5 Indian batsmen with most runs in a single edition of the World Cup

The World Cup is the biggest stage in the game of cricket. It is the stage where fables are written, legends are born, and history is made. A cricketer can etch his name in the annals of history and be remembered forever by performing at the cricketing extravaganza.

Indian batsmen, over the years, have enthralled and bewitched cricket lovers across the globe with some ethereal performances at ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All’. Kapil Dev’s stunning 175 will forever be etched in the minds of Indian cricket aficionados. His knock rescued India from a precarious 17/5 and enabled them to get past Zimbabwe.

And, amongst the various gems that Sachin Tendulkar conjured in his unprecedented career, the 98 he scored against arch-rivals Pakistan will go down as one of his best, because it came in a knockout game in the 2003 World Cup. And, MS Dhoni’s magnificent 91* in the 2011 World Cup final will be remembered by Indian fans forever, as it helped the country lift their World Cup after 28 years.

In this article, let us look at five Indian batsmen with the most number of runs in a single edition of the World Cup.

#5.Sourav Ganguly - 465 Runs (2003 World Cup)

Sourav Ganguly of India

In the 2003 World cup, Sourav Ganguly was in scintillating form with the bat. The former Indian Captain amassed 465 runs, including 3 hundreds, at an average of 58.12.

The elegant left-hander scored 112* against minnows Namibia, 107* against Kenya in the Group stage, and another 111* against the same opponent in the semi-final. Ganguly played a crucial role, along with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, in enabling India to reach the final of the event.

Record: Innings:11, Runs:465, Average:58.12, 100’s:3

#4.Sachin Tendulkar - 482 Runs (2011 World Cup)

Sachin Tendulkar was in sublime form in the 2011 World Cup, scoring 482 runs

Sachin Tendulkar deluded all those who watched him into believing that the passage of time was just an illusion during the 2011 World cup. The ‘Little Master’, playing his 6th World Cup, had withstood the tribulations of international sport for more than two decades but was still in sublime form throughout the tournament.

Tendulkar scored 120 runs against England in the second match of the edition and followed it up with another scintillating century against South Africa. The legendary cricketer also scored a half-century against Australia and followed it up with an 85 against arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-final of the edition.

In all, Tendulkar scored 482 runs in the tournament, including 2 hundreds and 2 fifties, at an incredible average of 53.55.

Record: Innings:9, Runs:482, Average:53.55, 100’s:2, 50’s:2

#3. Sachin Tendulkar - 523 Runs (1996 World Cup)

Sachin averaged a stunning 87.17 in the 1996 World Cup.

The ‘God Of Cricket’ features in the list for the second time. Sachin Tendulkar was the talisman of the Indian batting line up in the 1996 World Cup that was played in the sub-continent. And, the batsman was in surreal form throughout the competition.

Tendulkar played 7 innings during the competition and amassed 523 runs, including 2 hundreds and 3 fifties at a colossal average of 87.17. The stand out performances from Tendulkar came against the formidable Australians and Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla, scoring a blistering 90 and a century respectively.

Record: Innings:7, Runs:523, Average:87.17, 100’s:2, 50’s:3

#2. Rohit Sharma - 648 Runs (2019 World Cup)

Rohit Sharma scored a record 5 hundreds in the 2019 World cup.

Watching Rohit Sharma in full flow is a sight to behold. And, in the 2019 World Cup, ‘The Hitman’ took his batting to a whole new level. Rohit became the first batsman in World Cup history to score 5 hundreds in a single World Cup edition and amassed 648 runs in the tournament at an average of 81.00.

Rohit scored hundreds against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, his heroics with the bat were not enough, as India crashed out in the semi-final stage of the tournament.

Record: Innings:9, Runs:648, Average:81.00, 100’s:5, 50’s:1

#1.Sachin Tendulkar - 673 Runs (2003 World Cup)

Sachin Tendulkar of India runs between the wickets

Sachin Tendulkar’s wizardry with the willow captivated the cricketing world during the 2003 World Cup. The diminutive master scored a stunning 673 runs, including a hundred and 6 fifties, at an average of 61.18, and bagged the ‘Man of the Tournament’ award.

Tendulkar scored 152 against minnows Namibia, 81 against Zimbabwe, 97 against Sri Lanka and 83 against Kenya in the semi-final.

But, his stand out performance at the tournament was the 98 he conjured against arch-rivals Pakistan. In a masterclass that combined ruthless aggression and ethereal splendour, Tendulkar tamed the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, that allowed India to chase down a tricky target of 274 runs.

Record: Innings:11, Runs:673, Average:61.18, 100’s:1, 50’s:6

So, there you have it. These are the five Indian batsmen who have scored the most number of runs in a single World Cup edition.