World Cup History: 5 Batsmen with most runs in a World Cup

The World Cup has always been looked upon as the biggest tournament in the game of cricket. Started in 1975, we have now witnessed 12 successful editions of the tournament. Every edition has produced the cricket of the highest order and left its mark on the fans.

For any team to succeed, you need your batsmen to fire and your bowlers to take ten wickets consistently which is why individual performances matter a lot. The tournaments before the 90s were mostly bowler dominated whereas the editions after that provided more balance because of the flat nature of the wickets. But in this batsman dominated era, it is important to put runs on the board.

For instance, Martin Crowe played a huge role in taking the kiwis into the semis of 1992 World Cup scoring more than 450 runs. Similarly, we have seen Sachin at his best in the 1996 World Cup when he single-handedly won matches for the team.

Even in this World Cup, Rohit Sharma who is considered as the best opening batsman of this era has scored more than 600 runs in just 9 matches including five centuries that saw India dominate the league stages.

There have been instances in the past where the star player dominated the whole edition with the bat. Let us take a look at 5 batsmen who have scored most runs in a single edition.

---

#5 Shakib Al Hasan (606 runs) - 2019 World Cup

Shakib Al Hasan shone with both bat and ball

Perhaps, one of the greatest all-rounders of this era, Shakib Al Hasan has been one of the highlights of the 2019 World Cup. Even when his team struggled, Shakib fought consistently to take his team across the line.

Coming into the World Cup, he was named the vice-captain of the squad, given his experience and match-winning ability. He was in the groove from the very first match as he contributed with 75 runs that won them the match against the Proteas. In the same match, he became the fastest to take 250 wickets and score 5000 runs in ODI cricket.

He continued his great form against the Kiwis and England but couldn’t get the result the team needed. In the match against the West Indies, Bangladesh was reeling at 133 for 3 while chasing 322. In came Shakib and played the innings of his life; dismissing the West Indies pace attack to all corners of the ground and eventually chasing the total in 42 overs.

He made sure that his team were in the race for the final four till the end. The Southpaw finished the tourney with 606 runs with seven 50+ scores, equaling Sachin’s record from the 2003 edition. He was also a very economical and efficient 5th bowler taking 11 wickets in 8 matches.

#4 David Warner (647 runs) - 2019 World Cup

David Warner came back strongly into the team

After serving a 1-year ban from the international circuit, it was David Warner’s stage to answer all his critics. The inclusion of him and Steve Smith strengthened the side after a sloppy year for the team.

The dashing opener began with a half-century against Afghanistan that gave him the confidence to play his natural game and to give a solid start to the team along with the captain Aaron Finch.

He also recorded the highest score of the tournament when he smashed 166 off just 147 balls against Bangladesh at Nottingham. Overall, the Southpaw finished with 647 runs at an average of 71.88 including three fifties and three tons.

He also became the third Australian to cross 500 runs in a single edition. His aggressive batting display helped the team to finish second in the points table. He was just 12 runs short of surpassing Matthew Hayden as Australia’s highest run-getter in a single edition.

#3 Rohit Sharma (648 runs) - 2019 World Cup

Rohit Sharma was fantastic in the group stages

Before the Champions trophy in 2013, Rohit Sharma was a middle-order batsman who strived hard to cement his place in the squad. But in that fateful tournament in England, the stylish Mumbai man was promoted up the order to open the batting and he hasn’t looked back since.

More recently, he finished as the highest run-getter in the just concluded World Cup despite playing a game less than Warner. Even though his IPL performance wasn’t that great, Rohit showed his class on the biggest stage.

In the first match against South Africa, he scored a match-winning hundred that helped India chase down the Proteas total. He followed it up with centuries against Pakistan, England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, thus becoming the first player in the history of the World Cup to score 5 tons in a single edition. He also equalled Sachin’s record of six centuries in the World Cup.

If not for his mind-blowing performances in the tournament, India wouldn’t have finished at the top of the table.

#2 Matthew Hayden (659 runs) - 2007 World Cup

Matthew Hayden and Australia dominated the tournament in the Carribean

No other team in the history of cricket has dominated the sport as Australia did in the late 90s and the early 2000s. They were the team to beat in every world tournament.

After winning two consecutive World Cups, the Kangaroos entered the 2007 edition as the hot favourites. Matthew Hayden, whose position was uncertain in the run-up to the tournament was selected due to his recent success against the Kiwis. He started his campaign with a half-century against Scotland.

What followed after that left the cricketing fraternity in awe. He scored back to back centuries against the Windies and South Africa. The ton against South Africa was an answer to his critics as he broke down their bowling attack by scoring a century in just 66 balls.

He was on the top of his game and finished with 659 runs at an average of 73.22. He was the ‘Man of the Tournament’ and the ‘ODI Player of the year’ as he led his team to a third consecutive World Cup victory.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar (673 runs) - 2003 World Cup

Sachin Tendulkar still holds the record for the most runs in a single World Cup tournament

India had gone to tour New Zealand just before the 2003 World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar, who was carrying an injury played in 3 ODIs and scored just 1 run in 3 matches. Everyone started debating if Sachin’s ability was fading away.

And then came the 2003 World Cup and the rest, as they say, is history. He was promoted up the order and in return, he provided the team with everything that the team could have hoped for. He was playing in his 4th World Cup and was looking to win it for the first time. On the contrary, he never played in the nets but was only involved in throw-downs during the entire tournament as he wanted to preserve his touch.

In 11 matches including the final, he scored 673 runs at an average of 61.18 which included six fifties and a hundred which helped the team in securing wins over every team except the mighty Aussies.

This is still the most number of runs scored by a batsman in a single edition. His best innings came against the strong Pakistan bowling attack when he amassed 98 runs in just 75 balls. This was by far the best World Cup performance ever.