SportsMonkie.com

Cricket & Boxing Writer

Raja Waheed

Raja Waheed is a sports writer focused on cricket, with a particular eye for players, records and all-time rankings, and a long-running sideline covering boxing and combat sports. He has contributed player features, lists and analysis across the SportsMonkie network.

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Articles by Raja Waheed (35)

Manny Pacquiao in a boxing stance inside the ring, gloves raised, representing his legendary career

Amazing Facts About Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao is boxing's only eight-division world champion, rose from deep poverty, and served as a Philippine senator. Here are the most amazing facts.

A vintage-style cricket bat and ball on a classic pitch, representing early Indian cricket history
Cricket

C.K. Nayudu: India's First Test Cricket Captain

C.K. Nayudu captained India in its first Test in 1932 and became the first cricketer to win the Padma Bhushan. Meet the tiger of Indian cricket.

Imam-ul-Haq Biography: Pakistan's Left-Handed Opener
Cricket

Imam-ul-Haq Biography: Pakistan's Left-Handed Opener

Imam-ul-Haq is a Pakistani left-handed opener known for consistent ODIs. He debuted in 2017 and ranks among Pakistan's most reliable white-ball batters.

Most Double Centuries in Test Cricket: Top 20 Scorers of All Time
Cricket

Most Double Centuries in Test Cricket: Top 20 Scorers of All Time

Don Bradman leads all batters with the most double centuries in Test cricket. See the top scorers, the feats defining greatness, and what 200 demands.

Biggest Sixes in Cricket History: Longest Hits Ever Recorded
Cricket

Biggest Sixes in Cricket History: The Longest Hits Ever Recorded

Shahid Afridi's 153m strike in Johannesburg tops most lists of the biggest sixes in cricket history. See the full leaderboard, the disputed measurements, and who's still chasing the record in 2026.

Longest Six in Cricket History: Shahid Afridi's Disputed 153m Claim, Ranked
Cricket

Longest Six in Cricket History: Shahid Afridi's Disputed 153m Claim, Ranked

Shahid Afridi's 153–160m six at the Wanderers in 2013 is the most-cited longest six in cricket history, but independent remeasurement puts it closer to 100–120m. Every major claim from 1856 to 2026, ranked and fact-checked.

Cricketers Who Died During Matches: Tragic Stories
Cricket

Cricketers Who Died During Matches: Tragic Stories

A few cricketers have died from injuries suffered in live matches. We recount these tragedies and the safety changes cricket made because of them.

Undefeated UFC Fighters: Who Has Never Lost in the Octagon?

Undefeated UFC Fighters: Who's Still Perfect Right Now

The named list of every fighter with a spotless UFC record, from Khabib Nurmagomedov's retired 29-0 to active unbeaten stars like Movsar Evloev and Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Greatest Judo Players (Athletes) of All Time
Records & Rankings

Greatest Judo Players (Athletes) of All Time

The greatest judo players of all time, including Teddy Riner, Yasuhiro Yamashita, and Ryoko Tani, who dominated World and Olympic podiums for decades.

Highest Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket: All-Time Records
Cricket

Highest Wicket-Takers in ODI Cricket: Muralitharan's 534, Ranked Top 15

Muttiah Muralitharan leads all-time ODI wicket-takers with 534 dismissals from 350 matches. See the full ranked top 15, as of 2026, with wickets, spans, and averages.

Most Test Wins as Captain in Cricket: The All-Time Leaders
Cricket

Most Test Wins as Captain in Cricket: The All-Time Leaders

Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith, and Steve Waugh lead the way for most Test wins as captain. See the all-time leaders in Test match victories as skipper.

How Much Do Professional Cricketers Make?
Cricket

How Much Do Professional Cricketers Make?

Professional cricketer salaries range from a few thousand dollars for domestic players to millions for elite internationals, varying by format and country.

Greatest Test Innings Ever Played: Iconic Batting Performances
Cricket

Greatest Test Innings Ever Played: Iconic Batting Performances

The greatest individual Test innings in cricket history — innings defined not just by runs scored but by context, conditions, and the stakes involved.

Brian Lara Net Worth: Career Earnings & Financial Legacy
Cricket

Brian Lara Net Worth: Career Earnings & Financial Legacy

Brian Lara's net worth ranks among cricket's wealthiest retired stars, built from match fees, endorsements, broadcasting, and business ventures.

Fastest Active Bowlers in Cricket 2026: Mitchell Starc Leads at 160.4 km/h
Cricket

Fastest Active Bowlers in Cricket 2026: Mitchell Starc Leads at 160.4 km/h

Mitchell Starc's 160.4 km/h Test delivery is the quickest ball by any bowler still playing in 2026. Ranked: 12 fastest active bowlers, verified speeds, and sources.

Highest Batting Average in ODI Cricket: Top Contributors
Cricket

Highest Batting Average in ODI Cricket: Shubman Gill Leads at 60.33

Shubman Gill's 60.33 is the highest qualified ODI batting average in 2026, just ahead of Virat Kohli's 58.59 across five times the innings. Full ranked top 20.

Most Sixes in T20I Cricket: All-Time Records and Top Hitters
Cricket

Most Sixes in T20I Cricket: All-Time Records and Top Hitters

Rohit Sharma and Martin Guptill lead the way for most sixes in T20 Internationals. See the biggest hitters, key records, and what defines T20I six-hitting.

