10 Most feared fast bowlers in Cricket history

Generally cricket is known as the gentlemen’s game. Being played under strictly drafted rules both for the sport and spirit there is a very little room for the aggression. However when it comes to fast bowling, the flavor of aggressiveness automatically gets added. In fact fast bowling department without a touch of fearsome seems imperfect. Though there are parameters on how to keep even such aggression into the check, modern day cricket has evolved to be much more than a gentlemen’s game. There have been hundreds of pace bowlers in the history of sports representing every country. Some of them even claimed the title of being the fastest bowlers in the world. However a few of them were the most feared fast bowlers.

Bowling with pace is too mainstream but bowling in a way that batsman gets shivers while facing is the real fast bowling. Modern day fast bowlers might be accurate in taking wickets but they will never reach the level of terror their forerunners used to create. Similar case is with the cricket fans of today’s age. For them Wahab Riaz’s spell against Australia in World Cup 2015 would have been the most fearsome of their life. Although it was one of the aggressive spells in cricket history as the whole world applauded it, but never was it the best of all. Similarly Mitchell Johnson has been really aggressive lately especially in Ashes. Still he is not on top of the most feared fast bowlers list.

 10 most feared fast bowlers in cricket history can be accumulated as under. Like every other time, one can have the difference of opinions and any remarks will be highly appreciable.

10 Most feared fast bowlers in Cricket history

10. Mitchell Johnson

The Australian pacer might not have a reputation of being the most consistent. However when it comes to the most fearsome fast bowlers he is right there. In fact in modern day game he is the first one to introduce the factor. His performance against the arch rivals England during the 2013 Ashes series specifically made headlines as he showed his merciless facet. Apart from his bowling that series, he was also highly praised for the moustaches he especially grew to look fearsome. One of the fastest to have bowled the quickest delivery in Test matches can easily make batsmen dance on the pitch.

09. Curtly Ambrose

West Indies has a glaring past of aggressive cricket both in terms of bowling and batting. Although they do play the T20 format better than any side even today, the real reason for their dominance has faded. One of the reasons West Indies were the most dominant side in cricket world was its brutal fast bowling attack. The 6.8 feet tall bowler Curtly Ambrose was among the most feared fast bowlers from Caribbean side. His ability to produce abrupt bounce even on flat batting surfaces was his biggest weapon. Ambrose formed a partnership of legendary proportions with the other West Indian greats of his era. Especially he and Courtney Walsh together proved to be a handful for the strongest of oppositions.

08. Shoaib Akhtar

The former Pakistani pacer was undoubtedly one of the most feared fast bowlers in the world. Think of the pace he was capable of bowling at and your legs start trembling. The owner of the fastest delivery ever bowled in cricket history injured many player through his speedy bouncers. In fact the number of batsmen injured by him are the most in number. His performance against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar was exceptionally good getting him out on crucial moments. Akhtar’s career eventually came to an end as keeping the raw pace maintained for a long time is never an easy job.

07. Waqar Younis

The one half of the famous two Ws in cricket history Waqar Younis was considered to be the most feared fast bowlers ahead of Wasim Akram because of his accurate Yorkers. Wasim Akram was one of the greatest fast bowlers ever however a fling of distress to be physically hurt was absent in his bowling. On the other hand Waqar Younis was always on a hunt for batsmen’s toes. At times when bouncers are the greatest weapon of pacers, Waqar Younis went for the Yorkers. At times batsmen considered to let the ball hit stumps rather than breaking their toes.

06. Allan Donald

At his prime the former South African was easily one of the most feared fast bowlers. A complete fast bowling package loaded with pace, aggressiveness and variety Allan Donald was incredibly consistent in all formats of the game. Although injuries did not let him finish his career having the same pace, he was most fearsome during his peak. Not just pace but also stats depict exactly the quality he had in his bowling.

05. Jeff Thomson

The former Australian was one of the fastest bowlers in history with an unusual sling arm action. Although at that times his bowling action was considered to be a little bit of weird, he gained great success with that. At his prime Jeff was the lightening quick casing trouble to the many greatest of the game. Again injuries created barrier in his brutal fast bowling’s way at the decline of his career. Still his name was enough to terrorize the batsmen at times later on.

04. Andy Roberts

The West Indian was most famous for his knock-out bouncers aimed to the face of a batsman. His utmost lethal weapon was the pace however unlike many other pacers he loved to mix things up. Using slower deliveries to get the wickets. The pace was the result of great shoulders he possessed. However at times he successfully fooled batsmen when they got out on a slower one expecting him to bowl fast. Like many other his pace also faded away in his last year in cricket but at his prime he was indeed one of the most feared fast bowlers.

03. Michael Holding

Had there been technology to measure the bowling speed, Michael Holding would have easily claimed the crown of being the fastest of all. The Jamaican towering bowler was widely accepted to be the fastest ever in the history. Known as the ‘whispering death’ Holding was one of the most fearsome bowlers in history capable of producing immense pace on the deadest of pitches. Also unlike today’s pacers he did not believe in sledging and verbal tactics. For him actions clearly spoken louder than words.

02. Dennis Lillee

Alongside Jeffry Thomson, Lillee proved to be an iconic fast bowler in cricket history. His performance especially against England was always more than extraordinary. During each Ashes series of his career Dannis Lillee went on to destroy the English batting line up. He notched up the fear factor further through his famous moustaches and the hairband he often wore. He and Thomson used to push the speed barriers every time they bowl together creating troubles for the batsmen at will. In a 13-year career, Lillee took as many as 355 wickets while having played only 70 Tests and his average was an outstanding 23.92 with 23 five-wicket hauls.

01. Harold Larwood

One of the most notorious characters in cricket history Harold Larwood can be considered as the pioneers of fearsome fast bowling. One of the greatest of all most feared fast bowlers, Larwood ended the careers of at least two Australian batsmen and left some of the others badly battered. Player like legendary Don Bradman would look ordinary in front of him at times. His career ended in a controversial way although he claimed a staggering 33 wickets in 4 Tests of the Bodyline series. And the injuries he caused to Aussie batsmen was a bonus.

So who is your favorite Most feared fast bowlers in Cricket history?

