World Cup 2019: 5 Players who have played the most number of matches in World Cup history

The Cricket World Cup is one of the most awaited tournaments in the world of sports. The 12th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup is going on in England and Wales with 10 teams hustling against each other for the glorious golden trophy.

Let's have a look at the list of those five players who have played the most number of matches in World Cup history:

5. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)

West Indies v Sri Lanka - ICC Twenty20 World Cup

Sanath Jayasuriya is the fourth-highest run-scorer in World Cup history. Jayasuriya played a total of 38 matches in which he scored 1,165 runs at an average of 34.26 with a colossal strike rate of 90.66. He also scored three centuries and six fifties. But his worth also came as a bowler as well where he took a handy 27 wickets at an average of 39.25.

4. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)

Wasim Akram of Pakistan Sri Lanka v India - Commonwealth Bank Series

Wasim Akram is the third-highest wicket-taker in World Cup history, he played an integral part of Pakistan’s success in the 1992 World Cup. Wasim Akram played a total of 38 World Cup matches and took 55 wickets at just 23.83 and with a strike rate of 35.4. He was also valuable with the bat, scoring 426 runs at a reasonable average of 19.36 with a heavy strike rate of 101.18.

3. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)

Muttiah Muralitharan in a nets session

Muttiah Muralitharan is the most successful off-spinner of all time is also the second most successful bowler in World Cup history. Murali is also one of the few people on this list to play the three World Cup finals: 1996, 2007, and 2011. He played a total of 40 matches and took 68 wickets for his side, and took as many as four four-wicket hauls, but he never took a five-wicket haul. He took wickets with an excellent average of 19.63 and strike rate of 30.3.

2. Sachin Tendulkar (India)

Pakistan vs India - 2011 ICC World Cup Semi-Final

Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in World Cup history. He is also the only man in history to have scored over 2,000 runs in the tournament. Tendulkar played a total of 45 matches in which he scored 2,278 runs at an average of 56.95 and with a descent strike rate of 88.98. With 6 hundreds, he also has a record of most centuries than anyone else in World Cup history. He also showed his worth as a part-timer by taking 8 wickets in 45 matches.

1. Ricky Ponting (Australia)

ICC Cricket World Cup Final - Australia v Sri Lanka

Ricky Ponting is the only captain after Clive Lloyd to conquer the two World Cups. Under his captaincy, Australia won both the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. He has played more World Cup matches than anyone else and he is also the second-highest run-scorer behind Sachin Tendulkar. Ricky Ponting played a total of 46 matches and scored 1,743 runs at an average of 45.86 and a strike rate of 79.95. With five centuries, the most after Sachin Tendulkar.

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