International Cricket Council Research Articles

Cricket performance predictions: a comparative analysis of machine learning models for predicting cricket player’s performance in the One Day International (ODI) world cup 2023

Background and purpose
 Cricket, a globally renowned bat and ball sport, is the second most popular sport worldwide. The objective of the study is to utilize machine learning algorithms to predict the performance probabilities of Indian cricket players participating in the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023. Furthermore, we aim to assess and compare the predictive precision of three machine learning models such as, Random Forest, Support Vector Regression, and XGBoost.
 Materials and Methods
 Data collection centered on Indian One Day International cricket statistics, encompassing matches played, batting and bowling averages, catches taken, and performance predictions. We sourced this data from reputable platforms such as ESPNcricinfo and the International Cricket Council website. Our performance prediction utilized of three machine learning models such as, Random Forest, Support Vector Regression, and XGBoost. Comparative analysis was conducted, evaluating these models through essential metrics including Mean Squared Error, Root Mean Squared Error, Mean absolute Error, and R-squared.
 Results
 The comparative analysis revealed that the XGBoost model consistently outperformed the others. It exhibited lower errors with the lowest Mean Squared Error, Root Mean Squared Error, and Mean Absolute Error, signifying greater predictive accuracy. XGBoost achieved the highest R-squared value, indicating a robust relationship between predictions and actual performance probabilities. Random Forest produced satisfactory results but fell short of XGBoost's accuracy, while Support Vector Regression displayed less accurate predictions across all metrics.
 Conclusions
 This research demonstrates the superior predictive ability of the XGBoost model in the performance probabilities of Indian cricket players in the ODI Cricket World Cup. The practical implications underscore the significance of data-driven insights for team selection and strategy.

Using Support Vector Regression Kernel Models for Cricket Performance Prediction in the Womens Premier League 2024

Background. The interest in women’s premier league cricket has caused the need for advanced analytics to understand the multifaceted dynamics of the sport. Study Purpose. This study aimed to contribute to sports analytics by assessing the efficacy of Support Vector Regression (SVR) kernel models in predicting the most valuable player. Such research methods as ANOVA, Bessel function, and Inverse MultiQuadratic kernel application have been deliberately chosen for their diverse mathematical approaches, aligning with the nuanced intricacies of women's premier league cricket. Materials and methods. Player performance was analyzed by using the following study methods: ANOVA, Bessel function and Inverse MultiQuadratic kernel application. The data, sourced from espncricinfo.com and the International Cricket Council, includes essential metrics for five teams. Rigorous preprocessing techniques, such as imputation and outlier removal, enhance data reliability, ensuring robust predictive models. Results. The application of the Inverse MultiQuadratic kernel exhibits exceptional predictive performance, surpassing ANOVA and Bessel function models. The kernels radial basis function proves effective in capturing the intricate dynamics of women’s premier league cricket. The findings underscore the suitability of kernel method for predicting standout performers in the Womenʼs Premier League 2024 season. Conclusions. The study revealed the dynamic interplay between sports analytics and machine learning in women's premier league cricket. The application of the Inverse MultiQuadratic kernel stands out as the most effective model, providing key insights into player predictions. This emphasizes the continual integration of advanced analytical techniques to enhance our understanding of the evolving landscape of women’s premier league cricket. As the sport gains prominence on the global stage, such analytical endeavors become imperative for strategic decision-making and sustained growth.

A complex network analysis approach to compare the performance of batsmen across different formats

Batsmen are accorded a certain precedence for better batting ability over their peers. The batsmen in cricket are assessed mostly based on their batting average. However, comparing players by batting average over different timelines does not yield the appropriate results, as the batting productivity of a particular player varies in unique ways across the different formats of the game. Using batting averages for comparison does not include factors such as the speed of scoring runs and the frequency of milestones achieved. The objective of this study is to present an effective knowledge-based mechanism for judging and comparing the batting strength of players in different formats of cricket. This methodology uses a complex network consisting of effective features that are subsequently integrated to formulate a Batting Precedence Score, which is further incorporated into an efficient Batting Precedence Score algorithm. In addition, we created a structured World Wide Batsman Dataset (WWBD) for our analysis based on the ESPN Cricinfo dataset. The results of extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method provides promising insights. The batting precedence of the proposed method is further compared with those of existing methods, and the proposed method displays better results.