Top 10 Batsmen with most test centuries in a Calendar year

Scoring hundreds in cricket on regular basis is a blessing for the batsmen. Also the consistency shows the good spell of form a player is going through. Test cricket, known as the classical version of cricket, is the best criterion for judging a player’s caliber. Scoring a century in a test match shows the class a player actually possesses. Similarly the caliber-test a batsman is put through the tough format of the game highlights the inner potential of a player. The reason test format gets the most significance lies in the quality of the game it produces. Test batsmen consider any century in the format as a great achievement as it earns them great reputation. However, not all the batsmen get to score many of test hundreds.

At one hand players strive to get excelled in test format on the other there are a few exceptionally skillful player who get to score most test centuries in a single year. Imagine a player struggling to reach 10 test hundreds of his career. Certainly it takes a lot of effort to score 10 hundreds in test format. On the other hand a batsman when in good touch does score 9 hundreds in a single year. Yes you heard it right. The record for the most test centuries in a calendar year is 9 hundreds. Scored by the former Pakistan middle order batsman  the record stands tall even after 10 years. The glorious spell in the player’s career came during the year 2006.

The next player in most test centuries list, is Ricky Ponting however the number of hundreds scored by him in a single year are far less than Muhammad Yousuf. Let’s find out.

Top 10 Batsmen with most test centuries in a Calendar year

Player	Year	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100
Mohammad Yousuf (PAK)	2006	11	19	1	1788	202	99.33	9
RT Ponting (AUS)	2006	10	18	3	1333	196	88.86	7
IVA Richards (WI)	1976	11	19	0	1710	291	90.00	7
PA de Silva (SL)	1997	11	19	3	1220	168	76.25	7
SR Tendulkar (INDIA)	2010	14	23	3	1562	214	78.10	7
DCS Compton (ENG)	1947	9	15	1	1159	208	82.78	6
ML Hayden (AUS)	2002	11	17	1	1160	197	72.50	6
RT Ponting (AUS)	2003	11	18	3	1503	257	100.20	6
TM Dilshan (SL)	2009	11	18	1	1097	162	64.52	6
DA Warner (AUS)	2014	9	18	0	1136	145	63.11	6

So Muhammad Yousuf is The Leader of This List of with most test centuries in a Calendar year.

Top 10 Fastest double centuries in Test cricket history

Fastest double centuries that too in test cricket? Sounds a bit offbeat but yes that is our concern today. Considering the nature of the game being played now days scoring a double century is a routine work. Not just in test matches but in limited overs game as well the race for the fastest double centuries is on. The situation gets even worse for the bowlers when it comes to T20 format. Although there hasn’t been an incident of double century in t20I but that day seems not too far. There are players capable of scoring even a double ton in t20 format. While in ODIs the feat has been done by many players. On the other hand double hundreds in tests is a common phenomenon. There are many players with over half a dozen double hundreds in Tests.

Balls faced

Balls	Batsman	Match	Location	Year
153	NJ Astle	New Zealand v England	Christchurch	2001-02
163	BA Stokes	England v South Africa	Cape Town	2015-16
168	V Sehwag	India v Sri Lanka	Mumbai	2009-10
182	V Sehwag	India v Pakistan	Lahore	2005-06
186	BB McCullum	Pakistan v New Zealand	Sharjah	2014-15
194	V Sehwag	India v South Africa	Chennai	2008
211	HH Gibbs	South Africa v Pakistan	Cape Town	2002-03
212	AC Gilchrist	Australia v South Africa	Johannesburg	2001-02
220	IT Botham	England v India	The Oval	1982
222	V Sehwag	India v Pakistan	Multan	2003-04
227	V Sehwag	India v Sri Lanka	Galle	2008
229	PA de Silva	Sri Lanka v Bangladesh	Colombo (PSS)	2002

Minutes

Minutes	Batsman	Match	Location	Year
214	DG Bradman	Australia v England	Leeds	1930
217	NJ Astle	New Zealand v England	Christchurch	2001-02
223	SJ McCabe	Australia v England	Nottingham	1938
226	VT Trumper	Australia v South Africa	Adelaide	1910-11
234	DG Bradman	Australia v England	Lord’s	1930
240	WR Hammond	England v New Zealand	Auckland	1932-33
241	SE Gregory	Australia v England	Sydney	1894-95
245	DCS Compton	England v Pakistan	Nottingham	1954

Although double centuries in test cricket is a mainstream feat scoring it in fewer balls in the real deal. In modern times nobody minds the aggressive approach even in test format. The aftereffects of T20 format are clearly visible in all other formats. Scoring over 400 runs in ODIs and hitting the fastest hundreds in tests are the fruits of T20 international cricket. Brendon McCullum on the other hand has already hit a ton on just 52 balls in his last test match to be named as the fastest century scorer in the format. However as far fastest double centuries are concerned the record is held by Kiwi batsman NJ Astle.

The player has hit a double century on just 153 balls against England. English all-rounder Ben Stokes also holds the record of one of the fastest double hundred in test cricket. The hard hitting batsman hit a double hundred against South Africa on just 163 balls earlier this year.

Top 10 Fastest double centuries in Test cricket history

Balls	Batsman	Match	Location	Year
153	NJ Astle	New Zealand v England	Christchurch	2001-02
163	BA Stokes	England v South Africa	Cape Town	2015-16
168	V Sehwag	India v Sri Lanka	Mumbai	2009-10
182	V Sehwag	India v Pakistan	Lahore	2005-06
186	BB McCullum	Pakistan v New Zealand	Sharjah	2014-15
194	V Sehwag	India v South Africa	Chennai	2008
211	HH Gibbs	South Africa v Pakistan	Cape Town	2002-03
212	AC Gilchrist	Australia v South Africa	Johannesburg	2001-02
220	IT Botham	England v India	The Oval	1982
222	V Sehwag	India v Pakistan	Multan	2003-04

Top 10 Highest partnerships in Test cricket history

Of very few things in cricket upon whom there is a universal agreement across all formats is to establish runs partnerships. Although in limited overs cricket especially in T20 format their importance gets faded because of the hasty nature of the game. However a total denial of the fact can never be agreed upon. In test format especially, the first and foremost purpose of a pair is to get going alongside each other for as long as possible. The highest opening partnerships in test cricket unarguably lay down the strongest foundations of a solid innings. No matter it is the first batting pair or the last one, establishing a highest runs partnership is always of much importance in test cricket.

