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Top 5 batters with the most runs in a single edition of the ODI World Cup

Virat Kohli holds the record for scoring the most runs in a single edition of the ODI World Cup. Let's see who are the other batters to appear on the list.

Nov 6, 2023, 6:53 AM4 min read

Virat Kohli broke another all-time tally set by Sachin Tendulkar.   ICC/Getty Images

The 2023 ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup is the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament was hosted by India, began on 5 October and concluded on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams - Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka took part in the tournament. Australia defeated the host nation India in the Final by 6 wickets.

India hosted the Men's Cricket World Cup solely for the first time. The tournament took place in ten different stadiums. The first and second semi-finals was being played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata respectively. At the same time, the final took 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. It's time, we look at the players who hold the record for scoring the most runs in a single edition of this competition in this article of SportzPoint.

Also Read: Most Runs in ICC Men's ODI World Cup

Most Runs in a single edition of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup  (Top Five).

1. Virat Kohli | India | 765 runs - 2023 World Cup

Virat Kohli registered yet another record at the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, during the all-important semifinal match against New Zealand. As he reached 80 runs, the star Indian batter broke another all-time tally set by the great Sachin Tendulkar.

Virat Kohli now has 765 runs after the conclusion of the World Cup 2023. This is now the highest number of runs scored by a batsman in a single edition of the ODI World Cup in history. He broke the record set by Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 673 runs in the 2003 edition of the tournament when India lost the final against Australia. This time too, India lost the final against Australia.

2. Sachin Tendulkar | India | 673 runs - 2002/03 World Cup

Sachin Tendulkar now holds the second position in the list of most runs in a single edition of a World Cup, with 673 runs at an average of 61 in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, including one of the best World Cup knocks of all time, 98 (75) against Pakistan. Tendulkar has appeared in 6 World Cups from 1992 to 2011. He also holds the record as the highest scorer in the history of the ODI World Cup with 2278 runs with an average of 56.

3. Matthew Hayden | Australia | 659 runs - 2006/07 World Cup

Australia opener Matthew Hayden scored 659 runs in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. The left-hander averaged 73 in the tournament, smashing 3 centuries and a fifty, on his way to helping Australia to their 4th ODI World Cup title.

4. Rohit Sharma | India | 648 runs - 2019 World Cup

Rohit Sharma had his best ICC tournament in the 2019 World Cup in England where he scored 648 runs in just 9 games at an average of a huge 81. Rohit struck 5 centuries in the tournament. However, Sharma failed to score big in the semi-final against New Zealand as India suffered another heartbreak.

5. David Warner | Australia | 647 runs - 2019 World Cup

After returning from a year-long ban for ball tampering in 2018, Australia opener David Warner made a comeback to remember. In the 2019 World Cup in England, with the help of big hundreds vs Pakistan, South Africa, and Bangladesh, Warner hit 647 runs in the tournament at an average of 71, but Australia lost in the semi-final.

The 2019 World Cup in England was a high-scoring one, and with no surprise, arguably Bangladesh's greatest cricketer Shakib Al Hasan stepped up at the right time and scored 606 runs in the tournament at a massive average of 86 with 2 hundreds and 5 fifties to his name.

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ICC ODI Rankings: Rohit Sharma overtakes Babar Azam; makes gains despite not playing since March

Rohit Sharma jumped one place and reached the second position in the latest ICC ODI Rankings. With this, he left behind Pakistan's star batsman Babar Azam.

Aug 13, 2025, 11:22 AM3 min read

ICC ODI Rankings: Rohit Sharma overtakes Babar Azam; makes gains despite not playing since March

Indian ODI team captain Rohit Sharma has reached the second position in the men's ICC ODI rankings. In the new rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, the Hitman jumped one place and reached the second position. With this, he left behind Pakistan's star batsman Babar Azam

Also Read: Most Ducks by an Indian in Tests

Rohit last played in March

Rohit, who has already retired from Tests and T20I, last played an ODI in March during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, which India won.

Rohit has scored 180 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy in five matches, boasting a highest strike rate of 100.00 among the Indian batters in the tournament. Rohit has 756 rating points in the latest rankings.

Babar failed to perform against West Indies

On the other hand, Babar could not show anything special in the recent ODI series against West Indies, which the Men in Green lost 1-2 in Trinidad. As a result, he slipped to the third position.

