Cricket History and Facts

In the 1996 World Cup quarter-final in Bangalore, Aamer Sohul hit a four off Venkatesh Prasad and arrogantly pointed his bat to the boundary. Prasad then bowled him on the very next delivery - a famous moment of poetic justice in cricket history.

The 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final is one of cricket's most iconic moments. With Pakistan needing 4 runs off the final ball, Javed Miandad hit Chetan Sharma for a memorable six to win the match. This moment is etched in cricketing folklore.

Virender Sehwag holds the record for the highest individual score in India-Pakistan Test matches with his magnificent 309 at Multan in 2004. This was the first triple century by an Indian opener and established him as a dominant force against Pakistan's bowling attack.

Kapil Dev is the leading wicket-taker in India-Pakistan Test matches with 31 wickets. His relentless pace and ability to perform in high-pressure matches against their arch-rivals made him India's bowling spearhead for over a decade.

In the 1984 Sharjah match, India was bowled out for 125 but managed to defend this total successfully. Pakistan was bowled out for 87 in reply, giving India a memorable low-scoring victory. This match showcased India's ability to defend modest totals in tricky conditions.

Despite Pakistan winning the 1992 World Cup, they lost their group match against India. Sachin Tendulkar was the Man of the Match for his crucial performance. This was a rare instance where India beat Pakistan in a World Cup match despite Pakistan eventually winning the tournament.

M.S. Dhoni holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in ODIs against Pakistan with his magnificent 148 at Vishakapatnam in 2005. This innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting and helped India post a massive total.

In the 1999 World Cup Super Six match between India and Pakistan, Venkatesh Prasad delivered a match-winning performance. He took 5 wickets for 27 runs and was named both the leading wicket-taker and Man of the Match. His spell dismantled Pakistan's batting lineup and secured India's victory.

William Porterfield, the Irish cricketer, won the ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year award in 2009 for his consistent performances in ODIs. This award recognizes outstanding players from non-Test playing nations. John Davison and Dirk Nannes were notable associate players but did not win this specific award in 2009.

India's lowest ODI score is 54 all out, recorded against Sri Lanka in Tri-nation series at Colombo (SSC) on September 3, 2023. This broke the previous lowest of 74. The score represents a historic batting collapse.

Charlie Bannerman scored 165 runs in the first-ever Test match between Australia and England in 1877 at Melbourne. This was the inaugural Test match, making his century the first in cricket history. Bradman and Sobers are legends but played much later.

Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman to achieve 50 century partnerships in Test cricket. This milestone reflects his consistency and longevity at the top of Indian batting. Alan Border and Bradman were greats but didn't reach this specific partnership milestone first.

The 624-run partnership between Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara for Sri Lanka vs South Africa in 2006 remains the highest in Test cricket history. This record stood for many years and is considered one of cricket's greatest batting achievements.

According to MCC Laws of Cricket, a new ball must weigh between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (155.9-163 grams). This weight has been standardized to ensure consistency across all international and domestic cricket matches.