A cricket match is between two teams of eleven players. The pitch is 22 feet (20 meters) long and has a wicket at each end. Each wicket has two bails that are balanced on three stumps.
The bowler (a member of the fielding side) “bowls” the ball towards the wicket at the opposite end. The batting team’s players score runs when they hit the bowled ball with bats and run between the wickets. The bowling side attempts to stop this by keeping the ball in the field, getting it to one wicket and then dismissing each batter.
The bowling side can dismiss a batter by getting the ball to the stumps and releasing the bails. Or, the fielding team can catch a hit ball and hit a wicket before the batter crosses the crease line. The innings end when ten batters are out and the teams switch roles. In international matches, there is an additional umpire who assists in adjudicating the game, known as the “third umpire”.
Who invented Cricket?
Cricket dates back to British times. It was a relatively new game in India when it was first introduced. Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala, brought this game to prominence. He was a great fan of cricket and even had his own team. After his kingdom, cricket was his second love. Because of his passion for cricket, he was the one behind the golden era of cricket. His team Patiala XI, the best cricket team of that time, was his team and he was also the captain of the Indian team.
How many Countries play Cricket?
The ICC has more than 100 members which means cricket is being played in more than one hundred countries but only 12 sides are able to gain the Test status so far. The most successful and big cricket teams include England, Australia, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies.
Cricket is the national game of England and it was the first county to play this game. Each country has a cricket symbol that represents its cricket board.
Forms of Cricket
There are three types of cricket: T20 internationals, one-day internationals and test matches.
Five days are allotted for test matches. The players must be mentally and physically strong to play this game. The game is played in white t-shirts and pants. The players must play this game for at least ninety overs each day.
One-day internationals are played for fifty overs. This type of cricket can only be played for one day. It was first introduced in 1980.
T20 is the newest format for this game where each match has only 20 overs. This is a very interesting and entertaining game and is loved by millions.
Interesting Cricket Facts
More than 100 million cricket players are active in many countries, making it the second-most-popular sport in the world after football.
Cricket was introduced to many countries as the British Empire expanded in the 16th century.
Cricket is very popular in Australia, India, Pakistan, and South Africa.
As the sport has become more popular, countries like Canada, Ireland, Afghanistan, and Kenya have seen some success at the international level.
Cricket Games
For those who don’t have the patience or time to play cricket at a stadium or watch the game on TV, there are many excellent mobile/PC cricket games to choose from. These cricket games have evolved with time, and some of the best cricket games right now are World Cricket Championship 2 and 3, Real Cricket, Stick Cricket, and Ashes Cricket.