Best Batting Averages in ODI World Cup History

Batting average is one of the best ways to measure consistency in the ODI World Cup. A batter may produce one spectacular innings, but maintaining a high average across several World Cup matches requires repeated runs against elite attacks under enormous tournament pressure. Average also rewards batters who remain not out, making it especially useful when comparing middle-order finishers with top-order players.

For this list, a minimum qualification of 500 career World Cup runs is used. That removes players with extremely small samples while still allowing outstanding performers from one or two tournaments to qualify. Under this cutoff, Australia’s Andrew Symonds owns the best batting average in men’s ODI World Cup history at 103.00. Daryl Mitchell, Shreyas Iyer, Rachin Ravindra and AB de Villiers complete the top five.

Best Batting Averages in ODI World Cup History

The table below covers men’s ICC ODI Cricket World Cups from 1975 through the latest completed edition in 2023. Only batters with at least 500 World Cup runs are included.

The leaderboard shows that a high World Cup average can come in different ways. Symonds benefited from eight not-outs in only 13 innings, while players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have maintained averages around 60 despite playing far more innings and carrying major top-order responsibility.

Andrew Symonds – 103.00 Average

Andrew Symonds holds the highest ODI World Cup batting average among players with at least 500 runs.

The Australian all-rounder scored 515 runs from 13 innings across the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. He was dismissed only five times, giving him an extraordinary average of 103.00.

His defining innings came against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 2003. Australia were in trouble at 86/4 when Symonds produced an unbeaten 143 against an attack featuring Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar.

That performance transformed Australia’s tournament opener and established Symonds as an important member of the team.

He also scored three World Cup fifties and remained unbeaten eight times. Australia’s dominant top order sometimes meant he did not need to bat at all, but when opportunities came, Symonds repeatedly finished innings without being dismissed.

Australia won both the 2003 and 2007 World Cups without losing a match.

Daryl Mitchell – 69.00 Average

Daryl Mitchell made an immediate impact in his first ODI World Cup in 2023.

The New Zealand middle-order batter scored 552 runs from nine innings at an average of 69.00. He registered two centuries and two half-centuries, with both hundreds coming against India.

Mitchell scored 130 during the group-stage meeting in Dharamsala before producing an even bigger 134 in the semi-final at Mumbai.

His semi-final century came while New Zealand were chasing India’s imposing 397/4. Although New Zealand ultimately lost, Mitchell kept the chase alive deep into the innings.

His combination of power against spin and controlled aggression against pace made him one of the outstanding middle-order batters of the tournament.

With 552 runs from his first World Cup, Mitchell entered the all-time average leaderboard immediately.

Shreyas Iyer – 66.25 Average

Shreyas Iyer also entered the World Cup record books during his first tournament in 2023.

The Indian middle-order batter scored 530 runs from 11 innings and was dismissed only eight times, giving him an average of 66.25.

Iyer scored two hundreds and three fifties. His unbeaten 128 against the Netherlands was his first World Cup century.

He followed that performance with a superb 105 from only 70 balls against New Zealand in the semi-final at Mumbai. Iyer attacked New Zealand’s spinners and fast bowlers, helping India reach 397/4.

His role at No. 4 was important because India already had aggressive scoring from Rohit Sharma and stability from Virat Kohli above him.

Iyer’s ability to accelerate without sacrificing consistency gave him one of the best averages ever recorded by an Indian World Cup batter.

Rachin Ravindra – 64.22 Average

Rachin Ravindra was one of the biggest batting stories of the 2023 World Cup.

Playing his first World Cup at only 23, Ravindra scored 578 runs from 10 innings at an average of 64.22.

He began the tournament with an unbeaten 123 against England in Ahmedabad and later added centuries against Australia and Pakistan.

His three hundreds equalled the record for the most World Cup centuries by a player aged 25 or younger and made him one of New Zealand’s leading run-scorers in a single edition.

Ravindra also struck two half-centuries and scored his runs at a strike rate above 100.

The combination of a 64-plus average and aggressive scoring rate made his debut World Cup particularly impressive.

AB de Villiers – 63.52 Average

AB de Villiers has arguably the most impressive long-term record among the leading World Cup batting-average players.

