Cricket World Cup History: 7 all-time World Cup records which might not be broken

The 2019 World Cup has got off to a mixed start with many one-sided games and a number of tight games while some have been marred by rain. With the overcast conditions casting a cloud over most matches, teams have been pushed even further to win big in each of their games.

Looking into the positives, there have been some impressive batting and bowling performances in the first two weeks of the tournament. Rohit Sharma and Joe Root have looked a class apart with the bat while West Indies' short ball strategy brought back the memories of the old Caribbean 'chin music'.

The tournament has also seen few records being broken with India becoming the first team to score an excess of 350 against Australia in World Cup history. Mitchell Starc became the joint fastest to 150 ODI wickets when he reached the landmark in 77 games during his game against West Indies.

Although records are meant to be broken and the all-round show in this tournament is a testament to that, here are seven World Cup records which might not be broken.

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#1 Youngest captain to win a World Cup - Kapil Dev (24)

Kapil Dev led from the front in India's 1983 WC triumph

Kapil Dev was just 24 years and 176 days old when he lifted the coveted trophy at the Lord's balcony. A raw talent from Haryana called the shots in batting and bowling from the day he debuted as a 19-year old and went on to lead India to a title triumph.

India went into the 1983 World Cup with no big hopes having won a solitary game in the previous two World Cups. However, captain Kapil Dev had his sight on the trophy. Considered as India's greatest fast bowler ever, the opposition batsmen were wary of his deadly out swingers courtesy of his open-chested action.

Although he claimed 12 wickets, it was his batting that got India crucial points. His whirlwind knock of 175* off 138 balls when India was struggling at 17/5 is still regarded as the greatest counter-attacking knock. A special mention to his fielding with his running catch to dismiss Sir Vivian Richards turned the 1983 final on its head.

The record is unlikely to be broken as it is a rarity to see a player leading their team at such a young age in the current scene of international cricket.

#2 Most wickets in WC history - Glenn McGrath (71 wickets)

McGrath - always a threat with the ball

There is a saying in cricket that batsmen win you games, while bowlers win you tournaments. Glenn McGrath was a pioneer on that front as he led the Australian bowling attack in the era they dominated. His impeccable consistency in line and length troubled every batsman in his era.

McGrath had a mediocre tournament in 1996 as he could pick up only six wickets in seven games. However, conditions in England suited him the best in 1999, as his 18 wickets helped Australia win the World Cup for the second time.

His performance saw a facelift in the 2003 World Cup as he scalped 21 wickets. His spell of 7/15 against Namibia still holds the record for best figures in a World Cup game. His wicket of Sachin Tendulkar also went a long way in handing Australia the title.

His best performance came in his final World Cup in 2007 as he picked up wickets in every game he played. His tally of 26 is the most by any bowler in a single World Cup game.

McGrath holds the record for most wickets in World Cup history with 71 wickets from 39 games, one record that might never be broken.

#3 Most runs in World Cup history - Sachin Tendulkar (2278 runs)

Sachin carried the hopes for India in every WC he played

Whenever there is a discussion about batting records, it's imperative to find Sachin Tendulkar in the list. The 'Little Master', who revolutionized the art of batting, has earned numerous records to his name throughout his career.

One such record he holds is the 2278 runs he has amassed in the history of the World Cup. From the World Cups that Tendulkar has featured in, the little master has six hundreds and averages 56.95.

Tendulkar was the top-scorer in the 1996 tournament with 523 runs when it was held in the sub-continent. His 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup earned him the man of the series award. Tendulkar's 482 runs also played a huge part in India's World Cup triumph in 2011.

One current player, who is closest to Tendulkar's tally is Chris Gayle, who has 1051 runs from 30 matches. With the Jamaican opener set to put an end to his career post the ongoing World Cup, one can expect Tendulkar to cling on to the record for a very long time.

#4 Consecutive World Cup wins - Australia (1999, 2003, 2007)

Dominant Australia with its third consecutive WC trophy

Different teams have dominated different eras in the history of the game. The impact from the Australian team from the late 90s until a decade into the millennium was second to none. In that period, the team went on to win three consecutive World Cups in 1999, 2003, and 2007.

Australia had a team full of match-winners in every department of the game. The likes of Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting were the batting stalwarts of the team. They also had bowlers in Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath who picked wickets regularly.

Australia's domination in the era was such that their win/loss ratio of 3.55 is way ahead of the second placed South Africa's 1.84. It was literally a one-way traffic show as they were unbeaten in 34 matches across three World Cups.

#5 Most number of consecutive centuries - Kumar Sangakkara (4)

Sangakkara was prolific in the 2015 WC

Oozing with class right from his younger days,Sangakkara's ability to pile up runs at ease was one of his trademarks that elevated him to the levels of the best batsmen in the world. It was evident in the 2015 World Cup when he became the first player ever to score four consecutive hundreds in ODI history.

The first hundred (105) came against Bangladesh when he, along with Tillakaratne Dilshan put on a record 210-run partnership. In the next game, his 117* helped Sri Lanka chase England's 309 with three overs to spare. He brought up his third consecutive hundred against Australia with a valiant 104 in a chase of 377.

His fourth hundred (124) ensured a quarterfinal berth for Sri Lanka and this record might be one of the toughest to break in a long time to come.

#6 Highest partnership in a game - 372 between Chris Gayle & Marlon Samuels in 2015

Gayle and Samuels scored 372 for the second wicket

Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels registered one of the most historic partnerships against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup. West Indies won the toss and chose to bat first on a batting track.

Dwayne Smith was dismissed for a duck as a Tinashe Panyangara's in-dipper sent him back. The conditions were overcast and hence batsmen played out the initial overs. Having started slowly, Gayle got his hundred off 105 balls. He went berserk after that and became the first non-Indian to score a double hundred in ODIs. His final 115 runs came off just 41 balls.

West Indies' crisis man Marlon Samuels played the perfect fiddle for Gayle as he finished off with 133. Their partnership of 372 is the highest ever partnership for any wicket in ODIs. Although we have seen an increase in the scoring rate, this record might stand for a long time.

#7 Most World Cup appearances - Sachin Tendulkar & Javed Miandad (6)

Miandad and Tendulkar

To play a World Cup is probably the biggest dream a cricketer could have when he starts his career. Two players in Sachin Tendulkar of India and Javed Miandad of Pakistan lived the dream for six World Cups.

Sachin always raised his game in World Cups as he was tournament's top-scorer in two World Cups. His tally of 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup is still the highest in a single World Cup. He played crucial knocks to help India lift the Cup in 2011 after playing six World Cups.

Miandad, on a similar template, made his World Cup debut during the 1975 World Cup. The roght-hander was probably the best batsman Pakistan ever produced. It was temperament that rated him among the best and his contribution with the bat helped Pakistan win the 1992 World Cup.

In the current trend, it is rare to see players play for more than two decades. Hence these two might hold this record forever.