The reason test batsmen, the one who perform exceptionally well in tests, get the reputation of best batsmen is quite obvious. Unlike players who perform in limited overs cricket those plying solid innings in test gather massive respect. That’s is almost a universal fact that test cricket is considered to be the sole criterion for any batsman’s credibility. The steady nature of test format tests the limits of a cricketer. The patience and temperament tried by the elongated version of cricket unveils the real skills of a batsman. On the other hand limited overs cricket does not require a crafted skill level as any seasonal player can make an impact by power-hitting in a few matches.

Highest partnership in test cricket feat for any wicket is held by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Both Sri Lankan gentlemen of the game scored a whopping 624 runs for the third wicket against South Africa. No wonder South African bowlers are the most generous in terms of conceding runs. Top 10 highest partnerships in Test format go as under.

Top Highest partnerships in Test cricket history

Highest partnerships by runs

Partners	Runs	Wkt		Team	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Scorecard
KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene	624	3rd		Sri Lanka	v South Africa	Colombo (SSC)	27 Jul 2006	Test # 1810
ST Jayasuriya, RS Mahanama	576	2nd		Sri Lanka	v India	Colombo (RPS)	2 Aug 1997	Test # 1374
AH Jones, MD Crowe	467	3rd		New Zealand	v Sri Lanka	Wellington	31 Jan 1991	Test # 1162
WH Ponsford, DG Bradman	451	2nd		Australia	v England	The Oval	18 Aug 1934	Test # 237
Mudassar Nazar, Javed Miandad	451	3rd		Pakistan	v India	Hyderabad (Sind)	14 Jan 1983	Test # 946
AC Voges, SE Marsh	449	4th		Australia	v West Indies	Hobart	10 Dec 2015	Test # 2193
CC Hunte, GS Sobers	446	2nd		West Indies	v Pakistan	Kingston	26 Feb 1958	Test # 450
MS Atapattu, KC Sangakkara	438	2nd		Sri Lanka	v Zimbabwe	Bulawayo	14 May 2004	Test # 1699
DPMD Jayawardene, TT Samaraweera	437	4th		Sri Lanka	v Pakistan	Karachi	21 Feb 2009	Test # 1909
JA Rudolph, HH Dippenaar	429*	3rd		South Africa	v Bangladesh	Chittagong	24 Apr 2003	Test # 1640
ND McKenzie, GC Smith	415	1st		South Africa	v Bangladesh	Chittagong	29 Feb 2008	Test # 1865
MH Mankad, P Roy	413	1st		India	v New Zealand	Chennai	6 Jan 1956	Test # 420
PBH May, MC Cowdrey	411	4th		England	v West Indies	Birmingham	30 May 1957	Test # 439
V Sehwag, R Dravid	410	1st		India	v Pakistan	Lahore	13 Jan 2006	Test # 1781
SG Barnes, DG Bradman	405	5th		Australia	v England	Sydney	13 Dec 1946	Test # 280
GS Sobers, FMM Worrell	399	4th		West Indies	v England	Bridgetown	6 Jan 1960	Test # 485
BA Stokes, JM Bairstow	399	6th		England	v South Africa	Cape Town	2 Jan 2016	Test # 2197
Qasim Umar, Javed Miandad	397	3rd		Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Faisalabad	16 Oct 1985	Test # 1026
WH Ponsford, DG Bradman	388	4th		Australia	v England	Leeds	20 Jul 1934	Test # 236
GM Turner, TW Jarvis	387	1st		New Zealand	v West Indies	Georgetown	6 Apr 1972	Test # 696
RT Ponting, MJ Clarke	386	4th		Australia	v India	Adelaide	24 Jan 2012	Test # 2031
SR Waugh, GS Blewett	385	5th		Australia	v South Africa	Johannesburg	28 Feb 1997	Test # 1356
L Hutton, M Leyland	382	2nd		England	v Australia	The Oval	20 Aug 1938	Test # 266
WM Lawry, RB Simpson	382	1st		Australia	v West Indies	Bridgetown	5 May 1965	Test # 589
HM Amla, JH Kallis	377*	3rd		South Africa	v England	The Oval	19 Jul 2012	Test # 2049
VVS Laxman, R Dravid	376	5th		India	v Australia	Kolkata	11 Mar 2001	Test # 1535
WJ Edrich, DCS Compton	370	3rd		England	v South Africa	Lord’s	21 Jun 1947	Test # 286
M Vijay, CA Pujara	370	2nd		India	v Australia	Hyderabad (Deccan)	2 Mar 2013	Test # 2076
JH Edrich, KF Barrington	369	2nd		England	v New Zealand	Leeds	8 Jul 1965	Test # 593
GC Smith, HH Gibbs	368	1st		South Africa	v Pakistan	Cape Town	2 Jan 2003	Test # 1637
KS Williamson, BJ Watling	365*	6th		New Zealand	v Sri Lanka	Wellington	3 Jan 2015	Test # 2155
V Kohli, AM Rahane	365	4th		India	v New Zealand	Indore	8 Oct 2016	Test # 2223
Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf	363	3rd		Pakistan	v England	Leeds	4 Aug 2006	Test # 1813
L Hutton, C Washbrook	359	1st		England	v South Africa	Johannesburg	27 Dec 1948	Test # 307
Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim	359	5th		Bangladesh	v New Zealand	Wellington	12 Jan 2017	Test # 2246
SR Tendulkar, VVS Laxman	353	4th		India	v Australia	Sydney	2 Jan 2004	Test # 1680
Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq	352*	3rd		Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Dhaka	12 Mar 1999	Test # 1450
RT Ponting, MJ Clarke	352	4th		Australia	v Pakistan	Hobart	14 Jan 2010	Test # 1947
BB McCullum, BJ Watling	352	6th		New Zealand	v India	Wellington	14 Feb 2014	Test # 2120
GA Gooch, DI Gower	351	2nd		England	v Australia	The Oval	29 Aug 1985	Test # 1022
DPMD Jayawardene, HAPW Jayawardene	351	6th		Sri Lanka	v India	Ahmedabad	16 Nov 2009	Test # 1933
Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal	350	4th		Pakistan	v New Zealand	Dunedin	7 Feb 1973	Test # 712
IR Bell, KP Pietersen	350	3rd		England	v India	The Oval	18 Aug 2011	Test # 2004
DS Atkinson, CC Depeiaza	347	7th		West Indies	v Australia	Bridgetown	14 May 1955	Test # 406
JHW Fingleton, DG Bradman	346	6th		Australia	v England	Melbourne	1 Jan 1937	Test # 257
SM Gavaskar, DB Vengsarkar	344*	2nd		India	v West Indies	Kolkata	29 Dec 1978	Test # 839
EJ Barlow, RG Pollock	341	3rd		South Africa	v Australia	Adelaide	24 Jan 1964	Test # 553
HM Amla, JH Kallis	340	3rd		South Africa	v India	Nagpur	6 Feb 2010	Test # 1951
MJ Guptill, BB McCullum	339	6th		New Zealand	v Bangladesh	Hamilton	15 Feb 2010	Test # 1953
ED Weekes, FMM Worrell	338	3rd		West Indies	v England	Port of Spain	17 Mar 1954	Test # 385
GC Smith, HH Gibbs	338	1st		South Africa	v England	Birmingham	24 Jul 2003	Test # 1651
GC Smith, AB de Villiers	338	5th		South Africa	v Pakistan	Dubai (DSC)	23 Oct 2013	Test # 2100
WM Lawry, KD Walters	336	4th		Australia	v West Indies	Sydney	14 Feb 1969	Test # 646
V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar	336	3rd		India	v Pakistan	Multan	28 Mar 2004	Test # 1693
MS Atapattu, ST Jayasuriya	335	1st		Sri Lanka	v Pakistan	Kandy	28 Jun 2000	Test # 1502
MJ Clarke, MEK Hussey	334*	5th		Australia	v India	Sydney	3 Jan 2012	Test # 2027
AR Border, SR Waugh	332*	5th		Australia	v England	Leeds	22 Jul 1993	Test # 1227
IJL Trott, SCJ Broad	332	8th		England	v Pakistan	Lord’s	26 Aug 2010	Test # 1971
RT Robinson, DI Gower	331	2nd		England	v Australia	Birmingham	15 Aug 1985	Test # 1021
CH Gayle, RR Sarwan	331	2nd		West Indies	v South Africa	St John’s	29 Apr 2005	Test # 1750
HM Amla, JH Kallis	330	3rd		South Africa	v New Zealand	Johannesburg	8 Nov 2007	Test # 1846
AN Cook, IJL Trott	329*	2nd		England	v Australia	Brisbane	25 Nov 2010	Test # 1981
GR Marsh, MA Taylor	329	1st		Australia	v England	Nottingham	10 Aug 1989	Test # 1125
JL Langer, RT Ponting	327	5th		Australia	v Pakistan	Perth	26 Nov 1999	Test # 1472
DM Bravo, MN Samuels	326	3rd		West Indies	v Bangladesh	Khulna	21 Nov 2012	Test # 2060
Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq	324	3rd		Pakistan	v India	Bengaluru	24 Mar 2005	Test # 1743
JB Hobbs, W Rhodes	323	1st		England	v Australia	Melbourne	9 Feb 1912	Test # 119
Aamer Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq	323	3rd		Pakistan	v West Indies	Rawalpindi	29 Nov 1997	Test # 1389
Javed Miandad, Saleem Malik	322	4th		Pakistan	v England	Birmingham	4 Jun 1992	Test # 1189
BC Lara, JC Adams	322	5th		West Indies	v Australia	Kingston	13 Mar 1999	Test # 1451
JN Gillespie, MEK Hussey	320	4th		Australia	v Bangladesh	Chittagong	16 Apr 2006	Test # 1799
A Melville, AD Nourse	319	3rd		South Africa	v England	Nottingham	7 Jun 1947	Test # 285
Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf	319	3rd		Pakistan	v India	Lahore	13 Jan 2006	Test # 1781
DR Martyn, AC Gilchrist	317	6th		Australia	v South Africa	Johannesburg	22 Feb 2002	Test # 1590
GR Viswanath, Yashpal Sharma	316	3rd		India	v England	Chennai	13 Jan 1982	Test # 918
HH Gibbs, JH Kallis	315*	2nd		South Africa	v New Zealand	Christchurch	11 Mar 1999	Test # 1449
RT Ponting, DS Lehmann	315	3rd		Australia	v West Indies	Port of Spain	19 Apr 2003	Test # 1639
G Gambhir, R Dravid	314	2nd		India	v England	Mohali	19 Dec 2008	Test # 1901
Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq	313	8th		Pakistan	v Zimbabwe	Sheikhupura	17 Oct 1996	Test # 1336
Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes	312	1st		Bangladesh	v Pakistan	Khulna	28 Apr 2015	Test # 2159
KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene	311	3rd		Sri Lanka	v Bangladesh	Kandy	11 Jul 2007	Test # 1839
PD Collingwood, KP Pietersen	310	4th		England	v Australia	Adelaide	1 Dec 2006	Test # 1819
Waqar Hasan, Imtiaz Ahmed	308	7th		Pakistan	v New Zealand	Lahore	26 Oct 1955	Test # 414
RB Richardson, IVA Richards	308	3rd		West Indies	v Australia	St John’s	7 Apr 1984	Test # 987
GA Gooch, AJ Lamb	308	3rd		England	v India	Lord’s	26 Jul 1990	Test # 1148
M Vijay, SR Tendulkar	308	3rd		India	v Australia	Bengaluru	9 Oct 2010	Test # 1973
HM Amla, AB de Villiers	308	4th		South Africa	v West Indies	Centurion	17 Dec 2014	Test # 2150
MEK Hussey, BJ Haddin	307	6th		Australia	v England	Brisbane	25 Nov 2010	Test # 1981
IVA Richards, AI Kallicharran	303	3rd		West Indies	v England	Nottingham	3 Jun 1976	Test # 777
MA Atherton, RA Smith	303	3rd		England	v West Indies	St John’s	16 Apr 1994	Test # 1259
R Dravid, VVS Laxman	303	5th		India	v Australia	Adelaide	12 Dec 2003	Test # 1673
DA Warner, UT Khawaja	302	2nd		Australia	v New Zealand	Perth	13 Nov 2015	Test # 2187
AR Morris, DG Bradman	301	2nd		Australia	v England	Leeds	22 Jul 1948	Test # 302
GC Smith, HH Gibbs	301	1st		South Africa	v West Indies	Centurion	16 Jan 2004	Test # 1682
SC Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh	300	5th		India	v Pakistan	Bengaluru	8 Dec 2007	Test # 1852

