The Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is a picturesque international cricket stadium located in Dharamshala hill station of Himachal Pradesh, India.

Also known as the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (abbreviated as the HPCA Stadium), the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is considered to be one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world.

Established in 2003, the world-class venue has a seating capacity of 23,000. 

Situated at an altitude of 1,457 m above sea level and overlooked by the snow-capped Himalayan mountains in the background, the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium staged its first international match, a One Day International (ODI) played between India and England in 2013. Since then, the stadium has hosted 10 T20Is, nine ODIs and two Test matches so far. 

Known for being the abode of spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Dharamshala has been the home ground for Himachal Pradesh cricket team and also for Team Punjab in the Indian T20 League. The HPCA stadium has also hosted several domestic matches including Ranji Trophy and few Indian T20 League matches.

Let’s have a closer look at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats.

Dharamshala Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats

Highest total

Team Punjab holds the record for the highest total at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. During an Indian T20 League match in 2011, the Adam Gilchrist-led Punjab posted 232/2 in their 20 overs against Team Bangalore. Captain Adam Gilchrist led from the front as he slammed a 55-ball 106 along with contributions from Shaun Marsh (79 not out) to post a record T20 total at the venue. In reply, Team Bangalore were bundled out for 121 in 17 overs as Punjab won the match by 111 runs. 

Lowest total

The Ireland cricket team registered the lowest total at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in the T20 format. In a rain-curtailed six-over match, Ireland could only manage 47/7 in reply to Netherlands�?59/5 during the World T20 First Round Group A match in 2016. Meanwhile, the Punjab cricket team recorded the lowest total at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in domestic T20 cricket. Chasing 128, Punjab were bowled out for 101 in 19.3 overs against Jammu & Kashmir in an Inter State Twenty-20 Tournament match in 2017. Earlier, J&K posted 127/7 in their allotted overs to register a 26-run victory.

Most runs

Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh scored the most runs at the venue in T20 cricket. Representing Team Punjab in the Indian T20 League, the swashbuckling left-handed batter amassed 334 runs in seven matches at an average of 66.80 and a strike rate of 142.73. Marsh slammed three fifties at this venue in T20 cricket. Former Team Punjab captain Adam Gilchrist features second on the list with 295 runs in eight matches.

Most wickets

Veteran Indian spinner Piyush Chawla has bagged the most wickets at this cricket ground in the T20 format. Playing for Team Punjab in the Indian T20 League, the leg-spinner scalped 10 wickets in nine T20 matches at an average of 18.23 and an economy of 7.18. Pacer Sandeep Sharma is second on the list with 10 scalps in seven T20 games at this venue. Having represented the likes of Punjab, Rajasthan in the Indian T20 League and Punjab in domestic cricket, Sandeep bowled at an impressive economy of 6.71 and an average of 18.80.

Highest individual score

Adam Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma share the record for the highest individual score at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. Opening the batting, former Team Punjab skipper Gilchrist smashed 106 off 55 balls against Team Bangalore during an Indian T20 League match in 2011. His knock was laced with eight fours and nine sixes. Rohit Sharma also scored a 66-ball 106 in the first T20I of South Africa’s tour of India in 2015. Rohit’s knock included 12 fours and five maximums. 

Best bowling figures

India spinner Amit Mishra has the best bowling figures at this venue in the T20 format. Playing for his former side Team Deccan in the Indian T20 League, the leg-spinner registered match-winning figures of 4/9 against Team Punjab in 2011. Defending 198, Mishra dismissed Ryan McLaren, Mandeep Singh, Ryan Harris and Praveen Kumar to help bowl out Punjab for 116 in 19 overs. Earlier, Deccan posted 198/2 in their allotted overs.

Highest partnership

Team Punjab’s Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh hold the record for the highest partnership at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. During an Indian T20 League match in 2011, Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh forged a brilliant 206-run partnership for the second wicket against Team Bangalore. Gilchrist hammered 106 while Marsh scored 79 not out to power Punjab to 232/2 in their 20 overs. Punjab later skittled out Bangalore for 121 to register a 111-run victory.

Photo credit: Alamy

Legendary India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar holds the illustrious record for the most fifties in ODI World Cup history. 

Considered to be one of the greatest batters in cricket’s history, Sachin Tendulkar slammed a record 15 half-centuries in ICC 50-over World Cups between 1992 and 2011.

