Best innings ever in the history of the World Cup?

[Harsh Thakor]

The 25 best innings ever played in the world cup ranked in order of merit.

1.Alvin Kalicharan 78 v Australia at the Oval in 1975

2.Sachin Tendulkar 98 v Pakistan in 2003

3.Clive Lloyd 102 v Australia in 1975 final

4.Kapil Dev 175n.o v Zimbabwe in 1983

5.Collis King 86 v England in 1979 final

6.Inzamam Ul Haq 60 v New Zealand in 1992

7.Steve Waugh 120 n.o. v South Africa in 1999

8.Zaheer Abbas 93 v West Indies in 1979

9.Viv Richards 138 in 1979 final

10.Adam Gilchrist 149 n.o in 2007 final

11.Gundappa Vishwanath 75 v West Indies in 1979 at Edgbaston

12.Brian Lara 111 v South Africa in 1996.

13.Aravinda De Silva 66 at Kolkata in 1996 versus India in semi-final

14.Ricky Ponting 140 v India in 2003 final

15.Mohinder Amarnath 80 v West Indies at Oval in 1983

16.Mohsin Khan 70 v West Indies in 1983

17.Alan Lamb 67 n.o v West Indies in 1987

18.Majid Khan 81 v West Indies in 1979

19.Viv Richards 181 v Sri Lanka in 1987

20.Virendra Sehwag 48 v Pakistan in 2011 semi-final

21.Aravinda De Silva 107 n.o in 1996 final v Australia

22.Mahinder Singh Dhoni 100 in 2011 final

23.Sunil Gavaskar 103 v New Zealand in 1987

24.Sannath Jayasuriya 82 v England in 1996

25.Imran Khan 102 v Sri Lanka in 1983



1.Kalicharan 78 at top because of domination against the fastest paceman in Brdamanseque proportion which was close to the most merciless onslaught against a pace attack ever.Blended the power of a bulldozer with the artistry of a musician.Made the likes of Lillee and homson at their fastest look pedestal.

2.Tendulkar's 89 v Pakistan was closest to the perfect innings revealing skill in regions of the sublime,punishing the best of deliveries to the fence.

3.Cllive Lloyd took domination of bowling to it's pinnacle enabling his team to win the inaugural world cup.Rose to an occasion like few cricketers have ever done with a series of blazing strokes all around the wicket.

4.Kapil Dev ressurected his side from the grave to the pinnacle of glory like no cricketer ever in his unbeaten 175 and above all set the turning point from which India went on to capture the title.


5.Collis King ,more than Viv won the 1979 world cup for his side with a blitzkreig of hitting all around the wicket.


6.Inzamam in 1992 turned the fate or complexion of a world cup semi-final like nonone ever with a dazzling display of strokeplay .Crafstmanship at its supreme height.

7.Steve Waugh displayed discipline , organization and grit of a military commander with the most balanced innings ever in a run chase in the world cup.

8.Zaheer Abbas's 93 was the connoisseurs delight revealing artistry in depths rarely crossed,putting Paksitan on the verge of an improbable win against the best pace attack ever.

 

[Robert]

Love your prose style!

 

[barah_admi]

Really interesting thread and I'll post my own list when I have a bit more time to put it together.

 

[Hitman]

Ponting's innings in the 2003 WC final.

 

[Dead Ball]

Tendulkars innings is too high, the match was more or less a dead rubber for India. To say it's better than some high stakes centuries under pressure in knockout games is really being biased to that knock.

Otherwise it's a good list, I would rank Aravindas final knock in the 1996 world Cup a lot higher though.

 

[Saurav]

The 25 best innings ever played in the world cup ranked in order of merit.

1.Alvin Kalicharan 78 v Australia at the Oval in 1975

2.Sachin Tendulkar 98 v Pakistan in 2003

3.Clive Lloyd 102 v Australia in 1975 final

4.Kapil Dev 175n.o v Zimbabwe in 1983

5.Collis King 86 v England in 1979 final

6.Inzamam Ul Haq 60 v New Zealand in 1992

7.Steve Waugh 120 n.o. v South Africa in 1999

8.Zaheer Abbas 93 v West Indies in 1979

9.Viv Richards 138 in 1979 final

10.Adam Gilchrist 149 n.o in 2007 final

11.Gundappa Vishwanath 75 v West Indies in 1979 at Edgbaston

12.Brian Lara 111 v South Africa in 1996.

