Captain Eoin Morgan said that he is “continuously monitoring different” individuals for the England T20 World Cup Squad. So why not help him out a bit?
Saqib Mahmood dazzled in the Pakistan-England series, Liam Livingstone and James Vince are striking the living daylight out of the white ball, and death bowlers are getting more expensive by the day.
The Hundred is upon us now. We get to see breakout stars like Chris Benjamin. However, it is unlikely they will even be considered for the upcoming T20 World Cup. On the other hand, ex-England players like Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Steven Finn, and Jade Dernbach make sure that the domestic game is still strong, but they will not board the plane either come November.
We analyze each and every player that is contender for the 23-men (COVID rules) T20 World Cup—when they last played for England, T20/T20I stats, where they stack with their competitors, and how many games they have to secure their spot. There are 36 strong candidates in the list with 44 overall T20 prospects for this World Cup. And no, this is not the entire depth of the English cricket team. That would take it up to 75 players depth!
Reserve: May have played for England in the last two years but does not make their first XI
Out of Squad: Might have represented England earlier or about to breakthrough, but have not been in the England squad in the last couple of T20I series.
Verdict
🟩 Plays the first match in the T20 World Cup
🟨 Boards the plane to UAE but might not get a look-into the XI
🟧 Wildcard Entry: Not in the current scheme of things but a good performance in the Hundred, T20 Blast, or IPL, and they might be back in the conversation.
🟥 Most likely not going to make it, but in COVID-19 World, anything is possible. They are next in the pecking order in case something out of the blue happens.
Over the past year, at the end of every series, we did a “World T20 World Cup Watch,” where a 23-men squad was chosen after latest performance. You can check them below.
England T20 World Cup Squad – Player By Player Analysis
In order to create the machinery for the explosive England T20 World Cup Squad, we specifically pay attention to the Average + Strike Rate score for the batters along with the Economy Rate for the bowlers. A Dawid Malan (high average, decent strike rate) is just as important as a Jason Roy (decent average, high strike rate) to this squad.
Last Played T20I For England:November 9, 2019(*ODI: July 12, 2021)
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: None
Has the best cover drive in England. Finally showed up on the big stage with a 100 in ODI against Pakistan. Performed in other leagues around the world in the past year and continuing it with The Hundred – pushing for a spot in the squad. Maybe in the XI.
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Welsh Fire, IPL Team: None
Burst on the scene as the next ‘KP’ with the scoops and reverse sweeps. Destructive when on fire but has received limited opportunities. Needs to make most of The Hundred if he wants to get into the England squad.
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Trent Rockets, IPL Team: None
Dominates T20 leagues around the world. Failed drug tests, Bristol brawl, relationship with Morgan, and controversy has almost killed his international career. Time running out for that ‘conversation’ to get him back into the England team. And with like-to-like batter James Vince already having a foot in the door, it will be difficult for him to comeback.
#1 T20I batter in the world, but questions beginning to creep on his position in the XI due to spin. He is definitely a match-winner, but hope he does not lose matches on his off-days.
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?Yes.
Hundred Team: Birmingham Phoenix, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
Has to one of my the most underutilized players in the last decade. Practically played in every position and with vital IPL experience, will be key in UAE. Can he beat the competition to bat in the top-order?
Not the best T20 stats but he is a big game player. The real question is, where does he play? #3 like the IPL or as a finisher? Stokes is taking an indefinite break from all cricket.Hopefully he is okay.
One of the best ODI opening batters of all-time, a clean striker, and a wonderful player of spin, his role might change with a #4 position for the T20 World Cup.
Last Played T20I For England:May 4, 2019 (ODI: 3 July, 2021)
Is he in the India test series?Yes. Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Trent Rockets, IPL Team: None
Chief architect of the 2016 runners-up campaign, Root has fallen off the charts in the last four years in T20 cricket. He has expressed his desire to play more T20I cricket but does not play many leagues. Lower SR than Malan, but is a valuable part-timer that might help his case.
Last Played T20I For England:Yet to Play (ODI: July 12, 2021)
Is he in the India test series?Yes.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: None
An outside choice for the T20 World Cup, but he showed in London Spirit’s opening game of the Hundred, that he is a fluent batter – 64 (40). One of England’s future stars, a 187.29 AVE+SR is the best of any current England batters apart from Livingstone
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Welsh Fire, IPL Team: None
With scores of 53,41 (The Hundred), 74*, 45 (Vitality Blast), 69* (County Championship), Duckett is in red-hot form and was in the Pakistan squad. He is on the fringe and definitely has the shots, courage, and innovation to succeed in T20s.
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: None
Cameback after a decade, played a few memorable knocks, but in all likelihood, selectors have left him behind. My gut says that one of the Joes will make it in the squad – Denly’s flexibility and leg break is a big plus (but Root will likely edge past him).
England T20 World Cup SquadVerdict – #3-4
Makes Team:Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?Most Likely.
Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Captain Morgan, captain cool. His pedigree in captaincy is still top notch but his potency with the bat has declined. Just a loss of form or signal to waning batting prowess? Does he make your XI?
Fastest T20I century by an Englishmen and probably one of the longest hitter of the ball. The most in-form batter in England, he should make the England XI.
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?Yes.
Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
The ultimate team man, Sam Billings has been carrying drinks for the last four years. He should make the squad just because of his patience. Expecting a couple of cameos with the little opportunities he gets.
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – Finishers
Makes Team:Eoin Morgan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Billings
Last Played T20I For England:Yet to Play (July 12, 2021)
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Northern Superchargers, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
Impressed with his keeping skills in the England-Pakistan series, but will most likely not make it with Buttler-Bairstow-Billings-Banton all secondary keepers.
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Is he in the India test series?Yes.Will he play the IPL?Yes.
Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
The ‘Makes Things Happen‘ guy, he is a valuable asset, especially after his Chennai Super Kings stint. Opens the bowling, bowls at the death, and can open the batting/#3 as a pinch hitter. A gun fielder as well.
Has been in-and-out of the squad since his debut. Jofra Archer’s entrance meant his spot was sacrificed on the eve of the World Cup. He should find a place in the 23-men squad, and can be played in the XI if swing on offer. Bats at he top in domestic cricket as well.
Highest wicket-taker for England in T20Is (73), his inconsistency and economy rate has seen him dropped recently. If he is in-form, he merits a place in the XI. Has the yorkers, all the variations, and one of the best fielders on the circuit.
Tom Curran is the big question. If he is in the squad, he will definitely get games but it is a risky proposition. With other allrounders in the team, will Brydon Carse, Reece Topley, and Lewis Gregory give Tom a scare? Not sure if specialist slower delivery alone is valuable in today’s era. The IPL in UAE is break or make for him.