Among active cricketers, Bangladesh cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan has the most fifties in ODI World Cup history. He features second on the all-time list with 10 fifties to his name.

Former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has the third-most fifties in ODI World Cup history. The right-handed batter registered nine half-centuries in ODI World Cups.

Know the cricketers with most fifties in ODI World Cup history.

Most fifties in ODI World Cup

Player	Team	Span	Matches	Innings	Runs	50s
Sachin Tendulkar	India	1992-2011	45	44	2278	15
Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	2007-2023	32	32	1201	10
Jacques Kallis	South Africa	1996-2011	36	32	1148	9
Virat Kohli	India	2011-2023	29	29	1186	8
Adam Gilchrist	Australia	1999-2007	31	31	1085	8
Javed Miandad	Pakistan	1975-1996	33	30	1083	8
Herschelle Gibbs	South Africa	1999-2007	25	23	1067	8
Mushfiqur Rahim	Bangladesh	2007-2023	32	31	996	8
Steve Smith	Australia	2011-2023	27	23	899	8
Graham Gooch	England	1979-1992	21	21	897	8

Sachin Tendulkar | 15

The 2011 Cricket World Cup winner, Sachin Tendulkar, smashed the most fifties in ODI World Cup history. Having featured in six editions of the ODI World Cup in 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011, Tendulkar hit 15 fifties in 45 World Cup matches. He also holds the record with most runs in ODI World Cup history, having amassed 2,278 runs in 44 innings at an average of 56.95. The swashbuckling batter also hammered six hundreds in the marquee ICC 50-over World Cups.

Shakib Al Hasan | 10

Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan is second on the most fifties in the ODI World Cup list. Since making his ODI World Cup debut in 2007, Shakib Al Hasan has recorded 10 fifties in 32 matches that he has played so far. The southpaw has scored 1,201 runs in 32 matches at an average of 42.81. Shakib has also hit two hundreds in the ICC World Cups.

Jacques Kallis | 9

South Africa legend Jacques Kallis featured third on the most fifties in the ODI World Cup list. Between 1996 and 2011, Jacques Kallis slammed nine fifties in 36 ICC World Cup matches. The former Proteas all-rounder finished his incredible career with 1,148 World Cup runs at an average of 45.92. Kallis also hit one memorable ODI World Cup hundred against the Netherlands in 2007.

Virat Kohli | 8

Former India captain Virat Kohli has the joint fourth-most fifties in the ODI World Cup. Having made his ODI World Cup debut in 2011, Virat Kohli has already smashed eight fifties in the marquee 50-over World Cups so far. The flamboyant right-handed batter has accumulated 1,186 runs in 29 matches at an average of 49.41. Kohli played a key role in India clinching the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Adam Gilchrist | 8

Former Australian wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist is fifth on the most fifties in the ODI World Cup list. Between 1999 and 2007, Adam Gilchrist clobbered eight half-centuries in the ODI World Cups. He scored 1,085 World Cup runs in 31 matches at an average of 36.16. Gilchrist was a member of the Australian team that won three consecutive ICC World Cup titles in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

Apart from Kohli and Gilchrist, the likes of Javed Miandad, Herschelle Gibbs, Mushfiqur Rahim, Steve Smith, Graham Gooch, Michael Clarke, Martin Crowe, Mohammad Azharuddin and Steve Tikolo have also registered eight fifties in ODI World Cup history.

Photo credit: Alamy

The Kensington Oval is an iconic cricket ground located to the west of Bridgetown on the island of Barbados.

Established in 1871, the Kensington Oval is one of the oldest cricketing venues in the Caribbean and has a seating capacity of 28,000.

The Barbados cricket stadium has staged several local, regional and international cricket matches. It was one of the venues for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 held in the Caribbean. 

The Kensington Oval hosted its first One-Day International (ODI) between West Indies and New Zealand on April 23, 1985. The hosts won the first-ever ODI at the venue by 112 runs. Since then, it has staged almost 50 ODIs so far.

