In major tournaments like the Cricket World Cup, a team needs to have good fielders along with efficient batsmen and bowlers because ‘catches win matches’.
The maximum number of catches taken in a single World Cup edition is 21 by Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. He took those in 10 innings averaging 2.1 catches per innings.
All these players were wicket-keepers except Joe Root when they made this record! Therefore, the credit must also go to the bowlers who made this happen. Complete list of Most Catches in World Cup in Each season is below:
| Year | Player | Catches | Inns | Team |
| 2019 | Joe Root | 13 | 11 | England |
| 2015 | Denesh Ramdin | 10 | 4 | West Indies |
| 2011 | Brad Haddin | 7 | 4 | Australia |
| 2007 | Kumar Sangakkara | 7 | 8 | Sri Lanka |
| 2003 | Adam Gilchrist | 21 | 10 | Australia |
| 1999 | Ridley Jacobs | 14 | 5 | West Indies |
| 1995 | Ian Healy | 9 | 7 | Australia |
| 1991 | DJ Richardson | 14 | 9 | South Africa |
| 1987 | Greg Dyer | 9 | 8 | Australia |
| 1983 | Jeff Dujon | 15 | 8 | West Indies |
| 1979 | Deryck Murray | 7 | 4 | West Indies |
| 1975 | Rod Marsh | 9 | 5 | Australia |
The Australians have stayed true to the ‘catches win matches’ phrase as five Australians have been the World Cup highest catchers and they won 5 World Cups out of 11.
The best average of ‘catches per innings’ is a whopping 2.8. West Indian Ridley Jacobs held onto 14 catches in just 5 innings in the 1999 World Cup.
The fielders who took most catches in the World Cup edition are Rod Marsh (1975 for Australia), Deryck Murray (1979 for West Indies), Jeff Dujon (1983 for West Indies), Greg Dyer (1987 for Australia), David Richardson (1992 for South Africa), Ian Healy (1996 for Australia), Ridley Jacobs (1999 for West Indies), Adam Gilchrist (2003 for Australia), Brendon McCullum (2007 for New Zealand), Brad Haddin (2011 for Australia), Denesh Ramdin ( 2015 for West Indies) and Joe Root (2019 for England).
Also Read : Most catches in world cup
