Top records broken in International cricket in 2023
The year 2023 was full of cricketing action throughout the calendar as fans got to witness major moments on the field. With three ICC tournaments taking place in a space of 12 months, there was no dearth of talent on display in the year. Numerous players made a name for themselves by breaking several records and etched their names in record books. On that note, let’s take a look at the top records broken in the year 2023:
1. Fastest fifty in T20I history
Nepal’s Dependra Singh Airee broke the 16-year-old record of India’s Yuvraj Singh to register the fastest T20I fifty. Airee reached the landmark during the first group game of the Asian Games 2023 against Mongolia as he played a breathtaking knock of 52 (10) completing his fifty in just nine balls. He smacked eight sixes in his innings.
2. Fastest Century in T20I history
Nepal’s Kushal Malla also entered record books during the above-mentioned Asian Games match between Nepal and Mongolia as he scored the fastest hundred in T20Is in just 34 balls. He surpassed the joint record of David Miller and Rohit Sharma who had achieved the feat in 35 balls each.
3. Highest T20I score and highest victory margin
The opening match of the Asian Games 2023 saw record books being shattered as Nepal registered the highest team score in T20Is. Courtesy of Kushal Malla’s (137 off 50), Rohit Paudel’s (61 off 27) and Dipendra Singh Airee’s (52* off 10) innings, Nepal posted a massive score of 314/3 in their allotted 20 overs. Courtesy of their sensational batting performance, Nepal surpassed Afghanistan’s record of 278/3 and registered the highest team total in T20Is. Furthermore, Nepal also bundled out Mongolia for just 41 and also registered the highest victory margin in T20Is by 273 runs.
4. Most hundreds in ODI history
Star India batter Virat Kohli surpassed his idol Sachin Tendulkar’s record during the first semi-final of the ODI World Cup 2023 against New Zealand as he registered his 50th ODI hundred. Kohli played a magnificent innings of 117 (113) in the game and reached the historic landmark in just 279 innings.
5. Highest chase in T20Is
The year 2023 also saw South Africa chase down the highest total in T20Is as they chased down a massive score of 259 against the West Indies. West Indies batted first and scored 258/5 in their allotted 20 overs as Johnson Charles scored a splendid hundred (118 off 46). In reply, South Africa chased down 259 in just 18.5 overs with Quinton de Kock scoring a scintillating 44-ball 100 while Reeza Hendricks scored 68 (28).
6. Largest victory margin in ODIs (by runs)
During the third and final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram on January 15, 2023. India achieved the historic feat of registering the highest victory margin in ODIs. Batting first, the Men in Blue scored a massive 390/5 in their allotted 50 overs riding on centuries by Shubman Gill (116 off 97) and Virat Kohli (166* off 110).
In reply, they bundled out Sri Lanka for just 73 Mohammed Siraj scalped 4/32 in ten overs. As a result, India won the match by 317 runs surpassing New Zealand’s record of a 290-run win against Ireland in 2008
7. Most Sixes in international cricket
The Indian captain Rohit Sharma was seen at his explosive best in the year 2023 as he took on the opposition bowlers right from the word go. During the second match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 against Afghanistan in Delhi, Sharma broke the record for the most sixes hit in international cricket as he surpassed Chris Gayle’s tally of 553 maximums from 551 innings. Currently, the Indian captain has 582 sixes to his name from 484 innings.
8. Best bowling figures in T20Is
During the first match of the ICC men’s T20 World Cup Asia B Qualifier, Malaysia’s Syazdrul Idrus achieved the best bowling figures in T20I history. After China captain Wang Qi won the toss and elected to bat first, the right-arm seamer Idrus wreaked havoc as he registered mind-boggling figures of 7/8 in four overs to bundle out China for just 23 (the third-lowest total in T20Is). Notably, it was the first ever 7-fer in T20I history surpassing Nigeria’s Peter Aho’s record of 6/5.
9. Lowest Total in T20Is, highest victory margin in T20Is by balls remaining
During the sixth T20I of the series between the Isle of Man and Spain played in Cartagena on February 26, 2023, Spain bundled out Isle of Man for just 10 runs in 8.4 overs. Atif Mehmood (4/6) and Mohammad Kamran (4/4) picked four wickets each for their side.
In reply, Spain made a complete mockery of their target chasing it down in just two balls with Awais Ahmed smashing two sixes after the first delivery was adjudged no ball. As a result, Spain won the match with 118 balls to spare which is also the largest victory margin in terms of balls remaining in T20Is.
10. Largest margin of victory in Women’s Tests
India women continued their brilliant record against England in Tests as they beat them for the third time in their Test history during the only Test played at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai in December 2023. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side beat England women by a massive margin of 347 runs and broke the 25-year-old record in women’s cricket. Notably, Sri Lanka had held the record for the largest victory margin having beaten Pakistan by 309 runs in 1998.
