ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: 4 unnoticed records from previous World Cups
2019 has arrived and the cricket fans across the globe are eagerly waiting to witness the top teams battle it out for the most prestigious trophy in the sport.
11 World Cups have taken place in different parts of the world including England, Australia, the Asian subcontinent, South Africa and West Indies, and each tournament has brought with it different kinds of expectations and excitement.
The first couple of editions were dominated by the West Indies whereas the third edition saw the underdogs India emerge victorious. The next three editions saw Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively take home the trophy.
Australia then exerted their dominance, winning the next three World Cups under Waugh and Ponting’s captaincy. In 2011, India became the first country to win a World Cup on home soil following which Australia replicated the feat in 2015.
Australia has the highest winning percentage in the tournament, with India a distant second. Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-getter with 2278 runs while Glenn McGrath tops the list of bowlers with most wickets (71).
These are some of the better-known records in World Cup history. Here, we look at some that flew under the radar.
#1 Highest partnership in World Cup history – Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle vs Zimbabwe (2015)
West Indies took on Zimbabwe in a group B match in Canberra in the 2015 World Cup. Apart from the fact that it was completely one-sided, it was the batting performance by the Windies that stole the limelight.
Having opted to bat first, West Indies lost Dwayne Smith without a run on the board. Marlon Samuels joined Chris Gayle at the middle. The pair was impeccable from the start, putting up a very good show for the spectators.
Gayle was desperate for a big knock, with his previous century having come 19 months ago. On the other hand, Samuels was looking to cement his spot in the XI. They put together 372 runs for the second wicket, which is the highest ever for any wicket.
Gayle struck a double century off 138 balls which included 10 fours and 16 sixes. Samuels pitched in with an outstanding knock of 133 which was his highest ODI score at the time. This propelled the team’s total to 372 which won them the game by 73 runs.