The 2023 World Cup concluded with Australia beating India in the final by 6 wickets. The Aussies secured their 6th ODI World Cup. This tournament witnessed some fascinating contests and exciting drama. The World Cup showcased remarkable displays of skill, particularly in the domain of batting.
Let’s explore the best innings in the World Cup 2023 in detail.
Best Innings In World Cup 2023
The top 5 batting performances of the World Cup 2023 are as follows:
| Batters | Opponents | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | Australia | 85 | 116 |
| Henry Klassen | England | 109 | 67 |
| Fakhar Zaman | New Zealand | 126 | 81 |
| Glenn Maxwell | Afghanistan | 201 | 128 |
| Travis Head | India | 137 | 120 |
5. Virat Kohli’s Terrific Knock Against Australia
The 5th match of the 2023 World Cup featured between Australia and India at Chennai. Indian bowlers restricted the Australian batters to 199 runs. The spinners did exceptional bowling and took 6 wickets, while Steven Smith was the top scorer for Australia with 46 runs.
India had an absurd start in the chase. India lost the first 3 wickets in 1st 2 overs of the innings. Kohli walked out to bat when India was in a hazardous situation of 2 for 2. Iyer also lost his wicket, and it became 5 for 3.
Virat Kohli shouldered the innings along with KL Rahul. Both the batters played brilliantly and provided the foundation for a successful run chase. Kohli lifted his side with a top knock that blocked Australia’s progress.
He added a match-winning 165-run partnership for the fourth wicket with KL Rahul. He scored 85 runs off 116 balls, including 6 boundaries. He lost his wicket at the score of 167 in the 38th over when India had the momentum to chase the target easily.
4. Henry Klassen’s Bold Innings Despite Cramps
Heinrich Klassen is renowned for his aggressive hitting style. He showcased his batting excellence by crafting a sensational 109 runs off 67 balls against England. Klaasen’s century was extraordinary as it was a testament to his resilience and unwavering determination. Ultimately, South Africa concluded their innings with a formidable 399/7.
Klassen’s explosive century played a key role in South Africa’s commanding 229-run triumph. It was a historic defeat in ODIs for defending champions England. Klassen’s innings, characterised by mighty shots and determination in challenging conditions, stood out as a remarkable performance.
3. Fakhar Zaman’s Stormy Innings
Fakhar Zaman played one of the best innings in the World Cup 2023. It came against New Zealand while chasing a massive target of 401. Rachin Ravindra smashed a century, and Williamson scored quick 95 runs in the 1st innings. Pakistan had to chase it down to remain in the hunt for the semi-finals stage.
Despite the early fall of Abdullah, Fakhar, along with Babar Azam, continued to score runs and build partnership for the chase. Fakhar exhibited his power-hitting display against the likes of Trent Boult and Ish Sodhi.
After completing his fifty off 39 balls, he shifted his gears. He began to hammer every bowler and smocked the fastest hundred in the ODI World Cup for Pakistan in just 63 balls. When the score reached 200/1 in the 26th over, the game stopped due to rain intervention.
Pakistan was way ahead of the required runs in 26 overs and ultimately won the match by 21 runs by DLS method. Fakhar Zaman was declared the Player of the Match for his furious innings of 126* off 81 balls. He smocked 11 towering sixes and 8 boundaries in this innings.
2. Career Best Innings by Travis Head
In the grand finale at Narendra Modi Stadium, Travis Head played a career-defining innings against India. The hosts batted first and posted 240 runs on the board. The Aussies had an adverse start and were 47/3 after 7 overs.
Surviving a challenging opening spell from the Indian seamers, Head launched a counter-attack during the middle overs. He played an enormous innings along with Labuschange. Both the batters amassed a 192-run partnership for the 4th wicket.
He accumulated 137 runs from 120 balls as Australia secured victory in the 43rd over. Recognised as the Player of the Match, he joined the ranks of the 3rd Australian and the 7th overall batsman to score a century in a World Cup final. This milestone marked Head’s second hundred of the tournament and one of the best innings in World Cup 2023.
1. Maxwell’s Double-Ton Against Afghanistan
Certain innings manifest a player’s uniqueness and professional journey. This particular display by Maxwell emerges as the most remarkable One Day International (ODI) performance ever and unquestionably the best innings in World Cup 2023.
Australia found themselves in a pathetic position against Afghanistan, chasing a total of 292. They stumbled to 91/7, and Afghanistan was just 3 wickets away from a great victory.
However, Glenn Maxwell staged a stunning reversal of fortunes with an extraordinary innings. He achieved a remarkable feat as the first player to score a double century while chasing.
Despite encountering severe cramps and a back spasm, he displayed unmatched courage to produce an extraordinary run-chase. Maxwell attacked everything that came his way, hitting 21 fours and 10 massive sixes to finish with an outstanding score of 201* from 128 balls.
Final Verdict
The 2023 World Cup witnessed some of the best individual performances with the bat. The batters showed their exceptional skills with the bat and played the best innings in the World Cup 2023. From Kohli’s outstanding innings in the league stage match to the terrific innings by Head in the final match, some batters showcased their prowess.
From the greatest innings of the 2023 World Cup, 2 of the innings came from the Australian fleet and 1 from India. The opener batter of Pakistan, Fakhar Zaman, played a furious innings against the Kiwis to keep Pakistan in the hunt. Klassen’s marvellous century showed his resilience and determination.
