Explore the fascinating realm of cricket statistics through our daily updates on extraordinary cricket records and stats. While cricket stats have always been a source of intriguing numbers, we invite you to discover a side that transcends the ordinary. Get ready to be astonished as we delve into the world of incredible cricket statistics that may seem too good to be true but are indeed legitimate records.
Were you aware that George Bailey debuted as the captain for Australia in T20Is? Or that Sachin Tendulkar has more 5-fers in ODIs than Shane Warne? These are just a glimpse of the mind-bending statistics we’ll delve into in this article.
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Top 5 Incredible Cricket Stats That Seem Unbelievable but Are Absolutely Real
5. 21 Consecutive Maiden Overs in Test Cricket
Imagine a Test cricket scenario where a bowler delivers an incredible 21 consecutive maiden overs in a single innings. This extraordinary feat actually took place when Bapu Nadkarni achieved the remarkable feat against England in Chennai during the 1964 Test match.
On January 12, 1964, spectators witnessed a marathon of defensive play as Ken Barrington and Brian Bolus faced Bapu Nadkarni, who bowled an astounding 131 consecutive balls without conceding a single run.
In the realms of notorious misers, both in history and fiction, from Michaelangelo to Andrew Carnegie and even Ebenezer Scrooge, Bapu Nadkarni earned his place in this peculiar hall of fame through his remarkable display on the cricket field.
Nadkarni’s career economy rate of 1.67 ranks second only to Trevor Goddard among bowlers with more than 30 Test wickets. Facing Nadkarni’s left-arm spin left batsmen with only two scoring options: nil and negligible.
Even by his own stringent standards, Nadkarni reached the pinnacle of tight-fistedness during the 1964 Test in Madras, surpassing his performances against Pakistan four years earlier. His figures of 32-24-23-0 at Kanpur and 34-24-24-1 at Delhi were overshadowed by this exceptional display.
4. Indian All-Rounder Surpassing Cricket Legends in 50+ Scores in ICC Finals
Here the ‘Lord’ referred to as is none other than Lord Shardul Thakur. The surprising cricket statistic involving ‘Lord’ Shardul Thakur may not astonish many who are familiar with his prowess. The Indian all-rounder has achieved more 50+ scores in ICC finals than the combined total of Matthew Hayden, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid, and Chris Gayle.
Shardul Thakur faced early criticisms in his cricket journey, initially for his perceived lack of height for a fast bowler (standing at 5 ft 9 in) and, at times, for being overweight (weighing 83 kg). Despite these challenges, he earned a spot in the Mumbai domestic team, showcasing his determination and skill.
An interesting note in his career was when Thakur became the second Indian cricketer to don the number 10 jersey after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. This choice sparked controversy on social media, leading him to eventually switch to jersey number 54. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later retired Tendulkar’s No. 10 jersey on November 29, 2017.
Thakur’s Test debut came in October 2018 against the West Indies, making him the 294th player to represent Team India in Tests. Unfortunately, his debut was cut short after bowling only 10 deliveries due to a groin strain in his right leg. However, he made a significant impact in the historic Gabba Test Win against Australia, scoring 67 in the first innings and taking a total of 7 wickets in the match.
3. Highest ODI Score Without Scoring a Single Boundary
In a feat that might seem implausible even in Test cricket, former New Zealand batsman Adam Parore achieved a unique milestone in ODI cricket. He holds the distinction of scoring the highest ODI total without hitting a single boundary.
Parore crafted a patient innings of 96 runs off 138 deliveries without a boundary, batting at No.3 against India in Vadodara. Although his efforts contributed to New Zealand’s total of 269/4, India emerged victorious in the match. Some speculate that had Parore displayed more aggression, the Kiwis might have had a better chance of winning.
This level of patience in an innings is rare, and not even someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, known for his Test match resilience, has demonstrated this kind of restraint.
After more than a decade representing New Zealand, Parore retired from international cricket, with his last Test match played against England in Auckland in 2002.
2. Tim Southee is the Player with Most Sixes Hit in Test Cricket
It might sound unbelievable, but it’s true! New Zealand’s experienced pacer and current Test skipper, Tim Southee, has an impressive record of hitting more sixes in Test cricket than renowned batsman AB de Villiers.
On August 26, 2019, while achieving the significant milestone of 250 Test wickets, Southee also reached another, albeit less highlighted, landmark that surprises many. He notched up his 70th six in Test cricket, surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s count. Southee continued his six-hitting spree by adding one more in the same test against Sri Lanka, bringing his tally to 72 sixes in Tests.
As it stands, the Kiwi pacer boasts 82 sixes in red-ball cricket, outpacing De Villiers, who has 64 maximums to his name. In this remarkable feat, Southee has left behind cricketing greats like Ian Botham who has 67 sixes in 102 Tests, Shahid Afridi 52 sixes in 27 tests , Sachin Tendulkar with 70 sixes in 200 tests , MS Dhoni, and Ricky Ponting, among other big-hitters in the international game. Truly unbelievable!
1. Indian Batting Legend has Bowled More ODI Deliveries than Shoaib Akhtar
The world of cricket has witnessed numerous superstars, with Sachin Tendulkar’s batting brilliance and Shoaib Akhtar’s fearsome pace standing out. Tendulkar set records with 15,921 and 18,426 runs in Tests and ODIs, respectively, while Akhtar took 444 wickets across all formats before retiring from international cricket. Despite Tendulkar’s renowned batting prowess during his 24-year career, he holds a unique bowling record compared to Akhtar.
Beyond being a batting legend, Tendulkar showcased his versatility as a handy bowler. Despite bowling 3,661 fewer balls than Akhtar’s total of 15,970 in international cricket, Tendulkar bowled more in the 50-over format. In ODIs, Tendulkar sent down 8,054 deliveries compared to Akhtar’s 7,764. This means Tendulkar bowled 290 balls, equivalent to 48.2 overs, more than the former speedster.
However, when comparing their strike rates in ODIs, Akhtar (31.4) holds the edge over Tendulkar (52.2). Despite Tendulkar’s greater volume of deliveries, Akhtar was more effective in terms of taking wickets in the limited-overs format.