With Babar managing just 56 runs against West Indies in three ODIs, the International Cricket Council (ICC) took a note of his strike rate to drop him to third. He managed a strike rate of just 62.22 against West Indies.

Gill at No. 1

There has been no change in Shubman Gill's reign in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batters. He is in first place with 784 rating points. Apart from Gill and Rohit, the third Indian in the top five is Virat Kohli, who is in fourth place. He has 736 rating points.

India continues to dominate the ODI charts, with five players in the top 15, including Shreyas Iyer (8th) and KL Rahul (15th).

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests

India to play next ODI series against Australia

It is worth mentioning that the Indian team will tour Australia in October. During this time a three-match ODI series will be played between the two.

Rohit announced after Champions Trophy 2025 that he does not intend to retire from ODI cricket, even sharing a moment with Kohli joking about it during the celebrations.

However, despite having eyes on the 2027 Cricket World Cup, Rohit and Kohli's spots are reportedly not a guarantee in the ODI setup. In fact, as per reports in recent days, the veteran duo will also have to turn up in domestic cricket as a metric for form and fitness.

On the other hand, whether Rohit will continue to be captain till the World Cup is also a topic of debate. With 25-year-old Shubman Gill impressing in England, Rohit isn't an automatic captaincy selection anymore. However, the ODI rankings continue to reflect both Rohit and Kohli's continued prowess in the 50-over format.

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ICC Women's World Cup Past Winners & Most Successful Teams

Australia Women’s Team lift the previous edition of the World Cup. Let's have a look at the ICC Women's World Cup past winners and most successful teams.

Aug 5, 2025, 12:08 PM3 min read

ICC Women's World Cup Past Winners & Most Successful Teams

The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 is scheduled to be hosted by India in September-October. This will be the 13th edition of the tournament. India has reached the final of the Women's ODI Cricket World Cup twice, but has never won it.

Australia Women’s Team lift the previous edition of the ICC World Cup at the Christchurch Cricket Stadium in New Zealand. They defeated the England team with 71 runs.

Let's have a look at the ICC Women's World Cup past winners and most successful teams.

Also Read: Indian Cricket Team's upcoming schedule (men and women)

ICC Women's World Cup | First Edition Winner

The women's cricket world cup was held 2 years before the first men's world cup. In 1973, the tournament was first hosted with 7 teams participating in the tournament. The tournament was hosted by England. England became the champion by defeating Australia in the 60-over tournament.

India was not a part of it. The Indian women's cricket team made its debut in the Women's Cricket World Cup in 1978, which was hosted by India.

England scored a mammoth total of 279/3 in 60 overs with Enid Bakewell scoring 118 and captain Rachael Heyhoe Flint contributing 64. Australia struggled to chase the target and scored 187/9. Bakewell became the highest run scorer in the tournament. She scored 264 runs. Rosalind Heggs of England took the most wickets with 12.

2022 Women's World Cup Winner

ICC Women's World Cup | First Edition Winner

Australia beat England by 71 runs to lift the ICC Women's World Cup 2022 trophy. This is the seventh World Cup title for Australia women. The Meg Lanning-led side had put up 356 runs on the scoreboard for the loss of 5 wickets while batting first and managed to get England all out for 285 runs despite Natalie Sciver's brave attempts to keep her side still in the game.

ICC Women's World Cup | Most Successful Teams

Australia is the most successful women's cricket team with seven titles. Australia has dominated women’s cricket like no other team, winning the most ICC trophies in history. With a staggering 7 titles in the Women’s ODI World Cup, the Australian Women’s team has set the benchmark for excellence on the global stage. 

Their closest competitor, England, has managed to secure four World Cups, a distant second that underscores Australia’s dominance.

  • Australia (7 times): 1978, 1982, 1989, 1998, 2005, 2013, 2022
  • England (4 times): 1973, 1993, 2009, 2017
  • New Zealand (1 time): 2000

Also Read: Indian batters to score an international ton in all formats: Smriti Mandhana joins an elite list

ICC Women's World Cup | Past Winners

Year Winner Runners up Margin
1973 England Australia 92 Runs
1978 Australia England 8 Wickets
1982 Australia England 3 Wickets
1989 Australia England 8 Wickets
1993 England New Zealand 67 Runs
1997 Australia New Zealand 5 Wickets
2000 New Zealand Australia 4 Runs
2005 Australia India 98 Runs
2009 England New Zealand 4 Wickets
2013 Australia West Indies 114 Runs
2017 England India 9 Runs
2022 Australia England 71 Runs

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Most Test Centuries in Cricket History

With his latest century against India at the Oval during the fifth test of the series, Joe Root has now climbed up to no. 4 position in the list of most test centuries in cricket history.