Smallest Cricket Stadium in the World: Capacity and Facts
Cricket

Smallest Cricket Stadium in the World: Bready Ground, 3,000 Capacity

Bready Cricket Club Ground in Northern Ireland (capacity 3,000) is the smallest venue to host international cricket, ranked against 7 other tiny ODI/T20I grounds.

Shoaib Akhtar's Wife: Rubab Khan and His Personal Life
Cricket

Shoaib Akhtar's Wife: Rubab Khan and His Personal Life

Pakistan's legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar married Rubab Khan in 2014. The couple has two sons, and Akhtar often speaks about family after cricket.

Greatest Test Matches Ever Played: Cricket's Most Memorable Games
Cricket

Greatest Test Matches Ever Played in Cricket

The greatest Test matches in cricket history, games remembered for drama, stunning reversals, and redefining what was possible in five-day cricket.

The Fastest Century in ODI Cricket: Record-Breaking Tons
Cricket

Fastest Century in ODI Cricket: AB de Villiers' 31-Ball Record

AB de Villiers holds the fastest ODI century ever: 31 balls, South Africa v West Indies, 2015. Ranked list of the 10 fastest ODI hundreds, verified against ESPNcricinfo and Wisden.

Biggest Cricket Stadium in the World: Narendra Modi Stadium
Cricket

Biggest Cricket Stadium in the World: Narendra Modi Stadium (132,000)

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad holds 132,000 fans, making it the biggest cricket stadium in the world. See the full ranked list of the 12 largest grounds.

Hardik Pandya Net Worth: Cricket Earnings & Wealth Explained
Cricket

Hardik Pandya Net Worth: Cricket Earnings & Wealth Explained

Hardik Pandya is among the highest-earning Indian cricketers, with income from IPL and BCCI contracts, brand endorsements, and franchise ownership.

Most ODI Wickets in Cricket: All-Time Records and Top Bowlers
Cricket

Most ODI Wickets in Cricket: All-Time Records and Top Bowlers

Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for most ODI wickets ever. See the all-time leaders, what makes an elite ODI bowler, and key ODI bowling milestones.

Highest Score in Test Cricket by an Indian Player
Cricket

Highest Score in Test Cricket by an Indian Player

The highest Test score by an Indian is Virender Sehwag's 319 against South Africa in Chennai, 2008. See the top innings by India's batters here.

Fastest 50s in Cricket: World Cups, ODIs, Tests & T20Is
Cricket

Fastest 50s in Cricket: World Cups, ODIs, Tests & T20Is

AB de Villiers's 16-ball ODI fifty, Yuvraj Singh's 12-ball T20I fifty, and Misbah-ul-Haq's 21-ball Test fifty lead the way. Full leaderboards for every format, with sources.

Sachin Tendulkar's Jersey Number: Why He Wore #10
Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar's Jersey Number: Why He Wore #10

Sachin Tendulkar wore jersey number 10 throughout his international career with India. The number became one of the most iconic in cricket history.

What Is Strike Rate in Cricket? Batting & Bowling Explained
Cricket

What Is Strike Rate in Cricket? Batting & Bowling Explained

Batting strike rate is runs scored per 100 balls (runs ÷ balls × 100); bowling strike rate is balls bowled per wicket. Formulas and examples inside.

Highest Score in Test Cricket: All-Time Individual Records
Cricket

Highest Score in Test Cricket: Brian Lara's 400* and the Full Ranked List

Brian Lara's 400 not out (2004) is the highest individual score in Test cricket. See the ranked top 15 individual scores, the highest team totals, and how each record stands in 2026.

Most ODI Runs Without a Century: Cricket's Nearly Men
Cricket

Most ODI Runs Without a Century: Full Leaderboard (2026)

Misbah-ul-Haq scored 5,122 ODI runs and never hit a hundred. See the full ranked leaderboard of batters with the most ODI runs without a century, verified against ESPNcricinfo.

Most ODI Runs in Cricket: All-Time Leading Run-Scorers
Cricket

Most ODI Runs Ever: Sachin Tendulkar's 18,426 Leads All-Time List

Sachin Tendulkar's 18,426 runs is the all-time ODI record. See the full ranked top 12, plus 2026 updates on Virat Kohli (14,941) and Rohit Sharma, the closest active chasers.

Shortest Cricketers of All Time: The Game's Smallest Stars
Cricket

Shortest Cricketers of All Time: The Game's Smallest Stars

Kruger van Wyk, Walter Cornford, Sunil Gavaskar and more — the 12 shortest cricketers to play international cricket, ranked by height with career notes.

Cricket stumps and bails on a worn pitch under floodlights, evoking a fast-finishing Test match
Cricket

Shortest Test Matches in Cricket History

The shortest Test matches ever, measured by balls bowled: from the 642-ball Cape Town record of 2024 back to the two-day classics of 1888, 1932 and 2021.

A towering fast bowler releasing the ball from a high point, illustrating the height advantage in cricket
Cricket

Tallest Bowlers in Cricket History

Mohammad Irfan, at 7 ft 1 in, is the tallest bowler in cricket history. Here are the giants of fast bowling and how their height turned into steepling bounce.

Wasim Akram: The Sultan of Swing and Greatest Left-Arm Bowler
Cricket

Wasim Akram: The Sultan of Swing and Greatest Left-Arm Bowler

Wasim Akram is widely regarded as cricket's greatest left-arm fast bowler, with 916 international wickets, a 1992 World Cup and mastery of reverse swing.