Top 5 highest scores against Pakistan in Men's ODI World Cup history ft. Kusal Mendis
Pakistan are among the few teams to have won the Men's ODI World Cup and the Men's T20 World Cup in cricket history. One of the major reasons behind Pakistan's success is that their bowling unit has performed well for the team at the grand stage.
However, not every day is the same in cricket, and at times, even some of the best players in the world have off days. Pakistan's bowling attack had an off day today (October 10) in Hyderabad, where Sri Lanka scored 344 runs in a Men's ODI World Cup match against the Men in Green.
Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis scored a hundred each. Samarawickrama recorded the sixth-highest individual score in Men's ODI World Cup matches against Pakistan by scoring 108. Here's a list of the top five individual scores.
#5 Richie Richardson - 110 vs Pakistan, Men's ODI World Cup 1987
Former West Indies batter Richie Richardson smacked a match-winning ton for his team in a World Cup match against Pakistan back in 1987. Karachi's National Stadium played host to that battle between West Indies and Pakistan.
West Indies won the toss and decided to bat first. The decision worked in their favor as Richardson's 135-ball 110 helped them win the match by 28 runs. Richardson smashed eight fours and two sixes in his knock while batting at number three.
Captain Viv Richards scored a half-century and stitched up a 137-run third-wicket partnership with Richardson. West Indies scored 258/7 and kept Pakistan down to 230/9.
#4 Kusal Mendis - 122 vs Pakistan, Men's ODI World Cup 2023
As mentioned earlier, Kusal Mendis hit a ton against Pakistan earlier today. The Sri Lankan batter played aggressively and raced to his ton in just 65 balls. He eventually scored 122 runs off 77 balls, smacking 14 fours and six sixes.
Mendis became the first Sri Lankan player to score a hundred in ODI World Cup matches against Pakistan. He batted at a splendid strike rate of 158.44 in Hyderabad.
#3 Ross Taylor - 131* vs Pakistan, Men's ODI World Cup 2011
Pakistan battled New Zealand in a group-stage match of the 2011 World Cup in Pallekele. The Blackcaps elected to bat first and scored 302/7 in 50 overs.
Brendon McCullum and Jamie How lost their wickets in single digits, but middle-order batter Ross Taylor smashed a fantastic hundred to help New Zealand cross the 300-run mark.
Taylor came out to bat in the 13th over and remained unbeaten till the end of the innings. He smashed eight fours and seven sixes, with two maximums coming off back-to-back deliveries bowled by Shoaib Akhtar in the 47th over. Taylor won the Man of the Match award for his 124-ball 131*.
#2 Rohit Sharma - 140 vs Pakistan, Men's ODI World Cup 2019
Current Indian captain Rohit Sharma played one of the best knocks in World Cup history in the 2019 WC league-stage battle between India and Pakistan. Sharma opened the batting and smacked a 113-ball 140.
The Hitman first added 136 runs with his opening partner KL Rahul and then built a 98-run stand for the second wicket with Virat Kohli. His innings consisted of 14 fours and three sixes. After India won the match by 89 runs, Sharma deservingly bagged the Man of the Match award.
#1 Andrew Symonds - 143* vs Pakistan, Men's ODI World Cup 2003
The record for the highest individual score in ODI World Cup matches against Pakistan belongs to former Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds. The hard-hitter scored an unbeaten 125-ball 143* in the only World Cup innings of his career against Pakistan.
The Men in Green reduced Australia to 86/4 in the 16th over of the group-stage match at The Wanderers in the 2003 World Cup. Andrew Symonds then rebuilt the innings with captain Ricky Ponting before launching an all-out assault on the Pakistan bowlers.
Symonds hit 18 fours and two sixes in his entertaining knock. His unbeaten ton helped Australia finish with 310/8 in 50 overs. Australia won that contest by 82 runs.