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Top 10 Batsmen with highest sixes in Test matches

Hitting most number of sixes in limited overs cricket is too much mainstream record now days. The modern day cricket has evolved immensely with batsmen full of skills and techniques of how to get the maximum number of runs. Every second batsman at present is loaded with the ability to hit a six on regular basis. Especially the emergence of young and physically athletic players has made the trend even more of a habit. However unlike limited overs game, highest sixes in test matches is still a big deal. A few years back hitting sixes or batting furiously in test format was considered to be somehow depraved. The most classical version of the game was then supposed to be played like the gentlemen hitting purely ground shots rather going for brutal hitting.

Here is the Complete List of Batsmen with highest sixes in Test matches

Most sixes

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0	4s	6s
BB McCullum (NZ)	2004-2016	101	176	9	6453	302	38.64	12	31	14	776	107
AC Gilchrist (AUS)	1999-2008	96	137	20	5570	204*	47.60	17	26	14	677	100
CH Gayle (WI)	2000-2014	103	182	11	7214	333	42.18	15	37	15	1046	98
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	1995-2013	166	280	40	13289	224	55.37	45	58	16	1488	97
V Sehwag (ICC/INDIA)	2001-2013	104	180	6	8586	319	49.34	23	32	16	1233	91
BC Lara (ICC/WI)	1990-2006	131	232	6	11953	400*	52.88	34	48	17	1559	88
CL Cairns (NZ)	1989-2004	62	104	5	3320	158	33.53	5	22	7	365	87
IVA Richards (WI)	1974-1991	121	182	12	8540	291	50.23	24	45	10	952+	84
A Flintoff (ENG/ICC)	1998-2009	79	130	9	3845	167	31.77	5	26	17	513	82
ML Hayden (AUS)	1994-2009	103	184	14	8625	380	50.73	30	29	14	1049	82
KP Pietersen (ENG)	2005-2014	104	181	8	8181	227	47.28	23	35	10	985	81
MS Dhoni (INDIA)	2005-2014	90	144	16	4876	224	38.09	6	33	10	544	78
Misbah-ul-Haq (PAK)	2001-2017	72	126	18	4951	161*	45.84	10	36	8	491	73
RT Ponting (AUS)	1995-2012	168	287	29	13378	257	51.85	41	62	17	1509	73
CH Lloyd (WI)	1966-1985	110	175	14	7515	242*	46.67	19	39	4	712+	70
Younis Khan (PAK)	2000-2017	115	207	19	9977	313	53.06	34	32	18	1072	69
SR Tendulkar (INDIA)	1989-2013	200	329	33	15921	248*	53.78	51	68	14	2058+	69
IT Botham (ENG)	1977-1992	102	161	6	5200	208	33.54	14	22	14	621	67
CG Greenidge (WI)	1974-1991	108	185	16	7558	226	44.72	19	34	11	872+	67
CL Hooper (WI)	1987-2002	102	173	15	5762	233	36.46	13	27	13	633	63
TG Southee (NZ)	2008-2017	57	86	6	1331	77*	16.63	0	3	9	133	61
N Kapil Dev (INDIA)	1978-1994	131	184	15	5248	163	31.05	8	27	16	557+	61
DPMD Jayawardene (SL)	1997-2014	149	252	15	11814	374	49.84	34	50	15	1387	61
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	1991-2007	110	188	14	6973	340	40.07	14	31	15	910	59
Wasim Akram (PAK)	1985-2002	104	147	19	2898	257*	22.64	3	7	17	324+	57
AB de Villiers (SA)	2004-2016	106	176	16	8074	278*	50.46	21	39	7	933	57
SC Ganguly (INDIA)	1996-2008	113	188	17	7212	239	42.17	16	35	13	900	57
Imran Khan (PAK)	1971-1992	88	126	25	3807	136	37.69	6	18	8	316+	55
CD McMillan (NZ)	1997-2005	55	91	10	3116	142	38.46	6	19	7	367	54
BJ Haddin (AUS)	2008-2015	66	112	13	3266	169	32.98	4	18	8	363	54
Shahid Afridi (PAK)	1998-2010	27	48	1	1716	156	36.51	5	8	6	220	52
DA Warner (AUS)	2011-2017	63	117	4	5392	253	47.71	18	23	6	654	51
Mohammad Yousuf (PAK)	1998-2010	90	156	12	7530	223	52.29	24	33	11	957	51
KC Sangakkara (SL)	2000-2015	134	233	17	12400	319	57.40	38	52	11	1491	51
PA de Silva (SL)	1984-2002	93	159	11	6361	267	42.97	20	22	7	737+	48
Javed Miandad (PAK)	1976-1993	124	189	21	8832	280*	52.57	23	43	6	788+	48
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/PAK)	1992-2007	120	200	22	8830	329	49.60	25	46	15	1105	48
HH Gibbs (SA)	1996-2008	90	154	7	6167	228	41.95	14	26	11	887	47
AD Mathews (SL)	2009-2017	65	114	17	4470	160	46.08	7	26	1	494	44
LRPL Taylor (NZ)	2007-2017	81	146	18	6030	290	47.10	16	27	12	748	44
ME Trescothick (ENG)	2000-2006	76	143	10	5825	219	43.79	14	29	12	831	42
Harbhajan Singh (INDIA)	1998-2015	103	145	23	2224	115	18.22	2	9	19	277	42
ME Waugh (AUS)	1991-2002	128	209	17	8029	153*	41.81	20	47	19	844	41
A Ranatunga (SL)	1982-2000	93	155	12	5105	135*	35.69	4	38	12	534+	40
JL Langer (AUS)	1993-2007	105	182	12	7696	250	45.27	23	30	11	912	40
DM Bravo (WI)	2010-2016	49	89	4	3400	218	40.00	8	16	4	390	39
NJ Astle (NZ)	1996-2006	81	137	10	4702	222	37.02	11	24	11	612	39
MEK Hussey (AUS)	2005-2013	79	137	16	6235	195	51.52	19	29	12	685	39
MJ Clarke (AUS)	2004-2015	115	198	22	8643	329*	49.10	28	27	9	978	39
IR Bell (ENG)	2004-2015	118	205	24	7727	235	42.69	22	46	14	919	39
NS Sidhu (INDIA)	1983-1999	51	78	2	3202	201	42.13	9	15	9	358+	38
SK Warne (AUS)	1992-2007	145	199	17	3154	99	17.32	0	12	34	353	37
MA Holding (WI)	1975-1987	60	76	10	910	73	13.78	0	6	15	78+	36
S Chanderpaul (WI)	1994-2015	164	280	49	11867	203*	51.37	30	66	15	1285	36
SM Pollock (SA)	1995-2008	108	156	39	3781	111	32.31	2	16	9	412	35
Mohammad Rafique (BDESH)	2000-2008	33	63	6	1059	111	18.57	1	4	8	110	34
DJG Sammy (WI)	2007-2013	38	63	2	1323	106	21.68	1	5	8	157	34
DW Steyn (SA)	2004-2016	85	105	22	1162	76	14.00	0	2	12	115	34
BA Stokes (ENG)	2013-2016	32	57	1	1902	258	33.96	4	8	8	249	33
SPD Smith (AUS)	2010-2017	53	98	14	5123	215	60.98	19	20	4	566	33
JR Reid (NZ)	1949-1965	58	108	5	3428	142	33.28	6	22	5	267+	33
WJ Cronje (SA)	1992-2000	68	111	9	3714	135	36.41	6	23	11	409	33
Sir RJ Hadlee (NZ)	1973-1990	86	134	19	3124	151*	27.16	2	15	12	323+	33
MN Samuels (WI)	2000-2016	71	127	7	3917	260	32.64	7	24	14	537	32
GS Sobers (WI)	1954-1974	93	160	21	8032	365*	57.78	26	30	12	593+	32+
M Vijay (INDIA)	2008-2017	50	85	1	3389	167	40.34	9	15	5	405	31
MG Johnson (AUS)	2007-2015	73	109	16	2065	123*	22.20	1	11	19	247	31
SR Watson (AUS)	2005-2015	59	109	3	3731	176	35.19	4	24	6	483	31
MJ Slater (AUS)	1993-2001	74	131	7	5312	219	42.83	14	21	9	598	30