Let’s have a look at Kensington Oval ODI records and stats:

Kensington Oval ODI records and stats

Highest team total

The England cricket team holds the record for the highest team total at Kensington Oval in ODI cricket. During England’s tour of West Indies in 2019, the visitors ended up with 364/4 while chasing 361 in the opening match of a five-match series. Electing to bat first, West Indies posted 360/8 in their allotted 50 overs. Later, England rode on Jason Roy’s 85-ball 123 and Joe Root’s 102 to chase down the massive total in 48.4 overs and register a brilliant six-wicket win. The five-match ODI series ended 2-2.

Lowest team total

The Ireland cricket team recorded the lowest team total at Kensington Oval in 50-over cricket. Ireland was bowled out for 91 against Australia during an ICC World Cup Super Eight clash in 2007. After opting to bowl first, Glenn McGrath and Shaun Tait bagged three wickets each to help bundle out the Irish side for a paltry total. For Ireland, Kevin O’Brien (16), Trent Johnston (17) and John Mooney (23) were the only three batters to manage double digit scores. Australia later chased down the required target in 12.2 overs to secure a comprehensive nine-wicket victory.

Most runs

Former West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle has scored the most runs at this venue in ODI format. Between 2000 and 2019, the flamboyant left-handed batter amassed 688 runs in 13 matches at an average of 52.92 and a strike rate of 91.12. He slammed two hundreds and four fifties at Kensington Oval in ODI cricket. Legendary West Indies batter Brian Lara is second on the list for most runs at this venue with 566 runs in 13 matches.

Most wickets

West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has picked up the most ODI wickets at this iconic ground. The right-arm pacer has already scalped 23 wickets in just nine ODIs at an average of 16.39 and an economy of 4.80. He has claimed three four-wicket hauls between 2017 and 2022. Former West Indies captain Jason Holder features second on the list with 19 wickets in 12 matches. 

Highest individual score

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist registered the highest individual score at Kensington Oval in ODI cricket. The swashbuckling southpaw smashed 149 off just 104 balls against Sri Lanka during the ICC World Cup final in 2007. His scintillating knock was laced with 13 fours and eight sixes. His match-innings helped Australia beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs (D/S method) in a rain-curtailed match to clinch the ICC World Cup 2007.

Best bowling figures

Former South Africa cricketer Andrew Hall recorded the best bowling figures at Kensington Oval in the ODI format. During an ICC World Cup Super Eight encounter in 2007, Andrew Hall finished with figures of 5/18 from his allotted 10 overs against England in Bridgetown, Barbados. The medium pacer’s outstanding spell helped South Africa bundle out England, who had opted to bat first, for 154 in 48 overs. South Africa won the ICC World Cup 2007 clash by nine wickets.

Highest partnership

Ex-West Indies cricketers Stuart Williams and Shivnarine Chanderpaul hold the record for the highest partnership at Kensington Oval in the 50-over format. In the final ODI of a fourth-match series between West Indies and India in 1997, Stuart Williams and Shivnarine Chanderpaul forged an unbeaten 200-run stand for the opening wicket against India to guide the hosts to a dominant 10-wicket win. Chasing 200, Chanderpaul  remained unbeaten on 109 while Williams was 78 not out to chase down the target in 44.4 overs. 

Photo credit: Alamy

Former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist scored the fastest hundred in Ashes history.

During England’s tour of Australia in 2006, Adam Gilchrist smashed a 57-ball hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test.

Gilchrist broke the previous record for the fastest hundred in Ashes held by England’s Gilbert Jessop, who registered an impressive century off just 74 balls against Australia at The Oval in London in 1902.

Among active cricketers, Australia’s Travis Head owns the record for the fastest hundred in Ashes. He scored a 85-ball hundred against England in Brisbane in 2021. Get fastest hundreds in Ashes list.

Fastest hundreds in Ashes 

Player	For	Against	Balls	Venue	Year
Adam Gilchrist	Australia	England	57	Perth Stadium	2006
Gilbert Jessop	England	Australia	74	The Oval	1902
Travis Head	Australia	England	85	The Gabba	2021
Joe Darling	Australia	England	85	Sydney Cricket Ground	1898
Ian Botham	England	Australia	86	Headingley	1981

Adam Gilchrist | 57 balls vs England, Perth, 2006

Legendary Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist etched his name in the history books after he smashed the fastest hundred in Ashes history. With a 2-0 lead in the five-match Ashes Test series, the hosts opted to bat first in the third Test at Perth. Australia were later bowled out for 244, while England managed 215 in their first innings. In the second innings, Australia rode on centuries from Michael Hussey (103) and Michael Clarke (135) to put the hosts in a commanding position. Later, Gilchrist inflicted more misery on the England bowlers as he clobbered a blitzkrieg hundred off just 57 balls. Gilchrist remained not out on 102 with 12 fours and four sixes as Australia declared their innings at 527/5. The hosts bowled out England for 350 in their second innings to secure a massive 206-run victory. Australia went on to win the Ashes series 5-0.