A Bayesian perspective of middle-batting position in ODI cricket

The cricket fraternity described “an unsettled batting position of number four” as one of the major causes for India’s exit from International Cricket Council Men’s World Cup 2019. Consistent chopping and changing batsmen at the sensitive fourth batting position proved to be a disaster for team India then. Therefore, ranking of all the batsmen, in the then Indian cricket team, who were deemed to be eligible for this position remained a much-debated issue both before and after the World Cup 2019. In the present paper, Kaplan-Meir curves are used to make multiple comparisons for respective batting performances among the batsmen who have ever played in the middle order position. In this paper, frailty of these batsmen is studied through Bayesian analysis at the start of their innings and during the time-interval of transition to their best playing ability by considering respective run scores. Posterior summaries of innate player ability are obtained by deploying a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm which is then used to assess and compare the individual batting performances. Estimation of incomplete innings is handled via censoring strategies.

The Change in Test Cricket Performance Following the Introduction of T20 Cricket

International cricket has evolved from predominantly Test cricket, to shorter formats of competition. With the high player overlap between formats, the introduction of Twenty20 (T20) cricket is proposed to have influenced Test cricket and therefore the tactical strategies coaches and players should attempt to implement. The aim of this study was to identify the change in specific Test cricket performance metrics following the introduction of T20 cricket across a 20-year period (2000-2020). A total of 667 matches involving the top eight International Cricket Council (ICC) Test-cricket nations were analyzed. Overall, the introduction of T20 cricket has been associated with a change in the way in which Test cricket is currently played. Results identified significantly ( p < 0.001) more runs being scored by sixes and less by fours. A significant (17.4%; p < 0.001) decrease was also present in the percentage of Test matches ending in draws (23.5% in 2000 to 6.4% in 2020). Run rates increased for five teams (India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka), remained constant for one team (West Indies), and decreased for two teams (Australia, England) across the entire period studied. However, there was no change in the number of days Test matches lasted, with the average number of days continuing to last into day five (4.5 decreasing to 4.3). Findings highlight that improving the ability to strike a greater number of sixes, increase the overall run rate, and facilitate strike rotation when batting to be a focus for coaches and players alike. Future studies should ascertain whether the introduction of T20 has had an effect on One Day International (ODI) performance variables while further considering the impact of home advantage and team quality, to facilitate enhanced tactical and strategic decision-making.

Adoption of a ranking based indexing method for the cricket teams

Cricket teams are ranked to indicate their supremacy over their counter peers in order to get precedence. Various authors have proposed different statistical techniques in cricketing works to evaluate teams. However, it does not work well to realize the consistency of the teams’ performance. The intuition of this paper is not only used to rank and evaluate teams using their winning and losing statistics, but also takes into account different bowling and batting performance metrics of every single team against others and also includes other non-cricketing attributes like the toss, home ground factor, etc. With this aim, effective features are constructed for evaluating bowling and batting precedence of teams with others. Eventually, these features are integrated to formulate the Consistency Index Rank (CIR) to rank cricket teams. The performance of the proposed methodology is investigated with recent state-of-the-art works and International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings using the Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient for all the 3 formats of cricket, i.e., Test, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 (T20). The results indicate that the proposed ranking methods yield quite more encouraging insights than the recent state-of-the-art works and can be acquired for ranking cricket teams.

Player-aware resource compensation in interrupted cricket matches.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) uses the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method for resource compensation in interrupted games, which is an upgraded version of the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method. In order to compensate resources, the D/L method uses a generic resource table for all teams without considering both teams’ past performance, venue of the match, and players participating in that match. That is why teams cannot strategize according to their strengths and play according to D/L’s requirements. This paper presents a method for Player-aware Resource Compensation in Interrupted Cricket Matches (PRCICM). The PRCICM model is dynamic because it allocates a different number of resources to different teams based on their resource usage in the past, players involved in the match and venue of the match. The proposed method eliminates the need to find the generalized scoring patterns with a player-driven approach. A team-specific approach is more appropriate because of teams’ different formations and playing approaches.

