That’s Numberwang! The Mainly Rohit Sharma Edition, featuring Abid Ali and Marnus

It’s a bumper round-up of 10 days of action in our ‘weekly’ feature this time around because reasons. We’ll blame Christmas. Yes. That should do it.
Here are all the key numbers from a decimal week in which Rohit Sharma did some more nonsense, Abid Ali took to Test cricket very nicely thank you and the WTC took a worrying lurch towards two-horse-race dullness.
1 – Number of times in ODI history both captains have been dismissed first ball after Virat Kohli and Kieron Pollard bagged golden ducks in the second India-West Indies ODI. Also: Days between us publishing this piece and Dom Bess returning to the England squad
3 – Age in years of Karachi matchwinner Naseem Shah when Pakistan last won a Test match on home soil
5 – Bowlers in Test history with over 200 wickets at a better average than Vernon Philander, who will retire after the upcoming series against England. Also: ODI scores of 150+ made by all Pakistan batsmen combined ever.
8 – ODI scores of 150+ made by Rohit Sharma
7 – Different countries against which Rohit Sharma has scored an ODI century in 2019: Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, West Indies. That’s a record, obviously. Also: consecutive years in which Rohit has made at least one 150+ score. Also also: consecutive years in which Rohit Sharma has made India’s highest ODI score of that year
78 – International sixes hit by Rohit Sharma in 2019, breaking his own all-time record (74) from 2018, when he broke his own all-time record (65) from 2017.
2 – Hat-tricks in ODIs for Kuldeep Yadav. Only Lasith Malinga (3) has more. Also: Number of Test centuries made by Abid Ali in three innings of his maiden series. Also also: number of teams who have currently managed to secure even half the World Test Championship points they’ve contested.
160.50 – Abid Ali’s Bradman-mocking Test batting average.
0 – Number of players in history with a higher Test batting average than Abid Ali right now. Also: Number of Test runs scored this week by Stuart Broad. Also also: Number of higher successful ODI chases in Cuttack than India’s 316/6 in the third ODI against West Indies. Also also also: Players younger than Naseem Shah to have taken a five-wicket haul in Tests
1022 – Test runs for Marnus Labuschagne in 2019 so far, the first and currently only man to reach four figures this year just like we all predicted.
83.33 – The WTC value, as a percentage of a Headingley 2019, for Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s rain-affected draw in Rawalpindi
67.60 – Percentage of all World Test Championship points earned thus far that have been won by India and Australia.
Latest
-
News
Reece Topley ‘undercooked’ as England prepare for World Cup opener
The seamer and his team-mates have seen limited action since arriving in India ahead of their first clash against New Zealand on Thursday.
-
England
A look at changing nature of international calendar ahead of Cricket World Cup
England have played fewer ODIs heading into this tournament than for any World Cup in almost 30 years.
-
England
England complete World Cup preparations with rain-affected win over Bangladesh
England start the defence of their World Cup trophy against New Zealand on Thursday.
-
England
Jos Buttler will let England’s white-ball legacy be decided by others
Eight members from the class of 2019 are in England’s 15-strong squad for the defence of their 50-over crown in India, which starts this week.
-
News
5 players to watch at the Cricket World Cup in India
England take on New Zealand in Thursday’s tournament opener.
-
England
Can England defend their crown? – World Cup talking points
The tournament takes place in India.
-
County Cricket
Middlesex relegated from Division One as Kent survive on dramatic final day
Middlesex fell just short of the victory they needed at Nottinghamshire to stay up instead of Kent.
-
India
England captain Jos Buttler believes India are favourites for World Cup
The last three editions of the Cricket World Cup – India in 2011, Australia in 2015 and England in 2019 – have been won by the host nation.
-
County Cricket
Surrey retain County Championship title after Essex batting collapse
The holders have been crowned champions for the 21st time.
-
County Cricket
Geoffrey Boycott: Everybody in Newcastle hates Mike Ashley amid Headingley links
The PA news agency understands the Frasers Group, where Ashley is chief executive, is one of the parties interested in purchasing Headingley.