Cricket has always been a game filled with drama, emotion, and surprises. But every now and then, the game produces a moment so bizarre and rare that it carves out a permanent place in cricketing folklore. One such moment occurred on August 31, 2011, during a T20 international between India and England at Old Trafford, Manchester. The man at the center of this odd but memorable event? None other than Virat Kohli, a name synonymous with batting brilliance. Yet, this time it was his bowling — or more accurately, a ball that wasn’t even legal — that created history.
Who took a wicket on the 0th ball in men’s international cricket?
Kohli, who is hardly known for his bowling skills, was handed the ball by MS Dhoni during England’s chase. While Dhoni is famous for his strategic genius, even his move to give Kohli a bowl seemed like a fun experiment. But what followed was something no one could have predicted.
Kohli’s first delivery in T20I cricket was a wide ball down the leg side. England’s Kevin Pietersen stepped out of his crease to go for a big shot, missed the ball entirely, and in a flash, MS Dhoni whipped the bails off. Pietersen was stumped, and Kohli had taken a wicket.
The twist? Since the ball was a wide, it didn’t count as a legal delivery. Therefore, on the match scoreboard, it read:
- Overs: 0.0
- Wickets: 1
- Runs: 0
This became the first instance in men’s international cricket where a player took a wicket on the “0th ball.”
Understanding “Wicket on the 0th Ball”
Let’s simplify this cricketing technicality. In a normal over, a bowler delivers six legal balls. A legal ball is one that is not a wide or a no-ball. But the laws of cricket also allow for dismissals on illegal deliveries in certain conditions.
A stumping, for instance, can happen even on a wide ball if the batsman is out of his crease. That’s what happened with Pietersen. He overstepped his ground, and Dhoni, as sharp as ever, executed a perfect stumping.
So, even though Kohli had not yet bowled a legitimate delivery in international T20s, he had already taken a wicket — giving birth to the rarest bowling record: a wicket on the 0th ball.
Kohli: The Accidental Bowler
Virat Kohli is known across the globe for his fiery batting, intense focus, and unmatched consistency. Bowling, however, has always been an occasional affair for him. Over his career, Kohli has bowled part-time spin, often in ODIs to fill in a few overs or to break a partnership.
But on this day, the ball was handed to him more for fun or experimentation. No one expected a wicket. No one even expected a proper over. Yet, Kohli managed to surprise everyone with his very first (albeit illegal) ball.
That moment became one of the most talked-about instances in cricket trivia, spawning jokes, memes, and plenty of disbelief on social media.
How Rare Is This Feat?
Very. While there have been bowlers like Shakib Al Hasan and Graeme Swann who have taken wickets off wide deliveries, none of them had done so on their very first ball in T20 internationals, and certainly not on a ball that didn’t count.
Kohli’s achievement stands as a one-of-a-kind moment in men’s international cricket. It’s not just about taking a wicket with a wide — it’s about the uniqueness of the situation: debut bowling spell, wide delivery, and still managing a dismissal.
The Rules That Allowed It
You might wonder: How is this even legal?
The International Cricket Council (ICC) laws of the game state that a batsman can be stumped even if the delivery is a wide. So technically, Kohli did everything right — except that the ball didn’t count toward the over.
The stumping was valid, the dismissal was legal, and Kohli was credited with the wicket. That’s the beauty of cricket’s complex but fascinating rulebook — sometimes it leads to moments like this.
Why This Moment Still Matters
This is more than just a quirky trivia question. It reflects the unpredictable nature of cricket and the beauty of how even small moments can become historic. In a world of centuries, hat-tricks, and five-wicket hauls, this one “0th ball wicket” stands tall simply because of how strange and unforgettable it is.
It also serves as a reminder of Dhoni’s sharp cricketing brain. His decision to let Kohli bowl and his lightning-fast stumping were the perfect ingredients for this unique event.
And of course, it adds a hilarious, almost cartoonish bowling record to Kohli’s otherwise stellar batting legacy.
Reactions and Legacy
When the moment happened, it went viral almost instantly. Fans couldn’t believe what they were seeing. On paper, it looked like a glitch:
- Overs: 0.0
- Wickets: 1
- Runs: 0
Some cricket enthusiasts dubbed it the “perfect bowling debut” — one ball, one wicket, no legal deliveries. Others joked that Kohli should retire from bowling with a 100% strike rate.
Media outlets picked it up, memes flooded the internet, and Kohli was trending — not for his batting this time, but for the most unexpected bowling figure in cricketing history.
A Trivia Gem for the Ages
Whenever you’re at a cricket quiz or just talking with friends about weird cricket facts, this is the one to bring up:
“Who took a wicket on the 0th ball in men’s international cricket?”
The answer: Virat Kohli.
And the reaction? Usually wide-eyed disbelief, followed by laughter and admiration.
Final Thoughts
Cricket is a game that never stops surprising us. It gives us thrillers, heartbreaks, and occasionally, moments so bizarre they become legends in their own right. Kohli’s wicket on the 0th ball is one of those rare gems that make us fall in love with the sport all over again.
It also proves that in cricket — just like in life — you don’t always need a perfect start to make a mark. Sometimes, even a wide ball can lead to history.
FAQs
Q1. Who was the first player to take a wicket on the 0th ball in men’s international cricket?
A1. Virat Kohli was the first player to take a wicket on the 0th ball during a T20I against England in 2011.
Q2. How did Virat Kohli take a wicket without bowling a legal delivery?
A2. He bowled a wide ball, and Kevin Pietersen was stumped by MS Dhoni before facing a legal delivery.
Q3. What does “wicket on the 0th ball” mean?
A3. It means a bowler took a wicket before bowling a legal delivery, like in the case of a wide or no-ball.
Q4. Is it allowed to take a wicket on a wide ball in cricket?
A4. Yes, a batsman can be stumped or run out on a wide delivery according to cricket rules.
Q5. In which match did this unusual event happen?
A5. This happened in a T20I match between India and England at Old Trafford on August 31, 2011.
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