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ICC T20 World Cup: Cricket is a game rich in statistics, folklore and superstition. Over the years, fans have delighted in spotting patterns that seem too curious to ignore. One such enduring cricketing quirk has quietly taken root in Indian cricket: whenever India wins a men’s World Cup, there is always a Malayalee presence in the squad.

The pattern began with India’s historic triumph at the 1983 Cricket World Cup under Kapil Dev. Among the squad members was Kerala fast bowler Sunil Valson. Although Valson did not get a chance to play a single match during the tournament, his presence in the team became a footnote in Indian cricket folklore once India lifted the trophy at Lord’s.

Nearly a quarter century later, the curious pattern resurfaced when India won the inaugural 2007 ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa. This time the Malayalee presence was far more visible. Fiery pacer S. Sreesanth played an important role in the tournament and was memorably under the high ball when he completed the catch that sealed India’s dramatic final victory.