Is he in the India test series?No. Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: No
Matt Parkinson has nearly established himself as an understudy to Adil Rashid in the spin department. Dawson hasn’t played since 2018, but will the slow UAE pitches and left-arm spin variety force a rethink?
England T20 World Cup SquadVerdict – All-Rounders
Makes Team:Sam Curran, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes
Out of Team:Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Liam Dawson
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: None
With 4/42, 2/21, 3/60, 1/46, 3/33 across formats against Pakistan, Saqib has stormed into England’s squad. Like-for-like replacement for Wood in ODIs, can he replicate his success in T20Is?
Last Played T20I For England:May 30, 2018 (ICC World XI), 2017 – last played for England
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: None
One of the fastest in England, a poor stint with RCB in the IPL & injuries set him back for a couple of years. Still only 28, still has a long career ahead. Definitely in Morgan’s mind and considered for the World Cup due to his X-factor potential.
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: Manchester Originals, IPL Team: None
Parkinson’s 4/9 against Birmingham Phoenix was a timely reminder of his abilities. Shane Warne thinks England should pencil him for the Ashes. In turning pitches of UAE, Rashid-Parkinson can be a deadly duo.
36. Mason Crane 🟥
Current Status:Out of SquadStyle: Legbreak
T20Is: 2, Wickets: 1, Best: 1/38, Economy: 7.75
T20s: 51, Wickets: 59, Best: 3/15, Economy: 7.27
Last Played T20I For England:June 24, 2017 (Test: 7 January, 2018)
Is he in the India test series?No.Will he play the IPL?No.
Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: None
Has always been in conversation as a replacement spinner but with Rashid solidifying the limited overs spot, Dom Bess/Jack Leach receiving the vote of confidence, and Matt Parkinson’s rapid rise, Crane has not seen much of international cricket. Does not help that he his also a legspinner.
37-45. Liam Plunkett, George Garton, Danny Briggs, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson
*Since Jofra Archer is ruled out for the entire year, England still has 44 players to consider.
England XI
Based on Ben Stokes & Chris Woakes’ availability, this is my XI and England squad of 23. Eoin Morgan’s form is a concern, but doubt he will be dropped on the eve of the World Cup.
Jason Roy
Jos Buttler (WK/VC)
Ben Stokes*
Jonny Bairstow
Eoin Morgan (C)
Liam Livingstone
Sam Curran
Chris Jordan
Mark Wood
Adil Rashid
Matt Parkinson
*doubtful
Squad: 12. Moeen Ali, 13. Dawid Malan, 14. Saqib Mahmood, 15. James Vince, 16. Tom Curran, 17. Tom Banton, 18. Sam Billings, 19. Chris Woakes, 20. Reece Topley, 21. David Willey, 22. Jake Ball/Brydon Carse, 23. Joe Root/Alex Hales
For #22-23, I am going with Carse-Root. Young X-factor, and the off-spin of Root.
August 5th Update: Initially Tom Curran did not make my 23, but since Jofra Archer is ruled out, I am putting Chris Jordan in the XI and Tom Curran in the 23.
Variations in the XI
In extra spin conditions, I would play Moeen Ali & Joe Root in the top order. Better players of spin and good bowling options as well.
On a flat high scoring pitch, a death bowler who can bat like Chris Jordan would be a good punt.
If swinging conditions are available, two out of Sam Curran, David Willey, and Chris Woakes could be considered.
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Abraham Lincoln famously remarked, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
England cricket is having that moment right now with the County Cricket vs The Hundred debate. From the outside, everything seems fine—2019 World Cup victory, Anderson-Broad still going strong, finally a somewhat stable opening Test partnership in Burns-Sibley, and an enviable depth.
Deep down, though, there are gaping cracks. Tradition, history, club cricket, professional contracts, indirect impact on Tests are stacked against city-based franchises, new format, media rights, and emphasis on limited overs cricket.
Today, I am not going to present an argument from an English perspective—David Hopps, Andrew Miller, and George Dobell (twice) provide well-articulated balanced views. On the other hand, I express my observations as an outsider.
Is Controversy Helping County Cricket or Hundred?
Full disclosure—I am not from England. I have no particular affinity with a specific county and do not follow much of the County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup, or the T20 Blast (unless of course Alastair Cook is nearing another ton or Shaheen Shah Afridi takes 4 in a row). Nor did I watch a single game of the Kia Super League.
Yet the endless debates and discussion on social media against The Hundred piqued my curiosity. I have since watched almost all games of The Hundred and have enjoyed them too. While County Cricket fans are trying to fight for their side, they might have actually helped publicize the Hundred.
First impressions—the possibility that a bowler can bowl 10 consecutive balls has added an extra dimension. Rashid Khan went as far as to say it’s now possible to take three hat-tricks! Imagine the flexibility with swing bowlers and death specialists. When a Joe Root-esque part-timer keeps it tight, let him or her continue.
I also like the speed of the game. The over-rate field placement penalty and the swiftness of DRS decisions has reduced the time down to less than 3 hours.
Most importantly, the cricket has been good, and it looks like a fun family time. Affordable tickets, priceless expressions of kids, last over thrillers, Lizelle Lee-Jemimah Rodrigues specials, find of Chris Benjamin, Alex Hales-Ben Stokes drama, and Bairstow being Bairstow. All good.
There is always room for improvement, however. Graphics are all over the place, crowds are not sell-outs, and even umpire Nigel Llong had to ask the DJ to dial it down a notch.
Disparity in Score Decreases
The simultaneous matches with the Women’s Hundred is turning out to be a gamechanger. The level of women’s cricket was criticized in Women’s T20 Challenge when the Velocity were bundled for 47 although conditions were not ideal.
In the Hundred, when the women’s team only scored 113-93, the men’s teams did even worse 87/10 a few hours later in a spin dominated pitch. The average scores are 124 and 137 so far for the women’s & men’s editions respectively, and quality of cricket equally enthralling.
Can County Cricket, T20 Blast, and The Hundred Coexist—Yay or Nay?
One argument has been why not just re-market the T20 Blast instead of creating a new format?
If we all agree that County Cricket, T20 Blast, and the Hundred are to coexist, the question then becomes of scheduling.
County Championship: 18 Teams, 3 Groups, 90 matches, April-July
The Hundred: 8 teams & 34 matches for Women’s/Men’s each, July-August
Add the home Test summer, the English rain, and this is a packed schedule. The issue with the T20 Blast is that it is played over 18 teams, broken over several months, with numerous games on the same day. The momentum is stagnant, regular international talent not retained, and coverage low.
