The 2023 ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup will be the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India, beginning on 5 October and concluding on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams will participate; Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. England are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition by defeating New Zealand in the final.
India will host the Men's Cricket World Cup solely for the first time. The tournament will take place in ten different stadiums. The first and second semi-finals will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata respectively. At the same time, the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. Batsmen play responsibly and often score big totals, even double centuries. Only a few batters have consistently performed at the highest level and scored the most runs. As fans brace themselves for the 2023 World Cup in India, here at SportzPoint we look at the players who hold the record for scoring the most runs in the tournament's history.
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Most Runs in ICC Men's ODI World Cup
Sachin Tendulkar
The "God of Cricket" is the highest-run scorer in test and ODI cricket, but also in the World Cup. Tendulkar has created multiple records in cricket. Another unbreakable record of his is in the ICC World Cup for scoring the most runs. Sachin Tendulkar has scored 2278 runs in 44 innings at an average of 56.95 over a span of two decades from 1992-2011. His highest score is 152 runs.
Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting is another living legend of modern cricket. He is considered one of the most successful captains in the history of cricket and led Australia to win two consecutive World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007. Ponting was a terrific batsman himself and is the second-highest run scorer in the ICC World Cup. Ponting scored 1743 runs in 42 innings at an average of 45.86 with a highest score of 140 not out. He appeared in five World Cups.
Kumara Sangakkara
Kumara Sangakkara captained the Sri Lanka team that finished the runner-ups in the 2011 World Cup. Sangakkara won many hearts and impressed fans with his consistency, leadership, and brilliant batting. He also scored four consecutive centuries in the 2015 World Cup. Overall, Sangakkara amassed 1532 runs in 33 innings with a highest score of 124.
Brian Lara
After Sachin Tendulkar, West Indies' Brian Lara is one of the greatest cricketers to ever play the sport. Known for his tremendous powerful batting, Brian Lara holds records for the highest individual score in first-class cricket (501*) and test cricket (400*). In the Cricket World Cup, Lara made 1225 runs in 33 innings at an average of 42.24 with a top score of 116.
AB de Villiers
South Africa's AB de Villiers is fifth on the list of players with the most runs in the ICC World Cup. He holds the nickname, "Mr. 360" for his ability to hit the ball at every corner of the field. De Villiers also enjoyed remarkable success at the World Cup. He scored 1207 runs in just 22 innings with the highest average amongst the top 5 in the list and featured in three World Cup editions.
Most Runs in ICC Men's ODI World Cup (Top 15)
Position | Players Name & Country | Runs Scored | Innings Played | Highest Score | Span |
1 | Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 2278 | 44 | 152 | 1992-2011 |
2 | Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 1743 | 42 | 140* | 1996-2011 |
3 | Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 1532 | 35 | 124 | 2003-2015 |
4 | Brian Lara (WI) | 1225 | 33 | 116 | 1992-2007 |
5 | AB de Villiers (SA) | 1207 | 22 | 162* | 2007-2015 |
6 | Chris Gayle (WI) | 1186 | 34 | 215 | 2003-2019 |
7 | Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 1165 | 37 | 120 | 1992-2007 |
8 | Jacques Kallis (SA) | 1148 | 32 | 128* | 1996-2011 |
9 | Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 1146 | 29 | 124* | 2007-2019 |
10 | Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) | 1112 | 25 | 161* | 2007-2015 |
11 | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 1100 | 34 | 115* | 1999-2015 |
12 | Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 1085 | 31 | 149 | 1999-2007 |
13 | Javed Miandad (PAK) | 1083 | 30 | 103 | 1975-1996 |
14 | Stephen Fleming (NZ) | 1075 | 33 | 134* | 1996-2007 |
15 | Herchelle Gibbs (SA) | 1067 | 23 | 143 | 1999-2007 |