Most Centuries in ODI World Cup History
Date | Players | Centuries |
1975 | Glenn Turner | 2 |
1979 | Si Gordan Greenidge and Sir Viv Richards | 1 (Each) |
1983 | David Gower, Sir Viv Richards, Zaheer Abbas, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Allan Lamb and Trevor Chappell | 1 (Each) |
1987 | Geoff Marsh | 2 |
1992 | David Boon and Ramiz Raja | 2 (Each) |
1996 | Mark Waugh | 3 centuries |
1999 | Rahul Dravid and Saeed Anwar | 2 (Each) |
2003 | Sourav Ganguly | 3 |
2007 | Mathew Hayden | 3 |
2011 | Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sachin Tendulkar, Upul Tharanga, AB de Villiers, Ryan ten and Jayawardena | 2 (Each) |
2015 | Kumar Sangakkara | 4 |
2019 | Rohit Sharma | 5 |
The ICC ODI World Cup is an event conducted by the sports governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), every four years for the international championship of One Day Internationals (ODIs).
The 50-over tournament is one of the most viewed sporting events in the world. At least 10 or more countries participate in the marquee ICC event, with the champion team lifting the glittering trophy – the ODI World Cup.
The first-ever World Cup was played in England in 1975 when West Indies beat Australia by 17 runs in the final to win the inaugural trophy.
Coincidentally, the last ODI Cricket World Cup in 2019 was also held in England, with the hosts beating New Zealand by a boundary count in the Super Over.
Most Centuries in ODI World Cup History
Player | Inns | Runs | HS | 100 |
RG Sharma (IND) | 27 | 1528 | 140 | 7 |
DA Warner (AUS) | 28 | 1520 | 178 | 6 |
SR Tendulkar (IND) | 44 | 2278 | 152 | 6 |
KC Sangakkara (SL) | 35 | 1532 | 124 | 5 |
Virat Kohli (IND) | 36 | 1741 | 117 | 5 |
RT Ponting (AUS) | 42 | 1743 | 140* | 5 |
SC Ganguly (IND) | 21 | 1006 | 183 | 4 |
AB de Villiers (SA) | 22 | 1207 | 162* | 4 |
ME Waugh (AUS) | 22 | 1004 | 130 | 4 |
TM Dilshan (SL) | 25 | 1112 | 161* | 4 |
When Rohit Sharma scored Most Centuries in ODI World Cup History
Opposition | Runs | Venue | Strike rate | Result |
South Africa | 122* | Southampton | 84.72 | India won by 6 wickets |
Pakistan | 140 | Manchester | 123.89 | India won by 89 runs (D/L Method) |
England | 102 | Birmingham | 93.57 | India lost by 31 runs |
Bangladesh | 104 | Birmingham | 113.04 | India won by 28 runs |
Sri Lanka | 103 | Leeds | 109.57 | India won by 7 wickets |
Most Centuries in ODI World Cup - India
Player | Score | Opposition | Venue | Result |
Rohit Sharma | 122* | South Africa | Southampton | India won by 6 wickets |
Rohit Sharma | 140 | Pakistan | Manchester | India won by 89 runs (DLS) |
Rohit Sharma | 102 | England | Birmingham | India lost by 31 runs |
Rohit Sharma | 104 | Bangladesh | Birmingham | India won by 28 runs |
Rohit Sharma | 103 | Sri Lanka | Leeds | India won by 7 wickets |
Shikhar Dhawan | 117 | Australia | Oval, London | India won by 36 runs |
KL Rahul | 111 | Sri Lanka | Leeds | India won by 7 wickets |
England’s Dennis Amiss holds the record for scoring first-ever century in the ICC ODI World Cup. The right-handed batter scored 137 off 147, including 18 boundaries against India in the 1975 World Cup opener.
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On the other hand, Australian opener David Warner had registered the last century in the ODI World Cup in 2019. The left-handed opener scored 122 off 117 balls, including two sixes and 15 boundaries. In the same game, then South Africa captain Faf du Plessis smashed 100 runs off 94 balls, including two sixes and seven boundaries.
India captain Rohit Sharma and legendary Sachin Tendulkar hold the record for most tons in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup. The two cricketers have smashed six centuries each. Rohit, though, has played fewer games (17) compared to Tendulkar (45). The right-handed batter has a golden opportunity to eclipse the legend in the upcoming ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023.
Rohit smashed his first World Cup century against Bangladesh in the 2015 World Cup. The right-handed batter scored 137 off 126, including three sixes and 14 boundaries. He smashed the remaining five centuries in the 2019 World Cup. The star batter hit hundreds against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. His last World Cup ton came against Sri Lanka, where he smashed 103 off 94, including two sixes and 14 boundaries.
Rohit Sharma – 6
Sachin Tendulkar – 6
Kumar Sangakkara – 5
Ricky Ponting – 5
David Warner – 4
Sourav Ganguly – 4
AB de Villiers – 4
Mark Waugh – 4
Tillakaratne Dilshan – 4
Mahela Jayawardena – 4
Sachin Tendulkar, on the other hand, registered his first-ever World Cup century against Kenya in the 1996 World Cup. The right-handed batter scored 127* off 138, including one six and 15 boundaries. He scored his last World Cup hundred against South Africa in 2011, where he smashed 111 off 101, including three sixes and eight boundaries.
Tendulkar is also the all-time leading run-scorer in the ODI Cricket World Cup, amassing 2278 in 45 games.
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Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara and Australia’s two-time World Cup-winning skipper Ricky Ponting hold the record for second-most centuries in ODI World Cup History.
The duo have smashed five centuries in the marquee ICC event. Sangakkara has played fewer games (37) compared to Ponting (46) in the ODI World Cup. The latter, though, is the second-highest run-getter in the World Cup with 1743 in 46 games, while Sangakkara is third, scoring 1532 in 37 matches.
Ponting smashed his first-ever World Cup ton against West Indies in 1996, scoring 102 off 112. His last century came against India in the 2011 World Cup, where he scored 104 off 118. Ponting’s most famous World Cup hundred came against India in 2003, where he remained unbeaten on 140 off 121. Australia won the summit clash by 125 runs to lift the World Cup trophy.
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Sangakkara, who smashed the most tons in the 2015 World Cup (four), registered his first ton in the 50-over tournament against New Zealand in 2011. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 111 off 128 balls. He later smashed tons each against Bangladesh, England, Australia, and Scotland consecutively in the 2015 World Cup.