About Time England Dominate The League World
England are the current ODI World Champions and one of the favorites for the T20 World Cup. If there was ever a time to invest in a franchise league of international standard, it is now before the likes of Eoin Morgan head towards retirement.
When the IPL was launched in 2008, India still had legends like Dravid-Tendulkar-Ganguly-Laxman to build stable fanbases & drive spectators to the ground but it was the 2007 T20 World Cup victory that ensured T20 would succeed in India. Yes, it might be weird that Jonny Bairstow from Yorkshire is playing for the Welsh Fire. There maybe no natural County support for an artificial franchise league, but Dhoni & Raina are not from Chennai either (far from it!) and probably possess the largest IPL fanbase.
England was reluctant to invest in franchise cricket and suffered till the 2015 Cricket World Cup debacle as a result. The rest of the world allowed India to become a monopoly in the T20 market. One can argue that losing Buttlers-Stokes-Morgans-Archers to the IPL 2 months in the year is indirectly hurting the County Cricket. Had English cricket invested in a T20 league earlier and provided it a window so it does not clash with domestic tournaments, they would have been at a better place. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
There is still time. Who knows, a high-quality concentrated domestic tournament can extend England’s golden era and throw up new stars.
Better players, more competition, more spectators/TV viewership, more money, higher salaries—Players, counties, leagues, everybody happy?
With 38 teams & multiple groups, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the IPL coexist. A separate window for the IPL ensures availability of homegrown talent as well as majority of foreign players. Ranji Trophy provides professional support, SMAT is scheduled strategically a month before the auction to showcase new talent, and the IPL, in return, provides developed players, academies, & scouting systems back to the domestic teams.
From the looks of it, ECB has almost made up its mind about the Hundred at least for a couple of seasons. So why not try to find a solution that benefits all parties involved instead of opposing it?
I will leave you with Michael Atherton’s warning on commentary today. Fans are drawn towards a new format because it is exciting and different. Administrators get greedy and keep expanding like the IPL and Big Bash. A few years later, the format becomes diluted and ‘loses its pizzazz.’
Just a short 1-month Hundred can probably survive and not hurt other formats. However, if this format is to spread to expand to more teams, other countries, or become an international format, then there will be detrimental consequences. Until then we can have some fun and adapt innovations from this experiment into the existing formats. Keep the Hundred simple, but do not forget the county game either.
Lincoln was right. Now England must choose—an internal divisive cricket Civil War or a mutual partnership?
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Welcome to The Comedy of Overs, a parody play symbolizing the internal conflict of English cricket.
DISCLAIMER
Puns definitely intended. Sarcasm galore.
The writer hopes to merely present the various views surrounding The Hundred—the good, bad, and the ugly in a playful fashion.
*Note: This play is more fun when you read it out loud*
CAST
Joy – Overly optimistic English cricket fan. Cheerful.
Curiosity– What is life? Why are we here? Always asks questions, glass half-full kind of person. Philosophical.
Suspicion – Why does anything even matter?Always ask questions, glass half-empty kind of person.
Disappointment – We are all doomed from the start individual.
Satisfaction – (cameo role)
The Hundred – The new couple on the block.
English Cricket – Thought he had everything figured out on 14th July, 2019, but is currently going through a mid-life crisis. Wants to be friends with the Hundred without offending County Cricket.
County Cricket – Father figure of English cricket. Abode of wisdom.
Moeen Ali & Chris Woakes(cameo role) – as Moeen Ali & Chris Woakes
Bartender – (cameo)
SETTING
Some bar in London
Curiosity and Joy were strolling down the street in London looking for County cricket but collided with a couple—The Hundred. They decide to go to a bar and started introducing themselves, but little did they know that the conversation was about to go south really quick.
ACT I: England Have Their Own League?
The Hundred: “Hi, mind if we join you? We are The Hundred. English cricket is launching us!”
Joy:“Yay! England are branding their own league!”
The Hundred: “Yes super excited! Will be great for English cricket and women’s cricket. After years of delay, we will finally get our time at glory.”
Joy:“BUT….England’s cricket is already pretty great…Anyway I will miss the T20 Blast.”
The Hundred: “Well…The T20 Blast is not going anywhere…In fact, the quarter finals resume on August 24th.”
Curiosity: “Huh? How about County Cricket?”
The Hundred: “Still There.”
Joy: “Maybe they reduced a home England series from 5 matches to 3 to accommodate you.”
The Hundred: “Nope.”
Curiosity:“What??? How will English players survive with continuous cricket?”
The Hundred: : “Simple. Rest and Rotate. Specifically for series like India and New Zealand so England are all ready to go for the high pressure Sri Lanka series.”
Chris Woakes & Moeen Ali overhear this from the next table.
Chris Woakes & Moeen Ali (together):“We have built beautiful careers out of this Rest-And-Rotate strategy.”
English Cricket: “Yep! Never a dull moment with the me.”
*Chris Woakes walks out the door. England’s team management subsequently rests Woakes till the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
ACT II: Who Is Even Playing?
Suspicion and disappointment walked into the bar.
Curiosity: “So, how is the Hundred different from the T20 Blast?”
The Hundred: “Just 8 franchise teams instead of 18 counties. International talent of high standard. The same franchise for both women & men play on the same day. 100 balls. Graphics. Free-to-air cricket. Fireworks. DJ. Ice cream.”
Curiosity:“OOh international talent…you mean like the Pollards and Russells and the David Warners, right?
The Hundred: “Well…except those players. They withdrew due to injuries, COVID, and international duties.”
Suspicion:“Alright spill the beans. You promised us this great international talent. Who all we missing?”
The Hundred: “Shaheen Shah Afridi & Shadab Khan won’t be there…for starters.”
Suspicion:“Starters?”
The Hundred: “And Zampa, Maxwell, Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Finch, Rabada, Pooran said bye-bye as well. And sounds like Lamichanne, who is already in England quarantining, had some visa issues, so he is gone too.”
Joy: “At least there is Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, and Alyssa Healy for the Women’s Hundred.”
The Hundred: “About that…Perry, Healy, Devine, Amelia Kerra, Rachael Haynes, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Ashleigh Gardner and a few more withdrew due to personal reasons as well. On a positive note, India did send Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and Harmanpreet Kaur. Stefanie Taylor-Deandre Dottin-Lizelle Lee-Shabnaim Ismail-Dane van Niekerk-Laura Woolvaardt are some of the other talent on show.
Joy: “All hope lies on our great World Cup winning English golden generation. Glad they are still participating!”
The Hundred: “Yes, yes they are. Except Harry Gurney retired, Olly Stone is injured,…”
*under their breath, avoiding eye contact*
“Speaking of which, Mark Wood is preparing for the India Test series, and all the English Test players will only get 2 matches (Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Ollie Robinson, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes, AND Jonny Bairstow.) “
Disappointment: “I am going home. Australians, West Indies, Pakistanis missing? No Indian players either. Most of our home team is not completely available either. What fun are you? Sounds like nobody is playing.”
