WTC Final: Steve Smith overtakes Tendulkar to reach closer to Virat Kohli's ICC knockout matches record

ANI June 11, 2025 362 views

Steve Smith has now surpassed Sachin Tendulkar in ICC knockout fifty-plus scores, reaching seven with his crucial 66 against South Africa. The Australian batter now trails only Virat Kohli, who holds the record with 1,024 runs in ICC knockout matches. Smith's innings helped Australia recover from 67/4 to a more respectable 190/6 in the WTC final. His consistency in high-pressure matches further cements his reputation as one of cricket's greatest modern batters.

"Smith continues solidifying his legacy as the ultimate clutch batter for Australia" – Match Report
London, June 11: Australian batting icon Steve Smith overtook legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, climbing up to the second spot among batters with the highest number of fifty-plus scores in ICC tournament knockout matches.

Key Points

1

Smith scores 66 in WTC final vs SA

2

Overtakes Tendulkar with 7 ICC knockout fifties

3

Kohli leads with 1,024 runs in ICC knockouts

4

Australia recovers from 67/4 to 190/6

Smith continues solidifying his legacy as the ultimate clutch batter for Australia, with yet another half-century against the Proteas during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's. Walking in with Australia at 16/2, Smith's fluency was on showcase as he scored 66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours. His runs came at a strike rate of 58.92.

This is Smith's seventh fifty-plus score in ICC event knockout matches, overtaking Tendulkar, who had six such scores in 15 matches, scoring 682 runs at an average of 48.71 with a century and five fifties.

Smith loses out to Tendulkar in volume of runs, scoring 650 runs in 13 matches and innings at an average of 59.09, with two centuries and nine fifties. His best score is 121.

India's Virat Kohli remains the undisputed king of ICC knockout matches, being the only player to have made 1,000 runs in such matches. He has made 1,024 runs in 22 matches and 24 innings at an average of 51.20, with a century and nine fifties (a total of 10 fifty-plus scores) and best score of 117 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal at Mumbai.

Coming to the match, SA won the toss and opted to bat first, reducing Australia to 67/4 at the end of the first session. However, fifties from Smith (66) and Beau Webster (55*) took Australia to 190/6 at the end of the second session, with Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen being standout bowlers with two wickets each.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Stats don't lie! Smith is truly a big-match player, but let's not forget Sachin faced much tougher bowling attacks in his era. Still, respect where it's due - Smith's consistency in knockouts is remarkable. 🇮🇳🏏
P
Priya M.
Virat Kohli still leads the pack with 1000+ runs! That Mumbai innings against NZ was pure class. But honestly, why do we always compare current players with legends? Each era has its own challenges. Let's appreciate all great players!
A
Amit S.
Smith is technically brilliant, no doubt. But watching him bat feels like watching a robot - effective but not exciting. Give me Kohli's passion or Sachin's elegance any day! 😄
N
Neha P.
These stats show why Australia keeps winning ICC tournaments - they have players who perform when it matters most. India needs to find this knockout mentality. Our team crumbles under pressure too often.
S
Sanjay V.
Sachin's records stood for decades. Now we see them broken every few years. Shows how cricket is evolving. But nothing will ever match the emotion of watching Sachin bat in his prime - that was magic!
K
Karthik R.
Interesting analysis, but let's not forget context. Modern bats have bigger sweet spots, boundaries are shorter, and rules favor batsmen. Would love to see how Smith would fare against McGrath or Akram in their prime!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Your email won't be published


Disclaimer: Comments here reflect the author's views alone. Insulting or using offensive language against individuals, communities, religion, or the nation is illegal.

Tags:
Steve Smith Sachin Tendulkar Virat Kohli ICC WTC Final Cricket Records ICC Knockouts