Few sights in cricket history were as thrilling as Waqar Younis in his prime. Alongside Wasim Akram, he revolutionized reverse swing in the early 1990s, tormenting batters with toe-crushing yorkers. After bursting onto the scene against New Zealand in 1990-91, Waqar took 109 wickets in three years at an average of 18.07 and an incredible strike rate of 33.55 balls per wicket. He later captained Pakistan and recorded 7 for 36—the second-best figures in ODI history—against England at Headingley in 2001. Waqar also excelled in county cricket with Surrey and Glamorgan, taking a career-best 8 for 17 against Sussex in 1997. Post-retirement, he coached Pakistan and helped lay the groundwork for their rise to No. 1 in Tests.

Australian seamer Charlie Turner, famously nicknamed “The Terror,” was a formidable force, especially on wet pitches. He claimed 101 Test wickets at an astonishing 16.53 average, far ahead of contemporaries. With his long, rhythmic run-up and square-on delivery, Turner debuted with 6 for 15 against England in Sydney (1886-87) and dominated the 1888 series with 21 wickets at 12 apiece, despite England winning two matches. Over 155 first-class games, he took an extraordinary 35 ten-wicket hauls. Turner passed away in Sydney in 1944.

Cricket bid farewell to a legend when Sachin Tendulkar retired at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium after a 24-year career. India defeated the West Indies by an innings and 126 runs, but all eyes were on Tendulkar, who scored a lively 74 before edging to slip. The match ended on the third morning, followed by a heartfelt farewell speech and a victory lap, lifted by teammates. Tendulkar’s final act was paying respects to the pitch before leaving the field, ending an era.

Australia reached their eighth ODI World Cup final with a dramatic three-wicket win over South Africa at Eden Gardens. South Africa’s strong top order collapsed to 24 for 4, but David Miller’s century helped set 213 runs—the same target from the unforgettable 1999 World Cup semi-final. Australia’s chase was tested by spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj, but they overcame the challenge to win with three overs to spare.

Chris Tavaré produced one of the most patient innings in cricket history, taking 63 minutes to get off the mark in Perth. He eventually scored 9 from 82 balls, spending nearly eight hours at the crease during the first innings. The match ended in a dull draw, notable only for Terry Alderman dislocating his shoulder while tackling a pitch invader and Norman Cowans becoming England’s 500th Test cricketer.

The third Test in Ahmedabad was historic for India despite a West Indies victory by 138 runs. Gavaskar’s first-innings 90 pushed him past Geoff Boycott as the leading Test run-scorer, while Kapil Dev took 9 for 83, becoming the first captain to claim nine wickets in a Test innings. India’s chase of 242 fell short after a top-order collapse, highlighting West Indies’ dominance.

Chris Balderstone uniquely combined Test cricket and professional football, representing Yorkshire and Leicestershire, and playing for Huddersfield, Carlisle, and Doncaster. In September 1975, he played a County Championship match and an hour later kicked off for Doncaster. A scrappy batter and left-arm spinner, he played just two Tests for England in 1976 and later served as a Test umpire (1993–1996). Balderstone passed away from cancer in 2000.

James Southerton holds the record as the oldest man to debut in Test cricket at 49 years and 119 days during the very first Test in Melbourne, March 1877. He also became the first Test cricketer to pass away, dying less than three months before England’s first Test in 1880.