The ICC Cricket World Cup is the pinnacle of ODIs. Every batsman aspires to perform when the chips are down and immortalise themselves. There have been a handful of players throughout the history of the tournament and many legendary cricketers who have captained but only a few of them are able to perform consistently in all World Cups, including this one.
So here, we take a glance at the most runs scored in ODI World Cup history, all-time ODI run scoring table and some of the extraordinary records that have come to define cricket’s biggest tournament.
Who Has the Most Runs in ODI World Cup History?
Former Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar tops the list with 2278 runs in World Cups. Tendulkar scored a total of 2,278 runs in six World Cup editions from 1992 to 2011 which is still the most anyone has scored in World Cups – no other player has crossed even the 2,000-run mark.
Along with the kind of consistency, technique and temperament he exhibited through those years, his performance in critical games was instrumental in India lifting the World Cup trophy, back in 2011 which only adds to that legacy.
Top 10 Players with Most Runs in ODI World Cup History
| Rank | Player | Country | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 45 | 2,278 | 56.95 | 6 | 15 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 37 | 1,795 | 59+ | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 46 | 1,743 | 45.86 | 5 | 6 |
| 4 | Rohit Sharma | India | 28 | 1,575 | 60+ | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 37 | 1,532 | 56.74 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 34 | 1,225 | 42.24 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 23 | 1,207 | 63.52 | 4 | 6 |
| 8 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 35 | 1,186 | 35.93 | 2 | 7 |
| 9 | Tillakaratne Dilshan | Sri Lanka | 27 | 1,112 | 48.34 | 4 | 4 |
| 10 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 40 | 1,100 | 42.3 | 4 | 6 |
Sachin Tendulkar – The King of ODI World Cup Runs
Sachin Tendulkar’s World Cup career spanned from 1992 to India’s improbable victory in 2011.
His achievements include:
- 2248 runs – (Highest ever in World Cup history)
- 6 centuries
- 15 half-centuries
- Average of 56.95
- Player of the Tournament- 2003 World Cup
Tendulkar’s 673 runs at the 2003 edition in South Africa was a tournament record that stood for two decades until being bettered by Virat Kohli in 2023.
Virat Kohli Climbs to Second Place
Virat Kohli – The Indian Super Star has broken so many ODI records and he hold couple of great World Cup stats as well.
Kohli also became the second-highest ICC Men’s ODI World Cup career run-scorer by a margin behind Australia’s Ricky Ponting after the tournament, with 1465 runs in his 30 innings (in 50 matches).
His World Cup career includes:
- 1,795 runs
- 5 centuries
- Outstanding average of nearly 60
- The 2023 World Cup with a massive 765 runs.
Kohli’s haul of 765 runs is now the highest-ever aggregate in a single edition of an ODI World Cup, with Sachin Tendulkar previously holding that record, having racked up 673 runs during the 2003 campaign.
Rohit Sharma’s Incredible Rise
India captain Rohit Sharma has been the leading name in World Cup batting history.
His achievements include:
- 1,575 World Cup runs
- World Cup hundreds 7 (most by any player)
- You have been a century in the 2019 World Cup
- High strike rate and match winning-per-win consistency
Despite playing significantly fewer World Cup matches than a number of greats there is no doubt that Rohit’s scoring rate is one of the finest in the history of the event.
Ricky Ponting – Australia’s World Cup Legend
Ricky Ponting: Ex-Australian captain Ricky Ponting was the lifeline behind Australia’s ruthless epoch
His World Cup career includes:
- 1,743 runs
- 5 centuries
- World Cup (1999, 2003 & 2007)
A knock for the ages, Ponting’s unbeaten 140 in the final of 2003 World Cup against India is widely regarded as one of the greatest innings in World Cup history.
Most Runs in a Single ODI World Cup
| Player | Tournament | Runs |
| Virat Kohli | 2023 | 765 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 2003 | 673 |
| Matthew Hayden | 2007 | 659 |
| Rohit Sharma | 2019 | 648 |
| David Warner | 2019 | 647 |
Which Country Has Produced the Most Top Run Scorers?
World Cup batting records have largely been dominated by India.
Another one of the ten highest run-scorers (Image: ICC)
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Virat Kohli
- Rohit Sharma
With Sri Lanka representing two of those players:
- Kumar Sangakkara
- Mahela Jayawardene
Represented by Ricky Ponting for Australia, while the West Indies includes Brian Lara and Chris Gayle.
Interesting Facts About Most Runs in ODI World Cup
- No other player has more than 2,000 runs in ODI World Cup with Sachin Tendulkar being the only one to surpass that landmark.
- Most Runs in a Single World Cup edition: Virat Kohli (765)
- Rohit Sharma has the most centuries (7) in Cricket World Cups.
- Highest World Cup run-scorers (for Australia) Ricky Ponting.
- Kumar Sangakkara is the highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the World Cup.
- AB de Villiers has (one of the) highest batting averages among players with 1,000-plus World Cup runs.
Can Virat Kohli Break Sachin Tendulkar’s Record?
Virat Kohli is in second position on the all-time list with 1,795 runs, 483 adrift of Sachin Tendulkar. A realistic case for Kohli to be the highest run-scorer in ODI World Cup history, if he plays the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup and has another prolific tournament.
Conclusion
This is certainly a mark of remarkable consistency, longevity and performance at cricket’s pinnacle level: The ODI World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar continues on the top spot with 2,278 runs, but a lot of World Cup batting records have been broken by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to keep India’s dominance going over the last few years.
As the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup approaches, fans will have their eyes peeled to see if Kohli can overtake Tendulkar’s famous mark or whether a new age of stars arrive to stamp their names in cricket history.