Introduction- Cricket

Cricket is one of the most popular sports around the world. It is famous in countries like India, England, Australia, South Africa & Pakistan. This game has been played for centuries and has evolved over time, becoming more strategic and exciting. Cricket is loved by millions of people around the world. It is a game that requires skill, hard work, consistency, strategy, and patience, and it is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. In this article, we will explore what cricket is, how it is played, and why it is such a popular sport.

What is Cricket ? – An Overview

Cricket is originated in England in the 16th century. Cricket is played by bat & ball having two teams of eleven players on each side. The shape of the cricket ground is generally circular or oval-shaped rectangular 22-yards-long pitch in the center. The objective of the game is to score more runs than the opposing team by hitting the ball and running between the wickets.

History- What is History of Cricket?

The cricket game was originated in England. It is believed that shepherds discovered cricket for their time pass while grazing out their sheep flocks. They used stone as ball and woods of tree as bat. Some chronologist also called cricket as “Farmer’s Game”.

Cricket improved so much that now it’s called ‘Gentlemen’s Game”.

Equipments to Play Cricket

Bat, Ball, Stumps, Bail, Pads, Shoes, Helmet, Gloves, Sports Uniform are the equipments required to play cricket.

Bat: A bat is made up of wood of tree mainly willow wood. The dimensions of bat is 38 inches (96.5 cm) long and 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide.

Ball: A ball is made up of leather having cork base. The circumference of ball is  9.1 in (23 cm).

Stumps & Bail: Made up of wood of tree generally willow wood.

Helmet : The helmet is used for protection of player while playing cricket. It is generally made by  fibreglass, ABS plastic, steel, carbon fibre &  high density foam etc.

How Cricket is Played?

Cricket is played between two teams having 11 players each. Toss is done to decide who will do batting and fielding respectively. The team won the toss have choice to decide accordingly. Batting team will play first and opposite team will do fielding.

Cricket requires skill, hard work, consistency, strategy, and patience. Batsmen need to have good hands & eyes coordination and timing to hit the ball correctly. Bowlers need to be able to bowl accurately and at different speeds to deceive the batsmen. Fielders need to be agile, energetic  and have quick reflexes to catch the ball and prevent runs.

All players of team have equal importance and work collectively to win the match.

Why Cricket is so much popular Sport?

Cricket is loved by everyone around the world, and there are several reasons for its popularity. Some reasons quoted below :-

    1. Unity & Integration Sport

Cricket is a team game. A better coordination between players is indeed to get good results. Each & every player is a pillar to win; played in group. Cricket teaches us unity and inculcates team spirit in players.

    2. Rich History and Tradition

Cricket has a rich history & tradition that dates back centuries. It has been played in England since the 16th century and has since spread to become a global sport. It is very popular in India, people are mad behind cricket in India.

    3. Exciting & Interesting Matches

Cricket matches are very exciting & funny with many twists and turns. Matches can last for several hours or even several days, & the results can be unpredictable until match is over. This unpredictability makes cricket an exciting and interesting game to watch and enjoy.

     4. Cultural Significance

Cricket is deeply rooted in the culture of many countries, particularly in South Asia. Cricket has become a symbol of national pride and identity, and its significance goes beyond just being a sport. Cricket leagues are celebrated as festivals nowadays. People are crazy and mad about cricket specially in India.

    5. Community Of Fans

Cricket connects the people around the world. Every country team is having a huge community of people who cheers and wishes for their victory. Fan base of cricket players are increasing day by day.

Some Terms Related to Cricket

• Batsmen: the player who scores runs from the balls bowled by the defending team bowler.
• Batter: It’s a new and common term for batting man or woman both.
• Bowler: the player who bowls, and tries to get the batsmen of opposite team “out”.
• Fielder: Remaining 10 players of team helps bowler to get out the batsman and also prevent runs.
• Striker: A batsman in front of wicketkeeper is striker and the opposite end is called non-striker.
• Run: Basic unit of scoring in cricket. Runs are scored when striker hits the ball and runs between stumps. It is usually scored in ones, twos, and threes.
• Four: The ball hit by the batsman crosses the boundary by rolling on the ground. Then, it is called a boundary or four runs.
• Six: When ball directly go beyond the boundary; six is counted in batsman score.
• No-ball: If a bowler’s foot crosses the popping crease while delivering the ball then, it is called a no-ball. The ball bowled that is directed above waist of the batsman without pitching on the ground is also a no-ball.
• Out: When a batsman get out and turn of next player come to play. Bowled, Catch Out, Run-out, LBW, and Stumped are the most common ways of getting out.
• Bowled: It is a way of getting out where the batsman misses the ball bowled and the stumps behind are touched by the ball.
• Catch Out: A batsman is declared out when the fielder catches the ball without dropping on ground.
• LBW: LBW stands for leg-before wicket. A batsman is declared out as LBW when ball hits on player body directed towards stumps.
• Run-out: If a fielder hits the stumps with ball in hand while the batsman is not in crease after playing a shot, then the batsman is declared run-out.
• Stumped: A batsman moves out of crease to play a ball and misses, the wicket keeper gathers the ball and hits the stumps with ball in hand. Then, the batsman is declared out as stumped.
• Extra runs: All the runs given by fielding team where the batsmen have not hit the ball with the bat are considered as extra runs. For example, wide, no-ball, etc.

Types of Matches Played in Cricket

Cricket is played in many formats, but the most popular are Test & One Day cricket matches. Test match is a long format of cricket play which go as long as 5 days and both teams plays for two times if enough time is there.

One day is the most popular format, with each team getting 300 balls to score runs. And the other team tries to defeat them within the same number of balls.

If you loves only the boundaries i.e. Four’s & Sixes then prefer to watch one day matches instead of test matches.

Conclusion

Cricket is a sport that requires skill, strategy, and patience, and it has a rich history and tradition that appeals to many people. Cricket is so famous that it played by people of every ages & all genders. Cricket is a sport that brings people together and creates a sense of community, and it will continued to be a beloved sport for generations to come. Cricket is the game having power to even bring two enemy countries together. So, if you have never watched a game of cricket, give it a try – you might just fall in love with this gentleman’s game. Watch! Play! Enjoy! 

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