The Hundred: “Friends, Cheer up! The Kiwis, South Africans, and Afghans are still by us. Colin de Grandhomme replaced Russell. The great Devon Conway & Quinton de Kock were signed as replacements as well.”
Joy: “I am listening.”
The Hundred:“Destructive batters like Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips, Colin Munro, Colin Ingram, Chris Lynn, D’arcy Short. Bowlers of the calibre of Adam Milne, Mohammad Amir, Lockie Ferguson, Sunil Narine, and Mujeeb-Qais-Nabi-Rashid Khan.”
Joy: “Okay that sounds a bit better.”
The Hundred: “WAIT! There’s more. There is someone else. I am forgetting his name….Car…Carl,…?
Curiosity: “Carlos Brathwaite!!!!”
The Hundred: “But truly, English talent is on show as well. World’s best keeper Sarah Taylor & Liam Plunkett will be seen after a long time. At least for a few games, England’s A, B, C teams against each other! From the Heather Knights & Joe Roots to the Eoin Morgans & Alex Hales…”
Curiosity exits: Just as things were looking positive for this new group of friends, the police office barged it and took Curiosity away with the allegation that…Curiosity killed the cat.
ACT III: The Rules
County Cricket and English Cricket enter.
Suspicion:“You mentioned 100-balls. I mean, why? What is even the point?”
The Hundred: “Shorter game. Less time. More prime-time television. We are even penalizing the fielding time. If fielding team goes over time, they will have to sacrifice a fielder into the inner circle.”
Disappointment: “100 balls, T10 cricket, Ninety-Ninety. Cricket is dying. Timeless Tests—those were the days.”
Joy: “Yay, a 16.4 over contest! Love it!”
Suspicion:“So, just a reduced 20-over contest?”
The Hundred: “But there is more! Change of end every 10 balls. So you can bowl 2 overs of 5 balls each consecutively. Did I say over? What’s in an over? From today—no more overs! Only balls. “
County Cricket: “Frankly my dear, we don’t give a damn about your balls. Why would you steal our glory for the sake of 20 balls?”
English Cricket: “English Cricket needs to be at the edge of scientific revolution with the Hundred.”
The Hundred: “You see, there is a method in our madness. We are ahead of our times. Innovation and entertainment are our middle names.”
Suspicion:“Ah innovation—So no more soft signals?”
The Hundred: “Well not that kind of innovation. More like toss on a stage, fireworks, fancy helmets, white cards, ultra-speed DRS, a new DLS algorithm, original team names. Did I mention the graphics?”
Joy:“Yay! Hot pink, bright green, & black. Love the combination. It is so colorful!”
Disappointment: “NO! Hot pink, bright green, & black. Hate the combination. It is so colorful!”
Disappointment: “This is total garbage. You are taking my precious time away from the Leicestershire Vs Yorkshire 50-over Royal London One Day Cup. “
Suspicion: “Yeah why? I mean the T20 blast had full stadiums last week. Why not re-market the T20 Blast with strict over-rate rules, ‘innovation’, and free-to-air TV? The England-Pakistan T20I series was loved by everybody. Liam Livingstone was hitting the ball across the English channel!”
Disappointment: “County Championship, T20 Vitality Blast, The Hundred, One Day Cup, Tokyo Olympics…all at the same time.”
County Cricket: “By trying to do everything at once, you are not getting anything done. And hurting the sentiments of the traditional fans. It is hurting us financially, socially, psychologically. Where has your support gone? I have been waiting, waiting, waiting….”
English Cricket: “If The Hundred captures the imagination of the fans, I will re-distribute all the wealth to all four of you.”
County Cricket: “Not buying it. Let us settle this. What do you think about cricket?
Bartender: “Cricket. What cricket? Who cricket? I don’t know of any cricket.”
Intermission
English cricket is on the verge of going crazy. *Thinking to himself*
The Hundred. Cricket. County Cricket. Fans. Kia Super League. Women’s Cricket. Wickets. Outs. Overs. Balls. Tradition. Evolution. T20. IPL. Money. England. It’s coming home. Phil Foden. Jason Roy. Sam Curran. Need to make things happen. Money. Test cricket. Dom Sibley. Axar. Embuldeniya. Sri Lanka. Super League. World Cup. Barest of Margins. More World Cups. T20 World Cups.
ACT IV: The SOLILOQUY – Something Is Rotten In the State of England
English cricket is now reflecting and talking out loud.
“To play or not to play, that is the question
Whether it is County Cricket, T20 Blast, Kia Super League, or the Hundred, it is England cricket that suffers,
Marketing, Media rights, & ticket sales of outrageous fortune,
Support traditional cricket fans & counties Or take arms against T20 cricket & the IPL
And by opposing, end English cricket. To die, to sleep
No more! And by sleep, to say we end the heart-ache and the 20 extra balls that T20 is heir to.
Free-to-air cricket—The BBC—aye there’s the rub!”
ACT V: The FINALE
Enter Satisfaction:Right as Curiosity was about to spend the night at jail, Satisfaction entered and bailed her out. She had found the lost cat and brought it back..”
Scene:Eoin Morgan is having that conversation with Alex Hales at a distance. Things finally begin to settle a bit.
County Cricket: “I have eighteen children and am concerned about their well-being. That’s all.”
The Hundred: “We are concerned about the existence of cricket in England in general. That’s all.”
Joy & Curiosity (Together):“Can we not be friends with both of you?”
English Cricket: “Well, the Hundred is not going anywhere…but neither is the County Championship…or the T20 Blast. I know I am not perfect, but can you just give me one chance? If it doesn’t work out with the Hundred for the couple of seasons, we can move on.”
At the end of the day, the heavens opened up. The ‘Lord’s’ opened it is door and Joy, Curiosity, Suspicion, & Disappointment walked hand-in-hand with County Cricket and the Hundred to proceed and watch the game.
Cultural references to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Comedy of Errors, Romeo & Juliet, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.
The Hundred 2021 is finally upon us after a couple years delay.
Change is life’s only constant. You may love this new idea or might completely detest it. It may disrupt County Cricket as a whole and alienate cricket fans for the sake of ‘new modern audience.’ Increased visibility for women’s cricket will definitely be a big plus although cancellation of the Kia Super League was questionable. George Dobell dissects the Hundred to perfection.
Gone are the days of the calm claps and on to the days of DJ and party-mood in English cricket.
Whatever happens, it will be different. It could be another IPL and change cricket forever or it may be become the template of how not to administer cricket tournaments. No middle ground.