Gilbert Jessop | 74 balls vs Australia, London, 1902

Former England cricketer Gilbert Jessop previously held the record for the fastest hundred in Ashes. Chasing a target of 263 in the fourth innings of a Headingley Test in 1902, England were reduced to 48/5 before Gilbert Jessop played a knock for the ages. Batting at number seven, Jessop hammered a 74-ball hundred to bring the hosts back into the game. Having batted for 77 minutes, Jessop slammed 17 boundaries before he was dismissed for 104. Jessop’s scintillating hundred helped England secure a thrilling one-wicket win in London. This is still the fastest Ashes hundred scored by an English batter. Despite winning the fifth Test at The Oval, England went down 1-2 to Australia in the five-match Ashes Test series.

Travis Head | 85 balls vs England, Brisbane, 2021

Australia’s Travis Head joined this illustrious list after he recorded the joint-third fastest hundred in Ashes history. The southpaw scored a hundred off just 85 balls against a star-studded England bowling line-up during the first Test of England’s tour of Australia in Brisbane in 2021. After bowling out England for 147 in their first innings, Australia took a massive lead courtesy Travis Head’s big hundred. Head scored 152 off 148 balls to power Australia to 425 in their first innings. Head’s brilliant knock included 14 fours and four sixes. Australia later won the Brisbane Test by nine wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The hosts clinched the series 4-0.

Photo credit: ICC

England all-rounder and Test captain Ben Stokes has hit the most sixes in Tests. He recently overtook Brendon McCullum to take top spot for most sixes in Tests.

Stokes, who is captaining England in Tests, is likely to extend his lead for sixes in Test cricket with a lot of red-ball cricket ahead of him.

Stokes, in fact, went past McCullum's record with the New Zealander as the coach of the English Test team. England's aggressive style of Test cricket means that Stoke is likely to finish his career with a sizeable lead as far as sixes in Tests go.

Meanwhile, after making his Test debut against South Africa in 2004, Brendon McCullum smashed 107 sixes in the 101 Tests that he played.

Considered to be one of the most destructive batters in modern cricket history, the former New Zealand captain amassed 6,453 runs in 101 matches at an average of 38.64. His strike rate in Tests was a healthy 64.6.

Interestingly, McCullum holds the record for the fastest Test century, having reached the milestone off just 54 balls against arch-rivals Australia in Christchurch in 2016. He was eventually dismissed for 145 off just 79 balls, which included 21 fours and six sixes.

McCullum features fourth on the list of most sixes in international cricket, having smashed 398 sixes in 474 matches. Only West Indies�?Chris Gayle (553), Shahid Afridi of Pakistan (476) and India’s Rohit Sharma (464) have hit more sixes in international cricket.

Former Australian wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist has also hit 100 sixes in Tests. 

While Gilchrist clobbered 100 sixes in 96 Tests, Stokes has smashed the same number of sixes in just 82 Tests.

Chris Gayle and former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis complete the top five list of most sixes in Tests. Gayle hit 98 sixes in the 103 Test matches that he played while Kallis smashed 97 sixes in 166 Tests.

Virender Sehwag has hit the most sixes in Test match cricket for an Indian. The former opening batter hit 91 sixes in 104 Tests and features sixth on the list of most sixes in Tests. Sehwag managed 243 sixes in 374 matches in international cricket.

Meanwhile, MS Dhoni features second on the list of most sixes by Indians in Tests. The former India captain smashed 78 sixes in the 90 Tests that he played between 2005 and 2014.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is third on the list of most sixes by Indians in Tests. Having made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1989, Tendulkar hit 69 sixes in 200 Tests. The India cricket legend ended his illustrious career with 264 sixes in 664 matches.

