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Do you know that cricket started as a children's game in England in the 16th century?
Children in the Weald, a small area in the south-east of England, began playing cricket in the streets sometime in the 16th century.
Known as the “gentleman’s game,” cricket has a long history of excellent records, memorable events, and exciting information.
Every fan should know the wealth of unique stories and accomplishments in the game, which extend beyond boundaries, wickets, and centuries.
Let’s explore some fascinating and astounding cricket facts contributing to its uniqueness.
20 Fun Cricket Facts
1. The first cricket ball was made of wool
Cricket originated as an easy way for shepherds to pass the time while guarding sheep.
Cricket balls initially came from cotton and the speed of the bowler was probably beyond reach.
Cricket has been mentioned in history since 1597, when they referred to the game of "cracket" in a dispute over land.
But it took more than ten thousand years for the first official cricket match to begin in 1877.
2. Ravi Shastri is the first cricketer to hit 6 sixes in an over
The former Indian coach was the first person in history to achieve this feat.
Ravi Shastri scored 200 runs in that match, which is the fastest double century ever in the history of first-class cricket.
3. Cricket wickets originally had only two stumps
Although it is unimaginable that a wicket ever consisted of less than three stumps, this was the case.
Two stumps was in practice until 1775 when the English cricketer Edward 'Lumpy' Stevens bowled the ball between two stumps without dislodging the bail three times, but the batsman was given 'not out'.
The third stump was introduced soon after.
4. Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest ball in cricket history
Rawalpindi Express for a reason.
Shoaib Akhtar is considered one of the greatest players to play the game.
161.3 km/h, these were the figures that shocked the world.
5. The oldest living Test cricketer is 94 years old
The oldest living Test cricketer today is Ronald Draper of South Africa, who is approximately 95 years old.
He played his last Test match in 1950.
The oldest cricketer to actively play the game was Wilfred Rhodes, who took over 4,000 wickets in his career and played his final Test match in 1930 at the age of 52.
6. Nelson score is considered unlucky
As our only fun cricket facts based entirely on superstition, this one is particularly interesting.
A Nelson score is a team or player scoring 111 points.
This is considered completely unlucky as three 1's vaguely resemble a bail-less wicket.
7. Cricket has been played in the Olympics only once
Despite cricket being such a popular game, it has only been played in the Olympics once where Great Britain won the gold medal in 1900.
However, there is talk of bringing cricket back to the Olympics at some point in the future.
8. The longest cricket match lasted 14 days
In 1939, a game between England and South Africa lasted a full 14 days, after which the players presumably slept for an additional 14 days.
9. Sachin Tendulkar made his debut at the age of just 16
Sachin Tendulkar is a great player, often called the 'God of Cricket'.
He made his debut for Team India at the age of 16 and during his illustrious career, he has won more titles and records than you would like to count.
10. The only unchangeable rule of cricket is the length of the pitch
Times change and so do the rules of cricket.
In fact, since the game was first established, every single law has been changed, except one.
The specified length of a cricket pitch has remained constant, the 22 yards set from the beginning also applies to today's modern rules.
11. West Indies won the first Cricket World Cup
If we have to talk about some of the interesting cricket facts about cricket then you will be amazed by knowing that the first Cricket World Cup was held in 1975, and the West Indies won it.
Under Clive Lloyd’s leadership, the West Indies cricket team won the trophy after dominating the competition and defeating Australia in the championship match.
Due to this victory, the West Indies dominated cricket in the 1970s and early 1980s.
12. The women’s cricket world cup was held before the men’s
Interestingly, the women’s cricket World Cup took place two years ahead of the men’s competition.
The home side won the first Women’s Cricket World Cup, which was held in England in 1973.
13. RG Nadkarni bowled 21 consecutive maiden overs in a match
Indian cricketer Ramakant Desai Nadkarni accomplished an incredible accomplishment in a 1964 Test match against England.
According to the cricket facts, he still holds the record for bowling 21 straight maiden overs, or overs without giving up a run.
14. Brian Lara holds the highest Test score of 400*
When Brian Lara of the West Indies made 400* (not out) against England in 2004, he set a record for the highest individual score in Test cricket.
Impressing everyone with his amazing concentration, technique, and dominance at the crease, his performance is the highest Test cricket score.
15. Sachin Tendulkar was the first player to be dismissed by a third umpire
Sachin Tendulkar has achieved several “firsts”.
His record of becoming the first cricket player to be out by a third umpire is among the less well-known ones.
This momentous judgment was made when Tendulkar was run out by the third umpire following a tight call during India’s 1992 tour of South Africa.
16. MS Dhoni hasn’t scored an ODI century outside Asia
Among India’s most accomplished players and captains, MS Dhoni has a stellar record when playing for his country.
Meanwhile, all of his ODI centuries have come in Asia, which is one of the intriguing facts about cricket.
Outside of the continent, Dhoni has not record an ODI century despite playing in a variety of environments throughout the globe.
17. India only country to win World Cups in 60, 50, and 20-over formats
The 50-over World Cup in 2011, the 20-over T20 World Cup in 2007, and the 60-over World Cup in 1983 are the three World Cups India is the only cricketing nation to have won.
18. Narendra Modi Stadium is the world’s largest stadium
The largest cricket stadium in the world is known as Narendra Modi Stadium, and it is situated in Ahmedabad, India.
The stadium was build in 1982 and reconstructed between 2014-2020.
With more than 132,000 seats, it can accommodate large crowds and is becoming a top location for international cricket matches.
19. IPL is the most attended cricket league worldwide
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most watched cricket competition globally, utilizing aspiring players.
Since its launch in 2008, IPL has transformed T20 cricket, drawing elite players from across the globe and widespread attention.
20. Shahid Afridi used Sachin Tendulkar’s bat to score an ODI century
In 1996, Shahid Afridi, well-known for his rapid batting, scored one of the fastest hundred in ODI history, 37 balls.
That Afridi used a bat borrowed from none other than Sachin Tendulkar makes this truth even more fascinating.
Later on, in cricket circles, the bat’s owner was identified.
This memorable innings happened in Nairobi versus Sri Lanka.
