Cricket is one of the most popular games in the world. It is equally popular in the West as it is in India. Cricket players are worshiped like hero. We can see children playing cricket in villages and towns. Cricket is a highly lucrative game. It brings name, fame, wealth and money. Cricket players are showered with prizes and awards. Today, cricket offers a good career opportunity. Children have great fascination for cricket. It has become the number one game all over the world and has a bright future. A cricket match, especially, one-day match is a great show anywhere in the world. In India, many people take leave to enjoy the game of cricket particularly if it is being played between India and Pakistan. Thousands of persons feel overjoyed to see a cricket match either in stadium or on television screen. Big corporate giants sponsor a cricket match and give great prizes to the good performances.
Cricket is a bat-and-ball kind of game that is played between two teams, 11 players in each of them. The field has an oval shape and in the center there is rectangular 22-yard long pitch. In the game process, one team bats and tries to score runs, the more, the better, while the second team fields and bowls, and attempts to dismiss the batsmen and limit runs received by the first team. Teams switch between batting and fielding at the end of innings.
The history of cricket started in the 16th century in England. The first written evidence dates back to 1598. Then it was called creckett. There are many facts that make it clear that cricket was actively developing in the 17th century, and by its end it became an organized activity that was played for high stakes. In the next century it became the national sport of England. Since then it gained recognition and today there are fans around the world and matches gather lots of people who are dedicated to this game.
Today, cricket has become a passion. Every young boy wants to become a Tendulkar. Tendulkar is the hero of the young generation. In fact, Tendulkar has become a brand name. The young generation devotes their lots of time and energy in trying to shape their career as a cricketer. Whenever a cricket match is held particularly India-Pakistan match, the whole atmosphere is changed. The whole nation wears a festive look. People can be seen discussing matches. There is firework with every shot and every catch. On such days people have nothing to discuss but cricket. When the Indian team wins, there is a great show of fireworks. It is enjoyed by bursting of crackers. People are overjoyed at the win of the Indian team. Governments offer handful gifts to the good performances.
Unfortunately, in recent years cricket has been defamed by match-fixing. It denigrated the prestige of many players and more importantly caused a decline in the popularity of cricket. People lost attraction for the game. But it is such a favorite game of the people that within no time it regained its lost popularity. Everything was back on the track.