Here’s What You Don’t Know About Cricket – The Last Point Will Shock You

We can all agree that cricket is more than just a sport because it’s a culture, a passion, and a way of life. The sport has woven itself deeply into societies across the globe and has become one of the world’s leading sports. Despite that, there are many fascinating and little-known facts about it that not a lot of people are aware of. That’s why we’d like to share all of them.

Cricket is Older Than You Probably Think

One of the first things you probably don’t know about cricket is that it is old. The sport’s origins go back to the 16th century in England and the first recorded match took place in 1597 in Guildford, Surrey.

The sport kept evolving after that, and by the 18th century, it had become the country’s national sport. In other words, it was way more popular than football at that time. Even though this was many years ago, many people continue to be interested in it and follow everything, which is why they often want to know the updated toss prediction for today

and other information about some of the hottest cricket games. The sport is so popular that it has become a fan-favorite among bettors as well. 

Based on the stats, cricket is one of the oldest continuously played sports in the world that has evolved over centuries. 

The Longest Cricket Match Lasted 12 Days

You are probably aware that cricket is very specific because it has different formats, each with its own rules. One format is a lot longer than the rest, which is why there have been many cases of very long matches. With that said, the current record belongs to England and South Africa because a match between the two lasted for 12 days.

The game took place in 1939 and lasted 10 playing days. The most interesting part is that it ended in a draw because the English club had to go back home and was supposed to catch a boat.

Following this incident, cricket’s rules changed and the current Test matches are limited to 5 days.

Cricket Bats Have More in Them than Just Wood

Many people who do not have much experience with this sport assume that all cricket bats are made entirely of wood. While willow wood is indeed the “main ingredient” in the bats, it is not the only thing inside because they are also reinforced with cane.

Numerous tests have shown that the combination of willow wood and cane makes the bath more flexible and stronger. It allows players to hit massive sixes without snapping it in half. 

Another interesting fact about bats is that the ICC had to regulate their size after the new tech became available. Bats became too powerful for bowlers to handle, which is why limitations exist. 

Cricket’s Largest Stadium is in India

Considering that cricket is a sport that originated in England, many people would assume that the country also has the largest stadium. This, however, is not the case because the title belongs to India. While the Lord’s in England is massive, it is not as big as the Narendra Modi Stadium located in Ahmedabad, India. 

Based on the stats, the stadium in India can welcome over 132,000 fans. This is really impressive because it makes it bigger than many of the football stadiums around the world. Cricket is very popular in India and the country has the largest population on Earth, so it’s no surprise that there are different large stadiums.

Cricket’s Slang

Like all other sports, cricket has its own slang that you have to get used to if you want to play or watch. Things like yorker, googly, silly point and maiden over are just some of the things that you will hear all the time.

The quirky vocabulary definitely makes cricket more interesting to watch. It also makes the sport feel like a secret society with its own words because only people who follow it can understand what the others want to say. 

All Cricket Balls are hand-stitched 

The cricket ball is incredibly important, and it’s safe to say it can be considered a strategic weapon. It has undergone many changes over the years, but today, the ball is made of cork and leather. The most impressive part is that every single ball is hand-stitched and has a raised seam.

An interesting fact about cricket balls is that they change their behavior over time. Once they are new, these balls favor fast bowlers, but once they get older, they help spinners grip the pitch. What’s also interesting is that the balls can behave differently depending on whether they are polished or scuffed on one side.

Due to these characteristics, many teams are very careful and come up with new strategies when there is a new ball on the pitch.

Cricket Can Be Played Without a Ball

The next interesting cricket fact that many of you may not be fully aware is that the sport itself can be played without a ball. India is a good example for this because you can find all kinds of stadiums and playgrounds throughout the country where players use a rubber ball or even a rolled-up sock. There are even bats made out of coconut branches, especially in places like the Caribbean.

The sport is very flexible and this is one of the big reasons why it remains a solid choice for millions of fans and players.

Cricket has Stopped Wars

If you are interested in history, you probably know that cricket has been incredibly important over the years. It is more than just a sport because many have used it as a diplomatic tool. Today, this is very clear in the matches between India and Pakistan because they are more than just a game.

What’s also interesting is that cricket has been used to stop wards. The first time this happened was in 1971, a time when there was massive pressure between South Africa and Australia because of apartheid. 

The second time cricket did something like this was in the India vs Pakistan match in 2004.