Discover the top five shortest cricketers in history, celebrating their remarkable skills and achievements that challenge their height, demonstrating incredible talent and unwavering determination on the cricket field.
Mominul Haque, Bangladesh | 5.28 ft
Mominul Haque, a highly talented left-handed batsman from Chittagong, made a remarkable debut in international cricket, scoring 150 runs in his first four innings, including against Sri Lankan bowlers like Rangana Herath. Known as a test specialist, Haque holds the record as the only Bangladeshi player to score 11 consecutive 50+ scores in Test cricket. A master against spin, he represented the Bangla Tigers in 28 ODIs, scoring 557 runs at an average of 22.3, and played 44 Tests, amassing 3279 runs at an average of 42.6. Additionally, he featured in 6 T20Is, scoring 6 runs at an average of 20.
Parthiv Patel, India | 5.25 ft
Parthiv Patel, a prodigious talent, made his debut for India at the age of 17, becoming the youngest wicketkeeper to do so. Despite his early promise, Patel struggled to cement his place in the national team due to the presence of the legendary MS Dhoni, whose wicketkeeping role was unchallenged. Patel led Gujarat to their first-ever Ranji title in 2017. He played 25 Tests and 38 ODIs for India, scoring 934 and 736 runs respectively. Patel also featured in 2 T20Is but only managed 36 runs in those appearances.
Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh | 5.25 ft
Mushfiqur Rahim, a former captain of the Bangladesh team, is regarded as one of the best cricketers to come out of the country. He debuted in 2005 and remained a key member of the squad for years. Rahim is a versatile batsman, capable of batting anywhere in the order. Notably, he holds the record for scoring two double centuries as a wicketkeeper, a unique feat. Rahim has played 387 matches across all formats for Bangladesh, accumulating 12,548 runs at an average of 34.9.
Walter Cornford, England | 5 ft
Walter Cornford, an English cricketer, played during England’s tour of New Zealand in the 1930s, where he served as the wicketkeeper. Despite being only 5 ft tall, he earned the nickname “Tich.” He made significant contributions, with 5 catches and 3 stumpings in that series. Cornford’s county career spanned from 1921 until being interrupted by his World War II duties. In his first-class career, he scored over 6,500 runs across 496 matches. However, his international career was brief, with only 4 appearances, scoring 36 runs at an average of 9.
Kruger van Wyk, New Zealand | 4.75 ft
Kruger van Wyk, the shortest cricketer in history at 4.75 ft, was born in South Africa but couldn’t break into the Proteas squad due to the presence of the exceptional Mark Boucher. He began his career with Northern (now known as Titans) and later moved to New Zealand, where he led Canterbury Wizards to a championship title in 2008. In 2012, he received his long-awaited international call-up against South Africa due to the injury of regular wicketkeeper BJ Watling. Van Wyk played 9 international matches, scoring 341 runs. Despite his short stature, he left a mark in international cricket.
