Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most World Cups runs and hundreds. (Source: PTI)

Stats are integral part of cricket. When the tournament is as big as the World Cup, stats become more important. In the 11th edition of cricket’s mega-event, cricketers will be chasing some unique records – some wanted, some unwanted. From team records to individual records, we bring to you all of them. One is related to politics as well.

* Three teams have an unwanted World Cup record – Sri Lanka have never beaten Pakistan, Pakistan have never beaten India and India have never won against South Africa. And we all known what South Africa has never won.

* In 15 highest runs scored in a single world cup match, 10 have come in the last two editions (2007 and 2011) with the highest being the tied contest between India and England in Banglore in 2011 in which 676 runs were scored.

* Off all the WC matches in 600 or more runs have been scored, the match run-rate of 2007 Australia vs South Africa match is the highest (6.84).

* Before the 2011, South Africa and New Zealand had not won a knockout match in WCs. They faced each other in quarters in 2011 which NZ won. SA is yet to win a WC knockout game.

* Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara will be the highest run scorer in World Cup matches among the players who will feature in this World Cup. This world cup does’t feature a single player who has 1000 World Cup runs. Sangakkara needs only nine runs to complete 1000 world cup runs.

* Sangakkara needs only 95 runs and seven dismissals to beat Adam Gilchrist’s record of most runs and dismissals by a wicket-keeper in World Cups. Sangakkara – 991 runs / 46 dismissals (36 catches + 10 stumpings), Gilchrist – 1085 runs / 52 dismissals (45 catches + 7 stumpings).

* Michael Clarke (83.62) has the highest World Cup average among the players in WC 15. If he fails to start for Australia in the first match then Shane Watson will have the highest average (62.16).

* In just 15 World Cup matches spanning in two WCs, AB de Villiers has 4 ducks. If he gets one more duck, he will be joint-highest with five. This is more than the 100s he has scored in WCs (three). If he gets two more hundreds, he will be one behind record holder Sachin Tendulkar (6).

* Mahela Jayawardene is also chasing a record. If he plays Sri Lanka’s all league stage matches, he will become only the fifth player to play 39 matches or more. If Sri Lanka goes onto play the final and Mahela plays all the matches, he will then play the third highest number of WC matches (42) behind Ricky Ponting (46) and Sachin Tendulkar (45).

* The second record Mahela will chasing will be the catches. If he takes four more cathces, he will be number two on the list with 19 catches. Ricky Ponting sits on the top with 28 catches.

* Lasith Malinga will go in as the highest wicket-taker in World Cup among current players.

* Shahid Afridi may accomplish an unique ODI record during the WC. He needs only 52 runs and seven wickets to become the first player in ODIs to complete 8000 runs and 400 wickets.

* Shahid Afridi has most 4-wicket hauls in WCs – four. This is four World Cups. Imran Tahir is second (among players playing WC 2015) with two. What is more surprising is that Tahir has only played one World Cup.

* Talking about unwanted records, Afridi has never scored a fifty in World Cup match.

* In the records for umpires, Aleem Dar is all set to become the number three in record for most matches as an umpire.

* MS Dhoni needs only two more dismissal to become India’s most successful wicket-keeper in World Cups. He will overtake Syed Kirmani who has 18 dismissals. If Dhoni takes two more catches, he will be the leading wicket-keeper for India in term of catches and if he gets two more stumpings, he will have the highest number of stumpings for India in WCs.

* Sachin Tendulkar, Scott Styris and Adam Gilchrist have scored 300+ runs each against Sri Lanka – most number of players against a single team.

If you are still wondering the political record, here it is:

India failed to win a single international match during Aam Aadmi Party’s 49-day rule last time. Out of the seven matches they played (5 ODIs and 2 Tests), India lost 5 matches (4 ODIs and a Tets), drew one Test and tied an ODI. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is in power again just three days before World Cup and will be sworn in on the day World Cup begins. Can India change its record or will the AAP have the same effect, we have to wait and watch.