Cricket is one of the most prestigious games in the world. There are lots of interesting, amazing and funny incidents happened in the history of cricket and we have listed top 100 facts about cricket. Today we’ll see first part of 100 cricket facts one should know series.
10. Four debuts in 1989 India-Pakistan series
In the first test match of Pakistan vs India 1989 series, 2-2 players from each team made debut in the international test cricket. From India Sachin Tendulkar and Salil Ankola whereas Pakistan’s Waqar Younis and Shahid Saeed played their first test matches for respective countries at National Stadium in Karachi from 15 to 19 November, 1989.
The fact is two players out of these 4 reach at the height of sport whereas two failed completely. Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis shine like sun in their respective fields whereas Shahid Saeed and Salil Ankola career went into the darkness.
Sachin Tendulkar 15,921 runs in played 200 test cricket matches. This is the most number of runs by any cricketer in the history of game. On the other hand Waqar Younis took 373 wickets in played 87 matches.
9. Rahul and Sachin’s test century record
Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid share the record of scoring most test centuries for India playing against England. Both cricketers scored 7 centuries each against England team.
The amazing fact about this record is that both players have got same figures while scoring these hundreds against England. The only difference is that their highest score is not same.
| Player | Matches | Innings | Not Out | Runs | Hundreds | Average | Highest |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 7 | 7 | 2 | 982 | 7 | 196.40 | 217 |
| Rahul Dravid | 7 | 7 | 2 | 982 | 7 | 196.40 | 193 |
8. Suresh Raina’s Twenty20 centuries
India’s Suresh Raina scored two T20 hundreds on the same date 2 May in 2010 and 2013. He scored first T20 international hundred against South Africa in ICC world Twenty20 match on May 2, 2010 whereas he scored his first IPL ton on 2 May, 2013 against Kings XI Punjab.
| Date | Match | T20 hundred | Batting team score | Man of the Match |
| 2 May, 2010 | India vs South Africa | Raina hit 1st T20I ton | India score – 186 | Suresh Raina |
| 2 May, 2013 | CSK vs KXIP | Raina hit his 1st IPL ton | CSK score – 186 | Suresh Raina |
7. Double ton in 99th test
Cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman scored double centuries while playing their respective 99th test for India.
| Year | Player | Opposition | Score | Venue |
| 1983 | Sunil Gavaskar | West Indies | 236* | Chennai |
| 2007 | Sourav Ganguly | Pakistan | 239 | Bangalore |
| 2008 | VVS Laxman | Australia | 200* | New Delhi |
6. Clark, Cook test records conflicts that of Sachin
When Australia’s Michael Clarke and England’s Alistair Cook completed their 100 test cricket matches respectively, it was found that adding their runs and hundreds we get the test career stats of Master Blaster Sachin Tendkular.
| Matches | Runs | Centuries | |
| Michael Clarke | 100 | 7966 | 26 |
| Alistair Cook | 100 | 7955 | 25 |
| Total | 200 | 15921 | 51 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 200 | 15921 | 51 |
5. India-Pakistan Asia Cup matches similarities
India vs Pakistan Australia-Asia Cup 1985-86 and Asia Cup 2014 matches have quite similarities.
| Australia-Asia Cup 1985-86 | Asia Cup 2014 |
| Neutral Venue | Neutral Venue |
| Pakistan chose to field first | Pakistan chose to field first |
| India scored 245 | India scored 245 |
| K Srikkanth (opener) hit 2 sixes | Rohit Sharma (opener) hit 2 sixes |
| 3 Indian batsmen scored fifties | 3 Indian batsmen scored fifties |
| 2 run outs in Pakistan innings | 2 run outs in Pakistan innings |
| 10 number Pak batsman Zulqamain bowled by C Sharma on the first ball. | 10 number Pak batsman Ajmal bowled by R Ashwin on the first ball. |
| 11 number Pak batsman Tauseef took needed single to give Miandad the strike. | 11 number Pak batsman Junaid took needed single to give Afridi the strike. |
| C Sharma took 3 wickets and bowled last over | R Ashwin took 3 wickets and bowled last over |
| Match ended in the last over | Match ended in the last over |
| Javed Miandad hit six to win the match. | Shahid Afridi hit six to win the match. |
| Miandad hit total 3 sixes in the innings. | Afridi hit total 3 sixes in the innings. |
| Pakistan won by 1 wicket | Pakistan won by 1 wicket |
4. Batsmen got “Retiring out” decision
This was one of the most mind blowing events in the history of test cricket when two batsmen were given retiring out. Former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya made Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene retiring out. It was Asian Test Championship’s second test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh played at Colombo in 2001.
Atapattu 201(259) retired out.
Jayawardene 150(115) retired out.
3. c Mahela Jayawardene b Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan and Mahela Jayawardene is the most successful pair in the fall of wicket attribute of test cricket history. It means “c Mahela Jayawardene b Muttiah Muralitharan” happened on 77 occasions in the test history.
77 times Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan took wicket when the catch was taken by fielder Mahela Jayawardene. (Note: here wicket-keeping pair is not considered)
2. 10 February, 2009 (Brotherhood Day)
This was the first occasion when two teams won matches because of the crucial partnership between two brothers present in their respective rosters.
T20 Match: India vs Sri Lanka (Pathan brothers Irfan and Yusuf won it for India)
ODI Match: Australia vs New Zealand (Hussey brothers Michael and David won it for Australia).
1. First TV replay dismissal
Sachin Tendulkar was the first cricketer to be dismissed by third umpire using television replays. Karl Liebenberg was the third umpire.
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