Cricket is undeniably a game of statistics. Few sports collect so many facts, figures, and data from every single game.
Far from just being a way to evaluate performance, stats can be a part of the entertainment. In those long days of test cricket, hearing about a player’s averages against spin or how they perform in a certain country can help form part of the thrill of the game.
If you listen to Test Match Special, the incredible statistics are a huge part of the show.
In this guide, we’ve got some of the mainstream statistics regarding the facts and figures in the game and some of the best performances and careers in cricket. We’ve also got some unusual and interesting cricket statistics.
Batting Statistics
First, let’s look at some of the incredible batting statistics through the history of the game.
Most Runs Scored in International Cricket
Starting with some batting statistics, these are the ten batters in men’s cricket to score the most runs in international cricket.
SR Tendulkar (Ind) 1989-2013 – 34357
KC Sangakkara (SL) 2000-2015 – 28016
RT Ponting (Aus) 1995-2012 – 27483
DPMD Jayawardene (SL) 1997-2015 – 25957
JH Kallis (SA) 1995-2014 – 25534
Virat Kohli (Ind) 2008-2023 – 25322
Rahul Dravid (Ind) 1996-2012 – 24208
BC Lara (WI) 1990-2007 – 22358
ST Jayasuriya (SL) 1989-2011 – 21032
S Chanderpaul (WI) 1994-2015 – 20988
Most International Centuries
The century is the pinnacle of batting. In all forms of international cricket (test, ODI and T20) these are the batters who have scored the most international centuries.
SR Tendulkar (Ind) 1989-2013 – 100
V Kohli (Ind) 2008-2023 – 75
RT Ponting (Aus) 1995-2012 – 71
KC Sangakkara (SL) 2000-2015 – 63
JH Kallis (SA) 1995-2014 – 62
HM Amla (SA) 2004-2019 – 55
DPMD Jayawardene (SL) 1997-2015 – 54
BC Lara (WI) 1990-2007 – 53
Rahul Dravid (Ind) 1996-2012 – 48
AB de Villiers (SA) 2004-2018 – 47
Most Runs in a Calendar Year
Those hot streaks when a player is simply unstoppable. Below, we’ve got the ten players who scored the most runs in a calendar year and the year in which they achieved the feat.
KC Sangakkara (SL) 2014 – 2868
RT Ponting (Aus) 2005 – 2833
Virat Kohli (Ind) 2017 – 2818
Virat Kohli (Ind) 2018 – 2735
KS Williamson (NZ) 2015 – 2692
AD Mathews (SL) 2014 – 2687
RT Ponting (Aus) 2003 – 2657
Rahul Dravid (Ind) 1999 – 2626
KC Sangakkara (SL) 2006 – 2609
Babar Azam (Pak) 2022 – 2598
Bonus: Don Bradman’s Cricket Statistics
When it comes to cricket statistics there are some incredible facts and figures that are well worth including in this guide. The word ‘legend’ is thrown around a lot in modern cricket. However, Don Bradman is undeniably the greatest batsman that ever lived, and his statistics back it up.
| Format | M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
| Test1928–48 | 52 | 80 | 10 | 6996 | 334 | 99.9 | 29 | 13 | 681 | 6 |
Other Don Bradman statistics include:
- Most double centuries: 12
- Joint most triple centuries: 3
- Fewest matches required to reach 1000 runs (achieved in 7 matches)
- Most runs against one opponent: 5,028 (England)
- Most consecutive centuries in tests: 6 (the last three Tests in 1936–37, and the first three Tests in 1938
Bowling Statistics
On to some of the bowling statistics. A lot of the best bowlers in the world are still playing and this means these stats are subject to change, but they are correct at the time of writing.
Most Wickets in All Forms of International Cricket
We’ve been treated to some incredible bowling performances and wicket-takers in the history of cricket. The following are the cricketers with the best figures overall in all forms of international cricket.
| Player | Years | Wickets | Mat | Runs | BBI | 5W | 10W |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 1992-2011 | 1347 | 495 | 30803 | 9/51 | 77 | 22 |
| SK Warne (Aus) | 1992-2007 | 1001 | 339 | 25536 | 8/71 | 38 | 10 |
| JM Anderson (Eng) | 2002-2023 | 972 | 392 | 26102 | 7/42 | 34 | 3 |
| Anil Kumble (Ind) | 1990-2008 | 956 | 403 | 28767 | 10/74 | 37 | 8 |
| GD McGrath (Aus) | 1993-2007 | 949 | 376 | 20656 | 8/24 | 36 | 3 |
| Wasim Akram (Pak) | 1994-2003 | 916 | 460 | 21591 | 7/119 | 31 | 5 |
| SM Pollock (SA) | 1995-2008 | 829 | 423 | 19673 | 7/87 | 21 | 1 |
| SCJ Broad (Eng) | 2006-2023 | 814 | 337 | 22696 | 8/15 | 20 | 3 |
| Waqar Younis (Pak) | 1989-2003 | 789 | 349 | 18707 | 7/36 | 35 | 5 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 1994-2009 | 761 | 439 | 21643 | 8/19 | 16 | 2 |
Most Wickets in a Calendar Year
No batter would have wanted to face these bowlers in the form of their careers. These are the most wickets taken in a calendar year.
