Cricket is a gentleman's game. There is no doubt in the fact that the game has played a role in uniting people within and across nations. The game, which originated in England and the West Indies been a source of drama, tension, thrill, and entertainment over the years.
Cricket and fun go hand in hand. The game is loved by the Indians and has immense popularity among both kids and adults alike. If you're a fan of cricket and general trivia, this is for you. Let's look at some of the fun facts about the game we worship.
Cricket was played with a wool ball
Yes, the first cricket ball ever was made of wool. It is because, in England, shepherds used to go to their grasslands with and to spend time, they used to make woolen balls and play with them. When cricket became popular in the villages of England, woolen balls were replaced by leather balls because of their durability.
A match that lasted 14 days
We often see people complaining that the longer format of the game makes it boring as it lasts for five days but do you know the longest cricket match lasted for 14 days. In 1939, a match between South Africa and England went on for several days because of heavy rainfall. Every cricket fan knows about the weather of English soil and how it has affected several important games in the past 14 days!!
Srilanka VS Australia in tests
Okay, here is the most shocking fact of all,Srilanka has won only one test vs Australia, in their entire cricketing history. You read that right. Srilanka, a team that has produced some big names like SanathJayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, ArjunaRanatunga, etc. has only won one time against the Aussies in tests which happened in 1999.
India and World cups
India is the only country that has won a 60 overs world cup (1983), a 50 overs world cup (2011), and a 20 overs world cup (2007). India won its first world cup under the leadership of Kapil Dev in 1983 by defeating the mighty West Indies. The rest two are won under MS Dhoni, the most successful Indian captain in terms of winning ICC Trophies.
Cricket is considered as the second most popular in the world - next after Football. The game is played between many nations now and in the future, there is a good chance that its popularity will increase in the West.