Let us give it a shot and try it out. Here is everything you need to know about the Hundred 2021.
Quick Summary
Matches: 34 (8 teams, 8 matches each, four home/away, 32 league matches, 1 Knockout (#2 vs #3), 1 Final)
Editions: Both Women’s & Men’s Tournament held simultaneously
Teams: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, Welsh Fire
*Teams highlighted in their respective jersey colors
Birmingham Phoenix (Men)
England Internationals: Chris Woakes (C), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Dom Sibley
England Domestic: Tom Abell, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Pat Brown, Chris Cooke (WK), Miles Hammond, Tom Helm, Adam Hose, Benny Howell, Dillon Pennington, Will Smeed
Foreign Recruits: Finn Allen (New Zealand), Imran Tahir (South Africa), Adam Milne (New Zealand)
Coach: Daniel Vettori
Birmingham Phoenix Expected XI:
Finn Allen, 2. Dom Sibley, 3. Moeen Ali, 4. Liam Livingstone, 5. Tom Abell, 6. Daniel Bell-Drummond, 7. Chris Cooke (WK), 8. Chris Woakes*, 9. Daniel Bell-Drummond, 10. Adam Milne, 10. Imran Tahir
Birmingham Phoenix (Women)
England Internationals: Amy Jones (WK), Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon
England Domestic: Emily Arlott, Thea Brookes, Gwenan Davies, Ria Fackrell, Phoebe Franklin, Evelyn Jones, Marie Kelly, Issy Wong
England Internationals: Zak Crawley (C), Eoin Morgan, Mark Wood, Ravi Bopara, Mason Crane, Joe Denly, Jade Dernbach, Dan Lawrence
England Domestic: Blake Cullen, Josh Inglis (WK), Luis Reece, Adam Rossington (WK), Chris Wood
Foreign Recruits: Mohammad Amir (Pakistan), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Roelef van der Merwe (Netherlands)
Coach: Lisa Keightley
London Spirit Expected XI:
Zak Crawley, 2. Joe Denly, 3. Dan Lawrence, 4. Eoin Morgan, 5. Ravi Bopara, 6. Mohammad Nabi, 7. Josh Inglis (WK), 8. Roelef van der Merwe, 8. Mark Wood, 9. Jade Dernbach, 10. Mohammad Amir, 11. Mason Crane
England Internationals: Jos Buttler (C), Steven Finn, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Phil Salt
England Domestic: Joe Clarke, Jamie Overton, Richard Gleeson, Sam Hain, Tom Hartley, Tom Lammonby
Foreign Recruits: Colin Ackermann, Fred Klaasen (Netherlands – domestic), Lockie Ferguson, Colin Munro (New Zealand), Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies)
Coach: Simon Katich
Manchester Originals Expected XI:
Jos Buttler (C/WK), 2. Colin Munro, 3. Phil Salt, 4. Joe Clarke, 5. Sam Hain, 6. Carlos Brathwaite, 7. Ollie Robinson, 8. Matt Parkinson, 9. Jamie Overton, 10. Lockie Ferguson, 11. Steven Finn
Manchester Originals (Women)
England Internationals: Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Alex Hartley
England Domestic: Georgie Boyce, Natalie Brown, Danielle Collins, Alice Dyson, Cordelia Griffith, Laura Jackson, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Eleanor Threlkeld (WK)
Foreign Recruits: Mignon du Preez (South Africa), Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
Coach: Paul Shaw
Manchester Originals Expected XI:
Lizelle Lee, 2. Emma Lamb, 3. Georgia Boyce, 4. Harmanpreet Kaur, 5. Mignon du Preez, 6. Sophie Ecclestone, 7. Kate Cross (C), 8. Cordelia Griffith, 9. Ellie Threlkeld (WK), 10. Laura Jackson, 11. Alex Hartley
Oval Invincibles (Men)
England Internationals: Sam Curran (C), Tom Curran, Jason Roy, Sam Billings (WK), Rory Burns, Saqib Mahmood, Reece Topley
England Domestic: Alex Blake, Jordan Blake, Jordan Cox, Laurie Evans, Brandon Glover, Will Jacks, Nathan Sowter
Foreign Recruits: Colin Ingram (South Africa), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Sunil Narine (West Indies)
Coach: Tom Moody
Oval Invincibles Expected XI:
Colin Ingram, 2. Jason Roy, 3. Rory Burns, 4. Jordan Cox, 5. Sunil Narine, 6. Sam Billings, 8. Sam Curran (C), 9. Tom Curran, 10. Saqib Mahmood, 11. Reece Topley
Oval Invincibles (Women)
England Internationals: Sarah Bryce (WK), Tash Farrant, Mady Villiers, Fan Wilson
England Domestic: Georgia Adams, Megan Belt, Alice Capsey, Joanne Gardner, Grace Gibbs, Eva Gray, Danielle Gregory
Foreign Recruits: Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk (South Africa)
Coach: Lydia Greenway
Oval Invincibles Expected XI:
Georgia Adams, 2. Alice Capsey, 3. Fran Wilson, 4. Dane van Niekerk (C), 5. Marizanne Kapp, 6. Sarah Bryce (WK), 7. Tash Farrant, 8. Mady Villiers, 9. Grace Gibbs, 10. Shabnim Ismail, 11. Dani Gregory
Northern Superchargers (Men)
England Internationals: Ben Stokes (C), Adil Rashid, David Wiley, Brydon Carse, Adam Lyth, John Simpson (WK)
England Domestic: Harry Brook, Matthew Fisher, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Matty Potts, Ben Raine, Jordan Thompson
Foreign Recruits: Faf du Plessis (South Africa), Chris Lynn (Australia), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Northern Superchargers Expected XI:
Faf du Plessis, 2. Chris Lynn, 3. Ben Stokes (C), 4. Adam Lyth, 5. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, 6. John Simpson (WK), 7. Brydon Carse, 8. David Wiley, 9. Adil Rashid, 10. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11. Matty Potts
Northern Superchargers (Women)
England Internationals: Lauren Winfield-Hill, Alice Davidson-Richards, Beth Langston, Linsey Smith
England Domestic: Hollie Armitage, Ami Campbell, Helen Fenby, Phoebe Graham, Katie Levick, Kalea Moore, Bess Heath (WK)
Foreign Recruits: Laura Kimmince (Australia), Sterre Kalis (Netherlands), Jemimah Rodrigues (India), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
Coach: Danielle Hazell
Northern Superchargers Expected XI:
Lauren Winfield-Hill, 2. Laura Wolvaardt, 3. Jemimah Rodrigues, 4. Laura Kimmince, 5. Alice Davidson-Richards, 6. Beth Langston, 7. Bess Heath (WK), 8. Phoebe Graham, 9. Linsey Smith, 10. Katie Levick, 11. Helen Fanby
Southern Brave (Men)
England Internationals: Jofra Archer (C), James Vince, Danny Briggs, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Craig Overton
England Domestic: Alex Davies (WK), George Garton, Jake Lintott, Max Waller, Ross Whitely
Foreign Recruits Devon Conway (New Zealand), Quinton de Kock (WK), Delray Rawlins (Bermuda – domestic)
*Withdrawn: Andre Russell (West Indies)
Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
Southern Brave Expected XI:
Devon Conway, 2. Quinton de Kock (C), 3. James Vince, 4. Alex Davies (WK), 5. , 6. George Garton, 7. Jofra Archer (C), 9. Liam Dawson, 10. Chris Jordan, 11. Tymal Mills
