There are only a few days until the start of the Cricket World Cup 2023, the sport’s flagship event that brings together the greatest players from around the world for nearly a month of competition.
Throughout the tournament’s long history, many individuals have been tremendously amazing with bat or ball, earning themselves their own small piece of history.
With that in mind, here are the ten best batting performances in Cricket World Cup history.
10. Andrew Symonds (143*, Australia vs. Pakistan, 2003)
Andrew Symonds, the former Australian all-rounder, blasted Pakistan for 143 not out for Australia in the 2003 World Cup. It enabled the Australians to reach 310 for eight in their Pool A game, which they easily defended.
9. Rahul Dravid (145, India vs. Sri Lanka, 1999)
In the 1999 edition, the Sri Lankans were on the receiving end of a spectacular performance from India’s Rahul Dravid, who scored 145 off 129 balls at Taunton. It was part of a match-winning 318-run partnership with Sourav Ganguly.
8. AB de Villiers (146, South Africa vs. West Indies, 2007)
AB de Villiers got the Proteas off to a strong start in the game in 2007 when he opened the batting for South Africa by hitting a magnificent 146 off 130 balls. This gave the Proteas momentum at the beginning of the match. They ultimately prevailed over the West Indies by a 67-run margin.
7. Ricky Ponting (140*, Australia vs. India, 2003)
The Australian team entered the 2003 World Cup final as the favourites to win against a quality India team that had the potential to cause some trouble.
However, Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, put an end to all of those concerns at the perfect time, with an undefeated 140 that led his team to the ODI World Cup victory for the third time.
6. Sachin Tendulkar (152, India vs. Namibia, 2003)
While playing for India in the 2003 tournament, Tendulkar scored 152 runs while facing a Namibian team that was not very good. It was a significant innings in India’s victory over Namibia by 181 runs.
Also Read | 5 Reasons Why Sachin Tendulkar is the GOAT
5. Andrew Strauss (158, England vs. India, 2011)
When Andrew Strauss stepped to the crease to start England’s response during the 2011 tournament, England was in the process of chasing 339 runs to win against the tournament hosts, India.
He scored 158 runs off 145 balls to bring his team to the verge of victory, but in the end, the game ended in a tie as the English side also scored 338 runs off their 50 overs.
4. Kapil Dev (175*, India vs. Zimbabwe, 1983)
The top order of India was only able to score 9 runs together, but India was able to pull off a victory over Zimbabwe because of Kapil Dev’s outstanding effort.
While batting at No. 6, the skipper of India scored an undefeated 175 runs off 138 balls, helping India reach 266/8. In response, Zimbabwe could only get 235 runs and ended up losing by 31 runs.
3. Gary Kirsten (188*, South Africa vs. UAE, 1996)
Gary Kirsten posted an unbeaten 188 during South Africa’s match against the UAE in the 1996 World Cup. It came from only 159 balls, and it was a clear indication of the confidence that existed among the Proteas camp.
2. Chris Gayle (215, West Indies vs. Zimbabwe, 2015)
On his day, Chris Gayle can be the most damaging batsman in global cricket, and he ripped up the record books in the World Cup 2015 Pool B encounter in Canberra between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. The Windies’ opening batter scored the first double century in World Cup history, and he hit the mark in 138 balls.
The 35-year-old Jamaican also had the biggest ODI partnership with Marlon Samuels, combining for a stand of 372. Gayle was eventually out on the last ball of the inning, having scored 215 off 147 balls with 16 sixes and 10 boundaries. It was only the fifth double century in One Day International cricket history.
1. Martin Guptill (237*, New Zealand vs. West Indies, 2015)
In the 2015 World Cup quarterfinal between New Zealand and the West Indies, which took place at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, Martin Guptill’s record performance led New Zealand to a stunning victory by 143 runs against the West Indies.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum guided his team to a mammoth total of 393 for six thanks to Guptill’s not-out score of 237, which is the highest individual score in the history of the World Cup.
Final Thoughts
The ODI World Cup is certainly the most important event in a cricketer’s career, and the amount of pressure a player faces in such a game cannot be explained in words. The World Cup is an opportunity for a player to become a superstar in their home nation, and we have seen some outstanding batting performances thus far.
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