List of Cricket World Cup centuries

India's Rohit Sharma has the most centuries (7) in World Cup matches. He also holds the record for most centuries in a single World Cup tournament having scored 5 centuries in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

In cricket, a player is said to have completed a century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings.[1] The Cricket World Cup is the international championship of One Day International (ODI) cricket. The event is organized by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC),[2] and is held once every four years.[2][3] As of the latest 2023 tournament, a total of 236 centuries have been scored by 135 players from 16 different teams.[4] Players from all the teams that have permanent ODI status have made centuries.[a] In addition, players from four teams that have temporary ODI status have scored centuries.[b] India have scored the most centuries (39), and have the most centurions (17).[4]

The first century in the championship was scored by Dennis Amiss of England when he made 137 against India in the 1975 World Cup.[6] The same day New Zealand's Glenn Turner scored 171* against East Africa. It remained the highest individual total over the next two editions until Indian cricketer Kapil Dev scored 175* against Zimbabwe in 1983. Following that, the record was broken successively by Viv Richards (181) in 1987, Gary Kirsten (188*) in 1996, Chris Gayle (215) and Martin Guptill (237*) both in 2015.

India's Rohit Sharma holds the record for the highest number of centuries with seven,[7] followed by India's Sachin Tendulkar and Australia's David Warner with six, followed by Australia's Ricky Ponting, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and India's Virat Kohli with five. Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sourav Ganguly, Mahela Jayawardene, AB de Villiers, Mark Waugh, and Quinton de Kock have four centuries each.[7]

Rohit Sharma's five centuries in the 2019 tournament are the most by a player in a single tournament. Sangakkara scored four centuries in consecutive matches in the 2015 tournament.[8] Quinton de Kock also scored four centuries in a single tournament (2023). Six players – Waugh (1996), Ganguly (2003), Matthew Hayden (2007), Warner (2019), Rachin Ravindra and Virat Kohli (both 2023) – have scored three centuries in a single tournament. In 1992, Andy Flower of Zimbabwe – making his ODI debut in a World Cup – scored a century.[c][11] In the 2023 tournament, 40 centuries were scored, while the 1979 competition had just two centuries.

Seven centuries have been scored in the finals;[12] out of which six resulted in victories.[13] Adam Gilchrist's 149 against Sri Lanka at the 2007 World Cup Final remains the highest individual score in a final;[14] his 72-ball century is also the fastest in a final.[14]

The fastest 100 in any World Cup was scored by Glenn Maxwell in 40 balls against the Netherlands on 25 October 2023. He also scored the World Cup fastest 200 in the same World Cup against Afghanistan on 7 November.

  1. ^ Knight 2013, chpt. Honing Your Batting Skills.
  2. ^ a b Bhardwaj 2011, p. B–307.
  3. ^ Pervez 2001, p. 91.
  4. ^ a b "Teams World Cup Centuries". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b Williamson, Martin. "A brief history ..." ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Global Home > Explore Records > First Cricket World Cup century". Guinness World Records. Jim Pattison Group. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  7. ^ a b "World Cup / Records / Most hundreds". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  8. ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Batting Records / Hundreds In Consecutive Innings". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Cricketer of The Year 2002 – Andy Flower". Wisden, reprinted by ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Batting records / Hundred on debut". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Raju's premature celebrations, Arjuna's cool head". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  12. ^ Miller, Andrew (2 April 2011). "Dhoni and Gambhir lead India to World Cup glory". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Century no consolation for Jayawardene". ESPNcricinfo. 3 April 2011. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  14. ^ a b Brett, Oliver (28 April 2007). "World Cup Final, Barbados: Australia 281–4 beat Sri Lanka 215–8 by 53 runs (D/L method)". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013. Opener Adam Gilchrist hit a brilliant 149 off 104 balls as Australia won the World Cup for the third time in a row.


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