Get Fit Playing Twenty20 Cricket

Twenty20 arrived in the early 2000s and has subsequently made a huge impact on the domestic and international cricketing landscape. The game is much faster than a traditional five-day Test and one-day (40 or 50-over) cricket counterparts.

Allowing each side just 20 overs to score as many runs as possible, the emphasis is on big-hitting batsmen, rather than long-winded, carefully planned innings strategies. Naturally, the team with the highest score wins the game, and the limited overs on offer mean that frenetic games with plenty of flying fours and sixes are generally the norm.

Getting families and youngsters fit playing Twenty20

Twenty20 is designed to attract a new audience to the sport. Faster innings obviously leads to quicker play and clear-cut results, banishing the notion of five-day Test matches which still end up a draw.

Non-cricket fans are suddenly becoming more attracted to a game they previously held in disdain for its often antiquated ways. With pop music and pitch-side dancers often used during Twenty20 matches, this latest version of the sport is dragging cricket well into the twenty first century.

Most importantly, it’s getting children and families interested in playing cricket again. Those daunted by the confusions of complex innings strategies or being caught out for a golden duck now only need subscribe to one simple tactic: hit the ball as high, far and hard as possible.

Health and fitness benefits of playing Twenty20 cricket

Getting involved in Twenty20 cricket has a number of health and fitness advantages, improving agility and key muscle groups. Here are some of the main benefits.

• Boosting leg muscles – Requiring short bursts of pace in the field and between the wickets, Twenty20 cricket offers a great workout to leg muscles including the calves, quads and hamstrings.
• Improving concentration – With bowlers, batsmen and fielders all requiring high levels of concentration to stay focused over a lengthy period of play, Twenty20 is perfect for developing concentration skills.
• Increasing flexibility in the hands – Players’ joints will soon become more flexible, with fast hand movements essential across all positions.
• Strengthening the arms – Whether batting, bowling or fielding, Twenty20 cricketers require great strength in their arms to control the ball. As a result, the sport is perfect for those looking to improve their upper body strength.
• Burning calories through Twenty20 cricket – With its explosive bursts of power and quick turns of pace, Twenty20 is a fine way of cutting down calories to lead a healthier and happier lifestyle. A solid hour’s batting can burn as many as 400 calories. So what are you waiting for?

The unpredictability of Twenty20 cricket

In addition to its health and fitness advantages, Twenty20 is also proving popular because of its sheer unpredictability. Whereas Test or one-day matches are often foregone conclusions – unless they’re between the big boys – Twenty20 has thrown up some surprising results, with the rank outsider occasionally triumphing against the more established cricket playing nations.