Rohit Sharma and Kapil Dev complete the top five list of most sixes by Indians in Tests. While Rohit has smashed 66 sixes in just 46 Test matches, Kapil Dev hit 61 sixes in 131 Tests.

Most sixes in Tests

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	SR	6s
Ben Stokes (ENG)	92	5712	35.92	58.83	109
Brendon McCullum (NZ)	101	6453	38.64	64.60	107
Adam Gilchrist (AUS)	96	5570	47.60	81.95	100
Chris Gayle (WI)	103	7214	42.18	60.26	98
Jacques Kallis (SA)	166	13289	55.37	45.97	97
Virender Sehwag (IND)	104	8586	49.34	82.23	91

Most sixes by Indians in Tests

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	SR	6s
Virender Sehwag	104	8586	49.34	82.23	91
MS Dhoni	90	4876	38.09	59.11	78
Sachin Tendulkar	200	15921	53.78	54.04	69
Rohit Sharma	47	3320	46.76	56.02	68
Kapil Dev	131	5248	31.05	79.33	61

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Featured photo: AAMIR QURESHI / AFP

A lot of players can create magic with their bats - beautiful drives, big shots - you name it, they have it. And then there is another set of players who weave magic with their hands, both in front of the stumps with their bats and behind it with gloves.

Unlike other players, the role of a keeper is more challenging as they have to focus on more than one discipline throughout the game. Not only are they expected to be flawless behind the stumps, but wicket-keepers are also expected to perform with their bat.

It’s no mean feat as they have to stay focused more than most throughout the opposition innings before showing their own capability with willow in hand. Here’s a look at the players who scored the most runs in an ODI innings by a wicket-keeper.

MS Dhoni 183* vs Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka had scored 298/4 in their innings and got off to a great start while defending the total, taking out Sachin Tendulkar in the first over of the innings. MS Dhoni, coming in at No. 3, scored 183* (145) with 15 fours and 10 sixes, taking India to 303/4 and winning the match.

To put his knock into perspective, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara had scored an unbeaten 138 off 147 balls himself, with another veteran, Mahela Jayawardene, scoring 71 off 70 deliveries. Yet it was Dhoni who shone that night at Jaipur in October 2005.

Quinton de Kock 178 vs Australia

South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock made headlines against Australia in September 2016. Asked to bat first, Australia stacked up 294/9 on the scoreboard, powered by David Warner’s 40 off 36 balls, George Bailey’s 74 off 90 balls and John Hastings�?51 off 56 deliveries.

In the chase, South Africa got off to a blazing start, with both their openers hitting big from the word go. Openers de Kock and Rilee Rossouw stitched together a 145-run stand for the first wicket in just 17 overs, which made the rest of the chase a piece of cake.

De Kock’s knock, which came with 16 fours and 11 maximums, helped South Africa outdo Australia’s score by the 37th over itself.

Liton Das 176 vs Zimbabwe

Litton Das�?special knock against Zimbabwe in March 2020 is one that Bangladesh fans will remember fondly. Playing at Sylhet, the home team’s openers - Litton and Tamim Iqbal - put a 292-run stand together. 

The duo of Liton Das (176 off 143 balls) and Tamim Iqbal (128* off 109 deliveries) pummelled 23 fours and 14 sixes between them, with the former alone responsible for 16 fours and eight sixes. 

The opening pair helped take Bangladesh to 322/3 in a match reduced to 43 overs due to rain. In response, Zimbabwe could only score 218 in 37.3 overs, falling short of the revised target calculated by the Duckworth Lewis method by 123 runs. 

Most runs in an ODI innings by a wicket-keeper

Player name	Country	Opposition	Score (balls)	6s/4s
MS Dhoni	India	Sri Lanka	183* (145)	15/10
Quinton de Kock	South Africa	Australia	178 (113)	16/11
Liton Das	Bangladesh	Zimbabwe	176 (143)	16/8
Jaskaran Malhotra	USA	Papua New Guinea	173* (124)	4/16
Adam Gilchrist	Australia	Zimbabwe	172 (126)	13/3

Author: Varsha Badrinath

Featured photo: AFP / DIBYANGSHU SARKAR

Partnerships are crucial in cricket. Especially in One Day International (ODI) cricket, building a stand becomes essential in not only stabilizing an innings but also scoring at a consistent rate, an important aspect in limited-overs cricket. 

