Top 4 Batsmen With The Most Fifties In The ICC Finals

Australia and South Africa are playing in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's in London. Numerous records, including the Most ICC Finals half-centuries, were set on the opening day of this crucial encounter. Steve Smith, the iconic Australian batsman, hit his third ICC Finals fifty in the first inning. But he is not the only one who has done this. Some great players had already accomplished this before him. The top four players who scored the most half-centuries in the ICC Finals will be discussed in this article.

1. Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka (4 fifties)

Kumar Sangakkara, a left-handed wicketkeeper batsman and former captain of Sri Lanka, leads this list with four half-centuries. He achieved his first ICC Final century when he played a 54-run innings against India in the 2002 Champions Trophy Final. Due to rain, the match was called off, and the joint winners were declared by both teams. In the 2007 ICC World Cup Final, he went on to score 54 runs against Australia. Even with his outstanding half-century, SL lost by 36 runs (D/L method). A few years later, SL reached the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup finals against Pakistan. Sangakkara scored 64 runs in the finals. But despite his fifty, SL lost. His fourth World Cup Final half-century came in the 2014 T20 World Cup Final against India, where he blasted an unbeaten fifty-two runs to assist his team win the T20 World Cup Title.

2. Virat Kohli, India (3 fifties)

Virat Kohli is considered one of the best batsmen in cricket history. He has many records with his name, including three half-centuries in the ICC Finals. In the 2014 T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka, he scored his first half-century in an ICC Final. In this match, he played a sensible 52-run innings. But due to Sangakkara's fifty, SL defeated Indian and won the final. He smashed his second ICC Final fifty in the 2023 ODI World Cup Finals against Australia, where he scored 54 runs. Even though he scored 765 runs in this World Cup edition, the most any batter has ever scored in a single World Cup. Despite this, India lost their most important World Cup final encounter against Australia. After this, He scored his third ICC fifty against South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup Final. In this match, he scored 76 runs, and thanks to his incredible performance, India won the World Cup after 13 years. Virat is still playing ODI cricket even though he has already retired from T20I and Test cricket. In the upcoming cricket matches of the 2027 World Cup, it would be exciting to watch if he can play in another ODI World Cup Final.

3. Adam Gilchrist, Australia (3 fifties)

The Third name on this esteemed list is Adam Gilchrist, a wicket-keeper batsman who is considered the master of the ICC Finals. The former Australian batsman achieved three ICC Finals half-centuries during his career, all at the ODI World Cup Finals. And surprisingly, Australia won the World Cup each time. In the 1999 ODI World Cup, he scored 54 runs in 36 balls against Pakistan, earning him his first Half-Century in the ICC Final. Following this, he made 57 runs in the 2003 World Cup Final against India, earning his second ICC final fifty. His last ICC Finals half-century came against Sri Lanka in the 2007 World Cup Finals, when his cricket score was 149 runs.

4. Steve Smith, Australia (3 fifties)

Steve Smith has also scored three ICC Finals half-centuries, along with Virat Kohli and Adam Gilchrist. He hit his first half-century in the ICC Finals against New Zealand in the 2015 ODI World Cup Final. Smith ensured his team's fifth World Cup victory with a cool 56-run innings during the 184-run chase. He made 121 runs against India in the 2023 World Test Championship Final, his second ICC final fifty. Australia won their first WTC title after defeating India by 209 runs due to his outstanding century. His most recent ICC half-century came in the 2025 World Test Championship Final against South Africa, where he scored 66 runs.