Aug 3, 2025, 7:23 PM5 min read

Most Test Centuries in Cricket History - Joe Root - 39 | sportzpoint.com
Image | ICC on X

The battle of supremacy in Test centuries has come a long way in cricket history. Some early established test records, defined by batting greatness, are nearly impossible to imagine being surpassed. The record for most test centuries in cricket history is one of them.

This prestigious list consists of legendary batters around the globe who have shaped the golden era of test cricket with their run-scoring consistency and centuries.

Discover the complete list of players with the most test centuries in cricket history and embrace their legacies.

Most Test Centuries in Cricket History

1. Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 51 centuries

Sachin Tendulkar holds the Most Test centuries in cricket history | sportzpoint.com
Sachin Tendulkar celebrates his 30th Test century in 2002. Image | ESPNcricinfo

The 'Little Master' Sachin Tendulkar stands right at the top with 51 test centuries in his career, spanning from 1989 to 2013. His career was a saga of brilliance against every bowling attack in every condition.

From being the youngest Indian to score a Test century at the age of 17 years and 109 days in 1990, to ending up having the most test centuries in cricket history, Tendulkar has achieved it all!

He has consistently scored tons, becoming the first and only player to ever cross the fifty-mark in test centuries. These numbers let us believe that maybe some records can never be broken.

Read Also: Youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century

2. Jacques Kallis (SA) | 45 centuries

Jacques Kallis is 2nd in the list of Most Test centuries in cricket history | sportzpoint.com
Jacques Kallis celebrates his 40th test century in 2011. Image | Mint

The legendary all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, graced the longest format from 1995 to 2013, amassing 45 test centuries. He is the only South African to feature at the top of this list and to have scored more than 30 test centuries.

Apart from personal milestones, his hundreds were often foundational blocks for South Africa's innings in the game. He provided the key balance the team needed, contributing to secure a win or draw.

3. Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 41 centuries

Ricky Ponting is 3rd in the list of Most Test centuries in cricket history | sportzpoint.com
Ricky Ponting celebrates his 40th test century against India in 2012. Image | Pinterest

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, led Australia through a golden era, scoring 41 centuries between 1995 to 2012. Known for his aggressive yet classy style, he thrived especially in big matches, putting the opposition under pressure.

One of the memorable moments in his century collection is the twin centuries during his 100th test match against South Africa in Sydney. This came in 2006, where Ponting scored back-to-back 120 and 142* in two innings.

He is the 3rd batter to go 40+ in the list of most test centuries in cricket history.

Read Also: Most Test Runs in Cricket History (Men's)

4. Joe Root (ENG) | 39 centuries

Most Test Centuries in Cricket History - Joe Root - 39 | sportzpoint.com
Joe Root dedicated his 39th test ton to late Graham Thrope. Image | ICC on X

England's highest scorer in tests, Joe Root, has scored 39 test centuries so far in his career. He has scored the most hundreds for his nation and is also the batter with the most test tons in WTC history.

He reached his 39th test century against India at the Oval, during the 5th test of their Anderson-Tendulkar series. Root is currently the World's No. 1 in the ICC Test batter rankings, and the only player in the top 5 of this list who has not yet retired.

Root's fiery form is a clear indication of him soaring higher in all charts of test cricket records, setting the standards for generations to come.

Read Also: Joe Root vs Sachin Tendulkar – Test Stats Compared: Can Root break Sachin's record

5. Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 38 centuries

Kumar Sangakkara is 4th in the list of Most Test centuries in cricket history | sportzpoint.com
Kumar Sangakkara celebrates his first century at the Lord's Cricket Ground in 2014. Image | Sky Sports

The Sri Lankan batting maestro, Kumar Sangakkara, is a perfect example of elegance and power blended together. His ability to score big placed him in the top 5 of most test centuries in cricket history.

Sangakkara scored 38 test centuries from 2000 to 2015. One of his defining moments in his career was his 287 runs against South Africa in 2006. This knock was a part of the record-breaking partnership of 624 runs with his teammate, Mahela Jayawardene.

