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From Prithvi Shaw To Temba Bavuma: Shortest Cricketers Of All Time

Anurag Dasgupta

Shortest cricketers of all time [Source: @Shebas_10dulkar/x.com] Shortest cricketers of all time [Source: @Shebas_10dulkar/x.com]

Cricket is one of the most popular sport in the world and the game is followed by people from different continents. Normally people assume that to play this game one needs to have a decent height, however, there have been numerous players who have defied the odds and have carved a name for themselves despite having a short stature.

Here is a list of short-height cricketers who have performed well at the highest level.

10 shortest cricketers who have defied odds and done well at international level

1) Kruger Van Wyk (4’9″)

Born in South Africa, Kruger Van Wyk featured for New Zealand and is the shortest cricketer to have played the game. He came in as BJ Watling's replacement and featured in 9 Tests for the Kiwis.

2) Tich Cornford (5'0")

The English cricketer, Tich Cornford was 5 feet tall and was the shortest player in the game before Kruger Van Wyk. He didn't make big at the international level but featured in 4 Tests for his nation.

3) Mushfiqur Rahim (5’3″)

The former Bangladesh captain and a legend of the game, Mushfiqur Rahim stands at only 5 feet 3 inches and his small stature hasn't stopped him from doing wonders on the field. Apart from a successful batter, he was also a wonderful keeper.

4) Mominul Haque (5’3″)

A decorated batter from Bangladesh, Mominul was also the captain of the team and has a terrific home record in Test cricket. In 61 Tests he has an average of 38 and was a pivotal member of their Test team.

5) Gundappa Vishwanath (5’3″)

The original "Little Master", well before Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, Vishwanath was a stalwart of the Indian cricket and is known for his elegant stroke-making. The batter played 91 Tests for India and aggregated more than 6,000 runs.

6) Parthiv Patel (5’4″)

Debuting for India in your teens is no easy feat but Parthiv Patel did that when he was 17 years old. The left-handed batter played a handful of Test matches for India and did well for the nation before MS Dhoni stepped up as the keeper of the team.

7) Prithvi Shaw (5’4”)

The former Under-19 winning captain had the flair of Tendulkar, and Virender Sehwag, however, despite his Test debut at 18, the batter failed to grab the opportunities. He had a rather questionable lifestyle and combined with his work ethics, it led to his outcast from the team.

8) Kedhar Jadhav (5'4")

A wily customer and a brilliant all-round player, Jadhav made his India debut in 2014 and was also a part of the India squad which played the World Cup in 2019.

9) Temba Bavuma (5'4")

The captain of the South African Test team, Temba Bavuma is an astute batter and has led his nation from the front as they reached their maiden WTC final. The maverick batter also led the team in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

10) Sunil Gavaskar (5’5″)

A batter cut from a different cloth and one of the best batters in the 70s and 80s, Sunil Gavaskar was a household name during his playing days and was the first batter in Test history to cross the 10,000 run-mark.