| Player | Year | Wkts | Mat | Ovrs | Mdn | Runs | BBI |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 2001 | 136 | 45 | 1089.5 | 245 | 2718 | 8/87 |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 2006 | 128 | 40 | 854.2 | 147 | 2687 | 8/70 |
| SK Warne (Aus) | 1994 | 120 | 39 | 902.2 | 230 | 2319 | 8/71 |
| GD McGrath (Aus) | 1999 | 119 | 41 | 802.2 | 187 | 2408 | 5/14 |
| MG Johnson (Aus) | 2009 | 113 | 47 | 774.3 | 103 | 3185 | 5/69 |
| GP Swann (Eng) | 2010 | 111 | 39 | 736.0 | 123 | 2402 | 6/65 |
| Saeed Ajmal (Pak) | 2013 | 111 | 50 | 700.3 | 83 | 2435 | 7/95 |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 2000 | 109 | 31 | 823.3 | 166 | 2143 | 7/30 |
| AA Donald (SA) | 1998 | 107 | 27 | 643.4 | 140 | 1987 | 6/88 |
| DK Lillee (Aus) | 1981 | 105 | 28 | 747.1 | 164 | 2204 | 7/83 |
Best Figures in an Innings
Nobody would have wanted to face these bowlers on their top form. Look at some of these ridiculous stats, and crazy bowling economies!
| Player | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Team |
| JC Laker | 51.2 | 23 | 53 | 10 | 1.03 | England |
| A Kumble | 26.3 | 9 | 74 | 10 | 2.79 | India |
| AY Patel | 47.5 | 12 | 119 | 10 | 2.48 | New Zealand |
| GA Lohmann | 14.2 | 6 | 28 | 9 | 2.33 | England |
| JC Laker | 16.4 | 4 | 37 | 9 | 2.22 | England |
| M Muralidharan | 40.0 | 19 | 51 | 9 | 1.27 | Sri Lanka |
| Sir RJ Hadlee | 23.4 | 4 | 52 | 9 | 2.19 | New Zealand |
| Abdul Qadir | 37.0 | 13 | 56 | 9 | 1.51 | Pakistan |
| DE Malcolm | 16.3 | 2 | 57 | 9 | 3.45 | England |
| M Muralidharan | 54.2 | 27 | 65 | 9 | 1.19 | Sri Lanka |
Fastest Deliveries
Bowling quickly isn’t necessarily the only skill needed in cricket but it certainly is one of the most impressive. Here are the fastest clocked deliveries in cricket:
- Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan)- 161.3 kph (100.2 mph)
- Shaun Tait (Australia)- 161.1 kph (100.1 mph)
- Brett Lee (Australia)- 160.8 kph (99.9 mph)
- Jeff Thomson (Australia) – 160.6 kph (99.8 mph)
- Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 160.4 kph (99.7 mph)
Most and Fewest Team Runs in an Innings
The most runs in an innings were scored by Sri Lanka against India in 1997 when they reached 952–6 before they declared.
The fewest runs in an innings were scored by New Zealand against England at Eden Park back in 1955.
Fascinating and Quirky Cricket Statistics
There are some amazing cricket statistics out there, from the humorous to the fascinating. Below are some of the more interesting stats that are out there.
Only four teams have ever won in a test match having been asked to follow on:
New Zealand (209 & 483) beat England (435 & 256) at the Basin Reserve, Wellington (2022–23).
England (325 & 437) beat Australia (586 & 166) at Sydney Cricket Ground in 1894–95.
England (174 & 356) also beat Australia (401–9 d & 111) at Headingley, Leeds in 1981.
India (171 & 657–7 d) beat Australia (445 & 212) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata (2000–01)
The most consecutive test wins by a team was 16 by Australia, who started their run in Harare, Zimbabwe back in 1999 and continued through to a test against India at Mumbai, 27 February 2001. They repeated the feat later in the decade.
Ishant Sharma is indirectly responsible for the three biggest scores made by individuals against India this century. Alistair Cook made 294, Michael Clarke made 329, and Brendon McCullum scored 302. What connects them? They were all dropped by Sharma early in their innings. Not a record he will want.
There are 17 cricketers to have played for two countries in international cricket. The first four of these all played for arch-enemies England and Australia. This is something that is hard to envisage today. In recent years the likes of Boyd Rankin and Gary Ballance have played for multiple countries.
Sir Don Bradman hit only six sixes in his entire career. For someone who averaged almost 100 and scored an incredible number of runs, it is fair to say he wasn’t necessarily the biggest power hitter out there.
Conclusion
There are new and fascinating statistics that are generated every single year, or even every single match that takes place. There’s a reason we have huge almanacs full of numbers! A lot of cricket fans love statistics and facts, and these are just some of the incredible stats you need to know.