Around the world, a variety of sports and games are played that provide both recreational and physical benefits to our bodies. Cricket is a fundamental team sport in which two teams of eleven players compete against each other using a bat and a ball. A hand-held instrument is used to hit the ball in cricket, which is categorized as a ‘club ball’ game. Cricket historian Harry Altham categorizes club ball games into three groups:
- The hockey group
- The golfing club
The cricketing team
Origin of Cricket
In the medieval era, cricket is thought to have originated as a childhood game in the southeast of England. Thus, we might presume that it started in England in the sixteenth century and developed into the country’s national sport two centuries later. However, its origins remain a mystery, despite the fact that various theories have been put up to try and explain it. Many stories have emerged from the vast research and studies conducted to determine its history. The game of cricket was first recorded in 1550, when pupils at the Royal Grammar School in England played it. Two Sussex children were allegedly chastised in 1611 for playing cricket rather than going to church.
But the game saw a lot of changes in the eighteenth century. The practice of ‘bowling’ a ball was not adopted until 1760. The original bat design, which had a construction more akin to a hockey stick, had to be altered as a result. The first international cricket match between the United States and Canada took place in 1844, demonstrating the influence of the British Empire on the game’s globalization. The game is still evolving today while adhering to its historical foundations; the most significant change in recent memory has been the surge in popularity of Twenty20, a new format for limited-overs cricket. These days, there is a devoted fan base for cricket.
Top 10 Cricket Teams in world:
Based on their results, the number of games they have played, and the points they have accrued, the International Cricket Council (ICC) ranks every international cricket team that is participating in a variety of events each year. Now that we have some fundamental knowledge of the game, let’s have a look at the Top 10 Cricket Teams in world of all time. They are listed in the following order:
1. Indian National Cricket Team:
The Parsis population in Bombay was essential in cricket’s development, and it was they who created the ‘Oriental Cricket Club’ in 1848, according to Indian cricket history. This club is also credited with being India’s first cricket club. Their clubs are frequently supported by wealthy members of their class, such as Tatas and Wadias. In 1932, India played England and so entered the arena of Test Cricket; C.K. Nayudu was the first test captain in Indian history at the time. Different Tests and ODI matches are now played by various players in modern cricket.
In accordance with the protocols of any nation that oversees its sports, the BCCI oversees all aspects of cricket in India and is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on a global scale. Both men’s and women’s international cricket teams represent India. The Indian men’s team is referred to as “Men in Blue” on the international scene. India’s main cricket governing body, the BCCI, oversees the sport there. The nation is also a member of the International Cricket Council. It is among the wealthiest sports organizations in the world. The BCCI employs a zonal selection policy to selecting cricket players for the team, with one selector from each of the five zones and a member nominated by the BCCI to serve as the selection committee chairman. The question of whether or not these selectors are biased in favor of their respective zones has been raised by this. Furthermore, Chetan Sharma has been designated as the selection committee’s new chair in the current circumstances.
Performance at ICC World Cups:
India performed poorly in the first two World Cups (1975, 1979), but they surprised everyone in the 1983 tournament by defeating the West Indies, the winners of the previous two World Cups.
India defeated the West Indies by 49 runs in 1983 to win the maiden world cup, led by Kapil Dev. India lost to England in the 1987 World Cup final, despite making it to the semifinals.
Even though they had some excellent batsmen in Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin, India failed to go to the finals in their next three world championships (1992, 1996, and 1999).
Under Ganguly’s leadership, India qualified for the 2003 World Cup and made it to the finals, where they lost to Australia by a margin of 120 runs. Team India’s effort was lauded despite the loss, especially the contributions of young players like Mohammed Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, Virendra Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, and others.
India’s most forgettable world cup was the one that followed in 2007, when they were eliminated in the opening round. Many people held coach Greg Chappell responsible for India’s dismal World Cup performance. His decision to move Sachin Tendulkar to number four was viewed as a significant change in the team’s balance, even if he had a great record as an opener.
