Most consecutive fifties scored by a captain in an ICC World Cup tournament (male)

India captain Virat Kohli posted five consecutive half-centuries during the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales between 9 and 30 June. The batsman’s scores of 82 (vs. Australia), 77 (vs. Pakistan), 67 (vs. Afghanistan), 72 (vs. West Indies) and 66 (vs. England) helped him achieve a tournament total of 443 runs in nine matches as India topped the group-stage table and made it through to the semi-finals.

Kohli broke a record set by South Africa’s Graeme Smith in 2007 and Australia’s Aaron Finch on 25 June 2019, who both led from the front with four consecutive fifties at the World Cup. The latter converted two of his fifties into hundreds.

In 2015, Australia’s Steve Smith became the first player to score five successive fifties at the World Cup, under the captaincy of Michael Clarke. Smith converted his fourth consecutive fifty into a hundred (in the semi-final) and completed the sequence with 56 not out in the final against New Zealand on 29 March 2015.

Seven other batsmen passed 50 in at least five matches at the 2019 World Cup, but not in consecutive matches. Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan managed a tournament-best seven scores of 50 or more (including two hundreds) in eight matches, with his knock of 41 against Australia on 20 June his lowest score.

In World Cup history, India’s Sachin Tendulkar has the most fifties with 21.