5 unique records in T20 Internationals
The first T20 international cricket match was played on 17th February 2005, when the then world-beating Australian team squared off against their neighbors New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland. Since then, T20 cricket has flourished on the global platform and has become the most beloved format of the game amongst the casual viewers.
Though the Test and ODI formats remain to be the premier versions of cricket, T20 cricket has carved its own niche by providing some riveting contests over the years. The fast-paced entertainment provided by T20 cricket has attracted a lot of new viewers across the globe and escalated the horizon of the cricketing universe.
Numerous records have been set and broken in T20I cricket thus far. For instance, Rohit Sharma recently became the first batsman to score 4 Centuries in the shortest format of the game. He overtook the previous record holder Colin Munro who has 3 T20I centuries to his name. In this slideshow, we are going to have a look at some of the most intriguing records in T20I cricket.
Here are 5 unique records in T20I cricket:
#5 Most maidens bowled in a T20I career - Nuwan Kulasekara(6)
Sri Lankan medium pace bowler Nuwan Kulasekara holds the record for bowling the most number of maiden overs in T20I cricket. Kulasekara has bowled 6 maidens across his 9-year T20I career. He has played 58 T20I matches and picked up 66 wickets.
India's premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah currently holds the second position on this list with 5 maidens from 37 matches and looks set to overtake Kulasekara's overall tally in the near future given his stupendous form in the shortest format of the game in the recent times.
#4 Most consecutive matches without defeat - Australia(12 matches)
The invincible Australian team from the last decade not only dominated the Test and ODI formats but also conquered the shortest version of cricket. The Australian cricket team holds the record for playing most number of matches consecutively without being defeated. They were undefeated across 12 matches in the period between 30th August 2009 to 14th May 2010.
The mighty Australian team is yet to win the prestigious T20 World Cup. Stalwarts like Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Glenn Mc Grath, Brett Lee, Michael Clarke have all represented the Australian team in the shortest format over the years but still, Australia failed to win the coveted prize since the tournament's inception in 2007.
The emerging nation Afghanistan holds the second position on this list. They were undefeated across 11 T20 matches during the period from March 27th, 2016, to March 12th, 2017. Their most significant win during this period came against the West Indies team during the 2016 World T20
#3 Batsman with fifties in consecutive innings - Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle(4 innings)
Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum is renowned across the globe due to his exploits in the shortest format of the game. It was his spectacular innings of 158* in the opening match of IPL that set the tone of the newly launched league and skyrocketed the craze of the lucrative T20 league based in India.
Chris Gayle needs no introduction in T20 cricket as he is widely regarded as one of the greatest T20 batsmen.
McCullum along with Chris Gayle holds the record for scoring fifties in most consecutive innings as they both have scored fifties across four consecutive innings.