Top 10 Most Famous Prevalent Cricket Star

Cricket has gained widespread fame since last three decades. Currently, it is being played in more than 70 countries. Cricketing history dates back to the British Raj in subcontinent, when the lords of the British Empire played cricket as a hobby. By then, cricket was a sport for the elite. But due to the innovative set up and vast rules and regulations, cricket became popular worldwide. Generally, cricket has been known as a gentleman’s sport. However, with the ever increasing demand of excitement and thrill,  a shorter format of the game known as twenty20 has been introduced as well. This new format is grasping a lot of attention from spectators and the cricket analysts. Here, i am going to present the list of ‘THE MOST FAMOUS PREVALENT CRICKET STARS.’ The players highlighted in this list have had a wonderful career as sportsmen so far and have gained enormous amount of respect and fame because of their talent, track record and sportsmanship. Undoubtedly, these players are the future legends of cricket.

 

10- Rahul Sharad Dravid

Birth: Jan 11 1973.

Nickname(s):the wall, Mr. dependable.

Style: right handed middle order batsman

The wall made his international debut in an ODI against srilanka in 1996. Dravid, with 159 test matches, more than 13000 runs with an average of 53.19 and a highest score of 270 and 36 centuries in test cricket, is undoubtedly one of the greatest batsmen the world has ever produced. In 344 ODIs, he has almost reached 11000 runs with a 153 highest individual score and an average of 39.16 and 12 centuries. He was one of the top 5 wisden cricketers of the year in 2000, ICC player of the year and test player of the year in 2004, has a record of most number of catches in test cricket, is the only 2nd international player to reach 13000 runs, the only player to score century in all test playing countries and the 1^st player to score more than 10000 runs at no.3 position.

9- Denagamage Proboth Mahela De Silva Jayawardene

Birth: May 27, 1977.

Nickname(s): mayya

Style: right  handed middle order batsman

Surely, when he retires, he will be known as one of the greatest cricketing icons. Mayya is the former captain of srilanka. In 125 tests, he has scored almost 10000 runs with a best of 374 runs and an average of 51.30 and 29 100s. Likewise, his ODI career is extra ordinary. In 356 ODIs, he has struck 10059 runs with a highest of 144 runs and an average of 33.53 with 15 100s. He made his test debut in 1997 against India. In 2006, he was named the best captain of the year by ICC and in 2007 best player of the year. From 1999 to 2005, he held the record for the most run outs by a fielder. He holds the world record partnership with Sangakkara of 624 runs in a test in 2006 against South Africa. He has the record for being the first srilankan to score a triple century and his highest individual score of 374 is the best by any Srilankan. He was named wisden cricketer of the year in 2007, has scored centuries against all teams and has captained the World XI in2006.

8- Mohammad Younis Khan

Birth: November, 29 1977.

Nickname(s): None

Style: right handed middle order batsman

Younis khan, a characterful and a courageous cricketer from Pakistan, was born in Mardan, a suburb of Peshawar. He made his international debut in 2000 in a test and ODI series against srilanka. He is the former captain of Pakistan. In career, he has played 71 tests, averaging 51.20 with 18 centuries and a career best of 313 runs to his name. In 231 ODIs, he almost averages 33 with 6592 runs and a highest score of 144. Interestingly, he averages 106 in tests against India which is highest by any Pakistani. He was ranked no 1 in ICC test batsmen ranking in 2009. He has buckets like hand when he is standing in the slips and is one of the best fielders of Pakistan. He was awarded president’s performance award.

7- Brett Lee

Birth: November 8^th, 1976.

Nickname(s): the speedster

Style: right arm fast bowler

He is not just a sportsman, but a popular Australian musician as well. Lee is part of a rock band ‘six and out.’ He made his international debut in 1999 in a test against India. He is quite an athletic fielder and a handy lower order batsman as well. He averages around 20 in test matches with 5 fifties. After Shoaib Akhter, lee is the 2^nd  fastest bowler in history registering a super-fast 100.2 mph delivery. He then became only the 2^nd bowler to break 100 mph barrier. In his first 2 years of cricket, he averaged a phenomenal less than 20. He has also played for Australian under 17 and under 19 teams. After showing great promise in early age, he was awarded scholarship to Australian cricket academy. Currently, lee averages 22.89 in ODIs with an  economy rate of 4.7 and a best bowling figure of 5/22, has taken 357 wickets in 205 ODIs, and 310 wickets in 76 tests with an average of 30.81 and a best bowling figure of 5/30. In 2000, lee was awarded don Bradman young player of the year award, wisden cricketer of the year award in 2006, Australian player of the year award in 2008, Allan border medalist in 2008, player of the tournament award in 2009 ICL 20/20 and is a two time winner of player of the tournament of VB series, i.e in 02/03 and 04/05.

