Cricket: History, tournaments, rules
Cricket is a team sport played between two squads of eleven players. The game is played on a vast rectangular field. Cricket includes various match formats such as Test, One-Day, and Twenty20, which vary in duration and rules.
The game aims to earn points or runs between the two ends of the pitch. The principal implements are the bat and ball. Each team has a turn to throw the ball or bat it. The bowler throws the ball and tries to knock out the batsman, and the batsman tries to score runs.
In this article, let’s talk about cricket as a sport. How it was founded, what tournaments are available, and what to look for.
Definition and History of Cricket
The origin of cricket dates back to the 16th century in England. The game started among shepherds, who used their hooks to hit a ball of wool. The first recorded match occurred in 1646 in Sussex, England.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, cricket spread throughout the British Empire, including India. The history of cricket in India began in 1721 in an English sailor’s records, Clement Downing. He played it with local sailors. In 1792, British emigrants founded the Calcutta Cricket Club, the first in the country. Gradually, other cricket India clubs emerged. Cricket became popular in various social strata, spreading its influence throughout the country. The first set of rules of cricket was approved in 1744 by the London Cricket Club.
The first global change in the rules came in 1971 when the number of overs was limited to 60. This rule was intended to add more dynamism and intrigue. In 2003, the Twenty20 format was introduced, which reduced the number of overs to 20. This format quickly gained popularity due to its brevity and more dynamic game concept.
Cricket gained popularity outside India due to the influence of great players and teams. In the late 90s, India began to dominate cricket. The national league became the most attractive and richest, and the Indian national team became one of the strongest on the planet.
International Cricket Tournament: List
The major world cricket tournaments attract colossal attention from fans from all over the world. Today, it is the second most popular sport on the planet. Cricket is played in three formats: Test series, one-day internationals, and Twenty20 Internationals.
Hundreds of international championships are held annually. Some of the most prestigious are the ICC World Cup, T20 World Cup, ODI, ICC Champions Trophy, and Test cricket.
The Cricket World Cup 2024 is held every two years. The best national teams from different countries, both Test and one-day teams, participate in it. The main cricket event in 2024 will be the upcoming T20 World Cricket Championship in the USA and West Indies.
The ICC World Cup is held every four years and has pre-qualifying tournaments. It is considered the premier cricket tournament too.
Cricket T20 World Cup
The ICC World Twenty20 is an international Twenty20 cricket competition organized by the ICC. It is usually held every two years. The first tournament took place in 2007 in South Africa, where the winner was India. Since 2009, the tournament has been held regularly. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed to 2021 and moved to the UAE and Oman.
Eight cricket world cups have been held in total, with 21 teams participating. Only the West Indies and England have won the tournament more than once (two titles each). Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Australia have also won the tournament, besides India and the abovementioned teams.
England won the 2022 championship after defeating Pakistan in the final. This is its second title. England also became the first team to win both men’s limited-overs world cups (T 20 Cricket World Cup and ODI).
The Cricket World Cup was conceived in 2002. Following the conclusion of the Benson and Hedges Cup, the European Cricket Board needed another one-day competition. The idea was to create a dynamic cricket event to attract youngsters and compensate for decreased spectators and sponsorship.
The first official Twenty20 matches were held in England in 2003. Since then, the format’s popularity has grown, fuelled by new regional tournaments. After a series of matches and various T20 series tournaments, creating a World Cup in this format was decided.
The tournament received an excellent response from the audience, and the organizers became even more convinced of the need to hold it regularly. Each year, the prize money and sponsorship amounts started to increase. The tournament has become one of the most popular worldwide over time.
There is also a women’s T20 World Cup. This format appeared after the success of the men’s tournament. And it is also gaining popularity and winning fans’ love each year.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be the ninth biennial edition of the men’s national cricket teams Twenty20 International (T20) format. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup schedule is fixed from 1 to 29 June 2024, and the tournament will take place in the West Indies and the USA. It will be the first time for the USA to host such a tournament.
The competition will feature 20 teams, including two hosts. The top eight teams from the previous 2022 tournament automatically qualified, with the top two teams in the ICC T20 men’s team rankings yet to secure a place in the final. The remaining eight teams were determined through ICC regional qualifiers.
The teams will be divided into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 8 round. At this stage, they will be divided into two groups of four teams each. The top two from each group will advance to the playoff stage, including two semi-finals and a final. The final match will be played at the Kensington Oval Stadium in Barbados.
