Elite cricket: a radiologic review of common musculoskeletal injuries in cricket athletes

Cricket is a globally popular recreational and professional sport played in multiple formats including 5-day test matches, first-class games, 1-day internationals, and T20 competitions. Each format imposes distinct physical demands, with bowling contributing the highest injury rates across formats and fielding posing greater risk in T20 cricket. This review article highlights common musculoskeletal injuries in cricket athletes through a radiologic lens, focusing on those more specific to the sport. While thigh injuries such as hamstring strains are well documented across various running-based sports, cricket presents other unique injury patterns that reflect its specific biomechanical demands. These include lumbar spine stress injuries, abdominal side strains, and latissimus dorsi strains related to forceful bowling mechanics, as well as posterior ankle impingement associated with repetitive loading and extreme plantar flexion during bowling and fielding. Lumbar stress injuries account for the highest time-loss incidence and prevalence, contributing the greatest number of days lost to injury in both male and female cricketers. Fast bowlers under 22 years old are especially vulnerable due to delayed maturation of lumbar bone mineral density and content, which typically peak in the mid-twenties. By examining these injuries radiologically, this article aims to support accurate diagnosis and inform targeted management strategies for all clinicians working with cricket athletes.