13.Aravinda De Silva 66 at Kolkata in 1996 versus India in semi-final

14.Ricky Ponting 140 v India in 2003 final

15.Mohinder Amarnath 80 v West Indies at Oval in 1983

16.Mohsin Khan 70 v West Indies in 1983

17.Alan Lamb 67 n.o v West Indies in 1987

18.Majid Khan 81 v West Indies in 1979

19.Viv Richards 181 v Sri Lanka in 1987

20.Virendra Sehwag 48 v Pakistan in 2011 semi-final

21.Aravinda De Silva 107 n.o in 1996 final v Australia

22.Mahinder Singh Dhoni 100 in 2011 final

23.Sunil Gavaskar 103 v New Zealand in 1987

24.Sannath Jayasuriya 82 v England in 1996

25.Imran Khan 102 v Sri Lanka in 1983



1.Kalicharan 78 at top because of domination against the fastest paceman in Brdamanseque proportion which was close to the most merciless onslaught against a pace attack ever.Blended the power of a bulldozer with the artistry of a musician.Made the likes of Lillee and homson at their fastest look pedestal.

2.Tendulkar's 89 v Pakistan was closest to the perfect innings revealing skill in regions of the sublime,punishing the best of deliveries to the fence.

3.Cllive Lloyd took domination of bowling to it's pinnacle enabling his team to win the inaugural world cup.Rose to an occasion like few cricketers have ever done with a series of blazing strokes all around the wicket.

4.Kapil Dev ressurected his side from the grave to the pinnacle of glory like no cricketer ever in his unbeaten 175 and above all set the turning point from which India went on to capture the title.


5.Collis King ,more than Viv won the 1979 world cup for his side with a blitzkreig of hitting all around the wicket.


6.Inzamam in 1992 turned the fate or complexion of a world cup semi-final like nonone ever with a dazzling display of strokeplay .Crafstmanship at its supreme height.

7.Steve Waugh displayed discipline , organization and grit of a military commander with the most balanced innings ever in a run chase in the world cup.

8.Zaheer Abbas's 93 was the connoisseurs delight revealing artistry in depths rarely crossed,putting Paksitan on the verge of an improbable win against the best pace attack ever.

Dhoni made 90 odd,not 100

 

[Mp812]

Steve Waugh v South Africa in 1999.
Reasons : High pressure game against a rampaging SA in a SF.
Australia were almost gone and dusted but to put up a total of 213 with Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh scoring vital half-centuries after Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald had torn through Aus batting lineup order picking up 9 of the ten wickets between them.
It triggered start of Aus dominance era as Australia went on to win the final at Lord's, beating Pakistan by eight wickets after bowling them out cheaply. They would then go on to win the 2003 and 2007 World Cups crushing all opponents in semis and finals, and achieve a run of 34 World Cup matches without losing a game
In that sense it was an impact inning not just for the game but for next 8 years.

 

[Chokli]

Kapil Dev 175

 

[The_Odd_One]

Kevin o Brian's inning is missing from your list.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Kevin o Brian's inning is missing from your list.

Sorry. Infact just remembered 2. hours later.

 

[Ab Fan]

Gambhir's inning not there??

 

[last_knight]

Andrew Symonds 143 against Pak in 2003. Should be in top 20.

 

[Gullycricket]

Nothing comes close to Pontings innings

 

[CadPakFan]

John Davison 111 v WI 2003

 

[Suleiman]

Inzi vs NZ

Then Ponting in the 2003 final

Kapil 175

Afridi in Centurion

 

[amvbfm]

Off the top of my head some others:
- Bevan's 74 to rescue Australia from the brink of defeat against England in 2003
- Crowe's century in the 1992 opening match against Aus / or his innings against Windies
- Symonds's fightback against Pakistan in 2003
- Johnson's century against Australia in 99

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Kevin o Brian's inning is missing from your list.

Andrew Symonds 143 against Pak in 2003. Should be in top 20.

Great choice almost made it

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Kevin o Brian's inning is missing from your list.

Steve Waugh v South Africa in 1999.
Reasons : High pressure game against a rampaging SA in a SF.
Australia were almost gone and dusted but to put up a total of 213 with Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh scoring vital half-centuries after Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald had torn through Aus batting lineup order picking up 9 of the ten wickets between them.
It triggered start of Aus dominance era as Australia went on to win the final at Lord's, beating Pakistan by eight wickets after bowling them out cheaply. They would then go on to win the 2003 and 2007 World Cups crushing all opponents in semis and finals, and achieve a run of 34 World Cup matches without losing a game
In that sense it was an impact inning not just for the game but for next 8 years.

Very well analysed.Still I feel Inzamam knock more dazzling and match turning.

 

[AFM]

DeSilva's 96 Final innings should be higher on the list

 

[Mamoon]

Brian Lara's 116 vs South Africa in the 2003 World Cup opener also deserves a mention.

