First batsman from each country to hit a century (100) in ICC Cricket World Cup

England batsman Dennis Amiss was the first batsmen to hit a century in ICC Cricket World Cup.

The first edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup took place in 1975 in England, and it was West Indies who came out victorious in that edition under Clive Lloyd. Eight teams took part in the inaugural edition. Later, 12 teams participated in the 1996 World Cup, and it was increased to 16 in the 2007 edition. Later in 2011 and 2015, 14 teams participated in each event, while 2019 and 2023 events saw 10 teams participating. It is expected that the next event in 2027 will be played with 14 teams.

Over the years, a few teams have made their appearance in the tournament, but Australia are the most successful team with five titles so far. Some of the best players have taken part in this tournament. Some of them made history and became the first batter from their country to score a ICC Cricket World Cup hundred. We will talk about those players who scored maiden ICC Cricket World Cup hundreds for their respective countries.

Here are the list of batters from each country to hit the first century in ICC Cricket World Cup

1. England – Dennis Amiss :

England’s Dennis Amiss was the first ever batter to hit a World Cup hundred. He did it in the very first World Cup game of the 1975 edition at Lord’s against India. England made 334/4 in the first innings. Amiss scored 137 off 147 balls, with 18 fours. India made 132/3 in reply and lost by 202 runs. In that match, Sunil Gavaskar (36* off 174 balls) played one of the slowest ODI innings.

2. New Zealand – Glenn Turner :

New Zealand’s Glenn Turner scored two hundreds in the inaugural edition and became the first Kiwi batter to score a World Cup hundred. His first one came against East Africa in Birmingham in the second game of the tournament. He made 171 not out form 201 balls, with 16 fours and two sixes. New Zealand made 309/5 and restricted East Africa to 128/8 to win by 181 runs.

3. Australia – Alan Turner :

For Australia, Alan Turner was the first World Cup centurion. He slammed a hundred against Sri Lanka at the Oval in the 1975 edition. Batting first, Australia made 328/5, and Turner made 101 off 113 balls, with 9 fours and one six. In reply, Sri Lanka made 276/4 and lost by 52 runs.

4. West Indies – Clive Lloyd :

For West Indies, the first batter to reach triple figures was captain Clive Lloyd. He did it against Australia in the finals of the 1975 edition at Lord’s. West Indies made 291/8 in the first innings, and Llyod smashed a brilliant 102 off 85 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes. Australia got all out for 274 runs, and West Indies won the game by 17 runs.

5. Pakistan – Imran Khan :

Imran Khan was the first Asian and Pakistani player to score a World Cup hundred. He did it against Sri Lanka at Leeds during the 1983 World Cup. Imran made 102 not out off 133 balls, with 11 fours. Pakistan made 235/7 and bowled out Sri Lanka for 224 runs to win by 11 runs.

6. India – Kapil Dev :

For India, Kapil Dev struck the first World Cup hundred, and what a time to do it. He did it against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. Kapil came out to bat when India were 5/17, then he smashed an unbeaten 175 off 138 balls with 16 fours and 6 sixes. India reached 266/8 and dismissed Zimbabwe for 235 runs to win the game by 31 runs. Notably, Kapil’s 175 was also India’s first ever individual ODI century.

7. Zimbabwe – David Houghton :

Zimbabwe made their first appearance in the 1983 World Cup, and the first century for them came in the next edition in 1987. It was Dave Houghton who scored a hundred in the chase against New Zealand. New Zealand made 242/7 in the first innings. In reply, Zimbabwe fell short by just three runs and got all out for 239 in 49.4 overs. Houghton scored a brilliant hundred and made 142 off 137, with 13 fours and six sixes, but it came in a losing cause.

8. South Africa – Gary Kirsten :

South Africa played their first ICC Cricket World Cup in 1992 after the suspension. And Gary Kirsten was the first South African to hit a World Cup hundred. He made 188 not out form 159 balls, with 13 fours and 4 sixes, against UAE, and South Africa made 321/2 in the first innings. UAE managed 152/8 and won by 169 runs. Kirsten’s 188 is still South Africa’s highest individual score in ODIs as well as in World Cup.

9. Sri Lanka – Aravinda de Silva :

For Sri Lanka, the first batter to score a ICC Cricket World Cup hundred was Aravinda de Silva, who did it against Kenya in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996 at Kandy. Sri Lanka posted the then highest World Cup score of 398/5 in the first innings. De Silva made 145 off 115 balls, with 14 boundaries and five sixes. Kenya made 254/7 in reply and lost by 144 runs. Sri Lanka went on to win that edition.

10. Canada – John Davison :

Canada played their maiden ICC Cricket World Cup in 1979 and the second in 2003. John Davison was the first Canadian to score a World Cup hundred, which came in the 2003 edition. It was the match against West Indies in Centurion. Batting first, Canada got all out for just 202 runs in 42.5 overs. Davison smashed a 67-ball hundred and made 111 off 76 balls, with 8 fours and 6 sixes. West Indies made 206/3 in 20.3 overs to win the game.

11. Netherlands – Jan Feiko Kloppenburg :

Netherlands played their maiden ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996. But their first individual World Cup hundred came in the 2003 edition from the bat of Feiko Kloppenburg. It came in the 39th game of the tournament against Namibia in Bloemfontein. Netherlands posted a massive total of 314/4 in the first innings. Kloppenburg made 121 runs off 142 balls, with 6 fours and 4 sixes at the top. In reply, Namibia got all out for 250 runs and lost by 64 runs.

12. Ireland – Jeremy Bray :

Ireland played their maiden edition in 2007. The first Irish batter with a ICC Cricket World Cup hundred was Jeremy Bray. He did it against Zimbabwe in the fifth game of the tournament in Kingston. Bray made an unbeaten 115 off 137 balls, with 10 fours and 2 sixes. Ireland made 221/9. It was one of the closest games, as Zimbabwe also got all out at 221 and the game ended in a tie.

13. United Arab Emirates – Shaiman Anwar :

UAE have played two editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996 and 2015. The first batter to score a World Cup hundred for them was Shaiman Anwar against Ireland. He scored 106 off 83 balls, with 10 fours and one six in the first innings as UAE scored 278/9 against Ireland in Brisbane. In response, Ireland made 279/8 in 49.2 overs to win the game.

14. Scotland – Kyle Coetzer :

For Scotland, the first batter to score a ICC Cricket World Cup hundred was Kyle Coetzer. He did it in a losing cause against Bangladesh in the 27th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Nelson. Scotland made 318/8 in the first innings. Coetzer scored 156 off 134 balls, with 17 fours and four sixes. Bangladesh made 322/4 in 48.1 overs to win the game and registered one of the biggest World Cup wins.

15. Bangladesh – Mahmudullah Riyad:

For Bangladesh, Mahmudullah Riyad was the first batsman to hit a World Cup century. Bangladesh made their first ever World Cup appearance in 1999. They had to wait till their 5th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup to register first ever individual century by a batsman. Mahmudullah scored 103 off 138 deliveries against England in the 33rd match of the tournament. Bangladesh defeated England by 15 runs in the game played at Adelaide. Mahmudullah also holds the record for hitting most centuries for Bangladesh (3) in ICC Cricket World Cup history.

16. Afghanistan – Ibrahim Zadran :

Ibrahim Zadran became the first Afghanistan batter to score a World Cup hundred for his team. He did it against Australia in the 39th game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He made an unbeaten 129 off 143 balls, with 8 fours and three sixes.

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