The main favorites for the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2024 are India, Australia, and the reigning champion – England. The West Indies, who have won the tournament twice, should also be considered. However, one should look out for new entrants, such as Canada, Uganda, and the USA, who have qualified for the tournament for the first time, and their performance is exciting and intriguing.
Compared with previous tournaments, matches between traditional rivals such as India and Pakistan can be expected to attract the most interest. These games are usually intense and exciting due to the teams’ historically complex relationships.
Also, as the tournament expands, matches against new teams, especially the USA, may attract more attention as it opens up new prospects for cricket in regions where it was previously less popular.
The Indian team will face Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and the USA in the group stage.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be the ninth biennial edition, held in Bangladesh from September to October 2024. Australia is the current champion, having defeated South Africa in the final of the previous tournament.
Bangladesh is a qualifier for the tournament as a host. The seven highest-ranked teams joined them in the ICC Women’s T20 rankings to compete in the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia. The remaining two were Ireland and Bangladesh, the finalists of the qualifiers.
10 teams will participate in the ICC T20 women’s World Cup: Bangladesh, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, and 2 more teams will be decided in the final stages of the qualification.
The main tournament’s favorites could be the teams performing outstandingly in the previous T20 competitions. Australia, as the current champion, will be one of them. India, England, South Africa, and West Indies are also generally considered strong contenders in the women’s T20 cricket.
As in the previous ICC Women’s World Cup T20, matches between traditional rivals such as India and Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and India and England are expected to attract the most interest and excitement. These rivalries are often accompanied by emotional moments and tense situations on the field.
Also, games involving favorites such as Australia and India will attract the attention of the fans as they strive to maintain their high position in women’s cricket.
One Day International
The One Day International (ODI) is a variety of cricket with limited overs – 50 overs per team. The duration of a single match can be up to 7 hours. This format is also used in the Cricket World Cup.
These matches are also known as Limited Overs International (LOI). The term can also refer to Twenty20 international matches. However, the ODI (One Day International) remains the primary format of List A limited overs competitions. This provides the highest standard of competition in the format of One day International cricket matches.
India, with a current rank lead, is considered one of the major favorites for this year’s edition. Australia, in second place, is also a strong contender. South Africa and Pakistan have shown consistent results recently and can be considered serious contenders.
The Cricket World Cup is played in the ODI format too. The last tournament was held in 2023, and the winner was Australia, beating India in the final.
Test Cricket
Twelve member countries of the International Cricket Council (ICC) participate in Test cricket. These teams represent the countries at the international level and participate in Test matches. The list includes India, Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Ireland, and Afghanistan.
Test cricket has no specific tournament as in limited-overs cricket. Instead, teams play a series of Test matches, and the results of the series determine the winner.
Test matches are played regularly throughout the calendar year, forming the Test cricket ranking. However, Test cricket tournaments like the World Cup are not organized separately. Test series are played in different countries at different times, depending on the cricket series schedule.
Cricket Tournament in India
India cricket tournament includes regular and numerous events. However, some domestic tournaments are particularly popular and influential. These are the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
The Men’s Premier League is considered the strongest and richest one in the world. The best players from all over the planet, the most expensive contracts, and insane amounts of income from TV rights sales. The Vijay Hazars Trophy, the Ranji Trophy, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy are also among the men’s tournaments.
Indian Premier League (IPL)
The Indian Premier League is the most popular tournament in Twenty20 cricket. The league was founded in 2007 and has since become one of cricket’s most anticipated and attractive events. IPL is the most popular cricket tournament in the world. According to the attendance ratings, Tata IPL is ranked sixth among all sports leagues worldwide. In 2023, the league finals attracted more than 32 million spectators.
The impact of the IPL 2024 on the Indian economy is significant. In 2015, it was reported to contribute Rs 11 billion 660 million to the country’s GDP. The brand value of the league at the end of 2023 is Rs 913 billion 330 million. In 2023, the league sold its media rights from 2023 to 2027 for Rs 531 billion 392 million.
The tournament is organized annually, and this season will be the 17th in the tournament’s history. 10 teams are participating in it: Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrise Hyderabad.
The reigning champions are Chennai Super Kings, who won their fifth title last season, tying with Mumbai Indians. Besides, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrise Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans also boast of wins in previous seasons.
As for the IPL time table, the tournament format includes group stage rounds, followed by playoffs and the final, where the IPL champion is decided. The tournament’s popularity is emphasized at the national and global levels, making it one of the critical events in the calendar of cricketers and fans.