Development of Sports Medicine in India and Recent Advances

Sports are beneficial for us both at individual and social levels. Sports Medicine is an ancient subject. Sports medicine in India is steadily growing. Sports activities have witnessed a remarkable upswing in the recent times, and we require a huge number of sports support staff. There is an urgent need to look at capacity building of institutions in our country. Government of India has launched several measures for sports development including the Khelo India Scheme. Sports Medicine is a multidisciplinary field with a broad objective, focusing on holistic athlete care and not only injuries. Injury prevention, peak performance, high competition levels, and surge in number of sports events has resulted in the development of Sports Medicine. It uses a multi-modal approach including new strategies and technologies. Technology is helping to analyze and create new strategies for boosting performance. Genetic technology can improve performance, health, and safety. Latest advances in sensory garments, helmets, mouth guards, monitors, and wearables have made sports medicine indispensable. Recent advances like High Altitude Simulation Training, Anti-gravity treadmill, exoskeletons, bio-harnesses, smart fabrics, Virtual and Augmented Reality are revolutionizing sports. Centre for Sports Science at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (deemed to be university) in Chennai is a center of excellence for Asian Football Confederation and International Cricket Council in India. It serves as a hub for Sports Science Training, Education and Research in India applying the latest scientific advances in sports medicine and sports science. Sports have grown from being just a source of entertainment to a social culture and also as a gratifying career option for many. This trend is expected to evolve further with a bright scope for everyone connected with the sports ecosystem.

Construction of Mediated National Identity Through Sports Journalists Twitter Feed

This study analyzed how Pakistani and Indian national identity was portrayed in selected Pakistani and Indian journalists’ tweets about the 2017 International Cricket Council (ICC) champions trophy final. There is an extensive body of literature that has documented the triad between sports, media, and national identity. However, most of the sports communication literature related to mediated construction of national identity has focused on western countries. Through the lens of Elias’s habitus thesis and employing textual analysis, Pakistani and Indian journalists’ 641 tweets during the game were analyzed. Results suggest that there are potential national variations in sports journalism and the type of media platform used when it comes to mediated construction of national identity and that journalistic styles and practices across old and new media influence each other.

Business Class Travel Preserves Sleep Quality and Quantity and Minimizes Jet Lag During the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

To determine the impact of the quality and quantity of sleep during an international flight on subsequent objective sleep characteristics, training and match-day load, self-reported well-being, and perceptions of jet lag of elite female cricketers during an International Cricket Council Women's T20 World Cup. In-flight and tournament objective sleep characteristics of 11 elite female cricketers were assessed using activity monitors. Seated in business class, players traveled west from Melbourne, Australia, to Chennai, India. The outbound flight departed Melbourne at 3:30 AM with a stopover in Dubai for 2 hours. The arrival time in Chennai was 8:10 PM local time (1:40 AM in Melbourne). The total travel time was 19 hours 35 minutes. Perceptual ratings of jet lag, well-being, and training and competition load were collected. To determine the impact of in-flight sleep on tournament measures, a median split was used to create subsamples based on (1)in-flight sleep quantity and (2)in-flight sleep quality (2 groups: higher vs lower). Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the bivariate associations between sleep measures, self-reported well-being, perceptual measures of jet lag, and internal training and match-day load. Mean duration and efficiency of in-flight sleep bouts were 4.72 hours and 87.45%, respectively. Aggregated in-flight sleep duration was 14.64 + 3.56 hours. Players with higher in-flight sleep efficiency reported higher ratings for fatigue (ie,lower perceived fatigue) during the tournament period. Tournament sleep duration was longer, and bed and wake times were earlier compared with habitual. Compared with other nights during the tournament, sleep duration was shorter following matches. Maximizing in-flight sleep quality and quantity appears to have implications for recovery and sleep exhibited during competition. Sleep duration was longer than habitual except for the night of a match, which suggests that T20 matches may disrupt sleep duration.

Cricket mix optimization using heuristic framework after ensuring Markovian equilibrium

International Cricket Council, in consultation with its member boards, prepares the Future Tours and Programme (FTP) which is an eight year long itinerary covering world championships in three formats of cricket, bilateral series and other tournaments. However, the FTP (2015–2023) had been criticized for its asymmetric itinerary and the point system for World Test championship and the FTP (2023–2031) is being criticized for including eight championships in limited formats and enhanced workload for players. Cricket mix standardization like marketing and product mix can work in homogeneous markets. This study derives three homogeneous markets of four teams each using hierarchical cluster analysis. For each market, it finds out the Markovian equilibrium analyzing cricket mix transition over past years. While the same can be used to derive the number of games per format per country, the study proposes a heuristic approach for fine tuning the same taking care of major stakeholders’ (e.g. Administrators, Players and Spectators) aspirations. Despite scores of criticisms and articles on the issue, there is hardly any scholastic contribution on game scheduling in the extant literature. This study thus is a pioneering effort in helping the policy makers to create a balance between cricket formats within each homogeneous market.

