World Cup records are special and Australia is a constant in the books. As it gears up for title defence in the UK, a look at the numbers scored over the years will act as a boost.
Apart from being the only nation to lay its hands on the trophy five times, the Kangaroos also top the run list. They have scored 19,528 runs in 11 World Cup editions.
Two-time World Cup winner as captain, Ricky Ponting is the top run-getter for Australia in the marquee tournament. Ponting scored 1,743 runs — five centuries and six fifties — in 46 matches at an average of 45.86.
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In the all-time run-scorers’ list, Ponting is second only to Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar (2,278 runs).
Former wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was a finals specialist. The southpaw’s 72-ball 100 against Sri Lanka in 2007 is the fastest World Cup hundred. Among the Australians, he is next to Ponting in the list with 1,085 runs — one ton and eight fifties — in 31 games at an average of 36.16.
Australia has won 62 matches in the World Cup — the most by any nation. It has lost 20 games and drawn two. As captain, Ponting won 26 out of 29 games in the World Cup.
In 2018, Australia had lost its spark after the temporary departure of then-captain Steve Smith and David Warner for their involvement in a ball-tampering incident in South Africa. But it regrouped in time to be ready for the big event.
Warner returned to cricket with a brilliant run in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Smith led Rajasthan Royals in a few games and scored three fifties.
Prior to the tournament — before Smith and Warner's second coming — Australia beat India and Pakistan in two back-to-back away ODI series.
Now that they are back, Australia will once again walk into the tournament as one of the favourites.
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