Most hundreds in ODI World Cups

The race towards the knockouts stage has picked up pace at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with defending champions England and five-time champions Australia trying to pull things back after making disappointing starts to their respective campaigns.

With the caravan moving onto better batting tracks of Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai, more and more runs are expected to flow in the coming games. India’s Rohit Sharma and Pakistan’s Muhammad Rizwan have made the most out of the limited batting opportunities so far as the two top the batting chart – that is bound to change constantly as the tournament goes on.

With their respective hundreds against Afghanistan and Pakistan, Rohit Sharma and Australia’s David Warner have forced a few changes in the list of individuals with the most number of tons in World Cup history. Here, we have the list of top 10 players on the list:

Most hundreds in ODI World Cup history:

Rohit Sharma | 7 centuries

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has wreaked havoc in 50-over World Cups. In 21 innings across three editions so far, Rohit has hit seven hundreds along with four fifties. Overall, he has scored 1243 runs in World Cups at a mind-boggling average of 65.42 and a strike rate of 102.55.

During the last World Cup in England, the right-handed batter crossed the three-digit mark on five occasions – most by any batter in a single edition of the tournament. Also, he is the only Indian batter to hit three consecutive hundreds in World Cups. He achieved the feat in 2019 as he struck back-to-back hundreds against England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

Recently, Rohit broke veteran Indian opener Virender Sehwag’s record of the fastest ICC ODI World Cup hundred for India as the 36-year-old struck a lightning-fast 63-ball ton against Afghanistan in Delhi.

Sachin Tendulkar | 6 centuries

Often regarded as the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar contested in as many as six ODI World Cups for India and went on to lift the trophy during his eventual World Cup appearance. In 44 innings with the bat, the Mumbaikar smashed six centuries and 15 half-centuries over the course of six World Cups. He had an appreciable average of nearly 57 and a strike rate close to 89 as he piled up 2278 runs in the tournament – the most runs by a player in World Cup history.

During India’s historic run to glory in 2011, Sachin Tendulkar played a remarkable role with the bat. In nine innings, Tendulkar struck 482 runs at an average of 53.55 including a couple of hundreds and as many fifties.

David Warner | 5 centuries

Australian opener David Warner has smacked five tons in his ICC World Cup career. The southpaw is also the only batter to breach the 150-run mark thrice in World Cups. Notably, no other batter has done it more than once.

In 2015, Warner attained the highest individual score for Australia in a World Cup as he thrashed 178 runs against Afghanistan in Perth. Also, he was their second-highest run-getter in the competition with 345 runs in eight innings at an average of almost 50.

Overall, he has scored 1220 runs in ODI World Cups at an astonishing average of 61 and a strike rate of 100.

Kumar Sangakkara | 5 centuries

Former Sri Lankan keeper-batter Kumar Sangakkara has five World Cup hundreds to his name. During the 2015 World Cup, the southpaw became the only batter to hit four ODI tons on the trot as he thrashed Bangladesh, England, Scotland, and Australia with his skillful batting. His monstrous form guided his team to the quarter-final of the tournament where they, eventually, lost to South Africa.

Sangakkara made his ODI World Cup debut in 2003 and accumulated 1532 runs in 35 innings at an average of more than 56.

Ricky Ponting | 5 centuries

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting led his team to ODI World Cup glory twice on the bounce. The dominant Aussie team defeated India and Sri Lanka in the final of the 2003 and 2007 editions of the tournament respectively under his captaincy. Widely referred to as The Punter, Ponting hammered five hundreds across his 46-match World Cup career.

In total, Ponting amassed 1743 runs in the competition at an average of 45.86 and a strike rate of 79.95. One of his most iconic World Cup tons came against India during the 2003 edition’s final as his 140-run unbeaten knock helped Australia clinch their third World Cup title.

Notably, Ponting scored a hundred in each of the five World Cups he played except the 1999 edition that was held in England.

Sourav Ganguly | 4 centuries

Sourav Ganguly made his ODI debut for India in 1992 but got his first opportunity to represent the country in a World Cup in 1999. Impressing the critics, the southpaw played a 183-run blinder off just 158 balls against Sri Lanka during his debut World Cup season. To date, his score of 183 runs stands tall as the highest Individual score by an Indian in a 50-over World Cup.

In his 21 matches long World Cup career, Ganguly piled up 1006 runs at an average of nearly 56 including four centuries and three half-centuries. He was also the captain of the Indian team that reached the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

AB de Villiers | 4 centuries

Ab de Villiers was one of the greatest batters to have played for South Africa. The right-hander smashed four tons and six fifties in just 22 World Cup knocks. He had a globe-trotting average of 63.52 and a strike rate of over 117 as he accumulated 1207 runs in the tournament.

During the 2015 World Cup, he showcased a batting masterclass against the West Indies as he bludgeoned 162 unbeaten runs off just 66 deliveries including 17 fours and eight sixes. Also, he was the third-highest run-getter of the tournament with 482 runs in just seven innings at a monstrous average of 96.40 and a strike rate of over 144.

Mark Waugh | 4 centuries

Mark Waugh led Australia to World Cup glory after 12 long years in 1999, marking the beginning of the team’s dominant run in world cricket for the years to come.

He played his first World Cup match in 1992 and went on to score four hundreds across three seasons of the competition. Australia played the final of the 1996 edition in India and Waugh played a crucial role in his team’s journey as he hammered three tons during the tournament. His last World Cup century came against Zimbabwe at The Lord’s in 1999.

Tillakaratne Dilshan | 4 centuries

Former Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan was the leading run-scorer of the 2011 ODI World Cup. The right-hander struck 500 runs in nine innings at an excellent average of 62.50 including a couple of hundreds. In total, he smacked four centuries along with as many fifties to collect 1112 runs in just 25 ODI World Cup innings.

Dilshan attained his highest ODI score of 161 unbeaten runs against Bangladesh during the 2015 World Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Interestingly, Dilshan did not hit a single six during his 146-ball knock as he instead thrashed a total of 22 fours.

Moreover, he was a handy part-time off-spinner with 106 ODI wickets for Sri Lanka in 204 innings at an economy of 4.87.

Mahela Jayawardene | 4 centuries

Mahela Jayawardene played 40 World Cup matches for Sri Lanka and amassed 1100 runs at an average of 35.48 including four tons and five half-tons. He smashed a magnificent hundred against India in the final of the 2011 World Cup but ended up on the wrong side of the result as India won their first World Cup in 28 years.

However, his 115-run unbeaten knock in the semi-final of the 2007 World Cup against New Zealand remains his most memorable one. The 109-ball innings helped Sri Lanka post a brilliant first-innings score of 289 runs and later defend it to enter the competition’s final. For his knock, Jayawardene was declared as the Player of the Match.

FAQs

Which team has hit the most ODI World Cup centuries?

India has hit the most centuries in ODI World Cups – 34.

Which player hit most centuries in World Cup 2019?

Indian opener Rohit Sharma hit five centuries in World Cup 2019.

How many World Cup centuries has Virat Kohli hit?

Virat Kohli has hit three ODI World Cup centuries.