The ICC Cricket World Cup is the pinnacle of One Day International (ODI) cricket, where nations battle for supremacy on the grandest stage. Over the years, this tournament has witnessed astonishing cricket records that have etched themselves into cricketing folklore. Let’s revisit some of the most remarkable World Cup records.
1. Highest Individual Score in a World Cup Match: Martin Guptill
- Record Date: March 21, 2015
- Location: Wellington, New Zealand
- In the 2015 World Cup, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill scored a scintillating 237* against West Indies, which remains the highest individual score in World Cup history.
2. Most Runs in a Single World Cup Edition: Sachin Tendulkar
- Record Date: April 2, 2011
- Location: Mumbai, India
- In the 2011 World Cup, India’s Sachin Tendulkar amassed a staggering 673 runs, the most by any batsman in a single World Cup edition.
3. Most Centuries in World Cup History: Sachin Tendulkar
- Record Date: March 3, 2003
- Location: Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- Sachin Tendulkar’s six centuries in World Cup cricket remain a record that reflects his unmatched consistency on the world stage.
4. Most Wickets in World Cup History: Muttiah Muralitharan
- Record Date: April 28, 2007
- Location: Bridgetown, Barbados
- Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan retired with 68 wickets in World Cup cricket, the highest by any bowler.
5. Fastest Century in a World Cup Match: Kevin O’Brien
- Record Date: February 25, 2011
- Location: Bengaluru, India
- Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien scored the fastest century in World Cup history, reaching his ton in just 50 balls against England.
6. Most Sixes in a World Cup Innings: Eoin Morgan
- Record Date: June 18, 2019
- Location: Manchester, England
- Eoin Morgan’s 17 sixes against Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup set a new record for the most sixes in a World Cup innings.
7. Most Wickets in a Single World Cup Edition: Glenn McGrath
- Record Date: March 23, 2007
- Location: Gros Islet, St. Lucia
- Australia’s Glenn McGrath claimed an astonishing 26 wickets during the 2007 World Cup, setting the record for the most wickets in a single edition.
8. Highest Team Total in a World Cup Match: England
- Record Date: May 30, 2019
- Location: Nottingham, England
- England achieved the highest team total in World Cup history by scoring 397/6 against Afghanistan during the 2019 World Cup.
9. Most Consecutive World Cup Wins: Australia
- Record Date: March 29, 2003
- Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Australia holds the record for the most consecutive World Cup wins, with 12 victories in a row.
10. Youngest World Cup Winner: Mohammad Amir
- Â Record Date: March 30, 2009
- Location: Lord’s, London, England
- Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir became the youngest World Cup winner when Pakistan triumphed in 2009 at the age of 17.
11. Most Runs in a Single World Cup Match: Martin Guptill
- Record Date: March 21, 2015
- Location: Wellington, New Zealand
- In the 2015 World Cup, Martin Guptill scored a breathtaking 237* against West Indies, which remains the highest individual score in World Cup history.
12. Most Wickets in a Single World Cup Match: Glenn McGrath
- Record Date: June 20, 2003
- Location: Potchefstroom, South Africa
- Australia’s Glenn McGrath claimed 7/15 against Namibia during the 2003 World Cup, setting the record for the most wickets in a single World Cup match.
13. Highest Partnership in World Cup History: Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels
- Record Date: February 24, 2015
- Location: Canberra, Australia
- Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels put together a remarkable 372-run partnership against Zimbabwe, the highest partnership in World Cup history.
14. Most Runs in World Cup Career: Sachin Tendulkar
- Record Date: March 2, 2011
- Location: Nagpur, India
- Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in World Cup history, amassing a staggering 2,278 runs in six World Cup tournaments.
15. Most Appearances in World Cup Matches: Sachin Tendulkar
- Record Date: March 18, 2012
- Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most appearances in World Cup matches, playing in six editions from 1992 to 2011.
16. Most Sixes in World Cup Career: Chris Gayle
- Span: 2003-2019
- Player: Chris Gayle
- Chris Gayle hit 49 sixes in ICC ODI World Cup cricket history in a span of 2003 to 2019. The second-highest sixes, 37 sixes hit by AB De Villiers of South Africa in a span of 2007 to 2015
17. Fastest Fifty in a World Cup Match: Brendon McCullum
- Record Date: February 20, 2015
- Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
- Brendon McCullum scored the fastest fifty in World Cup history, reaching the milestone in just 18 balls against England.
18. Highest Strike Rate in a World Cup Career (Min 500 Runs): Andre Russell
- Record Date: Ongoing
- Andre Russell boasts the highest career strike rate in World Cup history (min. 500 runs), with an incredible strike rate of over 200.
19. Hat-Tricks in World Cup Matches: Chetan Sharma, Saqlain Mushtaq, Lasith Malinga
- Chetan Sharma, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Lasith Malinga share the record for the most hat-tricks in World Cup matches, with one each.
20. Most Consecutive Centuries in a World Cup Edition: Kumar Sangakkara
- Record Date: March 26, 2015
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara scored four consecutive centuries in the 2015 World Cup, an unprecedented feat in a single edition.
21. Most Tiles in ICC World Cup
- Australia holds the record for the most ICC Cricket World Cup titles, with 5 championships (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015)
22. Youngest World Cup Captain
- Waqar Younis became the youngest captain in World Cup history when he led Pakistan at the age of 22 in 1992.
23. 500+ Club
12 Players in 13 instances have scored 500+ scores in a ICC world cup tournament as of 2019. Only Sachin Tendulkar had done this twice in the world cup history.
- Sachin Tendulkar – 673 runs in 2003
- Mathew Hayden – 659 runs in 2007
- Rohit Sharma – 610* runs in 2019
- Shakib-Al-Hasan – 606 runs in 2019
- Mahela Jayawardhane – 548 in 2007
- Martin Guptil – 547 runs in 2015
- Kumara Sangakkara – 541 runs in 2015
- Ricky Ponting – 538 runs in 2007
- Sachin Tendulkar – 523 runs in 1996
- David Warner – 516* runs in 2019
- Aaron Finch – 504* runs in 2019
- Tilakaratne Dilshan – 500 runs in 2011
- Joe Root – 500* runs in 2019
These records highlight the extraordinary moments and exceptional talent that have graced the ICC Cricket World Cup, making it one of the most cherished events in the cricketing world.
Also Read:Â ICC World Cup: Unveiling the Lesser-Known ODI Cricket Facts