India rallied to win the World Cup the next year (2011), led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Being the first team to win the coveted trophy at home created history. Apart from a charming captain in MS Dhoni, who is well-known for his street-smart abilities, the team benefited from the experience of Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag at the top, Gautam Gambhir and a young Virat Kohli in the middle. This combination of young and experienced players ensured the team’s successful run in the tournament. Yuvraj Singh, who batted fourth, was a major contributor to the team’s triumph. He also had a great tournament as a fielder and bowler. In the final game against Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium, Dhoni, who had a run of modest totals till the semi-finals, displayed his batting prowess by scoring an undefeated 92. The most popular sport in India is cricket, and its players are among the most well-known worldwide. India has so far participated in 1712 international matches, winning 779 of them and losing 655. The winning percentage for the Indian squad is 45.5. India has won the ICC Cricket World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011. Furthermore, India won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 and 2013, as well as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time in 2007. India, under by captain Virat Kohli, came in second in the first round of the ICC-hosted world test tournament 2019–2021. With Rahul Dravid serving as head coach and Rohit Sharma taking over as captain in lieu of Virat Kohli, the team has a new skipper in place. India’s current standing as per the latest ICC Rankings for 2022 is as follows:
ICC Test Rank- 02
ICC ODI Rank- 04
ICC T20 Rank- 01
2. New Zealand National Cricket Team:
The New Zealand Cricket Association is in charge of all things pertaining to cricket, and they manage the Black Caps, the country’s cricket side. This team participates in cricket at all ICC competitions, including T20I, ODI, and Test.
In 1930, New Zealand became the fifth nation to play its first Test match in cricket, when it took on England in Christchurch. Although the Kiwis defeated the West Indies in 1956 at Eden Park in Auckland, it took them over 26 years to triumph in their first Test match as a side under head coach Gary Stead. For a very long time, the New Zealand national cricket team was considered the underdog. In their debut ODI (1972–1973), New Zealand participated against Pakistan as well. Later on, they also took home the ICC Champions Trophy.
The current captain, Kane Williamson, has led the team to numerous achievements, including their first-ever ICC World Test Championship.
During the Australian cricket team’s 1945–46 tour of New Zealand, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had not yet awarded Test status to the team; this was done retroactively in March 1948. Since the Black Caps were destroyed for just 42 and 54 runs in each of the two innings, the players, on the other hand, did not like the film. This was the last Test played from 1929 until 1972 because the New Zealand Cricket Council refused to reimburse Australian athletes for their travel expenses to New Zealand. The New Zealand team has gained notoriety over time for having explosive all-rounders and batsmen. The Black Caps have produced some true pacers who can easily exceed 145 km/h as well as some superb hitters like Stephen Fleming. Richard Hadlee and Shane Bond were among those who easily reached 145 km/h. Richard Hadlee was a 17-year cricket team veteran from New Zealand who took 158 wickets at an average of 21.56.
When one thinks of the batting stars of New Zealand, the first name that comes to mind is Martin Crowe. With 4,704 runs batted in and a 38.55 hitting average, he was a 13-year veteran. Later, as cricket’s structure and style changed significantly in the 20th century, New Zealand produced some powerful wicketkeepers like Lou Vincent and Brendon McCullum, who were renowned for smashing bowlers all over the field and tearing them apart.
The men’s cricket team from New Zealand performed admirably in the first two ICC Cricket World Cups (1975, 1979), making it to the semi-finals both times. The 1983 and 1987 World Cup round-robin stages saw the Kiwis lose. Every World Cup since 1992 has seen New Zealand eliminated in the semifinals, including those in 1999, 2007 and 2011. The Australians defeated the Black Caps in the 2015 World Cup finals, despite their best efforts.
The squad has, overall, won 540, lost 621, tied 15, drawn 168, and had no outcome in 44 of the 1388 international games that have been played. New Zealand’s win percentage in international cricket is 38.9%. The latest recent ICC Rankings for 2022 show that New Zealand is now ranked as follows:
ICC Test Position: 03
ICC ODI Ranking: 01
ICC T20 Ranking: 04
3. Australia Cricket Team:
Australia’s national cricket team was one of the first in the world to play test cricket. They took on England in their first Test match in 1877, the English in their first One-Day International (ODI) in 1970–71, and the New Zealand team in their first T20 International (T20I) in 2004–05.
In the history of cricket, Australia has won the most Test and One-Day International matches. 932 ODIs have been played; they have won 566, lost 323 and tied nine; 34 games have resulted in a draw. Australia achieved their 1,000th victory in an international match on January 12, 2019, when they defeated India by 34 runs in the first One-Day International (ODI) of their series at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Additionally, Australia became the first team in the history of the Champions Trophy to win the ICC Champions Trophy twice, in 2006 and 2009.
In its 116 T20 International games thus far, the Australian national side has won 60, lost 52, tied two, and had two draws. They went on to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 final, but England defeated them there as well. Based on available information, Australia appears to be the only team that has participated in seven World Cup tournaments, played in four consecutive World Cups (1975, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015), and won five of those World Cups (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2023). In addition, they are the only team in history to have won three straight World Cups (1999, 2003, and 2007).
