Cricket Facts: 10 Unknown and Interesting facts about cricket

Cricket is a game of facts and records. Over the past 150 years, the game has seen various kinds of records being created and toppled with every great performance. Each such performance carves a special place for itself in the history books. With time, such records and stats become cricket facts.

Here's a look at 10 interesting facts about cricket:

1. Length of the Cricket pitch

In the history of more than 150 years of Test cricket, the length of the cricket pitch has remained unchanged. The length of the pitch which was 22 yards when the first Test was played in 1877, continues to remain the same even after more than 150 years of Test cricket. The length of the cricket pitch in feet is 66ft.

2. Dravid featured in Ganguly's each Test match of his career

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly represented in 113 Tests for India. In each of his Test appearances for India, Rahul Dravid was a regular featuring the playing XI.

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3. Alec Stewart, born on 8-4-63, ended with 8463 Test runs

Former England cricketer Alec Stewart, who was born on April 8, 1963 (8-4-63), ended up scoring 8463 runs in his entire Test career.

4. India was the first team to win the ICC World Cup as hosts in 2011

In ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India became the first team to win a Cricket World Cup on home soil. Post India's 2011 World Cup triumph at home, Australia and England were the other two teams to win a home World Cup in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

5. Australia defeated England in the inaugural and the centenary Test match by 45 runs

In the first-ever Test match in 1877, Australia defeated England by a margin of 45 runs. However, even in the centenary Test match in 1977, Australia once again got the better of England by a similar margin of 45 runs. Both the Tests were played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.

6. Sachin Tendulkar played for Pakistan before playing for India

Sachin Tendulkar, who made his India debut in 1989, had previously played for Pakistan before making his India debut. In a practice match between India and Pakistan at the Brabourne Stadium in 1987, Sachin fielded for Pakistan as a substitute fielder.

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7. Shortest ever Test match WI vs ENG was played in Antigua, 2009

In the 2009 Test series between West Indies and England in the Caribbean, the second Test match at North Sound in Antigua lasted merely 1.4 overs. The match was called off due to a harmful outfield. The outfield was declared unfit as bowlers faced issues while running-in at their run-up. The Antigua Test match between West Indies and England also happens to be the shortest ever Test match at the international level.

8. Sanath Jayasuriya has picked more ODI wickets than Shane Warne

Yes, it is true that Sanath Jayasuriya picked more ODI wickets than ace leg-spinner Shane Warne. Sanath recorded 323 wickets with his orthodox left-arm spin while Warne ended with a tally of 293 wickets in his ODI career.

9. Sunil Gavaskar scored three ducks in his Int'l career, all were golden ducks

Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman to breach the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket. Gavaskar, who was renowned for his batting against some of the best bowling attacks, secured three golden ducks in his entire Test career.

10. Virat Kohli is the first player to win top-3 ICC awards in the same year (2018)

Indian skipper Virat Kohli became the first cricketer in 2018 to win all the top-3 ICC Awards in the same year, In 2018, Kohli was nominated as the ICC Cricketer of the Year, ICC ODI Player, along with ICC Test player of the year. Kohli's invincible run at the international level paved his way to such a feat in 2018.