Cricket is a funny game, they say. Sometimes it is a funny game. The game has seen some wonderful moments after its invention. There has bee some moment which has changed the game completely. But, there are also some weird bizarre moments, that never happened in cricket and might not happen again. As the game between #NZvBAN T20I was paused because of a miscalculation of runs in the DLS method, we give you 10 Bizarre Moments in Cricket History That Never Happened.

10 Bizarre Moments in Cricket History

#1 Pollard got taped

During a game against RCB in the 2015 Indian Premier League, Kieron Pollard taped his mouth. While he was trying to get under the skin of his fellow West Indian batter Chris Gayle, the umpires were not happy about that. As the umpires asked him to be quiet, Pollard taped his mouth and did not utter a word to Gayle after that.

Every one at the ground was shocked and saw the funny side of it. However, Gayle did not saw anything funny on that. This is one of the weird moments in cricket history.

Read Also: Most sixes in T20 Internationals by a batsman: Cricket Records

#2 Bees want to play

Cricket is a famous game for Indian people, so for the Indian bees as well. During a Test match between India and England at Delhi's Ferozshah Kotla stadium, bees attacked the ground. The incident made the players, officials and ground staff hot the ground to not get stung.

This incident repeated again during a 2019 Cricket World Cup match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street, Durham.

#3 Inzi wants to hit him

Generally, Inzamam-Ul-Haq is a very quiet and chilled person. But, even a person like him lost his cool. In 1997 the test match between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan was played in Toronto, Canada. The match was going normally until an angry Inzamam-Ul-Haq went towards the crowd to hit a fan.

One of the fans from the crowd was mocking Inzi with words like "Aloo". Inzi lost control of himself after few minutes and went to beat him. Luckily, the security personnel stooped him. Post that incident, Inzamam was banned for two Tests by ICC.

Read Also: Top 5 Most runs at Number 3 in ODIs: Kohli Crosses 10000 runs at number 3

#4 The Score Mistake

This is the most recent one in our list of 10 bizarre moments in cricket history. New Zealand batted first in a T20I match against Bangladesh at  McLean Park, New Zealand. Due to rain, the first inning had to stop at 17.5 overs. The Black caps were at 173/5. As the Bangladesh team came to bat they were unsure about the target they need to chase.

After 9 balls into the chase, the game was paused as the target was said to be 170. Though the Bangladesh team knew the target was 148. Later, the target was revised to 171 after 13 overs. This is one of the rare occasion in cricket history where the batting team was not sure about the target.

However, it was some technical issue that caused the confusion which meant the DLS sheet could not be handed over to the teams.

#5 The South African Heart Break- 1992 World Cup Semi-final

South Africa is one of the teams not to win a single ICC trophy despite their great team and individual players. In the 1992 World Cup Semi-Finals, they suffered another heart-break.

However, this time they could not do anything about it. It was again the DLS method. The DLS method was taken into the game to solve the issue when the game could not be played full over. The rain stopped play with the Proteas needing 22 off 13 balls for the position in the final. But, as the play resumed the scoreboard showed they needed an impossible 22 off 1 ball.

This is one of the heartbreaking moment in World Cup History. The Proteas team never played a World Cup final after that.

Buy the book- The Forgotten Sons: Untold Stories of Indian Cricket

#6 Masseur's Debut in a Test Match

This is not only a bizarre cricket moment but also a funny moment. With team Australia sending their extra players in squad to play domestic matches, they were in bit of trouble.

The occasion was set. It was the first-ever day-night test match. Grant Baldwin, the Australian team masseur and logistics assistant, was doing his normal duty. But as Mitchell Starc got injured, the team was forced to send in Baldwin to filed in place of Starc.

Baldwin was a Second Grade player for Victoria. This might be a special moment for him to field for his country in a test match. Not everyone has achieved that.

Buy the book- The Cricket War: The Story of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket

#7 Holding free kicks the stumps

The mighty West Indies toured New Zealand post wining the series in Australia in 1980. The World Champions were looking to beat them in three days. However, likes of Richard Hadlee and John Wright made sure the battle went till the last day.

