The ICC Cricket World Cup, held every four years, is a global spectacle that captivates cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Within this grand arena of cricketing excellence, one of the most illustrious categories of achievement is run-scoring.

These are the individuals who, when the stakes are high, rise to the occasion and accumulate runs for their respective nations. In this article, we look at the remarkable careers and extraordinary accomplishments of the five leading run-scorers in the history of the ODI World Cup.

Sachin Tendulkar (India): 2278 Runs 

The number one spot is held by none other than our favorite cricketer and GOD, Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin played for Team India in the World Cup from 1992 to 2011. 

And, although his World Cup career lasted only six years, the records he set during that time remain intact. In just 45 outings, the legend has scored 2278 runs.

In comparison to any other cricketer ever born, Sachin has the most hundreds (six) and half-centuries (15). Sachin has the maximum possible score of 152. 

Ricky Ponting (Australia): 1743 Runs

Ricky Ponting is a name that any cricket fan, whether a child of the 1990s or a member of Generation Z, is familiar with. The renowned cricketer’s World Cup career lasted from 1996 until 2011. Ponting has represented Australia at the World Cup for the past six years. He has five centuries and six half-centuries in these six years. RT Ponting is in second place with a total score of 1743, which he achieved in 46 matches. 

See Also: ICC CWC 2023: Top-5 wicket-takers in the ICC WC tournament history (cricketwinner.com)

Kumar Sangakarra (Sri Lanka): 1532 Runs

The third name on this list is world-renowned Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara. Kumar Sangakkara first represented Sri Lanka in the World Cup in 2003. Sangakkara’s final World Cup was in 2015, after spending 13 years for Sri Lanka in the tournament. Sangakkara has scored 1532 runs in 37 matches over his 13-year career. Sangakkara’s highest score is 124, and he has five centuries and seven half-centuries in his World Cup career. 

Brian Lara (West Indies): 1225 Runs

Brian Charles Lara ranks fourth in World Cup history regarding runs scored. BC Lara was a West Indian cricketer who competed in the World Cup from 1992 to 2007. During his 16-year World Cup career, he has scored two centuries and seven half-centuries. The left-handed swashbuckler is first on the list, earning 1225 points in 34 encounters. Brian Lara’s top score is 116 runs. 

AB de Villiers (South Africa): 1207 Runs

AB de Villiers, better known as Mr. 360, seals the fifth place. AB de Villiers represented South Africa in the World Cup, which began in 2007 and ended in 2015. Mr. 360 has played in over 23 matches and scored 1207 points over the course of 9 years. AB De’s highest World Cup score is 162 runs. During his 9-year World Cup career, he has four centuries and six half-centuries.