The Indian cricket team is eagerly aiming to prolong their victorious stride in the 2023 ODI World Cup. They are all set to battle it out against England at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow this coming Sunday.
In the competition, England and India have squared off eight times altogether. The record slightly favours England, as they have four wins over India’s three. Their match during the 2011 ODI World Cup group stage resulted in a draw.
India and England have experienced different runs in the subcontinent so far. Both teams were considered white-ball powerhouses entering the World Cup, with many expecting them to excel. India has absolutely fulfilled these predictions, playing superbly. Conversely, England has been struggling, unable to clinch a single match despite desperate efforts.
As it stands, the two teams find themselves sitting at polar ends of the league table. Many wouldn’t have anticipated such an uneven matchup based on the facts alone during the preliminary phase. Regardless, England are set to play for their dignity now, while the Men in Blue would be foolish to underestimate them in any way.
This particular match carries some history with it from the World Cups; it was the semi-finale match at the 1979 tournament. Interestingly though, these two teams have only faced each other twice since the 2003 One Day International World Cup.
On that topic, let’s take a look at India’s top three run scorers in ODI World Cups against England.
1. Sachin Tendulkar (227 runs)
The renowned batter appeared in four One-Day International World Cups against England, the first and last being in 1992 and 2011, respectively. He scored 227 runs in those matches, making him the highest run-scorer in the India-England World Cup encounter.
In the Men in Blue’s tight nine-run loss to England in the 1992 World Cup in Perth, Sachin Tendulkar hit 35 runs off 44 deliveries.
Sachin made 22 runs off 40 deliveries while batting at No. 4 against England in the 1999 tournament. When the two teams played in 2003, he hit a fifty, which included his famous six off Andrew Caddick.
Tendulkar saved his best for last, scoring a magnificent century when the two sides played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the 2011 tournament. His knock was not altogether in vain, as the sides were forced to settle for a point apiece after 100 overs failed to separate them.
2. Rahul Dravid (115 runs)
The current India coach has played two ODI World Cup matches against England. He hit a fifty against England in the 1999 World Cup, finishing as the tournament’s best run-scorer.
He scored 53 runs off 82 deliveries as India amassed 232-8, eventually winning the match by 63 runs.
When these two teams played in 2003, Dravid was the leading scorer. He scored 62 runs off 72 deliveries, contributing to India’s total of 250. The amount was sufficient, with Ashish Nehra destroying the opposition in the second innings, taking a memorable six-wicket haul in the victory.
3. Rohit Sharma (102 runs)
The current Team India captain has only faced England once in World Cups, during his spectacular 2019 campaign. In pursuit of a massive total of 338 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, the opening batter struck 102 runs off 109 deliveries to lay the groundwork for the middle order.
Sadly, despite Rohit Sharma’s fantastic performance, it couldn’t prevent the team from losing by 31 runs. It was their sole loss in the 2019 World Cup league stage.
His campaign reached a milestone with that century, and he didn’t stop there. Rohit Sharma added two more remarkable scores to his tally, finishing as the top run-scorer of the season.
