Chris Cairns

Some Lesser Known Facts About Chris Cairns

• Chris Cairns is a former all-rounder cricketer and former captain of the ODI team of New Zealand. He was mentioned in the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2000.

• Chris was included in the New Zealand national Under-19 cricket team, and he started his career with the 1988 Youth Cricket World Cup for New Zealand. In 1989, he made his first-class cricket debut, and he made his test debut against Australia in November 1989.

• Chris Cairns participated in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy, where he helped the New Zealand team win the trophy by defeating India in the final match. In February 2005, Chris made his T20 debut against Australia.

• Chris became one of the eight players who reached the all-rounder’s double of 200 wickets and 3000 runs in test cricket. Cairns completed this goal in just 58 test matches and earned the third spot to do so out of these eight people. Ian Botham and Kapil Dev completed the all-rounder’s double in just 50 test matches.

• In a short cricket career, Chris held several records in his name. Chris held the world record for the most sixes (87) in test matches. Later, this record was broken by Adam Gilchrist. Chris also held the New Zealand record of the fastest century in ODIs for some time when he scored a century in 75 balls. This record was broken by Corey Anderson as he scored a century in just 36 balls.

  

• Chris Cairns gave his career-best bowling performance in a match against West Indies in 1999, where he took seven wickets at the cost of 27 runs. He is also the sixth-highest wicket-taker from New Zealand in test matches.

• In June 2004, Chris played his last test match against England before retiring from New Zealand’s team for test cricket. He played a total of 62 test matches in which he scored 3,320 runs and took 218 wickets.

  

• In 2006, Chris announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He played his last ODI match in January 2006 against Sri Lanka and his last T20 match in February 2006 against West Indies. Chris played 215 matches throughout his cricket career in which he scored 4,950 runs and took 200 wickets.

• In 2007, Zee Entertainment Enterprises started a privately funded cricket league, the Indian Cricket League, and Chris was appointed as the captain of Chandigarh Lions. The league ended in 2009, and Chris started playing for the team of Nottinghamshire in the English T20 Cup Competition.

• On 10 August 2021, Chris Cairns was rushed to a Canberra hospital after he collapsed due to an aortic dissection. Chris has faced several medical issues in his past as well. Later, it was reported that Chris’s condition was critical, and he was on a life-support machine.

• Chris had been facing financial issues ever since he left playing professional cricket. He switched various business lines over the years to support himself and his family. From starting his own virtual sports company and driving trucks to washing bus shelters for $17 an hour, Chris had to go through really tough times to support his family.

• Chris was born to the cricketer, Lance Cairns, from his third marriage with Sue Wilson. Just like his father, Chris also had three marriages.

• Chris lost his sister, Louise Cairns, in a train accident in 1993. In her honor, Chris did a 1,001 km (622 miles) walk in September 2008 to educate people and teach them about rail safety.