Predicting the winning percentage of limited-overs cricket using the Pythagorean formula

The Pythagorean Win-Loss formula can be effectively used to estimate winning percentages for sporting events. This formula was initially developed by baseball statistician Bill James and later was extended by other researchers to sports such as football, basketball, and ice hockey. Although one can calculate actual winning percentages based on the outcomes of played games, that approach does not take into account the margin of victory. The key benefit of the Pythagorean formula is its utilization of actual average runs scored and actual average runs allowed. This article presents the application of the Pythagorean Win-Loss formula to two different types of limited-overs cricket formats, namely One Day International cricket (ODI) and Twenty20 cricket. The data for the application was used from the matches played by the top 10 International Cricket Council (ICC) members who participated in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. For matches for which the second batting team won, runs scored were estimated by considering the remaining amount of resources, based on the Duckworth–Lewis method.

The evolution of competitive balance in men’s international cricket

ABSTRACT Rationale: This study analyses competitive balance (CB) in all formats of men’s international cricket longitudinally between 1877 and 2019 with the results broken down into segregated time periods to account for changes in the format of the sport over the course of its history. Methodology: Using recognised measures of league concentration, the results display a mixed picture in respect of competitive balance across the various formats of cricket. Men’s international cricket has seen growth in the last five years after all Twenty20 (T20) matches between International Cricket Council (ICC) member nations have been awarded international status and competitive balance in all formats of the game has remained relatively stable. Findings: No significant changes have been observed in CB scores in test and One Day Internationals (ODI) while improvement in CB scores have been observed for T20I. We did not find any impact of the introduction of T20I on competitive balance in ODI cricket. Practical implications: In a broader governance context, questions remain over the potential for further growth of the international cricket market given the dominant market position of the full members of ICC, in particular India, Australia and England, who have access to majority of the central revenue funding from the governing body.

Capitalism and the ethics of sport governance: a history of the board of control for cricket in India

In the twenty-first century, domestic politics has played a key role in determining the behavioural attributes of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Hence, it emerged as an intermediary entity for promoting the national interest of the government. Besides, the growing commercialization of Indian cricket have paved the way for BCCI to emerge as a financial powerhouse at the turn of the new millennium. Against this backdrop, the article attempts to figure out if BCCI reveal the larger dynamics of the Indian government, politics and economy in a tacit manner. Put differently, the governance of cricket by the BCCI is subject to regulation by the administrative and judicial apparatus of the Indian state. The article strives to link cricket with crucial aspects of national security, diplomacy and Indian business through its discussion of India-Pakistan cricket series, the negotiations in the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Indian Premier League (IPL).

Finding Your Feet: A Gaussian Process Model for Estimating the Abilities of Batsmen in Test Cricket

Abstract In the sport of cricket, a player’s batting ability is traditionally measured using the batting average. However, the batting average fails to measure both short-term changes in ability that occur during an innings and long-term changes in ability that occur between innings due to factors such as age and experience in various match conditions. We derive and fit a Bayesian parametric model that employs a Gaussian process to measure and predict how the batting abilities of cricket players vary and fluctuate over the course of entire playing careers. The results allow us to better quantify and predict the batting ability of a player, compared with both traditional cricket statistics, such as the batting average, and more complex models, such as the official International Cricket Council ratings.

Evolution-Based Performance Prediction of Star Cricketers

Cricket databases contain rich and useful information to examine and forecasting patterns and trends. This paper predicts Star Cricketers (SCs) from batting and bowling domains by employing supervised machine learning models. With this aim, each player’s performance evolution is retrieved by using effective features that incorporate the standard performance measures of each player and their peers. Prediction is performed by applying Bayesian-rule, function and decision-tree-based models. Experimental evaluations are performed to validate the applicability of the proposed approach. In particular, the impact of the individual features on the prediction of SCs are analyzed. Moreover, the category and model-wise feature evaluations are also conducted. A cross-validation mechanism is applied to validate the performance of our proposed approach which further confirms that the incorporated features are statistically significant. Finally, leading SCs are extracted based on their performance evolution scores and their standings are cross-checked with those provided by the International Cricket Council.