On the fifth day Michael Holding was bowling some bullets. John Parker, seemed to have gloved on of his balls to the wicketkeeper. Holding was so confident that he celebrated even without appealing. However, he was shocked to see that umpire John Hastie did not move, as he adjudged the appeal as not out.

Holding couldn't control hid anger. He aggressively kicked the batsman's end stumps. The middle stump went flying. The amature photograph of that incident is one of the iconic cricket photos ever.

Colin Croft even said that the picture could have made Holding eligible for a Manchester United trials.

#8 Eden Gardens and the 1996 World Cup Semi-finals

Eden Gardens is regarded as one of the iconic stadiums in the world. The stage was set, India was facing the neighbours Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup Semi-finals.

Chasing 252, India had a split start. However with India on 97/1, Sachin got dismissed by Sanath Jayasuriya. Sachin's wicket turned out to be the moment of the match as India lost 7 wickets in just 23 runs.

The crowd at Eden Gardens went crazy. Perhaps, it went out of control as they started throwing bottles. Moreover, some of them set fire to the seats as well.

After observing the situation, match referee Clive Lloyd stopped the match. Therefore, due to the match situation the match was awarded to the Sri Lanka team, with Vinod Kambli not out at 10 of 29 balls.

Kambli leaving the ground crying is another iconic cricket picture.

#9 Ranatunga walking off to support Muralitharan

During the 1999 Sri Lankan tour to Australia, one man was in the news more often than not. Muthaiah Muralitharan, a off-spinner with an unique action was alleged of chucking by umpire Ross Emerson. Emerson had called no-balls before against Murali in their previous tour.

In the 19th over, as soon as Murali bowled the second ball, Emerson from square leg called no-ball.

Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga seemed furious on that. Perhaps, the game stopped for "12 minutes" as he gestured his teammates to walk off the ground. The captain supported the dejected bowler, as perhaps went on to become the greatest spinner of all time.

#10 Harbhajan's slap to Sreesanth: "Slapgate"

The "Slapgate" is one of the most controversial incidents in IPL history. In 2008, Harbhajan was the captain of the Mumbai Indians team. While Sreesanth was one of the exciting young talents playing for Kings XI Punjab.

Sreesanth was always upfront when comes to his celebrations. The send-offs were always special. However, Bhajji did not like his send-offs against his players. As Sreesanth bowled them out for a fantastic win, an angry Harbhajan slapped him down the boundary line post-match.

Though there is no footage of the slap, everyone watching the match saw both of them breaking down after the match. Due to this incident, then Mumbai Indian coach, Lalchand Rajpoot lost his job. Though Harbhajan apologised later and the matter was sorted, it still remains one of the bizarre moments in cricket history.

Indian star opener Smriti Mandhana has regained the number one spot in the women's ICC ODI rankings for the first time since November 2019, according to the latest update released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.

Also Read: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Full Schedule announced; India to face Pakistan on October 5

Mandhana surpassed Wolvaardt to claim top spot

The 28-year-old Mandhana has moved up one place to return to the top spot while South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has slipped to joint second place with new England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt after scoring 27 and 28 in the first two ODIs against the West Indies.

Mandhana now sits comfortably with 727 rating points after Wolvaardt held the top spot for over six months. The Indian star batsman has been in great form lately and scored the 11th century of her career, amassing 264 runs across five outings with a 52.80 averae and a strike rate of 90.41 during India's recent tri-series final against Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo.

Mandhana named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year

The India vice-captain had a stellar run in ODIs in 2024, following which she was named as the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, scoring more runs than she ever has before in a calendar year, racking up 747 runs in 13 innings. Mandhana is one of only four women to record at least 10 centuries, with her 4473 runs standing 10th on the all-time charts.

Mandhana’s rating points currently eight ahead of newly-appointed England skipper Natalie Sciver-Brunt at 719 points. Wolvaardt dropped to equal second alongside Sciver-Brunt, while fellow South African’s Tazmin Brits (up five spots to 27th) and Sune Luus (up seven places to 42nd) are among the big movers this week on the list for ODI batters.

Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, being the only other Indian batters in the top 30, placed at 15th and 16th, respectively.