The scenario however has changed a lot. Now a day as long your wicket is safe you can hit as much sixes in test as you like. Although sometimes it is still considered unnecessary to go for the big shots in tests, nobody condemns the act. Rather at times it becomes necessary to play fast and furious style of cricket to make a match productive. The former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum will always be remembered for his aggressive captaincy. The hard hitter batsman was one of the best aggressive batsman as well as captain. He took his side to a whole new level of game plan adding the aggressive flavor in their batting style.

Not just this, McCullum has also hit the highest sixes in Test matches. Although he has announced retirement form International cricket, his record of 107 sixes in test career is still intact. The only active player near his feat is Chris Gayle that too is facing hardships finding his place in West Indian test squad.

Top 10 Batsmen with highest sixes in Test matches

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	6s
BB McCullum (NZ)	2004-2016	101	176	9	6453	302	38.64	12	107
AC Gilchrist (AUS)	1999-2008	96	137	20	5570	204*	47.60	17	100
CH Gayle (WI)	2000-2014	103	182	11	7214	333	42.18	15	98
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	1995-2013	166	280	40	13289	224	55.37	45	97
V Sehwag (ICC/INDIA)	2001-2013	104	180	6	8586	319	49.34	23	91
BC Lara (ICC/WI)	1990-2006	131	232	6	11953	400*	52.88	34	88
CL Cairns (NZ)	1989-2004	62	104	5	3320	158	33.53	5	87
IVA Richards (WI)	1974-1991	121	182	12	8540	291	50.23	24	84
A Flintoff (ENG/ICC)	1998-2009	79	130	9	3845	167	31.77	5	82
ML Hayden (AUS)	1994-2009	103	184	14	8625	380	50.73	30	82

Top 10 Bowlers with most wickets in T20 Internationals

Most wickets in T20 international matches certainly deserves an applause. A format which is tailor-made for the batsmen is an abyss for bowlers on the contrary. The speediest version of cricket ever possible leaves a very little chances for the bowlers to maintain their good economy rate. Despite its cruel nature for the bowlers there are some of the most economical bowlers in the format. These bowlers have the lowest economy rates in T20I of under 6 runs per over. Similarly the bowlers with most wickets in t20 international matches are the ones on the verge of completing the century of wickets. Not all but the best bowlers in T20 and those who have played most number of matches with enough overs to bowl have got plenty of wickets even in this format.

At top however stands a player who probably deserves much more than what he has been offered. The legendary all-rounder from Pakistan Shahid Khan Afridi is currently thriving for his place in the shortest format squad. Having played 98 matches so far in his career, Shahid Afridi has got 97 T20I wickets. With only three wickets spared off a century, Shahid Afridi is also reconsidering the options of his retirement. Although he has announced his retirement in past and then made a came back this time the chances of his return are far less. But to be honest it would be most appropriate to offer the player at least a few matches before he gets his boots hung from International cricket. In the meantime he would most probably complete his hundred T20I wickets as well.

One of the best all-rounders is followed by two of his countrymen in most wickets in t20 list. After Afridi’s 97 wickets, both Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul stand with 85 wickets each. Saeed Ajmal has also been in news for his declining career leading to a possible retirement. Although the bowler has rejected any chances of retirement as he is well-settled with his modified bowling action. The star player was suspended by ICC earlier for exceeding the permitted elbow angles.

