We are into the knock out phase of the tournament. The quarter-finals start from tomorrow with a cracker between Sri Lanka and South Africa. Eight teams managed to peek into the quarter finals after playing well in the group stages. In the group stages, there have been a number of nail biting finishes, coupled with some record breaking ones.
Four teams from each of Pool A and Pool B qualified for the knock out phases. They are New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Pool A with India, South Africa, Pakistan and West Indies from Pool B. Now, to summarize the performances of the group stages, let us dig through the records made by each of the eight teams so far in the tournament.
India
1. India managed to bowl out their opposition in each of the six games they played which is indeed a record. Australia, South Africa and Pakistan have achieved this feat earlier but this is the first time for India.
2. India chased down a total of 288 runs against Zimbabwe in this World Cup. This happens to be their highest successful chase in the World Cup tournament. Previous best was 277 against Sri Lanka in the World Cup final, 2011.
3. India managed to beat Pakistan for 6 consecutive times in World Cup. No other team has such an unbeaten streak against any opposition except Pakistan, who defeated Sri Lanka for six consecutive times and is still unbeaten.
4. Mohammad Shami is the second highest wicket taker in the tournament with 15 wickets so far. Mitchell Starc tops the list.
5. India have won each of their last 10 World Cup matches. Six of them came in this World Cup and the remaining 4 came from the previous World Cup.
New Zealand
1. Brendon McCullum scored the fastest fifty in the World Cup in the match against England.
2. New Zealand bowled out England for a total of 123 runs which happens to be their lowest since 1999 World Cup.
3. It is the second time that New Zealand have won each of their group stage matches. They did it in 2007.
Australia
1. Glenn Maxwell managed to set up a record against Sri Lanka by scoring the fastest century in World Cup. He scored his century off 51 balls.
2. Mitchell Starc is the leading wicket taker in the tournament with 16 wickets.
3. Mitchell Starc took six wickets in the match against New Zealand. This happens to be one of the best for Australia.
4. Australia registered the highest total in World Cup tournaments by any team when they scored 417/5 against Afghanistan at Perth in this World Cup.
Pakistan
1. Sarfraz Ahmed became the first wicket keeper to take 6 catches in a single match. This came in Pakistan’s match against South Africa.
2. Umar Akmal took 4 catches in the match against Ireland. This is the highest by any fielder in a World Cup match.
3. Misbah scored a total of 315 runs till now. This happens to be the highest by any Pakistani captain in a single World Cup. Previous best was Imran Khan’s 283 in 1983 World Cup.
4. Sarfraz Ahmed became the first wicket keeper batsman for Pakistan to score a century in World Cup.
West Indies
1. Chirs Gayle scored the first double century in a World Cup match. He scored 215 against Zimbabwe
2. Chirs Gayle and Marlon Samuels registered for the highest partnership in World Cup matches for any wicket. The partnership contributed 372 runs. This is also the best in ODI cricket.
3. Gayle had hit a number of 16 sixes against Zimbabwe. This happens to be the most in a World Cup match.
South Africa
1. South Africa surpassed the total of 400 runs twice in this World Cup. This has never been done by any team so far.
2. AB de Villiers scored the fastest 150 in a World Cup match. He scored a total of 162 runs off 66 deliveries in the match against West Indies.
3. David Miller had hit 9 sixes in the match against Zimbabwe. This happens to be the second best.
4. In a single World Cup tournament, AB de Villiers registered for hitting the most number of sixes. He has hit a total of 20 sixes so far.
Sri Lanka
1. Kumar Sangakkara scored a total of 4 back to back centuries. This happens to be the most in a World Cup tournament.
2. Sri Lanka chased down a total of over 300 runs against England by losing just a single wicket. This happens to be the best.
3. Sangakkara is the leading run scorer at the World Cup with 496 runs.
Bangladesh
1. Bangladesh chased down a total of over 300 runs in this World Cup in their match against Scotland. This happens to be their best.
2. Mahmudullah scored back to back centuries in this World Cup. This happens to be the best by a Bangladeshi batsman.