The latest ranking of the Australian Cricket Team as per ICC 2022 Cricket rankings are:
ICC Test Rank- 01
ICC ODI Rank- 03
ICC T20 Rank- 06
4. South Africa National Cricket Team:
Another team that is ranked in the top 10 is the Proteas, or South African cricket team. The Proteas, named for the King Protea, the national flower of South Africa, are the team’s cricket players. The cricket squad representing this nation is overseen by “Cricket South Africa,” and it is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Not many people thought of South Africa as a rival to Australia or England. But as the years passed and they became more knowledgeable and skilled in the game of cricket, they started to establish competitive teams in the early 1900s. South Africa’s cricket squad is known as the Proteas after its national flower, the King Protea. This country’s cricket team is managed by ‘Cricket South Africa,’ and the team is also a complete member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). South Africa was not widely perceived as a competitor to England or Australia. However, as time went on and they gained more knowledge and expertise in the field of cricket, they began to form competitive teams during the first part of the twentieth century. Up to the 1960s, the team played frequently against Australia, England, and New Zealand. However, because of the nation’s Apartheid policy, which attempted to separate whites from non-whites, the ICC, like other international sports organizations, imposed a ban on the team. An international opposition movement emerged as a result of the racist actions of the then-governing body. Regrettably, though, by the time the ban was imposed, South Africa’s national cricket team had advanced to the point where they were a fantastic team, with players like Mike Procter and Eddie Barlow displaying their finest abilities and defeating the Australian side.Another team that is ranked in the top 10 is the Proteas, or South African cricket team.
In 1991, the embargo was finally lifted, allowing the South African team to play against countries like India and the West Indies. Since its return, the team has mostly continued to be strong, finishing first in international rankings on several occasions. However, they haven’t played well in important competitions like the World Cup.
The latest ranking of the South African Cricket Team as per ICC 2022 Cricket rankings are:
ICC Test Rank- 04
ICC ODI Rank- 05
ICC T20 Rank- 05
5. West Indies Cricket Team
The Anglophone Caribbean region is represented by the multi-nation West Indies cricket team, which is led by Cricket West Indies. The fifteen Caribbean territories that make up this joint team are home to a variety of governments and dependencies. Six distinct cricket associations make up Cricket West Indies, the team’s governing body.
From the middle of the 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s, the West Indies cricket team was unquestionably the greatest in the world, winning every Test and One Day International (ODI) match. Michael Holding, Malcolm, Lloyd, Sir Garfield Sobers, and other West Indian cricketers are regarded as the greatest of all time.
The latest ranking of the West Indies Cricket Team as per ICC 2022 Cricket rankings are:
ICC Test Rank- 08
ICC ODI Rank- 09
ICC T20 Rank- 07
6.England Cricket Team:
The England cricket team represents both England and Wales in international cricket. After being run by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1903, it has been under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) since 1997.
Additionally, the ECB is in charge of making money from commercial deals, broadcast rights, and ticket sales—especially for the England squad.
Having been a founding member from the beginning, England holds a permanent membership in the International Cricket Council. As of March 2022, England have participated in 1,048 Test matches, winning 378, losing 316, and drawing 354 of them. In addition, England has participated in and won 383 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) out of 760 total. They have competed in four Cricket World Cup finals, winning one in 2019. They also placed second in the ICC Champions Trophy in both 2013 and 2004. In international cricket, the English cricket team has a 42.95 win rate. According to the ICC 2022 Cricket Rankings, England is now ranked as follows:
ICC Test Rank- 05
ICC ODI Rank- 02
ICC T20 Rank- 02
7. Sri Lanka Cricket Team
First cricket match on the island was in 1832, when the British colonized the area and brought cricket with them. ‘The Colombo Journal’ claims this information. Founded in the 1880s, the Ceylon national cricket team was playing first-class cricket by the 1920s. The Ceylon national cricket team was awarded Associate Member status by the International Cricket Council in 1965. Sri Lanka was the name given to the nation in 1972.