Women's ICC ODI Rankings

The schedule of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 has been released. The Women's World Cup will begin on September 30 with hosts India playing their first match against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Also Read: BCCI announce Indian women's squad for ODI and T20I series against England

The eight-team tournament will be a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The much-awaited final will be played on November 2. Australia will begin their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

India vs Pakistan Match details

Due to tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistan will play all its matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the hybrid hosting model agreed upon by BCCI and PCB. In such a situation, the teams playing with Pakistan including India will go to Colombo, which is a neutral venue.

The most awaited match of the group stage between India and Pakistan will be played on 5th October in Colombo.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Venues

• India : Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam 
• Sri Lanka : Colombo

The tournament will be held at five major venues in the two countries. Bengaluru and Colombo have been shortlisted as potential hosts for the final.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Full Schedule

Australia's star fast bowler Mitchell Starc added a big achievement to his name on Wednesday by becoming the bowler to take the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc achieved this feat by taking two wickets on the first day of the World Test Championship 2025 final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing his fifth ICC final, has taken 11 wickets so far and is expected to increase it.

Also Read: Highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25

With this, Starc also broke the record of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami as soon as he took the second wicket. This record was earlier in the name of Shami, who had taken 10 wickets in four ICC finals.

So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

6. Glenn McGrath | 8 Wickets

The former legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath featured in a total of 5 ICC finals for the Baggy Greens and took 8 Wickets for his team. McGrath was one of Australia’s most important players for several years and he always stepped-up big time in finals of major tournaments.

McGrath was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2002 edition of the ICC tournament with 8 wickets in 3 matches after Muttaih Muralidharan who has claimed 10 wickets in as many games.

5. Kyle Jamieson | 8 Wickets

New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also took 8 Wickets in the ICC tournament finals after appearing in 3 innings. In the 2019–2021 World Test Championship Final, Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 8 Wickets

Ravindra Jadeja comes fourth on this list. Jadeja’s evolution from a utility player to a match-winner is reflected in his 8 ICC final appearances. In his 8 finals, Jadeja dismissed 8 players in ICC tournament finals.

His all-round prowess was key to India’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, where he was the leading wicket-taker. He has since played vital roles in T20 World Cup finals and two successive WTC finals (2021, 2023), as well as the 2025 Champions Trophy. 

3. Trent Boult | 8 Wickets

New Zealand's veteran pacer Trent Boult is true to the 'big-match player' tag with 8 wickets in his 4 ICC Finals. Boult played a massive role in the Kiwis' success in ICC tournaments and gave brilliant bowling performances in the finals as well.

Boult was also the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs.

2. Mohammed Shami | 10 Wickets

India's star bowler Mohammed Shami now comes second in this list. In four ICC finals, Shami has taken 10 wickets at an average of 38.90, an economy rate of 3.95 and best bowling figures of 4/76 in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand.

Shami is also the leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODI World Cups and also led all bowlers in the 2023 edition with 24 wickets in seven outings. He continued his magical run in ICC events with a five-wicket haul in his maiden Champions Trophy game (ongoing contest against Bangladesh).

Also Read: Most Runs in WTC 2023-25

1. Mitchell Starc | 11* Wickets

Australia's pace ace Mitchell Starc has became the highest wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals. The left-arm quick achieved the milestone during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing in his fifth ICC final, has now taken 11 wickets across tournament deciders.

The milestone came in style as Starc struck early in South Africa's second innings, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck. He followed it up with the dismissal of Ryan Rickelton for 16, ending Day 1 with figures of 2/10 in a fiery spell.

He also became the joint second-highest wicket taker in ICC knockout games. He is sharing the spot with former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Shami, who each have taken 22 wickets. The top spot is with former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 23 wickets.

Till now, 11 Indian cricketers have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Former Indian captain and legend MS Dhoni became the latest Indian to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame list. 

Read Also | India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?

Along with MS Dhoni, Aussie great Matthew Hayden, South African legend Hashim Amla, former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Kiwi leader Daniel Vettori, and former Pakistan captain Sana Mir and English legend Sarah Taylor were also inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame 2025.

Unorthodox, unconventional and effective 🙌

A cricketer beyond numbers and statistics 👏

MS Dhoni is inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame 🥇

More ➡️ https://t.co/oV8mFaBfze pic.twitter.com/AGRzL0aP79

— ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2025

Here are the Indian cricketers who have been inducted into the prestigious "ICC Hall of Fame". 

