Cricket is no longer a game for all the fans out there. It holds one of the strongest emotions for them. Each and every match is like a life crisis for them. It is true that today we get to see many cricket tournaments both in national and international level and thus for the reader’s viewing pleasure we have compiled a list of the most famous Cups and Championships.
#1 ICC Cricket World Cup
This is the ultimate cricket battlefield. For four long years, every cricket buff waits to experience this historical cricket league. All the international one-day matches of the world cup are aired live in almost every sports channel. From the whole wide world, almost all the cricket teams of various countries participate in this tournament. 1975 was the year of commencement of this historical tournament. After each season, every team starts hardcore preparation for the next four years with the hope of winning the cup. In 1975 West Indies won the cup and became the first winner of ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP.
Records
Australia holds the best track record in the history of the tournament. Australia has won the cup five times, no other country has been able to beat this record so far. Indian cricket sensation, Sachin Tendulkar, bagged the position of the highest runs (2,278) scored altogether in the tournament. While Australian phenomenal batsman Martin Guptill scored the most runs in a match against West Indies in 2015.
Importance and Format
When a team gets the winning title, the whole country is overwhelmed with joy. The moment when the entire team holds the cup is a memory rejoiced by all the cricket lovers of that country.
ICC has a format of selections of through a preliminary qualifying round, thus comes out the top 8 teams of the series. Then eventually after other rounds, top 4 teams reach the semi-finals. At last, the best two teams face each other and fight with utmost dedication till the end.
#2 ICC Champions Trophy
After talking about the Cricket World Cup the next one to be mentioned is obviously the ICC Champions Trophy tournament. At first, the tournament was titled as the ICC KnockOut Tournament which took a start in 1988. The basic agenda of this tournament was to raise fund for the ICC and it was achieved as the series got a massive success. The tournament has often been regarded as the Mini World Cup as it is the second most popular series amongst the viewers. However, the sad part is in 2017 cricket fans witnessed the last season of this ODI series.
Records
India holds the record of winning the maximum (29) number of matches altogether. Leaving that, the legend from West Indies, Chris Gayle, has achieved the maximum number of runs (729) scored in all the seasons of ICC Champions Trophy. Most of the wickets (28) were taken by the Australian pitcher, Kyle Mills. In the last series teams from 13 countries took part. The last Champions Trophy went into the hands of Pakistan as we bid farewell to the league.
#3 T20 World Cup
The T20 World Cup, in spite of being quite young in the family of international cricket leagues, has hit the bullseye. Due to it’s short and swift format the tournament has managed to get rapid popularity amongst the fans. The tournament initiated in 2007 and the first trophy came to India.
Records
Yuvraj Singh, the talented Indian batsman created a new history by hitting 6 sixes in a single over in 2007 against England. That match clip is viewed all over the internet again and again. West Indies managed to get the cup the maximum number (2) of times while Chris Gayle hit the maximum number of centuries for the team. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) holds the record of the most runs scored in the tournament.
Popularity
With the idea of arranging the tournament after every two years has lead to the immense popularity of the league. Also, the short time span of the matches has attracted more audiences as they don’t have to wait for a long time like before to know the results. But due to the end of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, the authorities have decided to arrange the next T20 World Cup in 2020 instead of 2018 and Australia has been chosen to host the upcoming tournament.
#4 Champions League T20
After all, those international cricket series Champions League T20 ( aka CLT20) has succeeded in getting the 4th rank in the list despite being a domestic tournament. It commenced in 2004 under the joint venture of Cricket Australia, BCCI and Cricket South Africa and had concluded in 2014. The series faced various problems of TRP ratings, financial and administrative problems which led to the eventual closure of the series.
Records
Suresh Raina hit the highest runs (842) during the all the seasons of the tournament. While Sunil Narine took the maximum number of wickets (39). Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians tasted the victory maximum times. One of the main attraction of the series was the total worth of the prize money being 6 million dollars.
#5 Ashes Series
The 5th tournament to be mentioned is without a doubt, the Ashes series. It is the cricket face-off where Australia and England fight with brilliant strategy and excellent dedication. The title has an elaborate story of rivalry and regaining the long-lost glory from ashes. In the age of where ODI and T20 have grabbed most of the limelight, Ashes stood in the point with the traditional glory of the test cricket series. 2017-18 test series was the last tournament of the series.
Records
The statistical graph of the Ashes series shows the consistent performance by the Australian team. They had their victory moments by conquering the tournament most of the times (33). Also the Australian legend, Sir Donald Bradman scored maximum runs(5028) and Shane Warne has succeeded by taking 39 (highest) wickets in the entire span of the tournament.
