Cricket is chock full of mind-blowing facts that will surprise even the biggest fans of cricket. Cricket has been played for hundreds of years, dating back to the 16th century. In fact, cricket is one of the oldest team sports still played today. The earliest known cricket match took place in Kent, England. While the rules and equipment have evolved over time, the basic premise of the game remains largely unchanged.
10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Cricket That Will Astound You
- Shahid Afridi used Sachin’s bat to hit the fastest-ever ODI century. In 1996, Afridi blasted 100 runs in just 37 balls using a bat he borrowed from the legendary Tendulkar. Talk about good luck!
- Chris Gayle is the only cricketer to hit a six off the first ball of a Test match. In characteristic fashion, the big-hitting Gayle smacked the first delivery for six runs, a feat no other cricketer has managed.
- MS Dhoni has never scored an ODI century outside of Asia region. Despite being one of the greatest finishers in ODI cricket, the former Indian captain has failed to notch a ton outside of Asia in over 300 matches.
- Ravi Shastri is actually the first cricketer to hit 6 sixes in an over. Shastri hammered 6 huge sixes in a single over, a record that stood for over 20 years. The Indian all-rounder was a trailblazer with his aggressive batting.
- Peter Siddle (Australia) is the only bowler to take a hat trick on his birthday. On his 38th birthday, Australian pace bowler Siddle achieved the rare feat of a hat-trick, dismissing 3 batsmen in consecutive balls.
- Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary Indian batsman, once played as a fielder for Pakistan in an exhibition match! This was back in 1988, before his India debut. Talk about a fun fact.
- The Cricket World Cup first debuted in 1975 and is held every 4 years. The tournament features the top international teams and is one of the world’s most-watched sporting events, attracting billions of viewers.
- The most consecutive maiden overs in cricket is 21. A “maiden over” is when a bowler prevents the batsman from scoring any runs in an over. Not allowing any runs for 21 straight overs is an incredible feat!
- The length of the pitch is the only unchanged rule in cricket. At 22 yards, the pitch has remained the same size since cricket began in the 16th century. All other rules have evolved with time.
- Virat Kohli, the former Indian cricket team captain, did not hit a single boundary in the ODI World Cup semi-final matches, he had played three world cup semifinals for India.
How’s that for some fascinating cricket trivia? The next time you’re watching a match, you’ll have a few interesting facts up your sleeve to impress all your cricket-loving friends.
Cricket Is One of the Oldest Sports Still Played Right Now
The first Test match took place in 1877 between England and Australia. Cricket became an Olympic sport once, appearing in the 1900 Paris Games. Though it hasn’t been an Olympic sport since its popularity has spread globally.
Today, cricket is immensely popular in many Commonwealth countries, especially India, Pakistan, Australia, England, and South Africa. Cricket is considered a national sport in some countries and has a fanatical following. The Cricket World Cup is one of the world’s most viewed sporting events, with over 2.2 billion fans tuning in for the finals.
While cricket remains most popular in Commonwealth countries, its reach is expanding globally. Cricket federations exist in over 100 countries worldwide. With shorter forms of the game gaining popularity, like Twenty20 cricket, the sport is finding fans in new places. Follow Rojadirecta for more!