Ranking of Pakistan’s One-Day International Cricket Players Based on Link Fusion

Cricket is one of the most popular game in the world. This game has been played between two teams; every team has 11 players. Every cricket team in the world belongs to a country having a cricket board that selects the best players and manage the team activities. Cricket matches are of three forms One-Day International (ODI) cricket matches, First class or Test Matches and T-20 matches. The main issue in this game is to selects the best suitable players for the team and ranks them according to their performance. We mainly focus on Pakistan's One-day International ODI cricket players ranking. We proposed a method that consist of statistical formulas apply to the significant features of current players in Pakistan's One-Day International ODI cricket and rank them according to the rank score calculated by our method. For the implementation, we make application named TeamMaker that automatically scarp the information, and after applying our algorithm display, the results in the form of ranking tables. Similarly, ranking tables also available on the International Cricket Council ICC website, and too many researchers rank the cricket players of all teams in the world with different algorithms. Still, these methods are universal and not for a specific country. Our methodology based on link fusion that focuses on single country Pakistan with 27 One-Day International (ODI) cricket players that are currently available for the team. This application selects the exclusive features that are affected by their performance. TeamMaker application displays a ranking table based on these features. In the end, we compare and analyze the players ranking results of our methodology with the players ranking of International Cricket Council ICC. Our findings show that previous universal ranking methods neglect many countries and other prominent features of players, that's why many cricket player does not present in ranking tables.

Identifying social impact from supplemental events: a research framework

ABSTRACT This paper develops a framework for identifying and fostering social impact for ‘supplemental’ (cultural, sporting and other) events which run in tandem with major sporting events. The framework links the aims of supplemental events with a classification of event activities in terms of achieved social impact and potential social benefits. Data supporting the study were collected from over 150 interviews conducted with tourists and local attendees at two supplemental events (Fan Zone and Trophy Tour) held in Australia as part of the 2015 International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup. Short-term social impacts emerging from the findings included a shared sense of community resulting from the atmosphere and ambience of the events. Potential longer-term social benefits, such as healthier lifestyles, were also identified by both tourists and locals. The framework enhances the current understanding of strategies for fostering social impact and potential social benefits by providing an analytic tool to examine supplemental events and their effects on tourists and locals.

Negotiating the (Uncertain) Corridors of Power in Post-Apartheid South African Cricket

ABSTRACT The issues of race, class and transformation in South African cricket are examined through a life history of Haroon Lorgat, a player and administrator in pre- and post-apartheid cricket. Lorgat’s journey provides seminal insights into the sport as his life spans the dusty playing fields of apartheid cricket, to the top order of the sport as CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and then returning as CEO of Cricket South Africa (CSA). It offers an opportunity to understand the changing relations of power in global cricket while also showing how this impacted on the space for manoeuvre for those batting on home ground, as he tried to negotiate the uncertain corridor of racial transformation while ensuring that the national team continued to win on the field.

The Gentleman’s Game Has New Rules for Concussion: Possible Impact and Controversies

Abstract Background When Jofra Archer bowled that fateful bouncer that felled Steve Smith, arguably the best batsman in the world, the gut-churning incident revived images of the horrific Phillip Hughes tragedy. Fortunately, Smith was soon up and about, but he was forced off the ground by the medicos. Less than an hour later, the 30-year-old came back to the crease to resume his innings on 80 not out but he did not look right. He soon fell for 92—the first time he was dismissed under a hundred in the series—to a misjudgment that he would never make normally. Following this, discussions regarding concussions in sports in general and cricket in particular had been reignited throughout the world. Methods We reviewed all available literatures on concussion in cricket and also reviewed all possible guidelines issued by the International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia on concussion. The latest guidelines issued on May 23, 2019 were kept as the basis for this article. Causes and possible methods/steps in management of the same were considered. Discussion Sport should not be played at the cost of lives and mental well-being of the players. The guidelines issued are very exhaustive and useful but have no meaning if they are not implemented properly. Sports-related injuries are often considered trivial but considering recent events, they are not. There is a spectrum ranging from craniofacial injuries to concussion, leading to career and even life-ending injuries in professional cricket. In retrospect, most of the injuries were concussions but they had a lasting impact on the players’ career. Conclusion Appropriate medical personnel must be present at all times to cover all matches (preferably having experience in head injuries). The decision on the medical personnel pervades any stage of the game and substitutes should be considered immediately, with return to play only after proper evaluation, and clearance has been obtained.