Indian Cricketers in the ICC Hall of Fame

Some legendary Indian cricketers left their impact beyond the scorecards and records, which earned them an everlasting tribute. Their legacies live on the stadiums where they created their cricketing magic.

Curious to know the ones who had their contributions honored with their names on a stadium stand or pavilion? Scroll down to discover the 16 Indian Cricketers with stands named after them at a stadium.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

The God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, has 2 stands named after him. He was also honoured with a gate named after him at the Sydney Cricket Ground, unveiled on his 50th birthday.

• Sachin Tendulkar Pavilion: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
• Sachin Tendulkar Stand: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE 

2. Virat Kohli 

Virat Kohli was honored for his outstanding achievements and contributions to Indian cricket with a pavilion named after him in his home city, Delhi.

• Virat Kohli Pavilion: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi 

Read Also: Top 5 Records of Virat Kohli that might never be broken

3. MS Dhoni

Honoring the hometown hero, MS Dhoni Pavilion was named as a tribute to his legendary captaincy and achievements.

• MS Dhoni Pavilion: JSCA International Stadium, Ranchi

4. Rohit Sharma 

Acknowledging Rohit Sharma's elegant batting and leadership for India, the stand named after him at the Wankhede is a recent addition, inaugurated in 2025.

• Rohit Sharma Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

5. Sourav Ganguly 

Sourav Ganguly stand, unveiled in 2017, is a tribute to dada, not only for his influential captaincy, but also for his contributions as the former president of CAB and BCCI.

• Sourav Ganguly Stand: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

6. Sunil Gavaskar 

The pavilion named after Sunil Gavaskar stands as a lasting tribute for the cricketing legend.

• Sunil Gavaskar Pavilion: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

7. Yuvraj Singh 

The world cup hero and local boy of Punjab, Yuvraj Singh, was honored with a joint ceremony where two stands were named after him and his teammate, Harbhajan Singh.

• Yuvraj Singh Stand: PCA I.S. Bindra Stadium, Punjab

8. Harbhajan Singh 

The legendary spin master and Punjab's homeboy, Harbhajan Singh, received this everlasting tribute when a stand was named after him in 2022.

• Harbhajan Singh Stand: PCA I.S. Bindra Stadium, Punjab

Read Also: 'MS Dhoni cried that night,' Harbhajan Singh shared the CSK captain's rare emotional moment

9. VVS Laxman 

Known for his elegant batting style, VVS Laxman was given the tribute with a pavilion named after him at his hometown (Hyderabad).

• VVS Laxman Pavilion: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad 

10. Mohammad Azharuddin 

The former captain of Indian team, Mohammad Azharuddin, was honored with a stand at his beloved ground in his homecity, Hyderabad.

• Mohammad Azharuddin Stand: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad 

11. Jhulan Goswami

In 2023, Eden Gardens celebrated and honored the legendary pride of Bengal, Jhulan Goswami. Her name stands as the only woman on this list to achieve this milestone.

• Jhulan Goswami Stand: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Read Also: From Chakdah to Lords: Adios, Jhulan Goswami

12. Gautam Gambhir

From crucial role in World Cup victories for India, to his role as the head coach, Gautam Gambhir truly deserves the stand named after him in his home ground.

• Gautam Gambhir Stand: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

13. Dilip Vengsarkar 

Wankhede holds the name of many spectacular players and Dilip Vengsarkar is one of them. It celebrates he golden moments in cricket.

• Dilip Vengsarkar Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

14. Vijay Merchant 

Yet another elegant player to have a stand named after them at the Wankhede. Vijay Merchant's quality contributions are highly appreciated.

• Vijay Merchant Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

15. Ajit Wadekar

The former Indian captain and influential figure, Ajit Wadekar, holds a prestigious stand named after him, alongside Sharad Pawar.

• Ajit Wadekar Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

16. Virender Sehwag

While we discuss stands or pavilions, it is worth noting that the gate no. 2 at Arun Jaitley Stadium was named after the legendary cricketer, Virender Sehwag, as a tribute.

• Virended Sehwag GATE: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi