Cricket World Cup 2023: Records broken in the fifth week

With the Cricket World Cup 2023 league round heading towards its end, cricket fans witnessed some sensational cricketing action in week five of the tournament. Week five also saw India, South Africa, and Australia qualifying for the knockout stage while the fight for the fourth spot became intense among teams such as New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Before this marquee One-Day International (ODI) tournament, there were talks that cricket’s 50-over format was losing popularity and heading towards its end. However, fans showering love on this competition clearly shows that all those talks were futile. In week five, supporters watched an unprecedented level of ODI cricket as they were lucky to witness some incredible World Cup records bettered by legendary icons and quality teams.

Here are the records shattered in the fifth week

1. India register their biggest World Cup victory against Sri Lanka

The fifth week kicked off with India hammering Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium by 302 runs. Batting first, the Men in Blue posted 357 runs on the board with Shubman Gill’s 92 (92) and Virat Kohli’s 88 (94). Pursuing the massive target, Sri Lanka faced the wrath of Indian pacers. Mohammed Shami grabbed the second five-wicket haul of this competition and became the Player of the Match. With this success, India registered their biggest World Cup victory (by runs).  

2. Mohammed Shami becomes the leading wicket-taker for India in the World Cup

Mohammed Shami scalped five wickets against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium and guided India to a humongous 302-run win. Dismissing Kasun Rajitha, Shami surpassed Zaheer Khan (44 wickets in 23 matches) and Javagal Srinath (44 wickets in 34 matches) to become the highest wicket-taker for India in the World Cup tournaments.

3. Sri Lanka records their lowest World Cup total

In the huge contest against India, Sri Lanka got bundled out on 55 while chasing 358 runs and registered their lowest World Cup total. Their disappointing performance also made them the team with the lowest total among the International Cricket Council (ICC) full members in World Cup tournaments.

4. Mohammed Shami takes the most fifers for India in the World Cup

Mohammed Shami grabbed a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka and became the Indian bowler to pick up the most fifers (3) in the World Cup. With his match-winning performance against Sri Lankan Lions, the veteran pacer also equalled Australia speedster Mitchell Starc’s record of three five-wicket hauls in the mega ODI tournaments.

5. Glenn Maxwell hits the fastest double ton in the World Cup

While following 292 runs against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium, Australia were seven down at a score of 91. In the crisis, Glenn Maxwell held his nerves and produced the best knock of his career to take his team home comfortably. The right-handed Aussie batter hit his double century in just 128 deliveries and broke into the record books, becoming the fastest batter to hit a double ton in the World Cup. Before this game, West Indies opener Chris Gayle was holding the feat with his double century that came in 136 balls against Zimbabwe in the World Cup 2015 at Munuka Oval. 

6. Glenn Maxwell becomes the first non-opener to score a double ton in ODIs, 

Glenn Maxwell played an unbeaten knock of 201 off 128 against Afghanistan in Mumbai and helped his team chase down 292 runs with three wickets in hand. The Aussie became the first non-opening batter to score a double century in ODI cricket. Along with that, he is also the first player to hit a double ton while chasing.

7. Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins stitch the highest eighth-wicket partnership in ODIs

Glenn Maxwell snatched the victory from Afghanistan in Mumbai with his marvellous double ton. The veteran received the support of his captain Pat Cummins, who stood in the middle until the end. With seven down at a score of 91, Australia were on the brink of a huge defeat but the unbeaten 202-run partnership between Maxwell and Cummins scripted history. Both Aussies shattered South Africa’s Justin Kemp and Andrew Hall’s unbroken 138-run partnership against India in 2006 to become the owner of the eighth-wicket partnership record in the 50-over format. 

8. Australia register their highest World Cup run chase

Riding on Maxwell’s extraordinary innings, Australia pulled off 292 runs against Afghanistan at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. This triumph went down as the Aussie side’s most successful World Cup chase. Their previous best World Cup chase was against New Zealand in the World Cup 1996 quarter-final played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

9. Ibrahim Zadran becomes the first Afghan batter to hit a World Cup ton

Before Maxwell’s blitzkrieg at the Wankhede Stadium, the Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran attracted attention with his unbeaten 129-run innings off 143 deliveries. The 21-year-old became the first Afghan batter to notch up a century in the World Cup.   

10. Maxwell becomes the batter with the most centuries while batting at number five or lower in the World Cup

With his fabulous knock against Afghanistan, Maxwell is now the player with the most centuries in the World Cup while batting at number five or lower. No other batter has scored more than one century while playing in the number five spot or below. 

11. Maxwell becomes the batter with the most maximums for Australia in a World Cup innings 

Maxwell smashed 10 sixes in his stunning 201-run knock off 128 deliveries against the Afghan side in Mumbai. Those maximums made the Aussie batter with the most sixes in a World Cup innings. 

12. Record 500 sixes hit in a World Cup edition

In the 40th game between England and the Netherlands at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, England opener Dawid Malan’s second six became the 500th maximum of the World Cup 2023. For the first time in the history of the grand ODI event, more than 500 sixes have been scored.