, in reply, chased down the target in only 13.5 overs, with Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten 41 and Shikhar Dhawan top scoring with a knock of 60. In reply, Bangladesh could only manage 123/9 in their 20 overs, with India winning by 8 wickets.
Major trophies India has won in Test cricket
The Indian team celebrating victory//Getty Images
India finished as the runners-up in both the first two editions of the ICC Test championship, and will be looking to lay their hands on the trophy in the ongoing cycle. While they haven't lifted the Test championship trophy yet, India have registered several memorable Test series wins. Some of India's most memorable Test series wins include defeating England 1-0 in the summer of 1971, which was the first time India won on English soil. The first two Tests, played at Lord's and Old Trafford, ended in draws, while India won the third Test at the Oval to create history.
Another memorable series win was defeating Australia 2-1 at home in 2001. Australia extended their 15-match unbeaten streak to 16 by defeating India in the first Test by a big margin of 10 wickets. The next Test, that scripted history, was played at the iconic Eden Gardens. India pulled off a stunning comeback. After following on, India turned the match around with a record-breaking partnership between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. Laxman scored 281, and Dravid made 180. India set a huge target, and Australia, who had been on a 16-match winning streak, was bowled out on the final day, giving India an incredible 171-run victory. This win is remembered as one of the greatest in cricket history. After winning the second Test, India went on to win the third Test as well, scripting one of the greatest Test series wins of all time. A young Indian team had defeated a very strong Australian team.
India's first and only Test series win in Pakistan is also special. In 2004, India toured Pakistan for the first time in 15 years and defeated the hosts 2-1, registering their first ever Test series win in the neighbouring country. The first Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium is famously remembered for the marathon innings by Virender Sehwag in which he became the first Indian cricketer to score a triple century. India went on to win the match comfortably, before losing the second Test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The series was levelled 1-1 before India took the trophy home by winning the final Test in Rawalpindi.
Among more recent victories, one that comes to mind is the 2020-2021 tour of Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The hosts started the four-match Test series strongly, winning the first Test authoritatively. This was followed by the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. India were without some of their best players, including Virat Kohli and Mohammad Shami. But they went on to win the match. The third Test was drawn after an impressive partnership in the fourth innings between Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari, who batted together for 256 balls. The series was now tied at 1-1, with the last match to be played at The Gabba.
Australia hadn’t lost at the Gabba in 32 years, making it one of their strongest venues. India’s team was missing several key players due to injuries, but young and less-experienced players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Mohammed Siraj stepped up. Chasing 328 on the final day, India reached the target, with Pant scoring a crucial 89* to secure a thrilling 3-wicket win. This victory sealed the series 2-1 for India and showed incredible resilience, making it one of India’s greatest Test wins.
FAQs
India has won the Asia Cup a total of eight times – seven in the ODI format (1984, 1988, 1990-91, 1995, 2010, 2018, 2023) and once in the T20 format (2016).
The 2021 Gabba Test is famous because India defeated Australia on a ground where they hadn't lost in 32 years. India’s squad was missing several top players due to injuries, yet young players like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant stepped up. Pant's unbeaten 89 helped India chase down a record target of 328 on the final day, sealing a 2-1 series win.
Umaima Saeed is a professional sports writer whose articles have been featured in several leading websites. She writes long-form content on sports, particularly cricket. She has a penchant for telling human-interest stories. Umaima has contributed articles on cricket to more than a dozen publications, both in print and online.