For 15 years, one Indian pair dominated the charts for ODI partnerships - Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar. The duo has scored 8,227 runs as partners on the crease, including a whopping 26 century stands and 29 half-century stands.

Here, we look at the partnerships in ODI cricket which have scored 100 or more runs the most number of times. 

Sourav Ganguly-Sachin Tendulkar (India)

26 century partnerships

The two Indian greats stitched together multiple mammoth partnerships between 1992 and 2007 before Sourav Ganguly retired from international cricket. In their 176 innings together, mostly as openers, they have scored at an average of 47.55 per game.

Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar’s 26 100+ run stands is the most ODI century partnerships by any pair till date.

Their highest partnership is worth 258 runs and it came against Kenya in a triangular series which also included South Africa. This game, played in October 2001, saw Ganguly score 111 (124) and Tendulkar score 146 (132), helping India win by 186 runs. 

Tillakaratne Dilshan-Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

20 century partnerships

Like Sachin and Sourav, this iconic Sri Lankan duo also had a 15-year long reign - from 2000 to 2015 - in ODI cricket. In 108 innings together, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara have scored 5,475 runs as partners at an average of 53.67. 

Among their 20 centuries, their highest partnership stand is 210* in the 2015 World Cup against Bangladesh, their last ICC tournament together. Dilshan (161* off 146) and Sangakkara (105 off 76) helped put up 332/1 for the Lankans, who defeated Bangladesh by 92 runs. 

Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma (India)

18 century partnerships

For 11 years and counting, opener Rohit Sharma and No. 3 batter Virat Kohli have stitched together memorable partnerships for India. The two have batted together in 81 innings.

They have 18 century-stands together and 4,906 runs between them till now. Their highest stand of 246 runs came during a chase of West Indies�?322/8. Sharma scored 152 (117) and Kohli 140 (107) to win the game for India by eight wickets.

Shikhar Dhawan-Rohit Sharma (India)

18 century partnerships

Rohit Sharma’s second appearance on the list, sees him paired up with fellow opener, Shikhar Dhawan. Between 2011 and 2022, the duo have shared partnerships in 114 games, scoring 5,153 runs at an average of 46. 

Their best stand is 210 against Pakistan at the 2018 Asia Cup. While Sharma remained unbeaten at 111 in 119 balls, Dhawan scored 114 from 100 deliveries. This is also India’s highest first-wicket stand against Pakistan. 

Adam Gilchrist-Matthew Hayden (Australia)

16 century partnerships

Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden shared the crease in 117 ODI matches between 2000 and 2008. They stitched together 16 stands of 100 or more and accounted for 5,409 runs as partners. They scored at an average of 47.44 while batting together. 

Their highest stand is worth 172 runs and came in the 2007 ICC World Cup final with Gilchrist scoring 149 (104) and Hayden pitching in with 38 (55). Australia won the game by 53 runs against Sri Lanka and in turn, won the World Cup that year.

Most century partnerships in ODIs

Players	100 stands	Runs	Average
Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar	26	8227	47.55
Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara	20	5475	53.67
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma	18	4906	64.55
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan	18	5153	46
Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden	16	5409	16

Author: Varsha Badrinath

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We can all rightfully acknowledge the fact that the Indian T20 League has set some bizarre batting standards since its inception in 2008. The format of the game is such that the batters are required to approach every game with the mentality of ‘go hard or go home�?

As a result, the fans have been duly enthralled by some outstanding knocks, which has helped put the competition in a league of its own. Considered by many as one of the most competitive T20 leagues around the globe, we analyse one of the many byproducts of the intense gameplay by looking at five players to have scored the quickest centuries in the history of the tournament.

Chris Gayle vs Pune �?30 balls (April 2013)

It just had to be him!

Taking on Pune in the 2013 edition of the tournament, the spectators bore witness to an absolute GayleStorm, as opener Chris Gayle, playing for Bangalore, completed his century in a mere 30 deliveries. Playing a 167-run stand for the opening wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan, the southpaw not only remained unbeaten throughout the innings but also scored 175 off 66 balls to take his team to 263/5.

Read | Five fastest centuries in ODIs

His innings included a whopping 13 fours and 17 sixes.

