Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams, typically consisting of eleven players each. It is played on a circular or oval-shaped field, with a prominent 22-yard-long rectangular pitch at the center. Each team takes turns batting and fielding. The batting team aims to score runs by hitting the ball bowled by the opposing team’s bowler and running between two sets of three wooden stumps, known as wickets. The fielding team tries to prevent runs and dismiss batters through various methods, such as catching the ball, hitting the wicket with the ball, or running them out.

Cricket has various formats, including Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 (T20) games, each differing in length and rules. The sport is governed internationally by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and is particularly popular in countries such as India, Australia, England, South Africa, and Pakistan. The game’s origins trace back to the late 16th century in England, and it has since evolved into a major global sport, celebrated for its strategic depth, sportsmanship, and cultural significance.