Most runs for India in World Cup knockouts

India’s struggles in ICC World Cup tournament knockout continued as the women’s team suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the T20 World Cup 2023 semi-final clash on February 23.

The women’s team remains without T20 World Cup title after the conclusion of eighth edition of the tournament on February 26. They have tasted five knockout defeats in T20 World Cup tournaments and five more in ODI World Cups as well.

Further, the men’s team also failed to reach the final of their most recent outings in ICC tournament in the T20 World Cup 2022. India won the inaugural edition of T20 World Cup in 2007 and also lifted the 2011 ODI World Cup under MS Dhoni’s leadership but have failed to live up to the expectations in the recent World Cup tournaments.

One of the biggest reasons behind India’s struggles in knockouts was the lack of runs from top-order batters. Both Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma failed to score in double digits in the recent semi-final defeat against Australia in Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.

But captain Harmanpreet Singh smashed fifty to drag India closer to the target. She is now leading Indian women run-getter in World Cup knockouts and surpassed her compatriot MS Dhoni in overall chart. But there are three more cricketers with more runs for India in World Cup knockouts.

3. 333 runs – Rohit Sharma

The current India’s men team captain is third among the top run-scorers for India in World Cup knockout matches. The veteran opener has scored 333 runs from nine World Cup knockout innings with the help of one century. He scored just 27 runs off 28 balls against England in India’s embarrassing exit from the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final clash.

2. 339 runs – Sachin Tendulkar

The legendary Indian cricketer tops in almost every record chart across formats despite retiring from international cricket almost ten years ago. Tendulkar always used to put his best in crucial games and led the team by example, especially in knockouts. He scored 339 runs from just seven World Cup knockout games and managed to record four fifties as well.

1. 361 runs – Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli, India’s arguably best batter across formats for a decade, leads this chart and that is no surprise at all. In his most recent knockout game, Kohli scored 50 off 40 against England in the semi-final of T20 World Cup 2022 and surpassed Tendulkar’s 339-run record to score most runs in World Cup knockouts for India. Kohli has now scored 361 runs from 10 innings with the help of four fifties so far.