ICC Cricket World Cup: Curiosity Corner

February 28, 2015 01:52 am | Updated March 01, 2015 10:10 pm IST

Kapil Dev. File photo: Ramesh Sharma

Kapil Dev. File photo: Ramesh Sharma

There was never a dull moment when Kapil Dev was in the middle as he always believed in keeping the scoreboard ticking. It is no surprise that the 'Haryana Hurricane' heads the strike rate list of batsmen with a minimum of 500 runs in the World Cup. Kapil smashed 669 runs off just 581 deliveries (strike rate: 115.14). The blitzkrieg against the West Indies on Friday took A.B. de Villiers to the second spot with 112.81 (942 off 835). Brendon McCullum, who hit the fastest half-century of the competition recently, is next in the ladder with 108.55 (571 runs off 526 balls).

In the bowling department, too, it is an Indian who tops the charts. Zaheer Khan snared 44 wickets in 198.5 overs at a rate of 27.1, followed closely by Glenn McGrath at 27.5 (71 wkts. in 325.5 overs).

They have easily been the most consistent team in the competition and here's another reason why. Australia, winner of a record four titles, has been dismissed for less than 150 only once - 129 versus India in 1983. In fact, the Aussies have just eight totals below 200 (including the India match).

Similarly, two-time champion India has only two scores below 150 -- 125 against Australia in 2003 and 132 for three versus England in 1975. It has 10 scores of 200 and below, one of them being the 183 against the West Indies in the 1983 final. That total was enough to register a historic win and deny Clive Lloyd another Lord's balcony moment. To this day, Kapil's Devils hold the record for the lowest score (183) defended in a World Cup final.

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