Knockout matches in complete ODI World Cups are always full of pressure, drama, and even legends left behind. Eternal legends are the ones who are not only created but also recalled every now and then wherever the sport is talked about.
Jemimah Rodrigues, India’s bright new star, recently scored a magnificent match-winning 127* runs off 134 balls in the semi-final of Women’s World Cup 2025 against Australia.
Rodriguez’s innings is now included in a list of innings that are very rare and special, perhaps even defining matches, careers, and feelings.
On this note, here are the top individual scores made by Indian players in World Cup knockout matches, where superheroes fought at the very best of times.
5. Sourav Ganguly – 111 vs Kenya (2003 Men’s World Cup semi-final)
The Prince of Kolkata had done spectacularly well in the semi-final match against Kenya and he had already scored 111 runs not out off 114 balls which was very elegant, confident, and well-paced.
Moreover, he built up a 103-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. Also, he guided India to a rather convincing victory by 91 runs and through to the final match against the Australians. This was undoubtedly a captain’s inning with the perfect blend of aggression and elegance with the bat, which reflects leadership and class.
4. Virat Kohli – 117 vs New Zealand (2023 Men’s World Cup semi-final)
Before the tragedy of the final, Virat Kohli’s 117 runs off 113 balls against New Zealand in the semi-final in Mumbai during the 2023 ODI World Cup was nothing short of a perfect demonstration of timing and temperament.
Savvy intentions were behind each of the strokes and every run was of great value. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer shared a huge partnership of 163 runs which led India to a record total of 397 runs. On top of that, this was Kohli’s 50th ODI century, breaking the 49-century record held by Sachin Tendulkar.
Despite India’s triumph in the encounter by a margin as large as 70 runs, Kohli’s inning stood as a beacon of perseverance and dedication, a lesson for the whole cricketing world to learn and draw inspiration from.
3. Jemimah Rodrigues – 127* vs Australia (2025 Women’s World Cup semi-final)
In a match full of tension against the ever-powerful Australian team, Jemimah Rodrigues played like a true warrior and made her debut on the international platform with an outstanding career-high score of 127 off 134 balls. When the wickets went down early, she kept her head cool mixing up the patience with stroke play.
She collaborated with Harmanpreet Kaur to build a 167-run partnership that turned the match around in India’s favour as they chased down the target of 339 and secured the final ticket to the 2025 World Cup. It was not only her runs but also her maturity and composure under pressure that led the audience and professionals to speculate about her being the next star of Indian cricket.
2. Rohit Sharma – 137 vs Bangladesh (2015 Men’s World Cup quarter-final)
Rohit Sharma’s life was a series of major events and he always played as a player for the big occasion and his innings against Bangladesh at the 2015 World Cup Quarter-Final was yet again proof of his excellent skills and talent.
After a slow beginning, Rohit took control and pushed wonderfully through the middle overs. His 137 off 126 was a combination of grace and strength, decorated with 14 fours and 3 sixes. India scored a total of 302/6 and in the end, won easily by 109 runs.
It was a remarkable innings that not only India advanced to the semi-final but also made Rohit’s calm but firm knock a legendary episode in World Cup history.
1. Harmanpreet Kaur – 171 vs Australia (2017 Women’s World Cup semi-final)
It was but a few who could have foreseen the events that followed when India played against Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final match at Derby. On a dark and gloomy day in England, Kaur not only scored but also offered the world an unforgettable performance, making 171 not out off 115 balls, which included a remarkable number of 20 fours and 7 sixes.
Her innings was not only explosive but also pure dominance and control at the same time. Harmanpreet Kaur came to bat when India was in trouble having lost two wickets for just 35 runs and by the time she left the batting crease, the score posted was 281/4. India subsequently won the match by 36 runs, thereby charging into the final. This performance is yet another instance of the finest ODI innings for Indian players, irrespective of the gender.