Sri Lanka’s National Men’s Cricket Team, also referred to as The Lions, currently represents the nation in men’s international cricket. It is also an International Cricket Council (ICC) permanent member. The team became the eighth Test cricket-playing nation in the world in 1982 when they were awarded Test status. The team is coached by Sri Lanka Cricket. Sri Lanka’s national cricket team overcame being the underdog to win the Cricket World Cup in 1996, led by captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
The Sri Lankan Lions have participated in 1317 international games overall, winning 557 and losing 622 of them. There were 40 matches with no outcome, 7 ties, and 91 draws from Sri Lankan matches. According to the most recent ICC Ranking for 2022, the Sri Lankan team is currently ranked as follows:
ICC Test Ranking: 07
ICC ODI Ranking: 08
ICC T20 Ranking: 10
8. Pakistan Cricket Team:
Fans are captivated by sporting events or competitions between nations that hold diametrically opposed political ideologies. Consequently, the topic of the Pakistan-India game comes up when we talk about this. One of the top ten ranked teams in the ICC is the Pakistan cricket team, which is run and managed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), also referred to as Shaheens in Urdu. Like other teams, this one from Pakistan is a full member of the International Cricket Council. On July 28, 1952, Pakistan was awarded Test status at India’s request. They played their first-ever Test match against India in October 1952 at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi. But in their first-ever test match, they lost by 70 runs, trailing by an innings. Prior to gaining independence in 1947, Pakistan played cricket for India. Some of their most well-known players from that era were Amir Elahi and Gul Mohammad. Pakistan’s national cricket team is currently coached by Saqlain Mushtaq across all formats, while Babar Azam is the captain for the ODI and T20I formats.Fans are captivated by sporting events or competitions between nations that hold diametrically opposed political ideologies. Consequently, the topic of the Pakistan-India game comes up when we talk about this.
One of the top ten ranked teams in the ICC is the Pakistan cricket team, which is run and managed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), also referred to as Shaheens in Urdu. Like other teams, this one from Pakistan is a full member of the International Cricket Council. On July 28, 1952, Pakistan was awarded Test status at India’s request. The Pakistan cricket team has played the most T20I matches. They were in second in the 2007 tournament, which India won, and won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009. In addition, the Pakistani team worked very hard to defeat India in 2017 and win the ICC championship trophy for the first time.
Three major ICC events that the Pakistan National Cricket Team has participated in include the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009, and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1992. Additionally, they became the fourth team to triumph in the 2016 ICC Test Championship. Pakistan is now ranked as follows in the most recent ICC Rankings for 2022:
ICC Test Position: 06
ICC ODI Ranking: 06
ICC T20 Ranking: Third
9. Bangladesh Cricket Team:
The Bangladesh cricket team, commonly referred to as the Tigers (BCB), is managed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. It is also a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Bangladesh had previously become an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council in 1977. The first One-Day International (ODI) between the Bangladesh national cricket team and Pakistan took place during the Asia Cup on March 31, 1986.
On June 26, 2000, Bangladesh was admitted to the ICC permanently following their victory against Pakistan in a league match at the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup. But the team had a particularly poor run of 21 straight Test losses between 2000 and 2002 after officially joining the ICC. They have a poor track record in One-Day Internationals as well, losing 23 straight games from 2001 to 2004. Before beating Zimbabwe in 2004, Bangladesh had never won an ODI. Zimbabwe was losing again in 2005 when Bangladesh won their first Test match. Despite the fact that the other match ended in a stalemate, the Tigers went on to win the Test series.
The current captains of the Bangladesh Men’s squad are Mahmudullah for the Twenty20 Internationals, Mominul Haque for Tests, Tamim Iqbal for One Day, and Russell Domingo for Coaching. The following are Bangladesh’s current ICC 2022 cricket rankings:
ICC Test Position: 09
ICC ODI Ranking: 07
ICC T20 Ranking: 09
10 Afghanistan National Cricket Team:
The 12th Test-playing full member nation of the ICC is Afghanistan’s national cricket squad. Afghanistan has played cricket since the middle of the 1800s, although the national side has only recently experienced some success on the international front. In 1995, the Afghanistan Cricket Board was formed to oversee the country’s cricket fields, much like every other country’s cricket disciplines are managed by some sort of association. Later in 2001, this board became an official participant of ICC.
In June 2017, Afghanistan received full membership in the ICC. Having enjoyed affiliate ICC membership from 2001 to 2013, they were the first affiliate member nation to ever take part in a major ICC international cricket competition. Afghanistan’s 278-3 score against Ireland in Dehradun on February 23, 2019, holds the record for the highest ever T20 score globally. In every game version, Afghanistan’s most well-known players are Asghar Afghan, Rashid Khan, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The latest ranking of the Afghanistan Cricket Team as per ICC 2022 Cricket rankings are:
ICC ODI Rank- 10
ICC T20 Rank- 08