Southern Brave (Women)
England Internationals: Sophia Dunkley, Sonia Odedra, Anya Shrubsole, Danni Wyatt
England Domestic: Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Ella McCaughan, Fi Morris, Tara Norris, Carla Rudd (WK), Paige Scholfield, Charlotte Taylor
Foreign Recruits: Smriti Mandhana (India), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia)
England Internationals: Joe Root (C), Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory, Dawid Malan, Samit Patel, Luke Wright
England Domestic: Matthew Carter, Sam Cook, Ben Cox (WK), Tom Moores (WK), Steven Mullaney, Luke Wood
Foreign Recruits: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), D’Arcy Short (Australia), Timm van der Gugten (Netherlands – domestic), Wahab Riaz (Pakistan), Marchant de Lange (South Africa)
Coach: Andy Flower
I am looking forward to
Trent Rockets Expected XI:
D’Arcy Short, 2. Alex Hales, 3. Joe Root, 4. Dawid Malan, 5. Luke Wright, 6. Samit Patel, 7. Ben Cox (WK), 8. Timm van der Gugten, 9. Rashid Khan, 10. Lewis Gregory, 11. Wahab Riaz
Trent Rockets (Women)
England Internationals: Katherine Brunt, Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Glenn, Nat Sciver
England Domestic: Ella Claridge, Abigail Freeborn, Teresa Graves, Nancy Harman, Lucy Higham, Alicia Presland, Emily Windsor
Foreign Recruits: Heather Graham, Sammy-Jo Johnson (Australia), Michaele Kirk (South Africa – domestic), Rachel Priest (WK – New Zealand)
Women’s Cricket – This is the boost women’s cricket needs. Yes, the financial pay is not nearly equal to the men’s edition, but at least women’s cricket is made a priority. This could be the template for other leagues to follow (hint, hint, nudge, nudge the IPL) to have simultaneous men/women’s tournament and have foreign talent on show. With Free-to-air matches and all matches free on YouTube, I am hoping women’s cricket expands to the next level.
Joe Root & Dawid Malan – Malan, the #1 ranked T20I batter has a question mark on his place in the XI, especially after youngsters like Liam Livingstone standing up. Joe Root, England’s catalyst in the 2016 T20 World Cup campaign, is back into contention. Both will represent the Trent Rockets. Is this a direct audition for the World Cup spot?
Sarah Taylor & Liam Plunkett – World’s best keeper and England’s most important bowler in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Retired and left behind, they are both back.
English Team Depth – The quickly put together “second-string” England emerged on the top against Pakistan and currently India’s new look squad is bossing Sri Lanka around. Will talents like Tom Banton and Phil Salt shine and make England’s case even stronger?
The Hundred 2021 Predictions
Finally here are my predictions.
My prediction for the team to lift the #Hundred 2021 trophy for both men & women trophy with…London Spirits with the Top 3 of Trent Rockets & Southern Brave (men) and Northern Superchargers & Southern Brave (women)
Most Runs:Liam Livingstone (M), Tammy Beaumont (W)
Most Wickets: Rashid Khan (M), Sophie Ecclestone (W)
Player of the Tournament: Sam Curran (M), Shafali Verma (W)
Emerging Player:Phil Salt (M), Sophia Dunkley (W)
Surprise Package: London Spirit (M), London Spirit (M)
Broken Cricket Dream: Will County Cricket die? Will the ardent cricket fans leave for the sake of attracting new audience?
Here were my Predictions for The Hundred 2021. What did you think? What are YOUR predictions? Comment Below!
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There are numerous scenic venues in world cricket, but if you had to choose the most beautiful cricket stadium from each country, what would they be?
Novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford penned the famous idiom “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Everyone has their own definition of beauty. How would you define the most beautiful stadium in cricket? Would you choose the one with scenic backgrounds, largest capacity, the environment & fans, or history?
We choose the #1 international stadium from each country and state why we chose it. We will also list the stadiums that narrowly missed out.
And if you were wondering about the largest cricket stadiums in each country, which country has the most stadiums, the oldest venues to have hosted Test cricket, and the list of international stadiums in each country, we got you covered as well.
Earlier this year, the picturesque Gwadar Stadium in Balochistan (Pakistan) was inaugurated and immediately social media went viral. Playing cricket with white clays of Koh-e-Mehdi Hills in the background is just breathtaking.
At about the same time, England toured Sri Lanka for a Test series. The aerial view surrounding the stadium was magnificent.
This got us thinking—Choose the most beautiful stadium from each country but the catch is—the stadium has to have hosted at least one international match in any format. Without further ado, here is our list.
Lots of images head! Make sure to swipe right under each section to get a glimpse of all the stadiums in our shortlist.
*Note: Afghanistan is not considered since it plays its home matches in India. Also, the UAE is considered since international cricket is played there frequently.
List of Most Beautiful Cricket Grounds in the World
1. Melbourne Cricket Groud (MCG), Australia
Location: Jolimont, Melbourne (Victoria), Australia
Capacity: 100,000, Year Established: 1853
Home Teams: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne Stars
Why Is it the Most Beautiful Stadium in Australia? The second largest stadium by capacity now, the MCG has everything. The ideal place for an Ashes Test, a World Cup Final, or a Women’s T20 World Cup Final, the atmosphere at the MCG is electric. Each clap is heard, the Barmy Army is never too far away, and even the batters have to utilize the 90 meter boundaries by running the twos and threes.
Australia’s Top 3
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), New South Wales – The iconic green roof & Sydney’s skyline with the Sydney Opera house in the background seals the deal for me.
The Bradman Oval*, Bowral, New South Wales – Home of Sir Donald Bradman, the ground captures the imagination of any cricket fan. With the Bradman Museum and white fence in the background, what’s not to like? And yes, Bradman’s ashes were sprinkled on the ground as well to add to the history.
