Top 5 Knocks in ODI World Cup 2023
Maxwell played a maverick knock of 201* against Afghanistan (AP Photo)
The highly anticipated 2023 World Cup has concluded, and Australia secured their sixth title by defeating India in the final in Ahmedabad on November 19. The tournament featured remarkable performances with both bat and ball, and the flat tracks, resembling a batting paradise, witnessed some extraordinary displays.
As expected, there were numerous high scores and individual performances that captured the spotlight. The batters showcased their prowess with impressive innings, setting the stage ablaze. The participating teams, including powerhouses like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, and others, displayed peak form in the 2023 World Cup.
Kohli emerged as the leading run-scorer, amassing an impressive 765 runs from 11 innings at an average of 95.62, including three centuries. While seasoned players delivered stellar batting performances, emerging talents like Rachin Ravindra, Shreyas Iyer, and Mitchell Marsh also made significant contributions.
The tournament witnessed a plethora of quality in the batting line-ups, and it commenced and concluded with centuries. In the opening game, two centurions set the tone for the competition, and fittingly, the World Cup concluded with a century from Travis Head, securing the championship for Australia. The small boundary dimensions in Indian wickets contributed to a record-breaking World Cup, with numerous batting feats.
As the marquee tournament has come to an end, let's note down the top five innings of the 2023 World Cup.
Top 5 knocks in World Cup 2023
Daryl Mitchell 130 vs India, Dharamsala
Mitchell scored two centuries vs IND in WC 2023 (AP Photo)
Mitchell registered two centuries in the World Cup, and interestingly, both were against India. However, his inaugural World Cup century was achieved on a relatively challenging pitch compared to his century at Wankhede. The dynamic batsman marked his maiden century in the ICC Cricket World Cup during match number 21 against New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala.
The right-handed batter forged a century partnership with Rachin Ravindra after the Black Caps found themselves at 19/2. Mitchell's century played a crucial role in propelling New Zealand to a total of 273/10. He accumulated 130 runs from 127 balls, featuring nine fours and five sixes.
Aiden Markram 105 vs Sri Lanka, Delhi
Markram's blade smoke Sri Lankans all across the park (AP Photo)
Aiden Markram blazed his way to the second-fastest century in the tournament's history, delivering a scintillating 106-run knock off 54 balls. He required only 49 balls to reach the three-figure knock to etch his name into the record books. His remarkable innings, adorned with fourteen boundaries and three sixes, unfolded at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where Markram entered the fray in the 31st over and immediately displayed his prowess.
In the 34th over, he unleashed a flurry of three fours against Dilshan Madushanka. Markram notched up his fifty in the 42nd over, requiring only 33 balls to reach the milestone. The true spectacle of Markram's onslaught took center stage after his half-century, culminating in a century within the next 19 balls, sealed with a six. He boasted a blistering strike rate of 196.30.
Markram's blistering innings unfolded against a struggling Sri Lankan bowling attack, with additional centuries from Quinton de Kock and Rassie van Dussen. The trio's remarkable centuries propelled the Proteas to a historic total of 428/5.
Virat Kohli 117 vs New Zealand, Mumbai
Kohli dedicated his knock to SRT and his wife (AP Photo)
In the all-important semi-final clash between India and New Zealand, set on a flat Wankhede wicket, Kohli seized the opportunity to achieve his 50th ODI hundred. His monumental knock carried significant weight for multiple reasons.
In Mumbai, Kohli surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI centuries, marking an historic moment in the tournament.
His 117 runs off 113 balls, adorned with nine boundaries and two sixes, propelled India to a formidable total of 397/4, securing their spot in the finals.
While this was Kohli's third hundred in the tournament, with the previous two against Bangladesh (103* in Pune) and South Africa (101* in Kolkata), the semi-final setting elevated the significance of his third and final century, earning it the third spot in our rankings.
Travis Head 137 vs India, Ahmedabad
Travis Head became Player of the Match in final (AP Photo)
In the grand 2023 World Cup final, Travis Head delivered a career-defining performance in front of 120,000 spectators at the largest cricket stadium during a challenging run-chase. Australia, chasing 241, faced adversity at 47/3.
Surviving a threatening opening spell from the Indian seamers, Head initiated a counter-attack in the middle overs, ultimately scoring 137 from 120 balls as Australia achieved victory in 43 overs. Awarded the Player of the Match, he joined the ranks of the third Australian and seventh overall batter to score a century in a World Cup final. This marked Head's second hundred of the tournament, with the first against New Zealand being deemed perhaps more flawless.
Glenn Maxwell 201* vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai
Glenn Maxwell played one of the finest ODI knocks vs AFG (AP Photo)
Some innings define a player's individuality and career. This performance stands out as arguably the best ODI knock ever and undoubtedly the finest in a run-chase.
On November 7, Australia faced a dire situation, with a potential humiliating loss looming as they crumbled to 91/7 against Afghanistan. Glenn Maxwell, through an extraordinary innings, orchestrated a miraculous turnaround, becoming the first player to smash a double century while chasing in a World Cup game.
Despite battling serious cramps and a back spasm, he exhibited unparalleled courage, pushing through the pain to engineer an unimaginable run-chase. Maxwell dispatched everything within his reach, smashing 21 fours and ten colossal sixes to conclude with a remarkable score of 201* off 128 balls. There's no doubt that this innings claims the top spot.
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