Women’s Premier-League
The Tata WPL 2024 is the second season of the Women’s Twenty20 franchise cricket league organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The tournament will be held from 23 February to 17 March 2024 and will feature five teams. The Tata Women’s Premier League 2024 aims to develop women’s cricket in the country by providing a platform for talented female athletes.
The reigning champions of the Women’s Premier League are Mumbai Indians, who won the previous season. Matches will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and the Aruna Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi, with the latter being the venue for the play-off stages.
The WPL 2024 will feature five teams: Gujarat Jainties, Delhi Capitals, UP Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Mumbai Indians.
The tournament’s final will be played on 17 March 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The winner of the eliminator and the league stage table leader will play in the final to determine the winner of the 2024 season.
It is also worth noting that the tournament attracts attention and support, as evidenced by its popularity. The high degree of attention towards women’s cricket is visible in India and on the world stage.
India National Cricket Team
The Indian national men’s cricket team is one of the strongest on the planet. The captain of the best team is Virat Kohli. Other leaders and some of the most expensive players in the world are Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Kunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Iyer Shreyas, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya.
The India national cricket team boasts several impressive achievements in their cricketing history. They have won the Cricket World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011, and also dominated the ICC T20 Cup, winning it in 2007. During their time, the Indian team won the ICC Champions Trophy thrice in 2000, 2002, and 2017.
Regarding World Tests, India has finished second twice in the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2003 and 2023. They have also shown their prowess in the T20 format, finishing second in the World T20 Championship 2014. However, they remain among the best in the format, having won the ICC Test Championship Mace an impressive five times.
Competing against regional rivals, matches between India and Pakistan always attract massive attention. They are considered the ultimate moment in cricket. The India men’s national cricket team also has a fierce rivalry with Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, adding excitement and emotion to every match between these squads.
IPL Auction
IPL Auctions is an event where team owners select players for their squads before the start of the new season. This auction allows teams to strengthen their rosters by acquiring new players through competitive bidding.
The auction process usually begins by introducing the available players for bidding. Team owners then begin bidding on the players they wish to acquire. The auction involves live bidding, competition between teams for specific players, and strategic decisions on allocating the team’s budget to different players.
The results of the IPL Auction 2024 with players’ lists for each club are available in another article. The auction is an essential stage in preparing teams for the new season, and the results determine the strength and composition of each team in the upcoming competitions.
India’s Best Cricketers
India has a lot of talent in cricket. From a very young age, children start getting passionate about the sport, which eventually translates into quality and results at a high level. Let’s highlight India’s best cricketers right now.
- Virat Kohli. Previously captained the Indian national team in all formats. One of the greatest batsmen of modern times has set many records in world cricket. A leader in one-day matches and Tests. One of the most expensive players in Indian cricket.
- Rohit Sharma. Captain of the Indian team in the T20 format. Record holder for the most double centuries in ODI format (264). Author of many successes in T20 format. A player with outstanding technique. Besides, Rohit Sharma has a huge social function by joining various charitable missions. This has increased the popularity of Rohit Sharma and cricket in India.
- Jasprit Bumrah. Jasprit Bumrah is listed among the best Indian cricket players. One of the best fast bowlers in the world. Possesses a unique style of throwing. Regularly regarded as one of the most expensive players in the Indian Premier League.
- KL Rahul. He has represented the Indian national team in all formats. A talented opening batsman who can adapt to different formats of the game. Plays a key role in the team as a batsman and captain. It is one of the most expensive acquisitions in the IPL.
Each of these cricketers has contributed immensely to the success of the Indian team and is characterized by their skills. They are also prominent players in the IPL, reflected in the high values of their contracts in the auctions. Each of these players is definitely among the list of best cricketers in India.
Upcoming Cricket Tournaments: Schedule
The year 2024 has many events in store for fans of the sport that will attract spectators from all over the world. Important events will be the international tours of the upcoming cricket series, One-Day Matches, and Twenty20 Internationals. However, the major tournament of 2024 for the fans is the upcoming Cricket World Cup ICC Men’s T20.
Here is the table of upcoming cricket matches of India and international tournaments involving India in 2024.
| ICC World Test Championship | 03.01.2024 | 30.12.2024 |
| Women’s Premier-League 2024 | 22.02.2024 | 17.03.2024 |
| Indians Premier League 2024 | 23.03.2024 | 29.05.2024 |
| ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 (T20 World Cup) | 04.06.2024 | 30.06.2024 |
| ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 | 01.09.2024 | 01.10.2024 |