Cricket World Cup History: 5 batsmen with the most 50-plus scores across all editions

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is the grandest stage of them all as far as the sport is concerned. It is performances at this stage that enhance a cricketer’s legend and add to his aura.

Over the 11 editions of the World Cup, several great cricketers have enshrined their place in the annals of history with their ethereal performances at cricket’s showpiece event.

Indians all over the world will remember Kapil Dev’s 175 more than any other knock of his, because that knock saved India from a precarious 17/5 and helped them register a crucial win in the 1983 World Cup against Zimbabwe.

Among the various gems that Sachin Tendulkar conjured in his glittering career, his 98 against arch rivals Pakistan sits right at the top, because it came at cricket’s marquee event, in the 2003 edition.

Adam Gilchrist’s 149 in the 2007 edition propelled Australia to their third consecutive World Cup trophy. This knock of his will sit as the crown jewel, because it came in the final of the 2007 World Cup.

In this article, let us look at five batsman who have the most 50-plus scores in World Cup history.

Note: Even though Herschelle Gibbs, Ab De Villiers and Jacques Kallis have 10 scores of 50 or more each, only Gibbs and De Villiers make the cut because they achieved the mark in fewer innings.

#5 Herschelle Gibbs: 10 scores Of 50+

Gibbs is the only batsman to smash 6 sixes in an over in World Cup cricket

At 5th place is South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs. Gibbs played 23 innings for South Africa across 3 editions of the World Cup, and scored 1067 runs at an average of 56.15. The dashing right-handed batsman also scored 2 hundreds and 8 fifties, thus taking his tally to 10 scores of 50 or more.

Gibbs will forever be remembered for the 6 sixes he smashed in an over against the Netherlands in the 2007 edition of the World Cup.

RECORD

Innings:23; Runs:1067; Average: 56.15; 100s:2; 50s:8

#4 Ab de Villiers: 10 scores of 50+

De Villiers is one of the greatest batsmen produced by South Africa

Ab de Villiers will go down as the greatest batsman produced by South Africa in limited overs cricket. The legend played 22 innings for South Africa across 3 editions of the World Cup and scored 1207 runs at a terrific average of 63.52.

De Villiers’ ability to read the length in a flash, and to play audacious strokes out of nowhere, made him a true-blue match-winner for South Africa. He scored 4 hundreds and 6 fifties, thus taking his tally to 10 scores of 50 or more in World Cup cricket.

RECORD

Innings: 22; Runs: 1207; Average: 63.52; 100s: 4; 50s: 6

#3 Ricky Ponting: 11 scores of 50+

Ponting is the second highest run scorer in World Cup cricket

Ricky Ponting is widely regarded as the greatest batsman produced by Australia in World Cup cricket. The 3-time World Cup winner played 42 innings for Australia across 5 editions of the World Cup, and scored 1743 runs at an average of 45.86.

He also scored 5 hundreds and 6 fifties, talking his tally 50+ scores in World Cup cricket to 11.

Ponting will forever be remembered for the 140* he plundered against India in the final of the 2003 World Cup. He is also the second highest run scorer in the history of World Cup cricket.

RECORD

Innings: 42; Runs: 1743; Average: 45.86; 100s: 5; 50s:6

#2 Kumar Sangakkara: 12 scores of 50+

Watching Sangakkara bat was like watching a stream in full flow

At the No. 2 spot comes Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara. Watching Sangakkara bat was like watching a stream in full flow; his pristine cover drives through the off side and his delectable flicks past mid-wicket were an absolute treat for the eyes.

Sangakkara played 35 innings for Sri Lanka in World Cup cricket, and scored 1532 runs at an average of 56.74, including 5 hundreds and 7 fifties.

Sangakkara smashed 4 hundreds in the 2015 edition of the World Cup, and is the only batsman till date to score 4 hundreds in a single edition.

RECORD

Innings: 35; Runs: 1532; Average: 56.74; 100s: 5; 50s: 7

#1 Sachin Tendulkar: 21 scores of 50+

Tendulkar is the most complete batsman that the game of cricket has ever seen

Sachin Tendulkar is hailed as the most complete batsman that the game of cricket has ever seen, and no list of batting records can be complete without his name featuring in it.

The master batsman played 44 innings for India across 6 editions of the World Cup, and scored a colossal 2278 runs at an average of 56.95, including 6 hundreds and 15 fifties. That takes his tally of 50 or more in World Cup cricket to 21.

Tendulkar is the only batsman to have scored over 2000 runs in World Cup cricket, and has scored the most fifties as well as the most hundreds at the marquee event.

He also holds the record of scoring the most number of runs in a single World Cup edition, having racked up a whopping 673 runs during the 2003 edition of the World Cup.

RECORD

Innings: 44; Runs: 2278; Average: 56.95; 100s: 6; 50s: 15