Chandigarh DAV College's Connection to India’s Four Cricket World Cup Wins

By Saurabh Duggal

What is common in all four cricket World Cups India has won so far—two in the one-day limited overs format and two in the T20 format? All four World Cup triumphs have a connection to Chandigarh's DAV College. This institute has had its students or alumni in the Indian team ranks for each World Cup win, perhaps making it the only educational institute in the country to have such a presence in all of India’s cricket World Cup victories.

The institute first gained significant attention when its alumnus Kapil Dev led India to its first World Cup win in cricket at Lord's in 1983. In the finals, Kapil Dev and his team defeated the two-time champions West Indies, changing the face of Indian cricket forever. Kapil’s achievements inspired student Emeka Ezeugo to play in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, representing Nigeria in both the World Cup and the Olympics.

Twenty-four years after India’s debut World Cup victory, another DAV College student, Yuvraj Singh, contributed to India winning its first T20 World Cup in 2007. Yuvraj famously hit six sixes in as many balls against England in the T20 World Cup league stage matches. Yuvraj was also part of the 2011 one-day format Cricket World Cup winning squad and was adjudged the player of the tournament. He was coached by his father, Yograj Singh, a former test cricketer from Kapil Dev's batch. Yograj is also a former student of DAV College.

After a gap of 13 years, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, won the T20 World Cup in Barbados in 2024. This team too had a DAV College presence, with leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2024, being part of the squad.

The college boasts a rich legacy in sports. Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was a student of the college. Legendary golfer Jeev Milkha Singh is also a product of DAV College. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, three DAV College students—Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and Vijayveer Sidhu—are part of the Indian shooting squad.