A World Cup century is certainly something which is a significant achievement in the context of the World Cup, as they demonstrate a player’s ability to perform at the highest level in a crucial tournament. They often contribute to their team’s success and can be pivotal in deciding the outcome of matches. World Cup centuries are celebrated milestones and can leave a lasting impact on a player’s career and legacy in the sport.
Similarly, in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 has witnessed a barrage of centuries, with several batters scoring them with ease. The South African team, in particular, has displayed dominant batting performances. In the top 5 run-scorers of the tournament, four are South African batters, and one of them, Quinton De Kock, stands out for making scoring centuries a habitual occurrence.
The wicket keeper batter has been in sensational form and currently leads the run-scoring charts in the World Cup. His recent century against New Zealand in Pune was his fourth of the tournament, solidifying his place among the elite batters who have achieved multiple centuries in a single edition of the ODI World Cup. This is not the first instance in the World Cup history, let us now look at three players who have scored the maximum number of ton in one edition of this marquee event;
Kumara Sangakkara (4 centuries)
Kumar Sangakara (Source: Twitter)
Kumar Sangakkara’s performance in the 2015 edition of the ODI Cricket World Cup was nothing short of remarkable. The veteran Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman showcased his class and consistency throughout the tournament, finishing as the highest run-scorer. Sangakkara scored 541 runs at an astonishing average of 108.20, which included four centuries. His centuries came against Bangladesh, England, Australia, and Scotland, with the latter three all being consecutive, highlighting his remarkable form. Sangakkara’s ability to anchor the innings and play crucial roles in high-pressure situations was on full display. He played a key role in guiding Sri Lanka to the World Cup final.
Though Sri Lanka finished as runners-up, Sangakkara’s exceptional performances earned him the Player of the Tournament award. His legacy in ODI cricket was further cemented during this World Cup, and he remains one of the all-time greats in the format.
Quinton de Kock (4 centuries)
Quinton de Kock (Source: Twitter)
Another batter who has recently joined the select group of batters who have scored more than three centuries in a single edition of the ODI World Cup is Quinton de Kock. His outstanding form in the current tournament has been marked by remarkable consistency. De Kock has achieved centuries against Sri Lanka, Australia, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, further enhancing his reputation.
In the Sri Lanka match, he scored 100 runs in 84 balls, contributing to his team’s record-breaking ODI World Cup total. Against Australia, he notched up 109 runs in 106 balls. De Kock’s 174 runs in 140 balls against Bangladesh set a record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in the history of the ODI World Cup. In the New Zealand clash, he scored 114 runs in 116 balls.
Rohit Sharma (5 centuries)
Rohit Sharma (Source: Twitter)
One of the most standout performances in the 2019 ODI Cricket World Cup was by Rohit Sharma. Through his efforts, he solidified his status as one of India’s premier limited-overs batsmen. As one of the tournament’s top run-scorers, Rohit notched up an impressive five centuries, setting a new record for the most centuries in a single World Cup edition. Rohit showcased incredible consistency and adaptability, adapting his game to different match situations.
The India skipper’s centuries came against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. His performances played a vital role in India’s journey to the semi-finals. The opener displayed great composure and strokeplay throughout the tournament. Despite India’s semi-final loss to New Zealand, Rohit Sharma’s World Cup campaign was a resounding success. This also earnt him the Golden Bat award as the leading run-scorer in the tournament. The star India batter has outstanding run-scoring ability and ability to anchor the innings made him one of the most impactful players in the 2019 World Cup.
