Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport after Football/Soccer, with having an estimate of 2.5 Billion fans Globally and the number of Countries playing Cricket is 105.
However, this number changes from format to format. Cricket is divided into three formats they are:-
- Test Cricket:
- ODI Cricket:
- T20 Cricket:
Test Cricket
Test Cricket is the oldest format of the game and is played for 5 days. The number of nations playing Test cricket is 12. The first-ever International match is played between USA & Canada in 1844 (24-26 September) in which Canada won by 23 runs.
Right now only 11 countries play test cricket. which are full members of International Cricket Council and these 11 teams are the best cricket teams in the world.
those 11 nations are
- Australia
- England
- India
- South Africa
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
- Sri Lanka
- Ireland
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- West Indies
- Zimbabwe (banned by ICC)
ODI Cricket
In ODI’s every match roughly lasts 7-9 hours and both teams face 50 overs with batting and bowling & each over consists of 6 balls, First-ever ODI match is played between England and Australia on 5th January 1971 at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Right now 17 Nations play ODI Cricket and they are:
- Australia
- India
- England
- South Africa
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- Ireland
- Sri Lanka
- Scotland
- UAE
- West Indies
- Netherlands
- Scotland
- Papua New Guinea
- Zimbabwe (Banned by ICC)
T20 Cricket
T20 Cricket is the hottest form of the Cricket, it is first played in 2003 and the first international match was played between Australia and New Zealand on 17th February 2005. In which Australia defeated New Zealand by 44 runs at Eden Park in Auckland. Right now 85 nations play T20 Cricket Professionally.