cricketers

Cricketers are athletes who play cricket, a bat-and-ball team sport played between two teams of eleven players on a field with a central pitch. The term encompasses professionals who compete in international and domestic competitions as well as amateur players in clubs and leagues. International cricketers participate in Test matches, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20 Internationals, while many also compete in domestic first-class, List A, and Twenty20 competitions around the world.

Roles and techniques in cricket include batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders, and wicketkeepers. Batsmen aim to score runs by directing the ball to open space on the field or by running between wickets, as well as by hitting boundaries—fours and sixes. Bowlers seek to dismiss batsmen and limit scoring, with fast bowlers relying on speed, seam, and accuracy, and spin bowlers using variation and flight. All-rounders contribute in both batting and bowling, and wicketkeepers specialize in standing behind the stumps, taking catches, and effecting dismissals.

Pathways and preparation typically involve progression from school and club cricket through junior and domestic competitions to national selection. Training emphasizes technical skill development, fitness, fielding, and tactical understanding of match situations.

Statistics and records are central to cricket, with metrics such as runs scored, batting averages and strike rates, wickets taken, bowling averages and economy rates, and fielding dismissals used to evaluate performance and legacy. Notable players from different eras are remembered for their contributions to the game.

Governing bodies include the International Cricket Council and national boards, which organize international and domestic competitions and oversee the development and selection of players.