Cricket is a sport that is loved by millions of people all over the world. After football, cricket is the second most popular sport in the world. It has over 2.5 billion fans in 180 countries. It is especially popular in India, Pakistan, England, and Australia. With its unique rules and rich history, there are tons of interesting facts about cricket that will leave you wondering. In this article, we will explore 10 fun facts about cricket.
1. Origin
Cricket originated in England and started in the 16th century. It has evolved from a simple children’s game to a highly competitive sport played at an international level. Today, cricket is enjoyed by fans in India, Australia, England, and many other countries.
2. The Oldest Test Cricketer Alive
Ronald Draper of South Africa is the oldest Test bowler who is still alive. He is almost 95 years old. In 1950, he played his last test match. Wilfred Rhodes played cricket until he was 52 years old. He had more than 4,000 wickets throughout his career and played his last test match in 1930 when he was 52.
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3. Cricket Was Once an Olympic Sport, but Only for One Edition
At the Summer Olympics in Paris in 1900, it was played. There were only two teams: Great Britain and France. Great Britain beat France by 158 runs to win the gold medal.
4. Cricket Has Some Superstitions and Traditions That Are Unique to the Game
Some players believe that the number 111 (or multiples of it) is unlucky and call it Nelson, after Admiral Nelson, who supposedly had one eye, one arm, and one leg. Some players also avoid stepping on the crease or touching the stumps while batting or fielding.
5. World Cup
One of the most important events in cricket is the Cricket World Cup. It happens every four years, and teams from all over the world take part. The West Indies won the first World Cup in 1975. Australia has won the most World Cups so far, with five.
6. The Shortest Cricket Match Ever Played Lasted for Only 10 Balls
It is one of the most interesting fun facts about cricket. It was a one-day international between Australia and South Africa in 1996. The match was abandoned due to rain after South Africa scored 27 runs without losing a wicket.
7. Cricket for Women
The first women’s cricket world cup was held in 1973, two years before the men’s world cup. In the final at Edgbaston, England defeated Australia by 92 runs to win it. England also won the most recent women’s cricket world cup, which was in 2017. They beat India by nine runs in the final at Lord’s.
8.Chris Gayle is the Only Test Batsman to Hit a Six Off the First Ball
Everyone has liked how bold and cool Chris Gayle is when playing, but did you know that this firecracker is the only batter to hit a six off the first ball of a Test match? It happened in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on November 12, 2012, between the West Indies and Bangladesh.
9. The Highest Individual Score
The highest individual score in test cricket was 400 not out by Brian Lara of the West Indies against England in 2004. He broke his own record of 375 that he set in 1994.
10. Cricket’s Longest Match Lasted 14 Days
Most cricket games last a long time, especially when everyone wants to know who will win. The longest cricket game on record was played in Durban between England and South Africa. It is also used to test the order of events. It ran for about 90 days and had more than 683 overs.