*Note, Bradman Oval has hosted a women’s Test (Australia Vs England) along with a few other women’s ODIs. Check out MCG, SCG, and Bradman Oval’s picturesque images below.
Pictured Below (In this order): (1) MCG, (2) SCG, (3) Sydney, (4) Bradman Oval, (5) Sir Donald Bradman
2. Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh
Location: Sylhet, Bangladesh
Capacity: 13,533, Year Established: 2007
Home Teams: Sylhet Division Cricket Team, Sylhet Sixers, Bangladesh
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Bangladesh: Lush forests in the background to go along with the contrasting red roof—lovely scenery.
Bangladesh’s Top 3:
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
Sher-e-Bangla Stadium (Mirpur), Dhaka
Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna
Pictured Below: Sylhet
3. Lord’s Cricket Ground, England
Location: London, England
Capacity: 30,000, Year Established: 1814
Home Teams: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Middlesex, England
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in England: Home of cricket, the iconic Lord’s pavilion, the balcony, the honors board, J.P. Morgan Media Centre, and the long room. Historic. Aesthetic.
England’s Top 3:
Lord’s
Old Trafford (Manchester)– The shining red pavilion gives Old Trafford its unique look.
Riverside Ground (Chester-le-Street, Durham): Nothing better than a castle in the background.
Consolation: The Oval (Kennington, London) New Road (Worcester), County Ground (Taunton)
Pictured Below (In this order): (1) Lord’s stadium, (2) Lord’s balcony, (3) The Long Room, (4) Old Trafford, (5) Riverside Ground
4. Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, India
Location: Dharamsala, India
Capacity: 23,000, Year Established: 2003
Home Teams: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Team, Kings XI Punjab, India
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in India: Backdrop of the snow-capped Himalayan range, it is a wonderful attraction all around. Home to the Dalai Lama, it also has a spiritual overtone to it.
India’s Top 3:
Dharamsala
Eden Gardens (Kolkata) – One of the most animated sporting crowds in the world. The place of the 2001 Test against Australia feat VVS Laxman’s magical 281 and Brathwaite’s carnage in the 2016 T20 World Cup final. Also the venue of the infamous 1996 World Cup semi-final, where the match was abandoned due to the enraged spectators.
Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai) – Another one due to the atmosphere. After India’s 2011 World Cup victory, it was an ideal place to party.Just listen to this when Dhoni finished it off in style.
Consolation: Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium – Dehradun (host for Afghanistan team)
Pictured Below (In this order): (1) Dharamsala, (2) Dehradun, (3) Wankhede, (4) Eden Gardens, (5) Ahmedabad
5. Malahide Cricket Club Ground (The Village), Ireland
Location: Malahide, Ireland
Capacity: 11,500, Year Established: 1861
Home Teams: Ireland Cricket Team
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Ireland: Hosted Ireland’s only Test at home (along with a few ODIs, and women’s fixtures). The venue gives away a calm aura with trees right behind the sight-screen.
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in New Zealand: New Zealand is the ideal place to watch cricket. You can choose any stadium here, and it will be scenic. Add to that the grass banks and the casual, party-mood culture, and you have a perfect atmosphere for cricket. Mount Maunganui’s aerial view makes it my #1 in New Zealand—The hill, beaches, and a sandbar connecting the mainland to the island.
New Zealand’s Top 3:
Bay Oval
Queenstown Events Centre (Queenstown, Otago) – Queenstown is a resort town, known for its tourism. And why not? The mountain range overseeing the cricket ground is literally called The Remarkables. Lake Wakatipu nearby as well.
Basin Reserve (Wellington)
Consolation: Pukekura Park (New Plymouth, Taranaki), Eden Park (Auckland), Saxton Oval (Nelson), University Oval (Dunedin)
Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Bay Oval, (2) Mount Maunganui, (3) Tauranga Aerial View, (4) Queenstown, (5) The Basin Reserve
Home Teams: Northern Cricket Team, Islamabad United, Pakistan
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Pakistan: An aerial view of ‘Pindi’, as it is usually known, will give you a glimpse of the mountain resort town of Murree along with historic neighborhoods and mosques.
Pakistan’s Top 3
Rawalpindi
Bugti Stadium (Quetta)
Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore)
*Bugti Stadium hosted an ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 1996.
Now here is where we diverge a little bit. Apart from Gwadar stadium (at the top of the article), we have also included a couple of pictures of stadiums that have not hosted an international fixture but are just too good to ignore—namely Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium and Chitral Cricket Ground.
Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Muzaffarabad, (2) Quetta, (3) Rawalpindi, (4) Chitral, (5) Lahore
8. Galle International Stadium, Sri Lanka
Location: Galle, Sri Lanka
Capacity: 35,000, Year Established: 1876
Home Teams: Galle Cricket Club, Sri Lanka
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Sri Lanka: Galle’s harbor, Indian Ocean, and the Galle Fort to watch cricket from. The England-Sri Lanka series was basically just 3 parts: Joe Root, Lasith Embuldeniya, and multiple aerial views of Galle.
Top 3 in England:
Galle
Dambulla
Kandy
Consolation: Welagedara Stadium (Kurunegala)
*Welagedara Stadium has hosted a couple of women ODIs
Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Galle by the ocean, (2) Dambulla, (3) Kandy, (4) Kurunegala, (5) spectators from Galle’s hill/fort, (6) English super fan Rob Lewis from Galle stadium who had stayed in Sri Lanka for 10 months after the England-Sri Lanka tour was delayed due to COVID.
Home Teams: Western Province, Cape Town Blitz, South Africa
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in South Africa:
South Africa’s Top 3:
Newlands
Boland Park (Paarl)
New Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg) – AB De Villiers. Pink ODI. 149 (44). The atmosphere. Enough said.
*Also pictured – Ellis Park – hosted Tests between 1948 and 1954, but now only used mainly for Rugby and soccer (2010 FIFA World Cup). Red roof and about 65,000 capacity, it is a South African special.
Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Newlands, (2) Boland Park, (3) Paarl landscape, (4) Wanderers, (5) Ellis Park
10. Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, West Indies
Location: Gros Islet, St. Lucia
Capacity: 12,400, Year Established: 2002
Home Teams: Windward Islands, St. Lucia Zouks
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in West Indies: Most places in the Caribbean are amazing by default—beaches, hills, and the weather.St. Lucia’s ambience and the effervescent Daren Sammy cheering at almost every game just edges out Arnos Vale and Queen’s Park.
West Indies’ Top 3:
Daren Sammy (formerly Beausejour Cricket Ground)
Arnos Vale Stadium (St. Vincent)
Queen’s Park Oval (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago)
Windsor Park (Dominica)
Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Windsor Park, (2) Queen’s Park, (3) Arnos Vale, (4) Daren Sammy
11. Sheikh Zayed Stadium, U.A.E.
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.)