Top 10 Bowlers with most wickets in T20 Internationals

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI
Shahid Afridi (PAK)	2006-2016	98	96	357.2	4	2362	97	4/11
Umar Gul (PAK)	2007-2016	60	60	200.3	2	1443	85	5/6
Saeed Ajmal (PAK)	2009-2015	64	63	238.2	2	1516	85	4/19
SL Malinga (SL)	2006-2016	62	62	217.5	0	1582	78	5/31
BAW Mendis (SL)	2008-2014	39	39	147.3	5	952	66	6/8
Shakib Al Hasan (BDESH)	2006-2016	54	53	195.5	1	1322	65	4/15
SCJ Broad (ENG)	2006-2014	56	55	195.3	2	1491	65	4/24
DW Steyn (SA)	2007-2016	42	42	150.1	2	1009	58	4/9
NL McCullum (NZ)	2007-2016	63	59	187.1	0	1278	58	4/16
KMDN Kulasekara (SL)	2008-2016	50	50	176.1	6	1280	56	4/32

Top 10 Bowlers with most wickets in T20 Internationals

1. Shahid Afridi
2. Umar Gul
3. Saeed Ajmal
4. SL Malinga
5. BAW Mendis
6. Shakib Al Hasan
7. SCJ Broad
8. DW Steyn
9. NL McCullum
10. KMDN Kulasekara

05 T20 cricket records owned by Pakistan cricket team

Pakistan cricket team might not be at his best in terms of rankings in shortest format of the game at the moment, however his record in T20 in past has been pretty impressive. One of the most unpredictable team in the world perfectly suits the most unpredictable format of game. The side that has played most number of T20 international games, has great record in the format. Although their win percentage is not the top one, still they own some of the incredible t20 cricket records no other team has reached to. Surely cricket records are meant to be broken and sooner these would also come to an end. But till this day these T20 cricket records are owned by Pakistan cricket team.

05 T20 cricket records owned by Pakistan cricket team

05. Most number of T20I games played

Despite not having any International cricket at home for the past six years, Pakistan has played the most number of T20I games in cricket history. One of the best t20 side has a record of being the only team to have played over 100 T20I matches so far. At present Pakistan’s T20I game count reaches 109, with one match to be played on 27^th of this month. The side has a mixed win/loss ratio as they have managed to win 63 games out of total losing 43. Although the record is not much bad but still there is room for improvement. And the young team that has arisen now would surely make the T20 cricket records much better for Pakistan.

04. Most matches played by the players

Shaoiba Malik and Shahid Afridi are the only Pakistan player to have played over 80 T20i matches. In fact only one player in the whole cricket world has played such number of matches and that is Tillakaratne Dilshan. The veteran Sri Lankan batsman got his retirement from International cricket a few days ago. On the other hand Shahid Afridi is on the verge of making the century of T20I games. One of the best all-rounders of his time is currently out of the side and there are suggestions for him to announce his retirement as well.

03. Most runs in T20 International format

Although India, Australia and many other countries are bursting with the T20 format domestic leagues and championships, the diversity Pakistan has in this format is rare to find. Apart from the other T20 cricket records, Pakistan holds the feat of having scored most number of runs in this format. In T20 internationals Pakistan has scored over 14000 runs – the most by any team in the world. At the conclusion of the ongoing series against West Indies, the side is expected to cross the 15 thousand runs barrier as well.

02. Most boundaries in T20 international matches

One of the most important T20 cricket records relating to the number of boundaries hit. Pakistan cricket team holds the record of most number of fours hit in this format. Although the number of sixes both individually and on collective basis is not in their possession, Pakistan has hit over 1300 boundaries in T20I.

01. Most T20I wickets in career

The advantage of playing the most number of T20 international matches has paid off to the Pakistan cricket team. Pakistani bowlers at present are the one with highest number of T20 international wickets. Not one but all three top positions are occupied by Pakistani bowlers in most career wickets list. At top however rests the one and only Shahid Afridi with is 97 T20 wickets. There are strong suggestions as well to give him opportunity o complete his 100 T20I wickets before getting retired. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal are the two other bowlers in second and third place, both with 85 wickets.

Bowling records – Hat tricks in T20 International Matches

Hat tricks in T20 international matches are so much rare to find. In fact not just T20 but in all formats of the game this phenomenon is highly infrequent. There are only a few bowlers with a hat trick on his name in any format of the game. However when it comes to the T20 format things get even more occasional. T20 cricket format is said to have been made for the batsmen. The field restrictions along with the size of bats spare a very few chances for the bowlers to survive. And above all it is the nature of T20 format which hurts the bowlers most. In just 20 overs no one can expect any mercy for the bowlers as batsman tend to score the maximum runs. So far there are only four bowlers who have taken a hat trick in T20 Internationals.

Bowling records – Hat tricks in T20 International Matches

1. Brett Lee – vs Bangladesh, 2007-08

   

Hat-tricks in T20 format were already made during the early seasons of IPL and so far. However the first ever bowler to claim a hat trick in T20 at International level was Brett Lee. One of the fastest bowlers the world has ever witnessed dismissed three Bangladesh batsmen on three consecutive balls in 2007-08 season. Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza and Alok Kapali were the three players who became Brett Lee’s preys.

2. Jacob Oram – vs Sri Lanka, 2009

After Brett Lee opened the ways of hat tricks in T20 it become more often for bowlers to try their chances. New Zealand pacer Jacob Oram eventually became the second bowler ever to claim a hat-trick in T20I. This time his victims were Sri Lanka that too on their home ground during 2009. Oram dismissed AD Mathews, CM Bandara and KMDN Kulasekara to complete the unique feat.

3. Tim Southee – vs Pakistan, 2010-11

Another promising fast bowler at the moment, hailing form the Kiwi soils, joined the elite club in 2010/11. Tim Southee’s career is loaded with some of the most impressive fast bowling spells. His figures against Australia in the 2015 world cup opener against Australia will remain in cricket fans’ memories for a long time. However in t20I as well the bowler has done the unthinkable. The glory for Tim came against Pakistan when he dismissed some of the best batsmen in the side.

