Highest Batting Averages In ODI World Cup: The ICC ODI World Cup is around the corner. Teams have set their sights on the mega event. All the preparation in the white-ball format is a dress rehearsal for the World Cup. The role of the batters is crucial and more so in this edition as the World Cup will be played in India. It is the first time that India will host all the matches instead of earlier sharing duties with other subcontinental teams.
We take a look at batters who excelled in the World Cup and boast top averages. The selection cutoff for this list is batters who have scored a minimum of 800 runs in the tournament.
Highest Batting Averages In ODI World Cup
#5 David Warner – 62.00
He might be on the last leg of his red-ball career but David Warner is still a force in the shortest format. The left-handed opener who has played just the two editions features on most of the batting records in the tournament. He has scored 992 runs in 18 games at a solid average of 62.00. Warner’s strike rate of 98.12 is among the highest for batters with such a volume of runs. He has also scored 4 centuries and 3 fifties in the World Cups.
#4 Vivian Richards – 63.31
The original master blaster was an absolute beast in the World Cups. Vivian Richards played a huge role in West Indies’ successive title triumphs in 1975 and 1979. He was in his element even in the 1983 and the 1987 editions. Richards aggregated 1,013 runs in 23 games at an average of 63.31. His strike rate of 85.05 for that generation was also huge. He smashed 3 centuries and 5 fifties in the tournament.
#3 Michael Clarke – 63.42
He isn’t as celebrated as other World Cup-winning captains. Michael Clarke signed off from the 2015 edition on a high winning the World Cup on home soil. He played 25 World Cup games scoring 888 runs at a brilliant average of 63.42. Clarke’s strike rate of 94.16 is top notch too. He didn’t score a century in the tournament but amassed 8 fifties in total. His 7 not-out knocks surely boost his World Cup average and earn him the third spot!
#2 AB de Villiers – 63.52
He narrowly edges out Michael Clarke to take up the second spot. AB de Villiers will remain one of the ODI World Cup greats owing to his insane numbers. The former South African captain accumulated 1,207 runs in 23 World Cup matches. He averaged 63.52 with 3 not-out knocks to his name. ABD’s strike rate of 117.29 is jaw-dropping. He smashed 4 centuries and 6 fifties showing why he is regarded as one of the finest of his generation.
#1 Rohit Sharma – 65.20
The Indian captain will lead the side for the first time in an ODI World Cup. Rohit Sharma will walk into the tournament as one of the tournament’s legends. He had an unbelievable 2019 World Cup wherein he scored 5 centuries, a tournament record. Sharma’s ODI World Cup numbers are sensational. He has scored 978 runs in 12 games at an astounding average of 65.20. His strike rate of 95.97 is excellent too. Sharma has scored the joint-most hundreds as well in the tournament (6).
