Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ODI World Cup
The Sri Lankan Cricket Team has always been a tough competitor for the ICC World Cup title, defeating many of its opponents by significant margins. They have been known to score high and take crucial wickets, destroying the rival’s batting line-up. The Sri Lanka Men’s Cricket Team won their first title in 1996 by defeating […]
The Sri Lankan Cricket Team has always been a tough competitor for the ICC World Cup title, defeating many of its opponents by significant margins. They have been known to score high and take crucial wickets, destroying the rival’s batting line-up. The Sri Lanka Men’s Cricket Team won their first title in 1996 by defeating Australia.
The Sri Lanka Men’s Cricket Team is known to have a strong team consisting of powerful hard-hitters and mighty pacers. Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga, and Mutthiah Muralidaran, among many others, have built the foundation of the Sri Lankan Team in the game of cricket. Here is a record of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team’s performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from 1975 to 2019.
Sri Lanka Cricket Team in ODI World Cup Stats
The Sri Lanka Cricket Team has been a part of all 12 editions of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and proved to be a worthy opponent post their 1996 win. They have played 83 World Cup matches since 1975 and have won 38 matches. The team has lost 39 matches in the history of this tournament, while one was a tie. Here is a complete win and loss record of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team in all the World Cup matches played till now.
| Year | Number of World Cup Matches Played | Won | Lost |
| Prudential World Cup 1975 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Prudential World Cup 1979 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Prudential World Cup 1983 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Reliance World Cup 1987 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Benson & Hedges World Cup 1992 | 8 | 2 | 5 |
| Wills World Cup 1996 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| ICC World Cup 1999 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| ICC World Cup 2003 | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| ICC World Cup 2007 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 | 9 | 2 | 7 |
Most Runs in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Kumar Sangakkara, one of the best wicketkeeper-batter and captain of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team, has made the most runs for the team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup till now. Sangakkara scored 1532 runs for the team while he played 37 matches from 2003 to 2015 and made 5 centuries too. Here are the top 10 runs scorers of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ODI World Cup.
| Player | Span | Runs | Highest Score | 100s | 50s |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 2003-2015 | 1532 | 124 | 5 | 7 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1992-2007 | 1165 | 120 | 3 | 6 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan | 2007-2015 | 1112 | 161* | 4 | 4 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 1999-2015 | 1100 | 115* | 4 | 5 |
| Aravinda de Silva | 1987-2003 | 1064 | 145 | 2 | 6 |
| Arjuna Ranatunga | 1983-1999 | 969 | 88* | – | 7 |
| Upul Tharanga | 2007-2015 | 697 | 133 | 2 | 4 |
| Roshan Mahanama | 1987-1999 | 596 | 89 | – | 5 |
| Angelo Mathews | 2011-2023 | 584 | 113 | 1 | 2 |
| Marvan Atapattu | 1999-2003 | 521 | 124 | 2 | 3 |
Highest Score in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Tilakaratne Dilshan of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team made the highest score in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He made 161 runs against the Bangladeshi Cricket Team in 146 balls and stood not out during the 2015 edition of the World Cup. He also hit 22 boundaries in this innings.
Here are the top 10 players who have made the highest scores in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team.
| Player | Score | Balls | Opponent | 4s | 6s | Year |
| Tilakaratne Dilshan | 161* | 146 | Bangladesh | 22 | – | 2015 |
| Aravinda de Silva | 145 | 115 | Kenya | 14 | 5 | 1996 |
| Tilakaratne Dilshan | 144 | 131 | Zimbabwe | 16 | 1 | 2011 |
| Lahiru Thirimanne | 139* | 143 | England | 13 | 2 | 2015 |
| Upul Tharanga | 133 | 141 | Zimbabwe | 17 | – | 2011 |
| Marvan Atapattu | 124 | 129 | South Africa | 18 | – | 2003 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 124 | 95 | Scotland | 13 | 4 | 2015 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 120 | 125 | New Zealand | 14 | – | 2003 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 117* | 86 | England | 11 | 2 | 2015 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 115* | 109 | New Zealand | 10 | 3 | 2007 |
Most 50s in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Kumar Sangakkara was one of the best players and captains of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team. He is known for making the most half-centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team till now. He has made 7 half-centuries and 5 centuries for the team in the ODI World Cup platform. Here are the top 10 players of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team who have made the most half-centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Span | Matches | 50 | 50+ | Runs |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 2003-2015 | 37 | 7 | 12 | 1532 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 1999-2015 | 40 | 5 | 9 | 1100 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1992-2007 | 38 | 6 | 9 | 1165 |
| Tilakaratne Dilshan | 2007-2015 | 27 | 4 | 8 | 1112 |
| Aravinda de Silva | 1987-2003 | 35 | 6 | 8 | 1064 |
| Arjuna Ranatunga | 1983-1999 | 30 | 7 | 7 | 969 |
| Upul Tharanga | 2007-2015 | 21 | 4 | 6 | 697 |
| Chamara Silva | 2007-2011 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 427 |
| Marvan Atapattu | 1999-2003 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 521 |
| Roshan Mahanama | 1987-1999 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 596 |
Most 100s in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Another accolade in Kumar Sangakkara’s name is making the most centuries for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history. He made 5 World Cup centuries from 2003 to 2015. He has also made 7 half-centuries, which is the most for his team. Here are the top 10 players of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team who have made the most number of centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Span | Matches | Centuries | Runs |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 2003-2015 | 37 | 5 | 1532 |
| Tilakaratne Dilshan | 2007-2015 | 27 | 4 | 1112 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 1999-2015 | 40 | 4 | 1100 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1992-2007 | 38 | 3 | 1165 |
| Marvan Atapattu | 1999-2003 | 15 | 2 | 521 |
| Upul Tharanga | 2007-2015 | 21 | 2 | 697 |
| Aravind de Silva | 1987-2003 | 35 | 2 | 1064 |
| Avishka Fernando | 2019-Present | 4 | 1 | 203 |
| Lahiru Thirimanne | 2015-Present | 12 | 1 | 445 |
| Angelo Mathews | 2011-Present | 22 | 1 | 533 |
Most Wickets in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Mutthiah Muralidaran has taken the most wickets for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup till now. This right-arm offbreak bowler has been feared by all of his opponents. He took 68 wickets in his ODI World Cup venture from 1996 to 2011. The next on this list is another Sri Lankan legend, Lasith Malinga. Here are the top 10 wicket-takers of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Span | Matches | Wickets | Economy |
| Mutthiah Muralidaran | 1996-2011 | 40 | 68 | 3.88 |
| Lasith Malinga | 2007-2019 | 29 | 56 | 5.51 |
| Chaminda Vaas | 1996-2007 | 31 | 49 | 3.97 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1992-2007 | 38 | 27 | 4.83 |
| D Madushanka | 2023-2023 | 9 | 21 | 6.70 |
| AD Mathews | 2011-2023 | 27 | 19 | 5.12 |
| Pramodya Wickramasinghe | 1992-1999 | 17 | 16 | 4.58 |
| Aravinda de Silva | 1987-2003 | 35 | 16 | 4.97 |
| Thisara Parera | 2011-2019 | 16 | 14 | 5.85 |
| Angelo Mathews | 2011-Present | 22 | 13 | 5.21 |
Best Bowling Figures in an Inning in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Chaminda Vaas from the Sri Lankan Cricket Team has created the record for the best bowling figure in an inning in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the team. He made this record by taking 6 wickets in 9.1 overs against the Bangladesh Cricket Team while sparing only 25 runs to the opposition. This match took place during the 2003 ODI World Cup.
Here are the top 10 bowlers of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team to create the best bowling figures in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Overs | Wickets | Runs | Opposition | Year |
| Chaminda Vaas | 9.1 | 6 | 25 | Bangladesh | 2003 |
| Lasith Malinga | 7.4 | 6 | 38 | Kenya | 2011 |
| Ashantha de Mel | 12.0 | 5 | 32 | New Zealand | 1983 |
| Ashantha de Mel | 12.0 | 5 | 39 | Pakistan | 1983 |
| D Madushanka | 10.0 | 5 | 80 | India | 2023 |
| Tilakaratne Dilshan | 3.0 | 4 | 4 | Zimbabwe | 2011 |
| Prabath Nissanka | 7.0 | 4 | 12 | Canada | 2003 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran | 5.0 | 4 | 19 | Ireland | 2007 |
| Chaminda Vaas | 10.0 | 4 | 22 | West Indies | 2003 |
| Farveez Maharoof | 7.0 | 4 | 23 | Bermuda | 2007 |
Best Bowling Average in World Cup for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Thilan Samaraweera has had the best bowling average for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup till now. He played 9 matches in the 2011 edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup with a bowling average of 4.00. Second on the list is Ajantha Mendis, who had a bowling average of 19.14. Mendis also played in the 2011 ODI World Cup only.
Here are the top 10 players of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team to have the best bowling average in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Matches | Average | Wickets | Economy | Runs Spared |
| Thilan Samaraweera | 9 | 4.00 | 1 | 2.00 | 4 |
| Ajantha Mendis | 6 | 19.14 | 7 | 3.14 | 134 |
| Chandika Hathurusinghe | 4 | 19.39 | 5 | 5.70 | 97 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran | 40 | 19.63 | 68 | 3.88 | 1335 |
| Chaminda Vaas | 31 | 21.22 | 49 | 3.97 | 1040 |
| Farveez Maharoof | 6 | 22.00 | 9 | 4.50 | 198 |
| Lasith Malinga | 29 | 22.87 | 56 | 5.51 | 1281 |
| Tilakaratne Dilshan | 27 | 24.83 | 18 | 4.41 | 447 |
| Ashantha de Mel | 9 | 24.94 | 18 | 4.97 | 449 |
| D Madushanka | 9 | 25.00 | 21 | 6.70 | 525 |
Sri Lanka Cricket Team Performance in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Stats
The Sri Lanka Cricket Team won their first and only World Champions title in 1996. They have been a part of the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup once. They have also been the runner-up of the tournament twice. Here is a complete performance stat of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup till now.
| World Cup Year | Team’s Performance |
| Prudential World Cup 1975 | Group Stage (4th in Group B) |
| Prudential World Cup 1979 | Group Stage (3rd in Group B) |
| Prudential World Cup 1983 | Group Stage (4th in Group A) |
| Reliance World Cup 1987 | Group Stage (4th in Group B) |
| Benson & Hedges World Cup 1992 | Group Stage (8th Position) |
| Wills World Cup 1996 | Winner |
| ICC World Cup 1999 | Group Stage (5th in Group A) |
| ICC World Cup 2003 | Semi-Finals (3rd Position) |
| ICC World Cup 2007 | Runners-Up (2nd Position) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | Runners-Up (2nd Position) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 | Quarter-Finals (5th Position) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 | Group Stage (6th Position) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 | Group Stage (9th Position) |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Sri Lanka Cricket Team in ODI World Cup
Q1. Who did Sri Lanka play their first World Cup match against?
Ans: The Sri Lanka Cricket Team played the first World Cup match during the Prudential World Cup 1975 against the West Indies. This match was played on 7th June 1975 at the Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester. The Sri Lanka Cricket Team lost the match by 9 wickets.
Q2. Who has taken the most wickets for the Sri Lanka Team in the World Cup?
Ans: Muthiah Muralidaran has taken the most wickets for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He took 68 wickets in 40 matches from 1996 to 2011.
Q3. Under whose captaincy did Sri Lanka win their first World Cup?
Ans: Under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lankan Cricket Team won their first ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup trophy in 1996. The Sri Lankans defeated the Australians by 7 wickets.
