Cricket
Who Has the Most Centuries in ICC ODI Tournaments? A Ranking
Scoring a century in international cricket remains a remarkable achievement. Carving one out at Test level involves being diligent and patient, but constructing a three-figure milestone in white ball tournaments requires a different mindset.
Rohit Sharma of India plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Best ICC Tournament Batsmen
Our evaluation of the greatest big-tournament batsmen combined a statistical analysis of century-making in major events with expert and media perception of their overall impact to provide a comprehensive ranking. Fusing these elements created the ‘SB Market Index’, a bespoke ratings model that ensured results were transparent and accurate.
Industry Insights
A curated analysis from the top 10 cricketing and sports media sources measures how prominently each player is featured in discussions of the “greatest batsmen in ICC ODI tournament history.”
| Source Name | Rohit Sharma | Sourav Ganguly | Sachin Tendulkar | Shikhar Dhawan | David Warner | Virat Kohli | Kumar Sangakkara | Ricky Ponting |
| ICC Official Site – “Greatest World Cup Innings” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ESPNcricinfo – “Team of the Tournament” historical XIs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cricbuzz – “Analyzing Big-Match Temperament” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wisden – “The 100 Best Players of the CWC” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sky Sports – “World Cup’s Most Valuable Players” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| The Guardian – “Defining Finals Performances” | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cricket.com.au – “Australia’s Knockout Heroes” | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Reddit r/Cricket – “Best Tournament Player” Poll | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sportskeeda – “Top 5 Batsmen in ICC Tournaments | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| talkSPORT – “Cricket’s Most Clutch Performers” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
SB Score
| Player | Centuries | Innings | Inns per Century | SB Score |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 6 | 20 | 3.33 | 1.000 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 7 | 32 | 4.57 | 0.880 |
| Rohit Sharma | 8 | 42 | 5.25 | 0.890 |
| David Warner | 6 | 33 | 5.50 | 0.782 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 6 | 56 | 9.33 | 0.606 |
| Virat Kohli | 6 | 53 | 8.83 | 0.619 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 7 | 58 | 8.29 | 0.710 |
| Ricky Ponting | 6 | 60 | 10.00 | 0.583 |
This score is calculated based on two key metrics in ICC ODI tournaments: Frequency of Centuries (Innings per Century with 60% weightage) and Total Centuries (40% weightage).
SB Market Index
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Ricky Ponting | 0.583 | 10 | 8.117 |
| 2 | Sourav Ganguly | 0.880 | 9 | 7.376 |
| 3 | Sachin Tendulkar | 0.710 | 9 | 7.342 |
| 4 | Kumar Sangakkara | 0.606 | 9 | 7.321 |
| 5 | Rohit Sharma | 0.890 | 8 | 6.578 |
| 6 | David Warner | 0.782 | 8 | 6.556 |
| 7 | Virat Kohli | 0.619 | 8 | 6.524 |
| 8 | Shikhar Dhawan | 1.000 | 5 | 4.200 |
The Ultimate Big-Game Player: Ricky Ponting
One of the top batsmen in World Cup history, Ricky Ponting’s ICC record was enviable. Three World Cup triumphs on the spin underlined Ponting’s impact, and he was one of the greatest World Cup captains. With his masterful batting, Australia were truly unstoppable, and his unbeaten knock of 140 against India in the 2003 final was a colossal effort.
Driven by his perfect ‘Industry Insights’ rating, Ponting was the ultimate clutch performer, and he topped our rankings.
The Indian Legends: Ganguly and Tendulkar
A prolific run scorer, Sachin Tendulkar, who was revered as the god of cricket, was one of the top ODI tournament players in his day. Although he often carried the hopes of India on his shoulders, Tendulkar invariably delivered with his prodigious shot-making, and his phenomenal record at ICC tournaments was encompassed by his excellent ‘SB Score’ and near-perfect ‘Industry Insights’ rating.
Sourav Ganguly, meanwhile, may not have clocked up the most World Cup hundreds, but his impact can’t be understated. He weighed in with four tons, and he was among the players with the most ODI Man of the Match awards. Combining finesse with precision, Ganguly notched up a century roughly every five innings, which was exceptional, and his legendary status was underlined by his excellent ‘SB Score’ and ‘Industry Insight’ rating.
The Statistical Marvel: Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan’s Champions Trophy record speaks volumes about the type of player he is. Three Champions Trophy hundreds and over 700 runs at an average of above 77 is astonishing, but he’s an anomaly.
Despite being statistically formidable, there was a disconnect with his results, as his superb ‘SB Score’ was let down by his ‘Industry Insights’ rating.
Conclusion on Cricket’s Tournament Titans
In summary, our comprehensive model, which was heavily influenced by media perceptions and sustained big-game impact, crowned Ricky Ponting as the greatest ICC ODI tournament batsman.
He spearheaded a golden era of Australian dominance with his uncompromising batting style, and he thrived in the ODI arena, delivering time after time. While Ponting was the clear winner, the other batsmen discussed dealt with the pressure in high-stakes games extremely well and scored heavily.
Making Rohit Sharma vs Sachin Tendulkar ICC GOAT opinions, for example, may seem futile given they played in different eras, but this iconic duo, along with the other players mentioned on this list, electrified crowds and created incredible legacies.
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.