Most Test Centuries in Cricket History (TOP 20)

Here's the tabular breakdown of the Top 20 players having the most test centuries in cricket history, featuring 6 players from Australia, 4 from India, and several other cricketing nations.

Rank Player Country Test centuries
1 Sachin Tendulkar India 51
2 Jacques Kallis

South Africa

45
3 Ricky Ponting Australia 41
4 Joe Root England 39
5 Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka 38
6 Steve Smith Australia 36
7 Rahul Dravid India 36
8 Younis Khan Pakistan 34
9 Sunil Gavaskar India 34
10 Brian Lara West Indies 34
11 Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka 34
12 Kane Williamson New Zealand 33
13 Alastair Cook England 33
14 Steve Waugh Australia 32
15 Matthew Hayden Australia 30
16 Virat Kohli India 30
17 Shivnarine Chanderpaul West Indies 30
18 Dom Bradman Australia 29
19 Michael Clarke Australia 28
20

Hashim Amla

South Africa 28

Note: Article was first written by Snighda Halder on 26th July, 2025 and later got updated by the editorial team.

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Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship

Joe Root, with 21 test tons, has scored the most test centuries in the World Test Championship so far. Shubman Gill has entered the top 10 of the list recently.

Aug 3, 2025, 7:10 PM7 min read

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship

The World Test Championship was started in 2019 to make Test cricket interesting. The Championship has changed the way Test Cricket is being played. Teams like England and India, along with Australia, have shown their aggressive brand of cricket. 

South Africa are the current winner of the ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand and Australia have won the World Test Championships in the first two editions, while India played the final on both occasions.

Joe Root, the former test captain of England, has scored the most test centuries (21) in the World Test Championship.

Here are the players with the most Test centuries in the World Test Championship.

1. Joe Root | 21

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Joe Root - 21 | sportzpoint.com
Root dedicated his 21st century on WTC to former England keeper Graham Thorpe. Image | ICC

England's Joe Root has the most Test centuries in the World Test Championship. So far, he has scored 21 centuries in 126 innings of 69 matches. Root is also the batsman who has scored the most runs in this tournament, with 6080 runs at an average of 52.86.

Till now, Root is the only batter to score more than 6000 runs in WTC history.

His best knock came against India in 2021 when he scored 228 in Chennai to help his side win the game. 

Read Also: Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats

2. Steven Smith | 13

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship | Steven Smith - Sportzpoint.com

Australia's Steve Smith has now scored the most test centuries in the World Test Championship. The Aussie top-order batter has been one of the best test batters of this generation and has scored runs all around the world.

Smith is known for his unorthodox and yet effective batting style, which keeps on annoying the opponent's bowling lineups.

Till now in WTC, Steve Smith has scored 4225 runs at an outstanding average of 50.29, including 13 test centuries.

Read Also | Most Test Runs in Cricket History (Men's)

3. Marnus Labuschagne | 11

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Sportzpoint.com

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne has scored 11 centuries in his Test career, and all have been scored in the World Test Championship. In 53 matches, he has scored 4225 runs at an average of 48.01 during the Test Championship.

Marnus used to have his test average over 50. However, a recent dip in form, which also led to him being dropped from the test side as well, brought his batting average down. 

Still, he is the batter with the second-most test centuries and third-most runs in WTC history so far. 

4. Kane Williamson | 11

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship | Kane Williamson - Sportzpoint.com

Kane Williamson has batted amazingly in the World Test Championship. He has played only 28 matches so far in this tournament, but has managed to score 11 centuries in his 50 innings. 

Williamson has the best average (61.34) among the batsmen who have scored at least 2000 runs in the World Test Championship. During the Test match versus South Africa, the former Kiwi skipper scored two tons in the same game. 

Williamson, with 33 test centuries, is the batter with the third most test centuries among active batters. 

5. Rohit Sharma | 9

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship | Rohit Sharma - Sportzpoint.com

Former Indian test captain Rohit Sharma is the only Indian batter included in the 'most Test centuries in the World Test Championship' list.

Before retiring from the format, Rohit played 40 matches during the Test Championship since 2019. In his 69 innings, he has scored 9 centuries and 8 half-centuries with his bat.

