Performing in a World Cup is considered the highest test of a cricketer’s skill and temperament. Batters aim for big scores, while bowlers dream of five-wicket hauls in such high-pressure contests. But only true all-rounders manage to excel in both roles in the same game — a feat extremely difficult to achieve, especially in a World Cup.
Over the years, only a few players have managed to score a half-century and pick up five wickets in a single World Cup match. Remarkably, this has happened only three times in World Cup history, making it one of the rarest achievements in international cricket.
#1 Deepti Sharma
India’s Deepti Sharma scripted history in the 2025 Women’s World Cup final against South Africa in Navi Mumbai. In a high-stakes knockout clash, she became the first woman cricketer to score a fifty and take five wickets in a World Cup match, and the only player across both men’s and women’s cricket to do so in a knockout game.
Walking in when India were under pressure at 171/4, she stabilised the innings with a crucial 58 off 58 balls. With the ball, she turned the match decisively in India’s favour by dismissing South African captain Laura Wolvaardt and the threatening Annerie Dercksen in successive overs. Deepti ended with figures of 5/39 in 9.3 overs, sealing a 52-run win and helping India lift their first-ever Women’s World Cup title. Her brilliance throughout the tournament also earned her the Player of the Series award.
#2 Shakib Al Hasan
Before Deepti, the previous instance came in the 2019 ODI World Cup when Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan achieved the feat against Afghanistan in Southampton. After steadying the innings with a 59-ball 51, he delivered an outstanding bowling spell, finishing with 5/29 in 10 overs and dismantling Afghanistan’s top order. His performance guided Bangladesh to a 62-run victory. Shakib had a phenomenal tournament overall, amassing 606 runs and claiming 11 wickets, further cementing his status as one of the finest all-rounders in modern cricket.
#3 Yuvraj Singh
The first cricketer ever to achieve this double was India’s Yuvraj Singh during the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru against Ireland. After breaking Ireland’s momentum with a five-wicket haul, giving away just 31 runs in 10 overs, he anchored India’s chase with an unbeaten 50 off 75 balls. His all-round brilliance secured a comfortable five-wicket win. Yuvraj later went on to play a key role in India’s title triumph and was named Player of the Tournament for scoring 362 runs and taking 15 wickets.
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