{"id":2326,"date":"2026-10-13T21:06:49","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T15:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tiwaripedia.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/13\/incredible-facts-about-cricket\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T21:18:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T15:48:22","slug":"incredible-facts-about-cricket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tiwaripedia.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/13\/incredible-facts-about-cricket\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Incredible Facts About Cricket, India’s Favourite Sport"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated: October 2026 \u00b7 3 min read<\/em><\/p>\n

For millions of Indians, cricket is more than a game; it is a festival. Here are 12 incredible facts about the sport, from its English village roots to the billion-dollar IPL.<\/p>\n

\"Infographic:
12 Incredible Facts About Cricket, India’s Favourite Sport \u2013 infographic by Tiwaripedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

12 incredible facts about cricket<\/h2>\n

1. It began in England<\/h3>

Cricket was played in south-east England by the 16th century and became the national summer sport by the 18th.<\/p>

2. The first Test match was in 1877<\/h3>

Australia played England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 1877; Australia won by 45 runs.<\/p>

3. India played its first Test in 1932<\/h3>

Led by C.K. Nayudu, India faced England at Lord’s.<\/p>

4. India won the 1983 World Cup<\/h3>

Kapil Dev’s team beat the West Indies at Lord’s, changing cricket in India forever.<\/p>

5. India has won major ICC titles many times<\/h3>

Including the ODI World Cups of 1983 and 2011, the T20 World Cups of 2007 and 2024, and the Champions Trophy in 2002 (shared), 2013 and 2025.<\/p>

6. Sachin Tendulkar scored 100 international centuries<\/h3>

51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs, a record no one has matched.<\/p>

7. The first ODI happened by accident<\/h3>

In 1971, rain washed out a Melbourne Test, so the teams played a one-day match instead.<\/p>

8. The IPL began in 2008<\/h3>

The Indian Premier League quickly became one of the world’s richest sports leagues, with media rights worth billions of dollars.<\/p>

9. A ball can travel over 150 km\/h<\/h3>

Fast bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar have been clocked above 160 km\/h.<\/p>

10. Rohit Sharma holds the highest ODI score<\/h3>

264 runs against Sri Lanka in Kolkata in 2014.<\/p>

11. Women’s cricket is booming<\/h3>

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) launched in 2023, and India’s women’s team draws record crowds and viewership.<\/p>

12. Cricket returns to the Olympics<\/h3>

T20 cricket will be part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, its first Olympic appearance since 1900.<\/p>\n

Cricket formats at a glance<\/h2>\n
Format<\/th>Overs\/duration<\/th>Started<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Test<\/td>Up to 5 days, two innings each<\/td>1877<\/td><\/tr>
ODI<\/td>50 overs per side<\/td>1971<\/td><\/tr>
T20<\/td>20 overs per side<\/td>2003 (domestic), 2005 (international)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n

Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n

Who is called the God of Cricket?<\/h3>\n

Sachin Tendulkar, for his records and influence on Indian cricket.<\/p>\n

Which is the largest cricket stadium?<\/h3>\n

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with a capacity of about 1.3 lakh spectators.<\/p>\n

Who governs world cricket?<\/h3>\n

The International Cricket Council (ICC), headquartered in Dubai.<\/p>\n

Keep exploring<\/h2>\n