The Indian fans continue to feel the pain and frustration of their national senior men’s side not winning any trophy for 10 years now. The men’s team’s last ICC trophy came in 2013, when MS Dhoni took the side to the Champions Trophy victory in England.
After that win, India and their fans have suffered heartbreak after heartbreak with knockout losses in all three formats in International tournaments.
India were knocked out in the 2014 T20 WC Final, 2015 WC semi-final, 2016 T20 WC semi-final, 2017 CT final, 2019 WC semi-final, and 2022 T20 WC semi-final, and two more crushing losses came in the WTC Final in 2021 and 2023.
This drought of an International Cricket title has certainly tested the emotions of the fans with different teams defeating and knocking India out from their quest of another elusive trophy.
Interestingly, there are also a few top-level teams that have faced India in an ICC knockout match, but have never knocked India out.
Here are 3 teams who have met India in an ICC knockout matches, but never won vs India:
South Africa
Yes, if there is a team with similar disappointments as India, then it is South Africa. The Proteas have always had the talent, class, and quality in their side to defeat any team in the world, but couldn’t hold themselves up temperamentally in ICC knockout matches, which has got them the tag of “chokers”.
India and South Africa have met each other thrice in International Cricket Council knockout matches – Knockout Tournament Semi-final in 2000, 2002 Champions Trophy semi-final, and 2014 T20 WC semi-final – and all three times, India emerged victorious.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh have recently been punching above their weight and their best appearance in an International tournament came in 2017 Champions Trophy where they reached the semi-final.
Bangladesh and India have faced each other twice in an ICC knockout match – 2015 WC Quarter-final and 2017 Champions Trophy semi-final – with India winning both those games.
Kenya
Kenya’s run through to the semi-final of the 2003 ODI World Cup is one of the most surprising stories in cricket. It came to an end when they faced India in the semi-final and lost.