6- Michael Edward Killeen Hussey

Birth: May 25^th, 1 975

Nickname(s): mike, mikey, Mr. Cricket by Flintoff.

Style: left handed middle order batsman, right arm part time spinner

Starting international cricket at an age of 30, Mikey did not seem to be bothered at all. Mike Hussey has 15313 runs first class runs. He was the top ranked ODI batsman in 2006. His 1^st international appearance was in 2004 in an ODI match against India. With an amazing average of 52.73 in tests and 51.17 in ODI, Hussey is soon to be known as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He grabbed on to the 2006 ODI player of the year award. Surprisingly, Hussey is naturally a right handed batsman but due to his liking for Allan border, he turned himself into a left hander.

5- Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara

Birth: October 27th, 1977.

Nickname(s): sanga

Style: left handed middle order batsman, wicket keeper

Sanga, one of the best looking cricketers, is the former captain of Srilanka. With 8 of them in his bag, he is the 3^rd most test double century makers in history. Besides being a cricketer, he as well is a law undergraduate from srilankan Law College. Sanga currently ranks no 1 in test cricket. With a total of 9167 runs in tests and an average of 56.93, he is the 11^th highest scorer in test cricket and his average is the 12^th best overall. He holds the record for 2^nd most runs in an innings by a wicket keeper, i.e 230. In 2011, Sanga was named ODI player of the year.

4- Jacques Henry Kallis

Birth: October 16^th, 1975.

Nickname(s): jack

Style: right handed middle order batsman, right arm medium pace swing bowler

Kallis is the only cricketer to have more than 12000 runs and 250 wickets in one day as well as test cricket. He was named ICC player of the year and test player of the year in 2005 and wisden leading cricketer in the year 2008. In 147 test matches he has 12005 runs with an amazing average of 56.89 including 40 centuries. His career best ranks as a batsmen and all-rounder in ODI and test is 1^st. With 51 ‘man of the match’ awards, 30 of which in tests, 20 in ODIs and 1 in T20, he carries the record for most player of the match awards.

3- Ricky Thomas Ponting

Birth: December 19^th, 1974.

Nickname(s): rick

Style: right handed middle order batsman, right arm medium pace bowler

I and rick have something in common; our favorite movie is Shaw shank redemption. Rick made his test debut in 1995 against Srilanka. He is the 1^st amongst Australia cricketers and 3^rd highest run getter in cricketing history. He has in bag more than 13000 in 156 test matches including 39 hundreds and 5 double hundreds with an average of 52.53. A less known fact about Rick is that he is The Great Greg Campbell’s nephew. In his career, he has been named wisden leading cricketer of the year of 2003, has been Allan border medalist a record four times in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009, ICC player of the year in 2006 and 2007, ICC captain of the year in 2007, test player of the year in 2006, most test victories as captain that is 48, 3^rd man in history to pass 13000 runs in ODI, most victories as ODI captain and that is 162, and he has been unbeaten as captain for a record 25 World Cup matches.

2- Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Birth: April 27^th, 1973.

Nickname(s): little master

Style: right handed opening/middle order batsman, right arm leg spinner

He made his international debut at the age of 16 against Pakistan in a test in Karachi. He is the first cricketer to score 10000 runs in ODI. He has played for Yorkshire as well. Sachin has shown some talent in spin bowling throughout; his career best bowling figure, 5 for 32, is against Australia. Even though he got out on a duck in his first two test matches, Sachin still managed to be the youngest player to reach 1000 runs in test cricket. Him and Vinod Kambli scored a partnership 668 runs in a first class match and came into limelight. Currently, he is the highest earning cricketer in the world.

1-  Shahid Khan Afridi

Birth: march 1st, 1980

Nickname(s): lala, boom boom

Style: right handed middle order batsman, right arm leg spinner

Shahid Afridi is a former captain of Pakistan. The only player to win Man of Match award more than 4 times in a year, He is only the 2^nd player in history to score 6000 plus runs and take 300 wickets in ODI. He holds the record for most number of sixes in ODI, fastest century in ODI in 37 balls, 3 out of first 6 fastest centuries, most wickets in any world cup by a captain, 4^th leading wicket taker as a spinner after Murlitharan, Anil Kumble and Sanath Jayasuria, best bowling figures by a captain in a world cup and the first cricketer to reach 50 wicket hall in T20. He has studied from university of Karachi.