 

[Ab Fan]

Gambhir's inning not there??

Am I really missing out on something or else why no one thinks Gambhir's knock in WC 11 final doesn't deserves a place?

 

[last_knight]

It may not be in many lists but ABDV 90 vs Aus in 2007 world cup was pure masterclass. Only if he were not run out.

 

[Jeetlodil]

Aravinda De'Silva 1996 Final. It was a final. SL lost two quick wickets. SL chasing against Australia. First ever chance for SL to win a WC. Crossed the line. It has to be the best WC knock.

Even when bowling Aravinda turned the tide in SL's favour.

Best all round performance too.

 

[DRsohail]

Steven Waugh 120 in 99 [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] it should be in top 3 .???

 

[zulfiqar]

The best innings I have witnessed are going to be De Silva in Semifinals 96 and Finals '96, followed by Ponting in 2003 and then Gilchrist 2007. Semifinals/Finals are huge moments, and if I had witnessed Inzi in '92 that would be my #1 innings for sure. The difficulty of that situation makes it the biggest come-back of all time for World Cup knockout games! Also, De Silva gets a nod above Ponting/Gilchrist because of the David vs Goliath situation Sri Lanka was in for both semi-finals and finals. They were a minnow walking into the tournament and emerged champions - only because of those two innings!

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Off the top of my head some others:
- Bevan's 74 to rescue Australia from the brink of defeat against England in 2003
- Crowe's century in the 1992 opening match against Aus / or his innings against Windies
- Symonds's fightback against Pakistan in 2003
- Johnson's century against Australia in 99

Bevan and Symond knocks were classics.All but made it here.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Did not march the domination or artistry of the innings by Kslicharan,Kapil Dev or Clive Lloyd or even of Collis King or Inzamam.No doubt very close to the top.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

DeSilva's 96 Final innings should be higher on the list

His 66 in the semi final versus India on a bad wicket at Kolkata was a better innings in my view

 

[Stewie]

Ponting’s followed by Gilly’s ..

That 140, thst too in a World Cup final is just too much of a feat!

 

[ExplicitAI]

Sehwag's innings against Pak in Mohali was just a cameo off one Umar Gul over, he didn't score 48 either and got out by a good ball from Wahab Riaz. Raina's innings was more important than his.

 

[Realromeo]

Ponting's innings in the 2003 WC final.

LOL you think so ? We got nilated by all the Australian batsmen lol.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Kapil Dev's 175 against Zimbabwe.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

His 66 in the semi final versus India on a bad wicket at Kolkata was a better innings in my view

Wicket was not bad. We made it look bad. Watch Sachin's inning in that same match in the second inning.

 

[Hitman]

LOL you think so ? We got nilated by all the Australian batsmen lol.

I had to pick one. I did.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Steve Waugh 120 Vs SA in a must win super six match. It doesn't come any more clutch than that.

Andrew Symonds 143* Vs PAK

Ross taylor 131*

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Wicket was not bad. We made it look bad. Watch Sachin's inning in that same match in the second inning.

Disagree see the game again on video and assess the conditions.India made a blunder batting 2nd,simply suicidal

 

[Reverse Sweep]

Grant Elliot in the 2015 Semifinal vs South Africa should be in the top 5

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

From those i have seen Gambhir's 97 in world cup final when Tendu & Sehwag got out cheaply and Kohli scored just 31. He kept the run rate ticking and masterfully played Sri Lankan spinners. Gambho is by far the greatest Indian player in tournament finals.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Adam Gilchrist completely took the game away from SL in 2007.

 

[Amjid Javed]

No mention of any of keith Athurtons inns during the 1992 world cup

 

[mominsaigol]

After today's iconic 200 by maxwell, what is your best world cup innings played by a batter?

Ben Stokes 2019 wc innings comes to mind
Glenn maxwell 2023 bashing against afg comes to mind. What else?

 

[sweep_shot]

Maxwell's 201* is definitely the best World Cup knock I have seen. I watch cricket since 1997.

 

[mominsaigol]

Maxwell's 201* is definitely the best World Cup knock I have seen. I watch cricket since 1997.

It was

 

[moghul]

Maxwell's 201 today ( Nov 11, 2023 ) easily the best ever .

 

[Kianig89]

Any winning hundred in a WC SF or Final is the greatest innings, there is no other criteria than it

 

[Ab Fan]

Definitely up there.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Maxwell's innings was surely one of the greatest innings while chasing. I remember Fakahr's innings against South Africa as well. Absolute carnage but unfortunately got out due to clever thinking you can call it or cheating or whatever.

 

[Jazx]

Could also add fakhar's innings now in the list against nz in this wc.