Capacity: 20,000, Year Established: 2004
Home Teams: UAE, Afghanistan, Pakistan, PSL/IPL Teams
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in UAE : The roof and the lighting are spectacular in day-night matches.
UAE’s Top 3:
Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi)
DubaiInternational Stadium (Dubai)
SharjahCricket Ground (Sharjah)
Pictured Below (In this Order): (1) Abu Dhabi, (2) Dubai, (3) Sachin Tendulkar & Shane Warne after ‘Desert Storm’ in Sharjah
13. Al-Amerat Cricket Stadium (Oman Cricket Academy Ground), Oman
Location: Muscat, Oman
Capacity: 3,000, Year Established: 1900
Home Teams: Oman
Why Is it the Most Beautiful in Zimbabwe: The Al-Hajar mountains overseeing the stadium are absolutely majestic. The 2021 T20 World Cup brought the beauty of this small cricketing nation to the rest of the world.
Do you have other suggestions for the most beautiful cricket stadiums? THEN COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW!
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Which country has the best cricket stadiums in the world?
New Zealand probably has the best cricket stadiums. Seven of their international stadiums can vouch to be in the most beautiful category.
Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui), Queenstown, Basin Reserve (Wellington), Pukekura Park (New Plymouth), Eden Park (Auckland). Saxton Oval (Nelson), and University Oval (Dunedin).
Sri Lanka and West Indies are not too far behind in terms of scenic views. Australia (MCG/SCG) and India (Eden Gardens/ Wankhede) have the most grand and fan-fueled stadiums, while England have the most historic and mellow cricket grounds.
Which is the World's Largest Cricket Stadium by country?
Narendra Modi Stadium (132,000) – Ahmedabad, India
Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,000) – Melbourne, Australia
Eden Park (41,000) – Auckland, New Zealand
R. Premadasa Stadium (35,000) – Colombo, Sri Lanka
National Stadium (34,000) – Karachi, Pakistan
Lord’s (30,000) – London, England
Wanderers Stadium (28,000) – Johannesburg, South Africa
Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground (20,000) – Kirtipur, Nepal
Central Broward Park (20,000) – Ft. Lauderhill, United States
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium (20,000) – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Sophia Gardens (15,000) – Cardiff, Wales (U.K.)
Guanggong International Cricket Stadium (12,000) – Guangzhou, China
Malahide Cricket Club Ground (11,500) – Dublin, Ireland
Harare Sports Club (10,000) – Harare, Zimbabwe
Gymkhana Club Ground (7,000) – Nairobi, Kenya
Maple Leaf Cricket Club (7,000) – King City, Canada
The Grange Club (5,000) – Edinburgh, Scotland
Which is the World’s Largest Cricket Stadium?
It will come to nobody’s surprise that the top 10 largest cricket grounds are located in either India or Australia due to their rich cricket culture and funding, but what about the largest cricket stadium in each country?
Let us broaden our horizons and learn about cricket grounds in the world, including Associate nations.
Which cricket ground has the highest capacity?
Here are the top 10 largest cricket stadiums by size:
Narendra Modi Stadium (132,000) – Ahmedabad, India
Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,000) – Melbourne, Australia
Eden Gardens (80,000) – Kolkata, India
Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium (65,000) – Raipur, India
Perth Optus Stadium (60,000) – Perth, Australia
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (55,000) – Hyderabad, India
Greenfield International Stadium (55,000) – Thiruvananthapuram, India
Adelaide Oval (54,000) – Adelaide, Australia
M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, JSCA International Cricket Stadium, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium (50,000) – Chennai/Ranchi/Lucknow, India
Docklands Stadium, Sydney Cricket Ground (48,000) – Melbourne/Sydney, Australia
Which country has the most stadiums?
Here are the number of international cricket stadiums by Test playing country:
India (53)
Australia (22)
England (21)
Pakistan (18)
South Africa, West Indies (16)
New Zealand (14)
Sri Lanka (10)
Bangladesh (8)
United Arab Emirates (6)
Zimbabwe (5)
Which Country Has the Most Stadiums?
*Note, we only consider countries with Test status
Which Is the Oldest Cricket Stadium in the World?
We will organize this when their first Test match was hosted.
Melbourne Cricket Ground – Melbourne, Australia (15 March 1877)
The Oval – London, England (6 September 1880)
Sydney Cricket Ground – Sydney, Australia (17 February 1882)
Old Trafford – Manchester, England (10 July 1884)
Lord’s – London, England (21 July 1884)
Adelaide Oval – Adelaide, Australia (12 December 1884)
St. George’s Park – Port Elizabeth, South Africa (12 March 1889)
Newland’s – Cape Town, South Africa (25 March 1889)
Old Wanderers – Johannesburg, South Africa (2 March 1896)
Trent Bridge – Nottingham, England (1 June 1899)
Which Is the Oldest Cricket Stadium?
England, Australia, and South Africa lead the oldest stadiums to host Test cricket, between 1877 and 1899. New Zealand and West Indies would host their first Tests in 1930 with India following suit in 1933. Post-Partition of British India, Bangladesh & Pakistan hosted their fist Tests in 1955.
Sri Lanka (1982), Zimbabwe (1992), UAE (2002), and Ireland (2018) would host much later.
Which country has the most beautiful cricket stadiums?
Here are the most beautiful cricket stadiums from each of the Test playing nations.
Australia (Melbourne Cricket Ground)
Bangladesh (Sylhet International Cricket Stadium)
England (Lord’s Cricket Ground)
India (Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium)
Ireland (Malahide Cricket Club Ground)
New Zealand (Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui)
Pakistan (Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium)
Sri Lanka (Galle International Stadium)
South Africa (Newlands Cricket Ground)
West Indies (Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium)
Image Courtesy: Getty Images, Sylhet – Facebook by Nahian Chowdhury, Dharamshala – by TheSereneRebel CC 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Galle – by Sergie Gussev via CC 2.0, Eden Gardens – JokerDurden, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Wankhede – Anand Desai, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Bugti Stadium – Facebook, Chitral – Altamish Azhar, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Rawalpindi – Facebook @mehmoodyousafzaii, Gaddafi Stadium – Younisjunejo, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, Daren Sammy – Timothy Barton (timtranslates.com), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Queens Park Oval – Dominic Sayers from London, England, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, Arnos Vale – AFP PHOTO/Greg WOOD (Photo credit should read GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images), Windsor Park – SDGibbons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, Narendra Modi Stadium – Gujarat Cricket Association, Dehradun Cricket Stadium – Facebook