The South African scored 1,207 runs from 22 innings across the 2007, 2011 and 2015 tournaments. He averaged 63.52 while also scoring at an exceptional rate.

De Villiers registered four centuries and six fifties.

His most destructive performance came against West Indies in Sydney in 2015. He smashed an unbeaten 162 from only 66 balls as South Africa reached 408/5.

That innings showed why average alone does not fully explain de Villiers’ greatness. He combined consistency with a level of attacking batting rarely seen in ODI cricket.

Unlike some high-average batters who relied heavily on accumulation, de Villiers could maintain a 60-plus average while scoring at an extraordinary World Cup strike rate.

Michael Clarke’s Remarkable Consistency

Michael Clarke never scored an ODI World Cup century, yet his career average of 63.42 places him among the best ever.

The Australian scored 888 runs from 21 innings and remained not out seven times.

His highest World Cup score was 93 not out. He recorded eight half-centuries and regularly contributed in Australia’s powerful middle order.

Clarke participated in three World Cups from 2007 to 2015 and finished his World Cup career by captaining Australia to the title in Melbourne in 2015.

His record shows that centuries are not essential for maintaining an outstanding average. Regular scores between 50 and 90 can be just as valuable when a batter avoids repeated low scores.

Viv Richards and the Early World Cup Era

Viv Richards averaged 63.31 across four World Cups from 1975 to 1987.

The West Indies great scored 1,013 runs from 21 innings, with three hundreds and five fifties.

His most famous innings came in the 1979 final against England at Lord’s. Richards made an unbeaten 138 as West Indies successfully defended their title.

He later scored 181 against Sri Lanka in 1987, his highest World Cup score.

Richards’ average becomes even more impressive when placed in historical context. ODI scoring rates were much lower during his era, boundaries were harder to find, and batters did not benefit from modern powerplay rules or T20-influenced techniques.

Active Players With Outstanding World Cup Averages

Several active ODI players remain high on the batting-average leaderboard as of October 2026.

Daryl Mitchell leads this group with an average of 69.00 after his outstanding 2023 tournament.

Shreyas Iyer sits just behind him at 66.25, while Rachin Ravindra averages 64.22 after scoring 578 runs in his debut World Cup.

Rohit Sharma has the strongest record among active players with a large career sample. He has scored 1,575 runs from 28 World Cup innings at an average of 60.57.

Rohit’s seven centuries are the most by any batter in men’s ODI World Cup history.

Virat Kohli has an even larger sample. He has scored 1,795 runs from 37 innings at an average of 59.83, with five hundreds and 12 fifties.

Kohli confirmed in 2026 that the 2027 World Cup is expected to be his final edition. Rohit was also still active in ODI cricket in 2026, meaning both Indian veterans could add to their World Cup records.

KL Rahul is another active Indian batter with an excellent tournament record. He has 813 World Cup runs at an average of 58.07 across the 2019 and 2023 editions.

Kane Williamson would previously have belonged in this section with an average of 61.42, but he retired from international cricket in June 2026.

Best Batting Average in a Single ODI World Cup

Glenn Turner produced one of the most extraordinary batting performances of the inaugural World Cup in 1975.

Using a minimum qualification of four innings, Turner owns the highest average in a single men’s ODI World Cup edition.

He scored 333 runs in four innings and was dismissed only twice, giving him an average of 166.50.

Turner’s tournament included two centuries, highlighted by an unbeaten 171 against East Africa.

Andrew Symonds also produced an exceptional single-edition average in 2003. He scored 326 runs and was dismissed only twice, averaging 163.00.

Martin Crowe averaged 114.00 in 1992 after scoring 456 runs, while Viv Richards averaged 108.50 in 1979.

Kumar Sangakkara averaged 108.20 during his remarkable 2015 campaign, when he scored four consecutive centuries.

Among recent tournaments, Virat Kohli averaged 95.62 in 2023 while scoring a record 765 runs. Unlike some higher single-edition averages based on fewer dismissals and matches, Kohli maintained that figure across 11 innings all the way to the final.

Virat Kohli’s 2023 Average

Kohli’s 2023 World Cup deserves special attention because of both his volume of runs and consistency.

He scored 765 runs from 11 innings and was dismissed only eight times, producing an average of 95.62.

