Highest Strike Rate in Cricket World Cup

The ICC Cricket World Cup is around the corner. The quadrennial event is scheduled to be held in India between 5th October and 19^th November. With 10 teams from all over the world, the intensity of the competition will be at its peak. One of the most prestigious tournaments held by the ICC, the spectators eagerly wait to experience the thrill and drama it unleashes.

India has hosted the biggest ICC event on three occasions in 1987, 1996 and 2011, however, the hosting remained partial in all of them. This year, the country will single-handedly host the entire tournament at its 10 most iconic venues.

The tournament has borne some of the most interesting rivalries since its inception. In nearly 2 months, 48 matches will add fuel to these fiery rivalries.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Highest strike rate in Cricket World Cup

Scoring runs is crucial for every team. However, the pace at which those runs are scored also plays a crucial role in the decisiveness of the match. In the ODI history, several batsmen have played their part by scoring essential runs for their team. When it comes to the most esteemed ICC format in the world, no batter wants to settle for second-best. Although each batter contributes to the development of an innings, occasionally one player may boast the power to anchor an innings and determine the result of a game.

The long yet limited nature of the format has often witnessed players scoring momentarily, eradicating the possibility of errors in their name. However, there have been some who have been adventurous enough to take risks and score runs at a phenomenal rate. Owing to this, they have also ended up high on the list of the batsmen with the highest strike rate in the ODI World Cup.

Former Kiwi batsman Brendon McCullum holds the record for holding the highest strike rate in ODI World Cup history. The right-hander is one of the most explosive batsmen who could play a T20 game in longer formats like ODIs and Tests. McCullum unleashed his fury at his last ODI World Cup in 2015 when he ended up as the second-highest run-scorer from New Zealand. The former New Zealand player holds a strike rate of 120.84 where he has scored a total of 742 runs from 34 matches at an average of 33.72.

McCullum is followed by former Protean skipper AB De Villiers who did not end very far at 117.29 in the list. De Villiers scored 1207 runs from 23 innings at an average of 63.52.

Those players have been able to rise to the challenge of consistently producing well under duress and scoring runs, consolidating their position on the list and subsequently helping the game towards a successful conclusion. However, achieving the greatest strike rate raises the stakes to an altogether new level. That in addition creates opportunities for other players to score runs, but it also gives the club a run cushion.

*Last Updated 18 September 2023