4. Thisara Perera – vs India, 2015-16

The latest addition in the hat tricks in T20 international list is form Sri Lanka that too against one of the best batting line up. Thisara Perera is one the best all-rounders in T20 format. However this time it was his bowling skills that shone exceptionally as he grabbed three consecutive wickets against India. Unlike many occasions where tail-enders get dismissed in a hat-trick, Perera dismissed some of the best middle order batsmen to claim the record. HH Pandya, SK Raina and Yuvraj Singh were the players he dismissed on three successive deliveries.

Bowling records – Hat tricks in T20 International Matches

1. Brett Lee
2. Jacob Oram
3. Tim Southee
4. Thisara Perera

Bowlers who are the fastest to take 200 test wickets

Test format of cricket is known as the most classical version of the game and for rightful reasons. Whenever a test series kicks off both batsman as well as bowlers get huge advantages of the game they get to play. Usually test matches are called to be a slower version of cricket marginally partial towards the batters. However in reality bowlers also get plenty of chances to grab dozens of wickets during a test series. In fact some of the best cricket bowlers keep waiting for the opportunity to play an elongated test series so they could grab a handful of wickets. Bowlers like Dale Steyn, James Anderson and Stuart Broad prefer the test format over limited overs game for the same reason. Besides getting good number of wickets the race to reach the landmarks keeps going.

The first landmark in a bowler’s career is to reach the 100 test wickets that too in fewest matches. Moreover with the home advantage factor no a day, bowlers take wickets on a much rapid pace. 100 wickets and then fastest to take 200 test wickets as well, the race keeps going. Recently Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin became the second fastest to take 200 test wickets. India, with their home test season already begun, is currently playing New Zealand. The first test between the two sides is in decisive moments with the hosts clearly on a winning node. A victory against New Zealand would certainly take India closer to regain the no. 1 test team rank. However before that Ashwin has claimed his individual feat.

The no. 1 all-rounder in ICC test rankings took only 36 test matches to reach his 200 wickets. The Indian spinner overtook Denis Lilly and Waqar Younis, two of the fastest bowlers in the fastest to take 200 test wickets list. No. 1 spot however still is under the possession of CV Grimmett- the veteran Aussie bowler who did the job back in 1936.

Bowlers who are the fastest to take 200 test wickets

Player	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Debut	Time	Mat
CV Grimmett (AUS)	v South Africa	Johannesburg	15 Feb 1936	27 Feb 1925	10y 353d	36
R Ashwin (IND)	v New Zealand	Kanpur	22 Sep 2016	6 Nov 2011	4y 321d	37
DK Lillee (AUS)	v England	Melbourne	1 Feb 1980	29 Jan 1971	9y 3d	38
Waqar Younis (PAK)	v New Zealand	Christchurch	8 Dec 1995	15 Nov 1989	6y 23d	38
DW Steyn (SA)	v West Indies	Port of Spain	10 Jun 2010	17 Dec 2004	5y 175d	39
IT Botham (ENG)	v Australia	The Oval	27 Aug 1981	28 Jul 1977	4y 30d	41
SCG MacGill (AUS)	v Sri Lanka	Brisbane	8 Nov 2007	30 Jan 1998	9y 282d	41
MD Marshall (WI)	v England	Port of Spain	7 Mar 1986	15 Dec 1978	7y 82d	42
SK Warne (AUS)	v Sri Lanka	Perth	8 Dec 1995	2 Jan 1992	3y 340d	42
AA Donald (SA)	v Sri Lanka	Centurion	27 Mar 1998	18 Apr 1992	5y 343d	42

Bowlers who are the fastest to take 200 test wickets

1. CV Grimmett
2. R Ashwin
3. DK Lillee
4. Waqar Younis
5. DW Steyn
6. IT Botham
7. SCG MacGill
8. MD Marshall
9. SK Warne
10. AA Donald

Worst economy rate in T20 International cricket career

As discussed on a previous occasion, there are bowlers in the world with a less than 5 economy rate in T20 format. Although their number is pretty much rare, but that is something obviously expected in the shortest format of the game. Moving on from the best economy rate to worst economy rate in T20s, there are a few bowlers who are known for their extra run leak in this format. Although a 9 runs over in the modern day t20 format is not that expensive however still these are the worst we have at the moment. And the man holding the embarrassing record might surprise you even more. One of the best all-rounders around the sport Andre Russell holds the record of worst economy rate in T20s.

Although the West Indian is a handy bowler mixing the thing sup nicely at times, but when it comes to economy rate his skill gives up. The star player has bowled a total of 85 overs in T20 international matches giving away 787 runs at an economy rate of 9.24. Also the number of wickets he has taken in T20 format is uninspiring as well. Andre Russel has a total of 21 T20I wickets on his name – a number pretty low for a player of his caliber. After Andre Russell, it is Thisara Perera with the second worst economy rate in T20 format. Like Russel, Perera also has the T20I economy rate in the range of 9 runs per over.

Interestingly both these players are capable of scoring at the same rate when it comes to batting. Perera although is not a genuine batter but when it comes to hard hitting there is no stopping for him. And we all are well aware of the batting capabilities of the hard hitter Andre Russell. However unlike these two all bowlers are not lucky enough to repay the favor on their batting turns. Let’s check them all out.

Worst economy rate in T20 International cricket

Player	Span	Mat	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	Econ
AD Russell (WI)	2011-2016	43	85.1	0	787	21	2/10	37.47	9.24
NLTC Perera (SL)	2010-2016	54	111.2	1	1003	35	3/33	28.65	9.00
JW Dernbach (ENG)	2011-2014	34	117.0	1	1020	39	4/22	26.15	8.71
JDP Oram (NZ)	2005-2012	36	91.0	0	793	19	3/33	41.73	8.71
TG Southee (NZ)	2008-2015	38	137.0	2	1182	46	5/18	25.69	8.62
DJ Bravo (WI)	2006-2016	64	165.4	0	1401	51	4/28	27.47	8.45
KD Mills (NZ)	2005-2014	42	149.3	1	1228	43	3/26	28.55	8.21
WD Parnell (SA)	2009-2015	35	110.5	3	891	38	4/13	23.44	8.03
TT Bresnan (ENG)	2006-2014	34	110.3	1	887	24	3/10	36.95	8.02
JA Morkel (SA)	2005-2015	50	107.5	2	864	26	3/12	33.23	8.01