He was rightfully adjudged the Man of the Match award after also accumulating two wickets for five runs in his only over.

Yusuf Pathan vs Mumbai �?37 balls (March 2010)

Playing for Rajasthan in 2010, all-rounder Yusuf Pathan smashed what was the fastest Indian T20 League ton back then.

Pathan showcased his supreme hard-hitting prowess against Mumbai as his side was chasing 212. The all-rounder arrived at the crease when his side had lost three wickets for 40 in almost seven overs. Taking over the mantle, Pathan hit nine fours and eight sixes to complete his century in 37 balls.

Regardless of his efforts though, Rajasthan fell short of four runs, but Pathan picked up the Man of the Match award.

David Miller vs Bangalore �?38 balls (May 2013)

In the same edition where Gayle was at his brutal best, David Miller was slowly making positive strides while playing for Punjab.

Read | Five fastest centuries in Test cricket history

Punjab crossed swords with Bangalore in the 51^st game of the edition and were put to chase 190 after both Cheteshwar Pujara and Chris Gayle had scored half-centuries. Coming in to bat, Punjab were reduced to 51-for-3 in eight overs and were in dire need of someone who can take on the bowlers from that point on.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, Miller walked on to the pitch and went on to score a 38-ball century, which included eight fours and seven sixes, to take his side to a six-wicket victory, with 12 balls still to go.

Adam Gilchrist vs Mumbai �?42 balls (April 2008)

A breathtaking performance from Adam Gilchrist against Mumbai in the inaugural season not only gave Deccan their maiden victory but also made the Australian opener the fastest batsman to score an Indian T20 League ton.

Mumbai had put 154/7 on board, riding on a late blitz by the likes of Shaun Pollock, Abhishek Nayar and Dwayne Bravo. And while it was thought to be a close encounter between the two star-studded units, it took Deccan just 12 overs to reach the target.

Opening the innings for them was Gilchrist and VVS Laxman. The latter, as was expected of him, took his time on the crease, while the former went all guns blazing, completing his century in just 42 balls. The southpaw remained unbeaten at 109 as his team registered a 10-wicket victory.

AB de Villiers vs Gujarat �?43 balls (May 2016)

In May 2016, Bangalore took on Gujarat at home and those watching the fixture were duly entertained by an absolute masterclass from Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

Read | Six times cricketers hit Day 1 Test centuries before lunch

After losing an early wicket, that of Chris Gayle, the two hard-hitting batsmen joined forces to take their side from 19-for-1 to 248-for-3, with Kohli scoring 109 off 55 deliveries, while de Villiers smashing 129 off just 52. The South African’s ton, in fact, came in just 43 balls, making him the fifth-fastest batsman to score an Indian T20 League century. Striking at a rate of 248.07, his innings included 10 fours and 12 sixes.

Bangalore, meanwhile, were equally brilliant with the ball, as they managed to dislodge the entire Gujarat team for just 104, winning the match by 144 runs; the biggest margin of victory in the tournament’s history.

Special mention: In April 2017, a year after de Villiers' blistering knock, Hyderabad's David Warner, too, scored a 43-ball ton against Kolkata. The Australian eventually scored 126 off 59 balls as his team posted 209/3 in 20 overs.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

Test cricket has seen some exceptional wicketkeepers. Adam Gilchrist, Syed Kirmani and MS Dhoni are just some recent iconic ‘keepers who have made memorable contributions to the game. 

If one were to rank the performance of the men who have donned the gloves, it is not just about the catches behind the wicket, but also the stumpings they’ve affected that come into play.  

Interestingly, the record for the ‘keeper with the most stumpings is almost a century old, with Australia’s Albert Oldfield having inflicted 52 stumpings in just 54 Tests. He played his last Test match in 1937, and this record is yet to be touched. 

Closest to him at 46 stumpings is England’s Thomas Godfrey Evans. He played 91 Test matches and his last international appearance was against India in 1959. 

This brings us to two of India’s iconic wicketkeepers of very different eras - Syed Kirmani and MS Dhoni. Both these players have 38 stumpings each. 

However, Kirmani edged out Dhoni on the account of the number of matches taken to achieve this. The former took 88 Tests while the latter took 90 Tests to climb to the third spot on this list. 

