One-Day International (ODI) cricket has witnessed so many top of the line batsmen in the history of the game. Ever since the white ball format started, the cricketing world has seen one of the best breathtaking talents. The history of ODI cricket is, in fact, quite phenomenal.
Speaking about the history of ODI format then the first limited-overs game took place between Australia and England in 1971 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Unlike the present scenario, it was a 40-over match, which the hosts won by five wickets.
In the vast antiquity of ODIs, some batsmen have outstripped the rest when it comes to run-scoring ability. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara are a few noteworthy names who have been pre-eminent with their performances. Tendulkar has even scored the maximum number of centuries (49) in ODI cricket.
Even in modern-day cricket, the golden legacy of the greatest ODI batsmen has been quite brilliantly carried forward by spectacular batters such as Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Ross Taylor, Eoin Morgan etc. However, there are very few who remain the leaders with maximum individual scores in different batting positions. Let’s have a look at the highest individual scores listed by batsmen at different batting positions in ODI cricket:
1.) Martin Guptill – 237* against West Indies, 2015
Martin Guptill is a hard hitter of the cricket ball. He likes to take bowlers on the front and demolish the opposition’s bowling attack by showing no mercy at all. The New Zealand opener is known for giving flying starts and putting pressure on the opponents straightaway.
The star Kiwi batsman registered history when he took West Indies attack to the cleaners in 2015. The Auckland-born scored a double hundred in a World Cup quarter-final. Guptill went on to score 237 off 163 balls. He smashed 24 fours and 11 sixes in a blistering knock that lasted the full 50 overs.
Overall, Guptill has 6843 runs to his name in 183 ODI games. With a career average of 42.15, the right-handed batsman has slammed 16 hundreds and 37 half-centuries. He is also the fourth Black Caps batter to score 6800-plus runs in ODI format.
2.) Rohit Sharma – 264 against Sri Lanka, 2014
Rohit Sharma is perhaps one of the most exceptional timers of the ball in world cricket at present. Since the Champions Trophy in 2013, fans have seen a completely different avatar of Rohit. Rohit’s ability to take on the bowlers from the word go is simply incredible.
In 2014, Rohit shattered all the records when he made the highest individual score and literally destroyed Sri Lankan bowling attack. It all happened in the fourth ODI of the five-match series against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The 33-year-old played a jaw-dropping knock when he smashed 264 off 173 balls. Rohit’s outstanding inning was studded with 33 fours and nine gigantic sixes.
Rohit has so far played 224 ODIs in which the ‘Hitman’ has accumulated 9115 runs at an impressive average of 49.27. The Mumbaikar has scored 29 centuries and 43 fifties.
3.) Charles Coventry – 194* against Bangladesh, 2009
Zimbabwe’s former wicketkeeper-batsman Charles Coventry will always be remembered as the most unlucky player in the history of ODI cricket as his best score which crossed 190 couldn’t take his side over the line.
It all happened in the fourth ODI against Bangladesh in Bulawayo in 2009 when Coventry smashed unbeaten 194 and took his team to a massive total of 312/8. The Kwekwe-born hit 16 fours and seven sixes during his marathon knock. But unfortunately, his outstanding effort could not prevent the loss.
Overall, Coventry played 39 ODIs for Zimbabwe cricket and amassed 831 runs with one century and three fifties.
4.) Sir Vivian Richards – 189* against England, 1984
A player full of charisma, supreme confidence and swagger, Sir Vivian Richards needs simply no introduction as to what kind of a cricketer he was. An absolute classy batsman who treated the most fearsome bowlers of the 70s and 80s like school kids.
Richards racked up quite a few memorable knocks for the West Indies, but his inning of 189 against England in 1984 still remains one of his all-time best. One could understand the importance of that knock as after Richards’ 189, tailender Eldine Baptiste’s 26 was the second-best score of Caribbean innings.
Overall, Richards appeared in 187 ODIs for West Indies, scoring 6721 runs at an average of 47 with 11 hundreds and 45 half-tons.
5.) AB de Villiers – 162* against West Indies, 2015
Considered as the modern great, AB de Villiers is one of the best ODI batsmen of his generation. De Villiers has entertained fans with his versatility, adaptiveness, innovations and ability to send the ball into the stands with so much ease.
In the year 2015, De Villiers took everyone by surprise when he scored 162 off just 66 deliveries against West Indies. The dextrous batsman scored 17 fours and eight sixes during his phenomenal performance.
The Pretoria-born has overall played 228 ODI matches in which he has clubbed 9577 runs at a breathtaking average of 53.50. The former Proteas captain has 25 centuries and 53 fifties to his name in the 50-over format.
6.) Kapil Dev – 175* against Zimbabwe, 1983
Arguably one of the greatest ODI innings of all-time came in 1983 World Cup when India captain Kapil Dev rescued his side from the jaws of defeat in their fifth match of the 60-over showpiece event.
While batting first India were struggling at 17 for 5 when Kapil came in to bat. Then a miracle happened as Kapil went on to smash 138-ball 175 and took the team’s total to 266 for 8 in 60 overs.
Unfortunately, such an astonishing inning had no video coverage because the West Indies was playing Australia on that day and all the equipment had gone there. Also, the BBC was on strike. Kapil smashed 16 fours and 6 sixes in a record-breaking knock.
7.) Luke Ronchi – 170* against Sri Lanka, 2015
Luke Ronchi is one of the very few cricketers who has played for two nations. He started his international career as a wicketkeeper for Australia and ended up being the 2015 World Cup member of New Zealand team.
Before the mega tournament, Ronchi etched his name in record books during a bilateral series against Sri Lanka, when he smashed 170 of 99 balls. Ronchi demolished the Lankan bowling attack as he scored 14 fours and 9 sixes, most of which came in the death overs.
Overall, the New Zealander featured in 85 ODIs scoring 1397 runs. He has one century and four half-tons to his name in the ODI career.
8.) Chris Woakes – 95* against Sri Lanka, 2016
England’s excellent all-rounder Chris Woakes is the most recent addition to this list. In the first ODI against Sri Lanka at Nottingham in 2016, Woakes played one of the most memorable knocks of English cricket.
Chasing 287 for victory, England were down for the count at 82 for 6 before Woakes and Jos Buttler put together 138 runs for the 7th wicket. In the end, Woakes scored an unbeaten 95 and took his team over the line.
Woakes also bagged a 5-wicket haul before showing the magic with his willow. For the all-round performance, the Birmingham-born was gratified with the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
9.) Andre Russell – 92* against India, 2011
Andre Russell is undoubtedly one of the most fearsome all-rounders in modern-day cricket, especially in the T20 format. However, back in 2011, Rusell was a newcomer but still managed to impress everyone when the West Indies needed the most.
It was a game against India, and the Caribbean team was down to 96 for 7 when Russell came in to bat. The Jamaican batsman got stuck in with Carlton Baugh and added 78 runs to stabilise the innings. He then wholly destroyed Indian bowlers, striking eight fours and five sixes to guide West Indies to a respectable score of 228/7.
10.) Ravi Rampaul – 86* against India, 2011
Another West Indies player in the list is veteran Caribbean Ravi Rampaul. Just like Russell, Rampaul too gave a hard time to Indian bowlers in 2011. After the early blows and failure of middle-order, West Indies were struggling at 149-8 when Rampaul walked in. He ended up scoring 86 not out off 66 balls and helped his team to reach 269 at the end of 50 overs.
Though Rampauls heroics went in vain as India won the match comfortably, thanks to a ton from Virat Kohli, the Trinidadian ended up registering history.
11.) Mohammad Amir – 58 against England, 2016
It was the year 2016 when Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir made his return to international cricket, and no one would have predicted him to register a world record with the bat. But in the 3rd ODI against England at Trent Bridge, Amir did the impossible.
Pakistan was given a momentous task after the fantastic batting performance shown from England. Opener Alex Hales scored a blistering 171 to set up a mammoth total of 444 runs. The chase was always going to be difficult, and it did happen as eventually, Pakistan fell short by 169 runs.
However, Amir left no stone unturned to impress Pakistani fans. He ended up scoring 58 runs, the highest by a number 11 batsman in the history of ODI cricket. Amir smashed five fours and four sixes during his entertaining knock.