His tournament included three centuries and six fifties.

Kohli scored at least 50 in nine of his 11 innings, an extraordinary level of consistency across a long round-robin tournament and knockout stage.

He also broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in a single World Cup. Tendulkar had scored 673 in 2003.

Kohli’s 117 against New Zealand in the semi-final was also his 50th ODI century, moving him beyond Tendulkar’s previous career record of 49.

Average vs Strike Rate in Modern World Cups

Batting average remains one of cricket’s most familiar measures of consistency, but modern ODI batting requires more than simply avoiding dismissal.

Strike rate has become increasingly important.

A batter who averages 60 but scores slowly can sometimes place pressure on teammates, particularly when teams regularly target scores above 300.

Modern World Cup stars increasingly combine both measures.

Rohit Sharma averaged 54.27 in the 2023 World Cup while scoring at a strike rate of 125.94. His approach gave India explosive starts even when he did not bat deep into the innings.

Glenn Maxwell averaged 66.67 during the same tournament while scoring at a strike rate above 150.

Rachin Ravindra averaged 64.22 with a strike rate above 106, while Shreyas Iyer averaged 66.25 and scored at more than 113 runs per 100 balls.

Kohli took a different approach. His 2023 average of 95.62 came with a strike rate around 90. He usually controlled the middle overs and allowed more aggressive batters around him to take greater risks.

The best modern ODI batting therefore depends on role.

Openers such as Rohit can create value with extreme Powerplay scoring. Middle-order batters such as Kohli can provide stability, while players such as Maxwell can completely change matches through rapid scoring late in an innings.

Average measures how consistently a batter produces runs before being dismissed. Strike rate measures how quickly those runs arrive. The strongest World Cup batters often find a way to excel in both areas.

Best Batting Averages in ODI World Cups

World Cup cricket creates conditions that make consistency difficult.

Batters face different opponents, venues and pitch conditions during the same tournament. A player may face high-quality fast bowling in one match and elite spin in the next.

There is also greater pressure than in most bilateral series.

One failure in a knockout game can end a team’s campaign, while a major innings can become part of cricket history.

That is why long-term averages such as AB de Villiers’ 63.52, Viv Richards’ 63.31, Rohit Sharma’s 60.57 and Virat Kohli’s 59.83 carry significant weight.

They show that these batters did not simply dominate one opponent or one tournament. They repeatedly produced runs on cricket’s biggest ODI stage.

Conclusion

Andrew Symonds holds the best batting average in ODI World Cup history among players with at least 500 career runs. He scored 515 runs at an extraordinary average of 103.00 across Australia’s unbeaten 2003 and 2007 campaigns.

Daryl Mitchell is second at 69.00, followed by Shreyas Iyer at 66.25 and Rachin Ravindra at 64.22. AB de Villiers rounds out the top five with 1,207 runs at 63.52.

Among players with longer World Cup careers, Viv Richards, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stand out because they maintained averages around 60 while scoring more than 1,000 tournament runs.

The modern game has also changed how batting averages are judged. Consistency remains essential, but scoring rate now matters more than ever. The best World Cup batters combine the ability to stay at the crease with the power and intent needed to keep pace with increasingly aggressive ODI cricket.

FAQs

Who has the best batting average in ODI World Cup history?

Andrew Symonds has the best average among batters with at least 500 World Cup runs. He scored 515 runs at an average of 103.00.

What is AB de Villiers’ batting average in ODI World Cups?

AB de Villiers scored 1,207 World Cup runs at an average of 63.52, with four centuries and six half-centuries.

What is Virat Kohli’s World Cup batting average?

Virat Kohli has scored 1,795 ODI World Cup runs at an average of 59.83 through the 2023 edition.

What is Rohit Sharma’s World Cup batting average?

Rohit Sharma has scored 1,575 World Cup runs at an average of 60.57, including a record seven centuries.

Who has the best batting average in a single ODI World Cup?

With a minimum of four innings, Glenn Turner holds the record. He scored 333 runs at an average of 166.50 during the 1975 World Cup.

Which active player has the highest World Cup batting average?

Among active ODI players with at least 500 World Cup runs through October 2026, Daryl Mitchell leads with 552 runs at an average of 69.00.