Sitting at the fifth position is another Australian great, Adam Gilchrist, with 37 stumpings to his name. He, however, has one of the best dismissals per innings rate at 2.178, much higher compared to those sitting above him in this list, with all of them ranging between 1.2 and 1.7. 

Of the currently active players, there are barely any who threaten to uproot these legendary wicket-keepers. Niroshan Dickwella of Sri Lanka is the closest to a top 10 spot with 23 stumpings in 45 Tests, and sits in the 12th position currently. 

Most stumpings in Tests

Player	Country	No. of stumpings	Tests played
Albert Oldfield	Australia	52	54
Thomas Godfrey Evans	England	46	91
Syed Kirmani	India	38	88
MS Dhoni	India	38	90
Adam Gilchrist	Australia	37	96
Prasanna Jayawardene	Sri Lanka	32	58
Ian Healy	Australia	29	119
Wasim Bari	Pakistan	27	81
Romesh Kaluwitharana	Sri Lanka	26	49
John McCarthy Blackham	Australia	24	35

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Featured photo: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP

The Australian cricket team has won the ICC Cricket World Cup three times in a row. After winning in 1999, they also won in 2003 and 2007. In fact, they are the only team to have won an unprecedented, three-consecutive World Cups till now after the inaugural event in 1975. 

From 1999 to 2007, Australia were inarguably the most dominant cricket team in One-Day International (ODI) cricket. Such was the dominance of the Australian 50-over outfit that they even remained unbeaten in the 2003 and 2007 editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup. 

While Steve Waugh led them in England in the year 1999, it was Ricky Ponting who captained his country in South Africa in 2003 and later in the West Indies in 2007. Australia are also the only nation to have won five World Cups till now. They first tasted World Cup success in 1987 and their last victory came in 2015 in front of their home crowd. 

1999 Cricket World Cup 

 

If only South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs had not celebrated too soon and dropped the catch of Australian captain Steve Waugh at Leeds in the super-six stage, the Proteas would have knocked out Australia from the 1999 World Cup in England. However, despite staring at a premature exit, Australia rallied under Steve Waugh to miraculously get into the finals of the event at Lord’s.

Against Pakistan in the finals, Australia perhaps delivered their most clinical performance with both bat and ball. After bowling out Pakistan for a paltry score of 132, Australia comprehensively beat Pakistan by eight wickets to win their third ODI World Cup. Leg-spinner Shane Warne was declared the man of the match for his four-wicket haul in the finals. Spin wizard Warne also finished the event as the joint highest wicket-taker (20) along with New Zealand’s Geoff Allott.

2003 Cricket World Cup 

 

Although Australia’s World Cup defence in 2003 in South Africa started with a major hiccup after legendary Shane Warne was slapped with a ban for doping allegations in Johannesburg, skipper Ricky Ponting swiftly marshalled his troops to begin an unbeaten streak. The defending champions kept brushing aside one challenge after another to reach the finals of the event.

In the finals, Ponting with a match-winning knock of unbeaten 140 led the way for this country and set up a daunting total of 359. In the end, India lost the game by a colossal 125-run margin to give Australia their second consecutive and third overall World Cup win. Ponting was adjudged the man of the match for his heroics with the willow. It was Australia’s first-ever World Cup win without losing a single game. 

2007 Cricket World Cup 

 

Under Ricky Ponting, Australia came into the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean as the overwhelming favourites. In fact, many experts had billed them to repeat their heroics of 1999 and 2003. While other countries struggled to get their combination and desired results, the men from Down Under appeared a settled unit, with match-winners galore from top to bottom. Once again, Ponting’s men reached the finals and this time it was Sri Lanka who had to bear the brunt of Australia’s juggernaut at Barbados.

After being quiet for the whole tournament, wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist with the help of a squash ball, under his gloves, squashed Sri Lanka’s hopes with a brilliant 149. In the end, Australia won the game comfortably by 53 runs. For the second time in a row, the Aussies won the World Cup having remained unbeaten in the competition. While Gilchrist walked away with the man of the match award, legendary Glenn McGrath was adjudged as the man of the series.

Teams with most ICC Cricket World Cup titles 

Teams	Year
Australia	1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015
West Indies	1975, 1979
India	1983, 2015

 

Featured photo: SAEED KHAN/ MARTIN HAYHOW /YOAV LEMMER /ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP