Top 5 little known statistical wonders from unexpected countries

Did you know that the record for the quickest run chase in international cricket belongs to Nepal as they bowled out Myanmar for 10 runs and chased down the total off two balls in 2006? And that the only country to win its first two ODIs is Papa New Guinea (PNG)?Strange as it sounds, Associate and Affiliate nations have been coming through with leaps and bounds in international cricket. They have often been giant-killers and given their ability to surprise the opposition, no big team can afford to relax against them now.Some of the most desirable and eye-catching records, in fact, belong to cricketers from the nations that are not a dominating force in the sport. Let us take a look at 5 such little known statistical wonders.

#5 Peter Muspratt - 8 for 62 against Pakistan

Churchill Park, Lautoka, witnessed one of the greatest cricket shows by a Fijian

Fiji has never had much of a presence on the global cricketing map. But they did enjoy their brief tryst with destiny as one Peter Muspratt ran through a famous Pakistani top order back in 1955. Fiji, having been hit by a couple of cyclones, could only prepare a concrete pitch covered in mat for the match.

The conditions might have suited Fiji more as all-rounder Peter Muspratt surprised one and all with a dream spell. Muspratt quickly removed Taslim Arif, Haroon Rasheed, Javed Miandad and Wasim Raja to reduce Pakistan to 54 for 4 at one stage.

Zaheer Abbas scored a fighting 98 as Muspratt finished with surreal bowling figures of 8 for 62. Fiji's batsmen, however, failed to fire and they were shot out for 101. Pakistan dominated after that but the two-day match eventually ended in a boring draw.

#4 Sompal Kami - Highest score made by a no. 10 in T20I cricket

Sompal Kami’s 40 is the highest T20I score by a No.10

The record for the highest score made by a no. 10 in T20I cricket is held by Nepal's Sompal Kami. In the 4th T20 between Nepal and Hong Kong in November 2014, Kami walked into bat with his team having been reduced to the precarious position of 25 for 8 in 11.5 overs.

Kami played a free-flowing knock finishing with 40 off 31 balls. His knock brought about a semblance of respectability to the Nepal total as they finished with 72 off 20 overs. Kami was, interestingly, the only Nepal batsman to manage a double-digit score in that match.

Kami, therefore, holds the distinction of having scored the highest amount of runs as a number 10 in T20I cricket. He would be proud of his record even though it came in a losing cause.

#3 Mohammad Shahzad- Highest T20I run-getter in 2015

Afghanistan’s own ‘MS’ has been a pathbreaker for his country’s cricket

Afghanistan's wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Shahzad tasted glory as he became only the second batsman from the Associate nations to score a T20I century. Shahzad scored a blistering 118 off 67 balls quite recently in a T20I at Sharjah against Zimbabwe.

But the record with which Shahzad has made Afghanistan proud is that he was the highest run-getter in T20I cricket in 2015. Shahzad amassed 297 runs from 11 matches ahead of South Africa's Faf du Plessis who is second on the list with 272 T20I runs in 2015.

Shahzad has been Afghanistan's star batsman and has contributed much to ensure his nation's success. He is the only Afghanistan batsman to have scored a 1000 T20I runs and the first from his country to have a first-class double century to his name.

#2 Mahaboob Alam - Only bowler to take 10 wickets in limited overs cricket

Mahaboob Alam is the only bowler with this feat in international limited overs cricket

Nepal does have a propensity for setting almost unbreakable records. During an ICC World Cricket League Division 5 match against Mozambique in 2008, Nepal's pacer Mahaboob Alam created a world record by taking all ten wickets.

Chasing Nepal's total of 238 for 7, Mozambique were reduced to 12 for 6 at one stage and were eventually bowled out for 19. Alam finished with unreal bowling figures of 10 for 12 as nine Mozambique batsmen got out for a duck in that match.

His spell made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records as Alam became the first and only bowler till date to take all ten wickets in a limited overs match. The feat has been achieved only twice in international cricket, both in Test matches, by Jim Laker and Anil Kumble.

Speaking about his achievement, Alam said, “The moment I got my eighth wicket, I knew it’s now or never. But luckily I got the ball to swing and got those wickets. I did think that Gauchan would take one wicket, but to my luck, he wasn’t given out. This is something I will never forget."

#1 Kevin O\' Brien - Fastest century in World Cup cricket

Kevin O’ Brien embodies the heydays of Ireland’s giant-killing days

Ireland tasted encouraging success in the ICC World Cup 2011 and one of their high points was the drubbing they meted out to England early on in the tournament. Chasing England's total of 327 for victory, Ireland made light of the run chase as they coasted home thanks to a Kevin O'Brien master class.

O' Brien brought up his century off just 50 balls which is the fastest century in World Cup cricket. Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers came agonisingly close to breaking this record in the World Cup last year as they brought up their centuries off 51 and 52 balls respectively.

Kevin O' Brien's innings was special as it brought victory to Ireland on that day. Ireland also set the record of the highest ever run chase in World Cup history which stands to this day.