Hyderabad: The biggest cricket tournament -- ICC World Cup 2019 -- is just 12 days away from kick-starting and ahead of the marquee events all the teams participating in the fifty overs mega tournament are gearing up to put up their best performances.
The CWC 2019 will start on May 30 with hosts England taking on South Africa in the first match of the tournament. The coveted event will be played in England and Wales.
Ahead of the fifty overs extravaganza, take a look at the list of players who have played most World Cup matches:
Ricky Ponting
Australian great Ricky Ponting, who guided Oz team to two World Cup glory, tops this prestigious list. Ponting played 46 matches for Australia in five World Cups from 1996 to 2011.
Ponting, who led Australia till 2011 World Cup, is also at the second spot at the run-scoring list with 1743 runs at a staggering average of 45.86 with the help of five hundred. His highest score 140 not out came in the 2003 final against India.
Sachin Tendulkar
India's batting great Sachin Tendulkar, who is also popularly known as the 'God of Cricket' among cricket enthusiasts, holds the second spot in this list.
Tendulkar played 45 World Cup matches for India form 1992 to 2011. Tendulkar, who is the only cricketer to score hundred international centuries, also the highest run-getter in WC with 2278 runs under his name at an average of 56.95. Sachin's highest score in the marquee event is 152.
Mahela Jayawardene
Former Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene is counted as one of the best batsmen of all time. Jayawardene had a mastery when it comes to playing the spin bowling.
Mahela Jayawardene is at the third spot in this list. The Island cricketer played 40 matches in five World Cups from 1999 to 2015.
Jayawardene scored 1100 runs at an average of 35.48 with the help of four hundred.
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan, who is counted as one of the most effective spin bowlers of all time, is also at the third spot when it comes to the number of matches played in the World Cup.
Muralitharan played 40 WC matches from 1996 to 2011 and bagged 68 wickets. Muralitharan is also the second highest wicket-taker in WC history. He is just behind Australian great Glenn McGrath.
Glenn McGrath
Australia's pace sensation Glenn McGrath is considered as the most successful bowler in terms of wicket taking. McGrath is also the most useful bowler in the fifty overs World Cup with 71 wickets under his belt.
McGrath is at the fourth spot in this prestigious list with 39 World Cup matches to his name. He represented India in the marquee event from 1996 to 2007.