With 2716 runs in the World Test Championship in just 40 Tests, Rohit is the highest scorer for India in WTC history so far, with an average is 41.15. Rohit Sharma's all of 9 test tons in WTC came in winning cause for India. 

Also Read: Most Test Hundreds for India since 2021

6. Harry Brook | 9

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Harry Brook (8) | sportzpoint.com
Brook after scoring his latest test century, vs India in Birmingham. Image | Getty Images

Currently, the ICC No.1 Men's test batter, Harry Brook, comes at number six on our list of players with the most test centuries in the World Test Championship. 

The English youngster has just played 26 test matches during the WTC cycles and has scored 9 centuries so far. 

Apart from Joe Root, he has been the shining armour of the English batting lineup in the last two seasons. Brook, till now, has scored 2424 test runs in WTC at an average of 55.09, with an outstanding strike rate of 84.54, the highest in WTC history. 

Read Also | Top 10 Underrated Cricketers Who Can Surprise You in 2025

7. Shubman Gill | 9

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Shubman Gill - 8 | sportzpoint.com
Gill after scoring his double ton against England at Edgbaston. Image | BCCI

Before starting his tenure as the captain of the Indian men's test cricket team, Shubman Gill was nowhere on this list of batters with the most test hundreds in WTC history. 

Read Also | Every record Shubman Gill broke during the ENG vs IND, 2nd test at Edgbaston

But as he wore the blazer of the Indian team, he was a different beast. In the first two tests as captain, he hit three centuries, which also had a highest score of 269, the highest by any Indian test captain. 

Till now, in 37 tests in WTC, Gill has scored 2647 runs at an average of 41.35, including 9 test tons. 

8. Babar Azam | 8

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship | Babar Azam - Sportzpoint.com

The former Pakistan skipper has scored 8 centuries during the World Test Championship cycle. Babar Azam is the sixth in the list of batters with the most test centuries in WTC history.

In 36 matches, he has also scored 2998 runs at an average of 48.35 during the Test Championship.

The 29-year-old isn’t in the greatest of form currently, but on his day, Babar Azam is a delight to watch.

One of his most memorable knocks came against Australia in Karachi in 2022. Babar scored 196 while chasing a huge total in the 4th inning of the game.

9. Dhananjaya de Silva | 8

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Sportzpoint.com

Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya De Silva might be one of the surprising names on this list.

The Sri Lanka captain has been one of the best batters for his country despite lacking support from the other end, most of the time.

So far, he has scored 8 centuries in 62 innings of 35 matches. Dhananjaya also scored 2509 runs, with an average of 44.80, during the Test Championship. Dhananjaya is also one of the active players with the most test centuries currently. 

Also Read: Most Wickets in Test Cricket

10. Travis Head | 8

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Travis Head - 8 tons | sportzpoint.com
Head after scoring a ton against India in 2024. Image | Getty Images

Travis Head, the swashbuckling left-handed batter, has also scored 8 test tons during the World Test Championship cycle. The Aussie batter is one of the most dangerous middle-order batters in the world at the moment in test cricket. 

Till now, in 51 matches in WTC, Head has scored 3264 runs at an average of 40.80, with a strike-rate of 72.85. Head also scored 15 fifties during the World Test Championship. 

Head's 7 out of 8 test tons during the WTC came in a winning cause for Australia.

Read Also | Every heated moment of IPL 2025 that you missed

11. Usman Khawaja | 8

Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship - Sportzpoint.com

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has hit 8 centuries during the World Test Championship cycle.

In 42 matches, he has scored 3251 runs at an average of 45.78. The Southpaw batter is a treat to watch when he is in song and has restored his career with some outstanding scores for the current WTC champions.

He was also the second-highest-scoring batsman in the 2021–2023 WTC cycle with 1,621 runs, the highest by an Australian batsman.

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Sachin-Sourav, Mahela-Sanga: 5 best cricketing friendships in history

From Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly to Kumar Sangakkara & Mahela Jayawardene, on Friendship Day special, we talk about the 5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history.

Aug 1, 2025, 8:00 AM5 min read

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history - Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly | sportzpoint.com

Cricket is a game played in partnership. No matter how good you are, you can not survive without a partner at the non-striker end. Therefore, cricketers form bonds that extend beyond the cricket field and last a lifetime. On this Friendship Day, we bring you the 5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history.

