A few key numbers from the Women’s World Cup, which gets underway in Mumbai on January 31
S Rajesh30-Jan-20139 – The number of Women’s World Cups that have been held so far; the first one was in 1973, in England, who also hosted the tournament in 1993. Australia, New Zealand and India have also hosted the event twice, while South Africa have hosted it once.3 – The number of different teams which have won the nine editions of this tournament. Australia have lifted the cup five times, England thrice, and New Zealand once.4 – The number of instances of the host nation winning the World Cup. It happened in the inaugural edition of the tournament, in England in 1973, and then in Australia in 1988, England in 1993, and New Zealand in 2000.229* – The highest individual score in a Women’s World Cup, which is also the highest in a one-day international. Australia’s Belinda Clark scored those runs against Denmark in the 1997 tournament, in India. In fact, the three highest scores in women’s one-day internationals have all come in World Cup matches.1 – The number of World Cup centuries, out of 34, scored by a player not belonging to England, Australia or New Zealand: South Africa’s Linda Olivier scored an unbeaten 101 against Ireland in Christchurch in 2000. England have scored 17 hundreds, Australia nine, and New Zealand seven.6 – The most hundreds scored in an edition of the World Cup. It’s happened twice – in India in 1997 and in New Zealand in 2000. However, only three centuries have been scored in each of the last two editions. The only World Cup in which no centuries were scored was in 1978, in India: the highest score in that edition was 67 not out.412 – The highest team score in a World Cup game, by Australia against Denmark in the same match in which Clark scored the unbeaten 229. In all, teams have gone past 300 five times, and have scored 250 or more 26 times. (Click here for the highest scores in World Cup matches)218 – The highest team score in run-chases in World Cup matches. There have been 49 instances of teams scoring more than 218 when batting first.76 – The number of times teams chasing have had a target of 190 or more in World Cup matches. 1 – The number of times, in those 76 matches, that teams have successfully chased a target of 190 or more. The only such win was by New Zealand against India in the 2009 tournament in Sydney, when New Zealand chased down a target of 208 with 14 balls to spare.363 – The biggest margin of victory for a team batting first in a World Cup game. Australia beat Denmark by that margin, in the 1997 edition, in Mumbai. Australia scored 412 for 3, and Denmark were bundled out for 49.27 – The lowest team total in a World Cup game. Pakistan were bundled out for that score against Australia in the 1997 edition, in Hyderabad. Australia won by nine wickets, with 43.5 overs to spare.307 – The record for the victory margin with most balls to spare, in a World Cup game. This was in a 60-over-per-side match between Australia and Denmark in the 1993 tournament in England. Denmark were bowled out for 76, and Australia won with 51.1 overs remaining.39 – The most wickets taken by a bowler in World Cup matches. Australia’s Lyn Fullston took 39 from 20 matches over two tournaments, in 1982 and 1988. Fullston’s 23 wickets in 1982 is also a record for a single World Cup tournament.3 – The least runs conceded by a bowler who’s bowled at least ten overs in a World Cup game. New Zealand’s Catherine Campbell had figures of 10-7-3-0 against Netherlands in 2000.11 – The most maiden overs sent down by a bowler in a single World Cup game. West Indies’ Carol-Ann James had incredible figures of 12-11-4-1 in a 1993 World Cup game against Denmark. Quite fittingly, James’ international career consisted of 11 ODI matches.26 – The most maiden overs bowled by a team in an innings in a World Cup game. Australia sent down 26 maidens against Ireland, who managed 78 for 8 in a 60-over-per-side match in Sydney in 1988.
