Cricket History and Facts

Sachin Tendulkar scored 319 runs in the 2011 World Cup, facing 328 balls across 9 matches. This statistic is well-documented from tournament records.

In the 2011 IPL (IPL 4) auction, Gautam Gambhir was the highest-paid player overall. Among non-Indian players, Mahela Jayawardene was the highest-paid (bought for $1.5 million). Graeme Smith was not the highest-paid non-Indian player.

Wasim Akram was injured and couldn't play the 1996 World Cup quarter-final against India in Bangalore. Aamir Sohail captained Pakistan in that match, which India won by 39 runs. Saeed Anwar, Salim Malik, and Waqar Younis were players but not captains for that specific game.

Eddo Brandes, a chicken farmer by profession, was a key bowler for Zimbabwe and took 14 wickets in the 1992 World Cup, placing him among the top wicket-takers of the tournament.

Javed Miandad played in 6 consecutive World Cups from 1975 to 1996, matching Sachin Tendulkar's later record of 6 consecutive appearances (1992-2011). Desmond Haynes, Ian Botham, and Graeme Gooch played in fewer World Cups.

Brad Hogg was nicknamed 'Postman' because he 'always delivers' - a reference to his reliable left-arm wrist-spin bowling. The nickname played on the postal service motto. Shaun Tait, Adam Dale, and Ian Harvey have different nicknames.

Imran Tahir had an exceptional bowling average around 15-16 runs per wicket in ODIs by March 13, 2011, making him arguably the best among World Cup participants. Dale Steyn, Zaheer Khan, and Lasith Malinga, while great bowlers, had higher career averages at that point.

"No Holding Back" is the autobiography of legendary West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding, published in 2017. The title is a play on his surname and his aggressive bowling style. Clive Lloyd, Andy Roberts, and Wes Hall have written different autobiographies.

Yuvraj Singh scored his maiden T20I fifty against England in the 2007 World Cup (70 off 34 balls), but other Indian players had already scored fifties in T20 Internationals before him. India played their first T20I in December 2006, and players like Gautam Gambhir scored fifties in earlier matches.

Collins Obuya of Kenya was awarded Man of the Match for his brilliant batting performance against Australia in the 2011 World Cup. He scored a crucial 98 runs and helped Kenya post a competitive total, though Australia eventually won the match comfortably.

Graeme Smith was not the highest paid non-Indian cricketer in IPL 4. The highest paid overseas players in IPL 2011 auction were Gautam Gambhir (USD 2.4 million), Yusuf Pathan (USD 2.1 million), and Rohit Sharma (USD 2 million). Smith's base price was lower and he wasn't the top overseas buy.

Craig Kieswetter was Man of the Match in the 2010 World T20 final when England defeated Australia. He scored a crucial 63 runs and formed a match-winning partnership. Kieswetter was born in South Africa and did represent South Africa in the Under-19 World Cup before qualifying for England.

Aamir Sohail captained Pakistan against India in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final in Bangalore. Wasim Akram was the regular captain but was injured for this crucial match, so vice-captain Aamir Sohail led the team in his absence.