Six fests, and No. 7 centurions

There were 38 sixes in the last one-day international between India and Australia. Is this a record? asked Adarsh Chopra from Pakistan
The match total of 38 sixes in Bangalore was easily a record for one-day internationals, beating the 31 hit by New Zealand (13) and India (18) in Christchurch in March 2009. For the full list, click here. Both sides in Bangalore cracked 19 sixes, beating the previous record of 18 in an innings, which had happened four times, most recently in that Christchurch match. For that list, click here. I believe 38 was also a record for sixes in any List A (senior one-day) game, beating the 33 hit by New South Wales (14) and Victoria (19) in their Ryobi Cup match in Sydney in 2012-13.

Rohit Sharma hit 16 sixes in his 209 at Bangalore. Was this a record? asked Richard Webb from Australia
Rohit Sharma's 16 sixes was indeed a new record for one-day internationals, shading Shane Watson's 15 for Australia against Bangladesh in Mirpur in April 2011. The T20 record was set in August by Aaron Finch, with 14 for Australia v England in Southampton, while the Test-best is 12, by Wasim Akram during his 257 not out for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996-97. The only List A innings to contain more sixes was Gerrie Snyman's 196, with 17 hits over the ropes, for Namibia in a World Cricket League match against the United Arab Emirates at Windhoek in November 2007 (the previous day, Snyman had warmed up with 158 not out - with seven sixes - against Oman).

Was James Faulkner the first player to score an ODI hundred after going in at No. 7? asked Manoj Kurian from New Zealand
James Faulkner's rapid 116 in last week's final ODI in Bangalore was actually the tenth century by a No. 7 in one-day internationals. The first was Hashan Tillakaratne's round 100 for Sri Lanka against West Indies in Sharjah in October 1995, and the highest remains MS Dhoni's unbeaten 139 for the Asia XI v Africa in Chennai in June 2007. Faulkner's hundred, which came up in just 57 balls, is the fastest by a No. 7, beating Yusuf Pathan's 68 balls for India against South Africa in Centurion in January 2011. For the record, there has not yet been a one-day hundred by anyone batting lower than No. 7.

Was Pakistan's loss to South Africa last week the first time they had lost an ODI by one run? asked Seena John from the UAE
South Africa's narrow victory in Sharjah was the 27th occasion that a side had won a one-day international by one run. It was the third time it had happened to Pakistan: they were on the wrong end of the first such result, against New Zealand in Sialkot in October 1976, and also in the most recent previous instance - losing to West Indies in Bridgetown in May 2011. In between, Pakistan also managed to win one by a single run - against West Indies in Sharjah in October 1991. Kings of the one-run finishes are Australia, who have won five ODIs by that slender margin; India, New Zealand and South Africa have all won four.

When was the last time an Indian bowler took five wickets in a one-day international? Is it longer ago than most other teams? asked Karan Malik from India
It's actually not very long: Amit Mishra took 6 for 48 for India against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in August, and only about six weeks before that Ravindra Jadeja took 5 for 36 against West Indies at The Oval during the Champions Trophy. Since Mishra's performance there have only been three other five-fors in ODIs, by Ben Stokes of England, Bangladesh's Rubel Hossain, and Timm van der Gugten of Netherlands. Of the ten Test-playing countries, the one now waiting longest for a one-day five-for is New Zealand: their last one was Tim Southee's 5 for 33 against Pakistan in Wellington in January 2011.

Shan Masood made his Test debut recently on his birthday. How rare is this? asked Mian Mohammad from Pakistan
Shan Masood celebrated his 24th birthday on the first day of Pakistan's recent Test against South Africa in Abu Dhabi. He gave himself a present the following day by making 75 in his maiden innings. Masood was only the 12th man to make his Test debut on his birthday, and the first since Sewnarine Chattergoon of West Indies, against Sri Lanka in Port-of-Spain in April 2008. The first man to do it actually did so in the first Test of all: Bransby Cooper, who played for Australia against England in Melbourne in March 1877, was celebrating his 33rd birthday on the first day of Test cricket.