6 interesting facts about T-20 cricket

Arguably the most popular format of the sport, since its inception in 2003, T-20 (otherwise known as Twenty-20) cricket has been known to pack stadiums to the rafters and provide ultimate frenzy due to its high octane pace, drama and rivalry in a short space of time.

Its popularity has also translated to hard core figures with players reportedly making just under R2 million per tournament.
 

 
Although the IPL has taken T-20 to a different stratosphere and changed the landscape of franchise cricket, the idea to reduce the long format to single innings for each team was mainly an effort to boost popularity and reduced interest in the way of sponsorship deals.

The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) cricketing authorities thought shortening the format from 50 to 20 overs would turn their fortunes around. In the fifteen years of its existence the sport has grew exponentially and certainly injected much needed development. As popular as this sport has grown, let’s take a look at some lesser known facts about T-20 cricket.
 

T-20 Fact 1

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Although the ECB cooked up this unique format of the game, the first international T-20 encounter was played between Australia and New Zealand.
 

T-20 Fact 2 

 
The shortest T-20 international fixture only played for a mere 13 overs due to heavy rains affecting play between New Zealand and Scotland. New Zealand managed to seal the victory in 6 overs led by Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor.
 

T-20 Fact 3

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As dominant a figure as Chris Gayle has been in this short format of the game, it is easy to assume he would hold a majority of striking records, however it is Yuvraj Singh who is the only batsman to hit 6 sixes in six balls. The West Indian batsman though does hold the record for the most sixes hit (43) in all editions together of the T-20. He has also scored seven centuries in T-20, two of these coming at international level.
   

T-20 Fact 4

 
The first international hat-trick bowled in T-20 was accomplished by the Australian fast bowler Brett Lee. He managed to get three wickets in 3 balls against Bangladesh in the 2007 T-20 World Cup.
 

T-20 Fact 5

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A record which the hard hitting former Pakistani captain would hope not to hold is being dismissed for the most ducks in T-20, standing at 5. Shahid Afridi or Boom Boom, as he is affectionately known, holds this unwanted record after scoring five 0’s in T-20 World Cup.
 

T-20 Fact 6

 
Yuvraj Singh also holds the record for the fastest half-century, he only required 12 balls to score 50 runs in the 2007 T-20 World Cup.
 

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