Cricket History and Facts

According to Twenty20 cricket rules, if the fielding team doesn't start bowling the 20th over within 75 minutes, the batting side is awarded 6 extra runs for every whole over bowled after the 75-minute mark. This penalty was designed to ensure teams maintained an adequate over rate. The other options (4, 10, or variable runs) are incorrect.

In Twenty20 cricket, a new batsman has 1 minute 30 seconds to reach the crease after a wicket falls. This time limit is part of the laws of cricket to maintain the game's pace. The options of 1 minute, 2 minutes 15 seconds, or 'none of these' are incorrect.

Chris Gayle scored the first century in T20 International cricket, achieving this feat against South Africa in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20. He also holds the record for most sixes in a T20 innings with 10 sixes, which he hit in his 175-run knock for Pune Warriors India in the IPL in 2013.

Among these legendary Indian cricketers, V.V.S. Laxman is the only one who never captained the Indian cricket team in international matches. Mohammed Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar all served as captains of India at various points in their careers, making Laxman the odd one out in this context.

Graeme Pollock (South Africa, 1963-1970) has the second-highest Test batting average of 60.97, behind only Bradman's 99.94. George Headley averaged 60.83, Garfield Sobers 57.78, and Wally Hammond 58.45 - all great but not second to Bradman. Pollock played just 23 Tests but maintained this extraordinary average.

Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest Indian Test centurion at 17 years and 107 days, but not the youngest overall. The record belongs to Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan) at 17 years and 78 days in 1960-61. The statement is therefore false.

Hanif Mohammad scored 337 in Pakistan's second innings against West Indies in Bridgetown, 1957-58. This was the first triple century ever recorded in a team's second innings in Test cricket history.

Don Bradman scored 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes series. Wally Hammond holds the second-highest aggregate with 905 runs in the 1928-29 series against Australia. Len Hutton, Mark Taylor, and Viv Richards never held this record.

Vinod Kambli reached 1000 Test runs in just 14 innings (1993-94), which remains an Indian record. He achieved this faster than Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, or Kris Srikkanth.

In the 1983 World Cup final, Mohinder Amarnath took the final wicket of Michael Holding to seal India's historic victory. The West Indies were chasing 184 and were bowled out for 140, with Amarnath claiming 3 for 12.

Sourav Ganguly's highest individual scores were 239 in Test cricket (against Pakistan in Bangalore, 2007) and 183 in ODIs (against Sri Lanka in 1999, then a record for India). These were his career-best innings in respective formats.

Sourav Ganguly scored 16 centuries in Test matches and 22 centuries in One Day Internationals during his international cricket career for India. This makes option D (16,22) the correct answer.

Irfan Pathan achieved the historic feat of taking a hat-trick in the very first over of a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi (2006), dismissing Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Mohammad Yousuf.

Brian Lara is the odd one out because he is from the West Indies, while the other three cricketers are all captains who led their countries to Cricket World Cup victories: Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka, 1996), Steve Waugh (Australia, 1999), and Kapil Dev (India, 1983). Lara, despite his legendary status, never captained a World Cup-winning team.

Brian Lara is the odd one out among these cricket legends. Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka), Steve Waugh (Australia), and Kapil Dev (India) were all captains who led their countries to World Cup victories. Brian Lara (West Indies), despite being one of the greatest batsmen ever, never captained his team to a World Cup win.