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history

#1 Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history - Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly | sportzpoint.com
Sachin and Sourav scored 8227 ODI runs together, which is the highest by any pair in ODI history. Image | IndiaTimes

Well, if you talk about partnerships in cricket and do not talk about Sachin and Sourav, you are doing a sin. The Indian pair is one of the most successful opening pairs in cricket history. Their cricketing friendship dates back to U-17 days. Sourav and Sachin met each other there and toured with the India U-17 team. Although Sachin went on to represent India at a very young age, their friendship remained the same.

Read Also: Sourav Ganguly Records

In fact, it was Sachin and Sourav who transformed the Indian team post the match-fixing scandal. They both scored 6609 runs as an opening pair in ODI cricket, which is a record in itself. Also, they scored the most number of hundred-run partnerships in ODI cricket, with 21 as an opening pair and 26 overall.

They scored 8227 ODI runs as a pair in ODI cricket, a record that might not be broken ever.

#2 Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history - Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene | sportzpoint.com
Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have the record for the highest partnership in test and first-class cricket (624). Image | ICC on X

These two Sri Lankan stalwarts dominated world cricket as a pair throughout their career. In fact, they were the only reason, along with Muralitharan, that Sri Lanka ruled cricket in the mid-2000s. Sri Lanka became unbeatable on their home soil on the banks of partnerships of Sanga and Mahela.

Read Also: Most international sixes in Cricket by Captains

They both piled up runs with ease in international cricket. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene scored 6554 runs together in test cricket, which is only second to Dravid and Tendulkar's 6920 runs. Their 624-run partnership against South Africa in 2006 is still the highest at any batting position in test cricket.

Kumar and Mahela now own restaurants together. Also, they are trying to help Sri Lankan cricket get back on their feet.

Read Also: Top 10 teams with the most wins in T20I cricket

#3 Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history - Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath | sportzpoint.com
Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath are one of the grestest bowling pairs in cricket history. Image | ICC on X

Probably the greatest bowling pair in cricket history, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath played together and ended their cricket careers together. Perhaps it was because of them that Australia would win against any opposition and at any place.

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to dust, If McGrath can't get you, Warne must.

This old saying about Warne and McGrath reveals their greatness. Moreover, it talks about how they used to hunt in pairs. Though Warne was a bit flamboyant in his life, this duo's cricketing friendship ended many batsmen's careers. Warne is the highest wicket-taker in Ashes history with 195 wickets, while McGrath is the second highest with 157 wickets. They both played 104 Tests in tandem and took 1,011 wickets. In fact, Wisden has stated them to be the greatest bowling pair of all time.


Read Also: Most Wickets in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup

#4 AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history - AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn | sportzpoint.com
Styen and ABD is known as one of the best friends in cricket alongside Faf du Plessis. Image | RCB

The only batting-bowling pair on our special list of best cricketing friendships. Dale Styen and AB de Villiers started their career together and literally made South Africa the best cricket team in the world. 

Though the pair could not win any major ICC trophies for South Africa, they were the best Test team in the world during their time. Steyn finished his career as the highest test wicket-taker for South Africa (439), beating Shaun Pollock's record of 421 test wickets. Meantime, AB Deviliers is known as one of the most complete batters ever.

Read Also: Most Sixes in International Cricket History | Top 25 Batters

#5 Waqar Yunis and Wasim Akram

Waqar Yunis and Wasim Akram - 5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history | sportzpoint.com
Wasim and Waqar took 1,147 wickets while playing together. Image | ICC on X

Waqar and Wasim are probably the most lethal bowling pair in modern cricket. The duo from Pakistan dominated the world with sheer pace and swing. Perhaps, Waqar is said to be the best reverse-swing bowler ever, while Wasim Akram is said to be the "sultan of swing" (king of swing).

If Waqar could break your toes, Wasim could too. They both complemented each other so well that they took 500 test wickets in 61 test matches together. They are both probably the best pacers that Pakistan has ever produced.

Read Also: Fastest to complete 200 Test wickets by balls bowled

Wasim finished as the bowler with the most wickets in ODI cricket, alongside being the highest wicket-taker in international cricket as a left-arm pacer.

Other than these pairs, the world has seen many great friendships like Virat-ABD, Bravo-Pollard, Dravid-Kumble and Smith-Marnus over the years. We have chosen the best from 5 separate countries.

Note: The article was first published on Aug 1, 2021 and then got updated over time.

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