Cricket History and Facts

Brian Lara holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket with 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994. This remains the highest score in first-class cricket history.

Chris Gayle scored the first international T20 century (117 runs) against South Africa in the first-ever T20 World Cup in 2007. This historic innings set the benchmark for T20 batting.

Virender Sehwag scored 175 in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka, which remains the highest individual score in World Cup finals. His aggressive opening batting was crucial to India's victory.

Mike Gatting was the batsman facing Shane Warne's 'Ball of the Century' during the 1993 Ashes Test at Old Trafford. The delivery spun sharply to bowl Gatting and became legendary.

Tatenda Taibu became Zimbabwe's captain at age 20, breaking the previous record held by Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi of India, who was 21 when he became captain. Pataudi, also known as the 'Tiger', led India in the 1960s and set the benchmark for young captains in international cricket.

Ajit Wadekar was India's first ODI captain, leading the team in their inaugural one-day international match against England at Headingley in 1974. Wadekar was a prominent figure in Indian cricket and had previously captained the Test team as well.

Sachin Tendulkar was selected for the Indian national cricket team at age 16. He made his international debut in 1989 against Pakistan, becoming one of the youngest players to represent India at the international level and beginning a legendary career that spanned 24 years.

Brian Lara holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket with 501 runs scored for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994. This legendary innings broke the previous record of 499 held by Hanif Mohammad and remains unsurpassed in first-class cricket history.

Chris Gayle scored the first international T20 century (117 off 57 balls) against South Africa in the inaugural ICC World T20 2007. Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, and Sanath Jayasuriya (misspelled as 'jaisurya') all scored centuries later but were not the first. The question should specify it was in the inaugural T20 World Cup.

Shane Warne's 'Ball of the Century' was bowled to Mike Gatting during the 1993 Ashes series, with the ball pitching outside leg stump and spinning sharply to hit the top of off stump. Sachin Tendulkar, David Boon, and Sir Donald Bradman were not facing this delivery. Bradman had retired decades before Warne's career.