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Most runs in ODI World Cup history | Highest run-scorer in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup

In this article, we take a look at the players with most runs in ODI World Cup history. Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar is currently the highest run scorer in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, he scored 2278 runs in the 45 matches he played.

Sandipan Ghosh
Last updated: 05.10.2023
Most runs in ODI World Cup history

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is one of the most important tournaments in the cricket world.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) runs this tournament in the ODI format once every four years. Here we are going through the records for most runs in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history.

We have already experienced many great batters who have performed consistently in international cricket, including in the biggest challenge ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

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In this most runs article, we can talk about the top players in this list.

Article Contents

  • Who has most runs in World Cup history

    • List of most runs (Top 10)

  • Which right-handed batter scored most runs in World Cup history

  • List of most runs by right-handed batters (Top 5)

  • Which left-handed batter scored most runs in World Cup history

    • List of most runs by left-handed batters (Top 5)

  • Which captain scored most runs in World Cup history

    • List of most runs by captains (Top 5)

  • Which wicketkeeper scored most runs in World Cup history

    • List of most runs by wicketkeeper-batters (Top 5)


    Highest run-scorer in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history

    Q. Who has the most runs in World Cup history?

    A. Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar The right-handed batter scored 2278 runs in the ODI World Cup history. He also played the most number of world cups


    ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup: Most runs (Top 10)


    Player (Team)

    Matches (Innings)

    Runs scored

    Highest score

    Average

    100s/50s

    Sachin Tendulkar (India)

    45 (44)

    2278

    152

    56.95

    6/15

    Ricky Ponting (Australia)

    46 (42)

    1743

    140*

    45.86

    5/6

    Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

    37 (35)

    1532

    124

    56.74

    5/7

    Brian Lara (West Indies)

    34 (33)

    1225

    116

    42.24

    2/7

    AB de Villiers (South Africa)

    23 (22)

    1207

    162*

    63.52

    4/6

    Chris Gayle (West Indies)

    35 (34)

    1186

    215

    35.93

    2/6

    Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)

    38 (37)

    1165

    120

    34.26

    3/6

    Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

    36 (32)

    1148

    128*

    45.92

    1/9

    Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

    29 (29)

    1146

    124*

    45.84

    2/10

    Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)

    27 (25)

    1112

    161*

    52.95

    4/4

    (Updated till ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)


    Q. Which right-handed batter scored the most runs in World Cup history?

    A. Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar holds this record with 2278 runs in the ODI World Cup history.


    ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup: Most runs as a right-handed batter (Top 5)


    Player (Team)

    Matches (Innings)

    Runs scored

    Highest score

    Average

    100s/50s

    Sachin Tendulkar (India)

    45 (44)

    2278

    152

    56.95

    6/15

    Ricky Ponting (Australia)

    46 (42)

    1743

    140*

    45.86

    5/6

    AB de Villiers (South Africa)

    23 (22)

    1207

    162*

    63.52

    4/6

    Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

    36 (32)

    1148

    128*

    45.92

    1/9

    Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)

    27 (25)

    1112

    161*

    52.95

    4/4

    (Updated till ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)


    Q. Which left-handed batter scored the most runs in World Cup history?

    A. Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara records the most runs as a left-handed batter in the ODI World Cup history. He scored 1532 runs in this competition’s history.


    ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup: Most runs as a left-handed batter (Top 5)


    Player (Team)

    Matches (Innings)

    Runs scored

    Highest score

    Average

    100s/50s

    Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

    37 (35)

    1532

    124

    56.74

    5/7

    Brian Lara (West Indies)

    34 (33)

    1225

    116

    42.24

    2/7

    Chris Gayle (West Indies)

    35 (34)

    1186

    215

    35.93

    2/6

    Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)

    38 (37)

    1165

    120

    34.26

    3/6

    Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

    29 (29)

    1146

    124*

    45.84

    2/10

    (Updated till ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)


    Q. Which captain scored the most runs in World Cup history?

    A. Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting scored the most runs in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history. The right-handed batter is the only captain to score 1000+ runs in the ODI World Cup history. He scored 1160 runs in the Cricket World Cup as a captain in 25 innings, including four centuries and five half-centuries. 


    ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup: Most runs as a captain (Top 5)


    Player (Team)

    Matches (Innings)

    Runs scored

    Highest score

    Average

    100s/50s

    Ricky Ponting

    (Australia)

    29 (25)

    1160

    140*

    52.72

    4/5

    Stephen Fleming

    (New Zealand)

    27 (27)

    882

    134*

    36.75

    2/4

    Mohammad Azharuddin (India)

    23 (20)

    636

    93

    35.33

    0/6

    Graeme Smith

    (South Africa)

    17 (17)

    626

    91

    39.12

    0/5

    Imran Khan

    (Pakistan)

    22 (19)

    615

    102*

    38.43

    1/4

    (Updated till ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)


    Q. Which wicketkeeper scored the most runs in World Cup history?

    A. Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Sangakkara records the most runs as a wicketkeeper in the ODI World Cup history. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter scored 1532 runs in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history.


    ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup: Most runs as a wicketkeeper-batter (Top 5)


    Player (Team)

    Matches (Innings)

    Runs scored

    Highest score

    Average

    100s/50s

    Kumar Sangakkara

    (Sri Lanka)

    37 (35)

    1532

    124

    56.74

    5/7

    Adam Gilchrist

    (Australia)

    31 (31)

    1085

    149

    36.16

    1/8

    Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)

    29 (28)

    877

    102*

    38.13

    1/6

    MS Dhoni

    (India)

    29 (25)

    780

    91*

    43.33

    0/5

    Alec Stewart

    (England)

    20 (17)

    520

    88

    32.50

    0/4

    Brendon Taylor

    (Zimbabwe)

    9 (9)

    520

    138

    57.77

    2/2

    (Updated till ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)

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