Facts of World Cricket

Rare facts about world Cricket!

1. Shahid Afridi used Sachin Tendulkar's bat to hit the fastest century in ODI

Shahid Afridi was flown in to play for the Pakistan team from West Indies to Nairobi in 1996 and didn't have a proper bat. That's when Waqar Younis gave 'Young Afridi' Sachin Tendulkar’s bat. Afridi hit 11 sixes and six boundaries with the bat and scored a 37-ball century against Sri Lanka which was the then fastest ODI century. The record, broken later by Corey Anderson (36 balls), now belongs to South Africa's AB de Villiers (31 balls).

2. Chris gayle is the only batsman to hit a six off the first of a Test Match.

In the 137 years of Test cricket no cricketer has ever hit a six off the first ball of a Test match. Audacious Chris Gayle achieved this feat against Bangladesh in 2012 off debutant Sohag Gazi.

3. Abbas Ali Baig was the first Indian cricketer to be kissed during a Test match

When Abbas Ali Baig reached a half-century 

in the third Test match against Australia at

 the Brabourne Stadium in 1960, 

a pretty young girl ran all the way 

from the North Stand to greet the batsman. 

She kissed Baig on his cheek

4. Vinod Kambli's Test match average is better than his childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar

Vinod Kambli played only 17 Test matches which included 

two back to back double tons. 

Kambli’s Test average is 54.20 

while his childhood friend Sachin 

Tendulkar averages 53.78 after 200 Tests.

5. Sunil Gavaskar was out off the first ball of a Test match thrice in his career

Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman to reach 

10,000 Test runs and he ended his career scoring 

34 Test centuries. But did you know he was out 

three times off the first ball of a Test? 

The bowlers to dismiss him were:

 Geoff Arnold (Edgbaston, 1974), 

Malcolm Marshall (Kolkata, 1984)

 and Imran Khan (Jaipur, 1987).

6. ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri are the only Indians to bat on all five days of a Test

7. The only cricketer to play Test cricket for India and England is Saif Ali Khan’s grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi

8. Lala Amarnath is the only bowler to dismiss Don Bradman hit wicket in Test cricket