Amazing Cricket Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

You may believe that you know everything about cricket. Well, you are not the only one with such a frame of mind since this type of thinking is quite common in a cricket-crazy country like India. Most people who like cricket have their own viewpoint about the game and they often seem to know better that even the top players and experts. However, we have dug up some mind-blowing facts about cricket that we bet you won’t have known earlier. Here are some awesome facts about cricket that will amaze and delight you.

Shahid Afridi used Sachin Tendulkar’s bat to score his fastest ODI century: This happened in 1996 when Shahid Afridi was playing against Sri Lanka in Nairobi. Due to a hectic schedule, Afridi had somehow forgotten to pack his bat. However, Waqar Younis talked to the Indian team and got Sachin Tendulkar’s bat for Afridi. And Afridi did not disappoint, as he scored a century in just 37 balls. Afridi hit six boundaries and eleven sixes during his memorable innings.

Only player to hit a six of the first ball in a test match: This feat was achieved by run machine Chris Gayle of West Indies. No one had ever dreamt of this in the 100 plus years of cricket, but Chris Gayle did it without much effort. The six of the first ball of a test match came in 2012 when West Indies was playing againstBangladesh.

First Indian cricketer to get a kiss during a test match: This was Abbas Ali Baig, who got the kiss when playing against Australia in 1960. The test match was being played at the Brabourne Stadium. As soon as Baig completed his half-century, a girl came running to the ground and planted a kiss on Baig’s cheek.

Vinod Kambli’s run rate is higher than Sachin in test cricket: You may call this a technicality, but it’s true nonetheless. Vinod Kambli’s average in test matches is 54.20 and that of Sachin Tendulkar is 53.78. However, it is important to note that Kambli played only 17 test matches whereas Sachin has played more than 200 test matches.

Out for duck, three times in the first ball of test match: This was the great test batsman Sunil Gavaskar, who has scored 34 test centuries and has more than 10,000 runs. But, even Gavaskar had gotten out of the first ball of test match and this happened thrice in his career. This clearly shows that cricket is highly unpredictable. This is also the reason why people love it so much.

Bat all 5 days in a test match: This feat has been achieved by only 2 Indian players – ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri. Jaisimha did it in 1959 while playing against Australia at Calcutta. Shastri did it in 1984 while paying against England at Calcutta.

Represent both India and England in test match: This title is held by Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, who most people know as the father of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.

Get legendary Don Bradman out hit-wicket in a test match: The credit for this goes to Lala Amarnath. He is the only one to have achieved such a feat. It happened during a test match being played at Brisbane in 1948.

Deja Vu: India won the World Cup in 1983 and three years later, in 1986, the Indian side also won its first ever Test at Lord’s. This pattern repeated 28 years later, when India won their second World Cup in 2011. They also won their second ever Test at Lord’s three years later in 2014.

Only country to win all modern cricket versions: India is the only country to have won all the various versions of the World Cup, including the 60-Over, 50-Over and 20-Over match tournaments.

Matching birth date and runs scored: This may just be a coincidence, but it is remarkable to say the least. England cricketer Alec Stewart’s date of birth is 8-4-63 and the runs he scored in his test career is 8463.

Jack of all trades: Kenya’s Asif Karim holds the record of being the only cricketer who has represented his country in both international cricket and international tennis.

Life starts at 52: England cricketer Wilfred Rhodes was so passionate about cricket that he continued to play test matches till the age of 52.

Resilience is thy name: Australian cricketer Allan Border holds the record of playing 153 consecutive test matches.

Knight in shining armor: The only Indian cricketer to be knighted was the Maharajkumar of Vizianagram. He received the title in 1936 by King Edward VIII. However, he renounced the title after India got independence in 1947.

Nothing changed in a hundred years: The first test match between Australia and England was held in 1877 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In this match, Australia defeated England by 45 runs. A hundred years later, in 1977, both teams played again at the same venue and the results were again the same. Australia defeated England by exactly 45 runs.

A test match that turned out to be an ODI: In 2000, England were playing against West Indies at Lord’s in a test match. However, all four innings of the test match were played on the same day. Something similar happened 11 years later, when South Africa were playing against Australia in a test match at Cape Town.

Being the witness: There is only one person in this entire world who has witnessed the 10-wicket achievement of both Jim Laker and Anil Kumble. That person is Richard Stokes. Stokes was just 10 years old when he witnessed the unfolding of the 10 wicket saga by Jim Laker during the 1956 Old Trafford Test against Australia. Surprisingly, 43 years later, Stokes also witnessed Anil Kumble, as he took 10 wickets during a test match against Pakistan. What is even more surprising is that these are the only two test matches that Stokes has watched in his entire life.

What seeing 11:11 means: It was a fantastic coincidence on 11/11/11, when South Africa was playing against Australia in a test match at Cape Town. At exactly 11:11, on 11/11/11, 111 runs were needed by South Africa to win the match. People were just spellbound with seeing the scoreboard all filled up with 1111s.

Give yourself a birthday gift: Australian cricketer Peter Siddle holds the record of taking a hat-trick on his birthday. The hat-trick materializedduring a test match against England that was played at Brisbane in 2010.

Rogue one: The only cricketer ever to be dismissed for handling the ball and obstructing the field was Mohinder Amarnath.

Is cricket truly a gentleman’s game: The only cricketer who was hanged for murder was Leslie Hylton of West Indies. Hylton was held guilty of murdering his wife Lurlene.

Two with the same name: Indian test cricket has witnessed two people with the name of Robin Singh. Both also happen to have played only one test match each in their entire career. The first Robin Singh played his only test match against Zimbabwe in 1998. The next year, in 1999, the second Robin Singh played his only test match against New Zealand.

Sachin Tendulkar has also played for Pakistan: This is true, even if it appears to be some sort of fake news. It happened during a practice match that was being played between India and Pakistan at the Brabourne Stadium in 1987. Sachin Tendulkar had played as a substitute fielder for Pakistan during the match.