Top 18 Players Who Scored Century in ICC World Cup Debut

The best cricket players from all across the world come together for the ICC Cricket World Cup. This esteemed occasion has seen many noteworthy events and outstanding performances over the years. One such accomplishment that debutants in ICC World Cup frequently ponder over is a century.

Reaching a century in one’s first game on this famous platform is a sign of a player’s talent, composure, and pressure tolerance. In this article, we will look at the history of the ICC Cricket World Cup and the list of batters who have accomplished this unusual achievement.

Players with Century in ICC World Cup debut

Dennis Amiss – World Cup 1975

The first ICC Cricket World Cup, held in 1975, was a watershed moment in cricket history. Dennis Amiss of England made history by being the first batsman to achieve a century on his World Cup debut. In that historic encounter, Amiss’ beautiful stroke play and calm demeanor enabled him to score 137 runs against India.

Glenn Turner – World Cup 1975

Glenn Turner, another ICC Cricket World Cup debutant in 1975, joined Amiss in the elite century club. Turner’s magnificent performance of 171* against East Africa demonstrated his tremendous potential and set the tone for a successful international cricket career.

Allan Lamb – World Cup 1983

Allan Lamb made a magnificent entrance onto the World Cup stage during the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup. His superb century, 102 against Australia, was essential to England reaching the semi-finals that year. The three lions were humiliated by Kapil Dev’s side, which went on to win the famous World Cup trophy.

Trevor Chappell – World Cup 1983

During the same 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup, Trevor Chappell, representing Australia, carved his mark in history. His debut century of 110 runs against India demonstrated his batting skills and helped Australia to a comfortable win at Nottingham.

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Geoff Marsh – World Cup 1987

Geoff Marsh’s prowess was on display at the 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup. Marsh, opening the batting for Australia, scored a magnificent 110* against New Zealand, becoming one of the few batters in World Cup history to do so. Geoff was a member of the Australian team that won their first global title in the subcontinent.

Andy Flower – World Cup 1992

Andy Flower of Zimbabwe made an impression at the 1992 World Cup. His elegant and composed century of 115* against Sri Lanka established him as a gifted batsman who would go on to become one of Zimbabwe’s all-time greats. Andy’s brother, Grant Flower, also played for Zimbabwe in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Nathan Astle – World Cup 1996

Nathan Astle of New Zealand made a lasting impression in the 1996 World Cup with his spectacular century against England. Astle’s swashbuckling 101 set the tone for his team’s relatively successful World Cup campaign. Nathan Astle played 223 times for the Kiwis in white ball until 2007.

Gary Kirsten – World Cup 1996

Gary Kirsten, representing South Africa in the 1996 World Cup, demonstrated class and persistence. His 188* debut century against the UAE is one of the best individual scores in World Cup history. After retiring, the left-handed batsman became a coach and led India to their second ODI World Cup victory in 2011.

Scott Styris – World Cup 2003

Scott Styris, noted for his versatility, demonstrated his batting skills in the 2003 World Cup. His 141-run maiden century against Bangladesh was a masterpiece in controlled aggressiveness. Apart from his batting abilities, Styris also contributed with the ball, taking important wickets in the middle overs for the Kiwis.

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Craig Wishart – World Cup 2003

Craig Wishart of Zimbabwe made his debut in the 2003 World Cup, joining an elite group of century-makers. His 172* against Namibia demonstrated his dominance at the crease. The Harare-born batsman represented Zimbabwe for almost a decade.

Andrew Symonds – World Cup 2003

Andrew Symonds, a dynamic Australian cricketer, made a spectacular World Cup debut in 2003. With his aggressive hitting, he displayed his capacity to shift the course of a game with an explosive century of 143* against Pakistan. ‘Roy,’ as he was affectionately known by his teammates, was a fantastic fielder. He could also bowl at a medium pace and spin the ball in both directions. He was a powerful hitter down the order for Australia.

Jeremy Bray – World Cup 2007

In the 2007 World Cup, Jeremy Bray’s century against Zimbabwe was not only momentous for him but also for Irish cricket. His calm 115* anchored Ireland to a memorable win, confirming Ireland’s image as global cricket’s giant killer.

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Virat Kohli – World Cup 2011

During the 2011 World Cup, the flamboyant Virat Kohli made his grand entrance onto the World Cup scene. His first century of 100 against Bangladesh demonstrated the tremendous skill that would propel him to become one of the modern-day greats.

Aaron Finch – World Cup 2015

Aaron Finch of Australia demonstrated his devastating hitting talents during the 2015 World Cup. His first-inning century of 135 against England set the tone for a victorious campaign that culminated in Australia’s sixth World Cup title. Finch has since resigned from international cricket and is now a Star Sports presenter.

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Devon Conway – World Cup 2023

Devon Conway scored an impressive first century in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. His magnificent 152* against England in the tournament opener displayed his prowess, kicking off the Kiwis’ quest for the 2023 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup in spectacular form.

Rachin Ravindra – World Cup 2023

Rachin Ravindra entered the elite group of century scorers on his debut in the same game against England in the 2023 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup. His 123* versus England in the tournament opener heralded the debut of a promising young talent on the international scene.

Abdullah Shafique – World Cup 2023

In 2023, Abdullah Shafique made his impressive World Cup debut, scoring a century against Sri Lanka in a high-scoring run chase. His 113-run knock exhibited poise and grace, setting the tone for Pakistan’s chase and garnering him instant global renown. Shafique’s future in international cricket is bright at only 23 years old.

Travis Head – World Cup 2023

Travis Head made his World Cup debut with a bang, inscribing his name in the tournament’s annals. His 109-run hit off 67 balls against New Zealand in Dharamsala was nothing short of sensational. Head’s innings was a masterclass of dominance, with 10 boundaries and 7 majestic sixes. With this achievement, he became the fifth Australian and the 18th batsman in World Cup history to make a century-long World Cup debut. What made his knock even more exceptional is that he was out of the game for a month owing to a hand injury sustained in a bilateral series against South Africa, but he didn’t appear to be out of the game and scored his century in just 59 balls.

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