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The ICC Cricket World Cup is around the corner. The quadrennial event is scheduled to be held in India between 5th October and 19th 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: Most catches at the World Cup
As they say “catches win matches”, it all comes down to the players being fielders in a team. As another popular saying suggests,
“A good batter will notch runs in some, a good bowler will pick wickets in some, but a good fielder will save runs in every match.”
The weight of this responsibility goes considerably higher as one plays at the prestigious cricket World Cup.
The World Cup history has been indeed enlightening in every sense. Several noteworthy events, including double hundreds, consecutive sixes, and 400+ scores, have all been seen in this illustrious competition. The fans continue to recall and relive some of the best and most memorable moments from the event.
Catches might look like a trivial part of the game. However, they hold greater importance than scoring runs or picking wickets as they tend to turn the tables considerably. Many players over the years in the history of the World Cup have found themselves underneath the ball and taken many catches that have turned the course of the game and proved to be decisive in terms of the match results.
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting holds the record for taking the highest number of catches in World Cup history. Ponting was an excellent slip fielder of his time and no doubt finds himself on the top of the list. The former skipper has taken 28 catches in 48 innings at the World Cup. Ponting represented his team in five World Cups between 1996 and 2011 where he led his team to victory on two occasions (2003 and 2007) and was a part of the winning team on one (1996).
Ponting is followed by England’s Joe Root who represented his team on two occasions in 2015 and 2019 respectively and will be donning the jersey on a third consecutive occasion as well. Root, who will try to defend the World Cup title this year, sits on 20 catches from 17 innings and is likely to climb up the order this year.
Top 15 Players with Most Catches in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
| Player | Span | Mat | Inns | Ct | Max | Ct/Inn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJ Mitchell (NZ) | 2023-2023 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 1.1 |
| M Labuschagne (AUS) | 2023-2023 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0.727 |
| DA Warner (AUS) | 2023-2023 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0.727 |
| DA Miller (SA) | 2023-2023 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0.7 |
| RA Jadeja (IND) | 2023-2023 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 0.636 |
| BA Stokes (ENG) | 2023-2023 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| SA Engelbrecht (NED) | 2023-2023 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0.75 |
| Shubman Gill (IND) | 2023-2023 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0.666 |
| DP Conway (NZ) | 2023-2023 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0.6 |
| MA Starc (AUS) | 2023-2023 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0.6 |
| V Kohli (IND) | 2023-2023 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0.545 |
| Usama Mir (PAK) | 2023-2023 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1.25 |
| MJ Henry (NZ) | 2023-2023 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.714 |
Top 10 Players with Most Catches in ICC Cricket World Cup History Till 2023
| Player Name | Span | Mat | Inns | Ct | Max | Ct/Inn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RT Ponting (AUS) | 1996-2011 | 46 | 46 | 28 | 3 | 0.608 |
| JE Root (ENG) | 2015-2023 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 4 | 1.2 |
| ST Jayasuriya (SL) | 1992-2007 | 38 | 38 | 18 | 2 | 0.473 |
| V Kohli (IND) | 2011-2023 | 30* | 30 | 17 | 2 | 0.566 |
| CH Gayle (WI) | 2003-2019 | 35 | 35 | 17 | 2 | 0.485 |
| F du Plessis (SA) | 2011-2019 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 3 | 0.727 |
| CL Cairns (NZ) | 1992-2003 | 28 | 28 | 16 | 3 | 0.571 |
| EJG Morgan (ENG/IRE) | 2007-2019 | 29 | 29 | 16 | 3 | 0.551 |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq (PAK) | 1992-2007 | 35 | 34 | 16 | 3 | 0.47 |
| BC Lara (WI) | 1992-2007 | 34 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0.47 |
