Also: what’s the lowest individual score never made in each format of international cricket?
Steven Lynch02-Nov-2021Who are the oldest and youngest players in the current T20 World Cup – and who are the record-holders overall? asked Keith Robinson from England
The youngest man in the current T20 World Cup is the exciting Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who was 19 years 331 days old in their match against Scotland in Sharjah. The oldest is Chris Gayle, who’s about a month past his 42nd birthday.The youngest player in any edition of this tournament to date was Mohammad Amir, who was aged 17 years 55 days when he faced England at The Oval in June 2009. Rashid Khan was about four months older when he played for Afghanistan against Scotland in Nagpur in March 2016. The oldest was Ryan Campbell, who was 44 when he played for Hong Kong in the 2016 edition. The oldest for a Test-playing nation was Brad Hogg, who was 43 when he appeared for Australia in March 2014.Five Dutch players were out first ball in their T20 World Cup match against Ireland. Was this a record? asked Sandeep Sachdeva from India
The short answer is yes: Netherlands’ five golden ducks – by Ben Cooper, Ryan ten Doeschate, Scott Edwards, Roelof van der Merwe and Brandon Glover – against Ireland in Abu Dhabi recently was a new record for T20Is. There had been three previous instances of four, by West Indies against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2013-14 (this included a run-out), New Zealand vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2019 (when Lasith Malinga took four wickets in four balls), and Estonia against Cyprus in Episkopi in July 2021.The record for one-day internationals is four first-ball dismissals in an innings, which has happened three times – by Sri Lanka against Pakistan in Jamshedpur in 1998-99 (one a run-out), Pakistan vs England at The Oval in 2003 (three inflicted by Jimmy Anderson), and Scotland against New Zealand in Dunedin during the 2015 World Cup.The record for a Test innings, as far as can be established (data is incomplete), is also four, by South Africa against England at The Oval in 2017, two of them coming during Moeen Ali’s match-ending hat-trick.What’s the lowest individual score never made in each format of international cricket? asked Cal Bypost via Facebook
At the moment the lowest individual score never recorded in a men’s Test match is 229, followed by 252 and 265. The first score of 238 came earlier this year, by Kane Williamson for New Zealand against Pakistan in Christchurch.In one-day internationals it’s 155 (which is odd since there have been five 154s and six 156s), and 112 in T20Is. No one has yet been out for 93 in T20Is, but Hamilton Masakadza hit 93 not out for Zimbabwe against Bangladesh in Khulna in 2015-16.In women’s Tests the lowest score not yet recorded is 91, in ODIs 126, and in T20Is 85.R Ashwin held the record for the most wickets after 39 Tests•AFP / Getty ImagesI know that Ravichandran Ashwin used to hold the record for most wickets at a certain stage of his Test career – does he still? asked R Narendran from India
The Indian spinner R Ashwin held the record for the most wickets after 39 matches (220; Yasir Shah had the most after 38, with 209) and held the mark until his 65th Test, by which time he had 342 wickets. But although Ashwin took eight in his 66th match, he was joined by Muthiah Muralidaran with 350 after 66. Murali took 11 more in his next Test, and retained the record from then until the end of his career (800 wickets in 133 matches). Other bowlers have played more Tests, but have not approached his wicket haul.I noticed that Brendon McCullum scored two double-centuries in New Zealand’s two Tests against India in 2013-14. Has anyone ever scored three double-hundreds in a series? asked Kerry Watson from New Zealand
Brendon McCullum hit 224 for New Zealand against India in Auckland in February 2014, then 302 – NZ’s first Test triple – in Wellington the following week. This was the 16th instance of a batter scoring two double-centuries in a Test series; Virat Kohli joined the club for India against Sri Lanka in 2017-18. Apart from McCullum, only Wally Hammond (for England vs New Zealand in 1932-33) and Thilan Samaraweera (Sri Lanka vs Pakistan in 2008-09) did it in a two-match series.As so often, though, one man stands alone when you consider this sort of record. Don Bradman hit three double-centuries in the Ashes in England in 1930, when he racked up 974 runs in all, still the record for any Test series. Bradman hit 254 at Lord’s, in what he always claimed was his best Test innings, 334 at Headingley, and 232 in the fifth Test at The Oval. Bradman also hit two double-centuries in three further series – against England in 1934 and 1936-37, and South Africa in 1931-32. For the overall list, click here.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
