To any batsman, it is always delightful to score a century for his team and it becomes much more special if it contributes to the team’s success.
There are many batsmen who have shone brightly for their side by scoring scintillating centuries.
Here we look upon the top 5 batsmen who scored the highest number of centuries in ODI cricket:-
– by Rishita Patnaik
- SACHIN TENDULKAR
The Little Master, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, former Indian Cricketer has registered a total of 49 ODI centuries to his name. He was the first cricketer to score a double hundred in One Day Internationals. In ODIs, he has scored a total of 18,426 runs in 463 matches with a batting average of 44.83 which includes 49 centuries and 96 fifties.
His top score in ODI cricket was 200 not out against South Africa. He has a record of scoring more than a thousand runs in a calendar year for 7 times and his tally of 1,894 runs in 1988 was the highest number of runs scored by a batsman in a calendar year.
Mid way through his career, he was ranked as the second greatest ODI cricketer, behind Viv Richards by the Wisden Cricketer’s Almanack. Sachin Tendulkar is the leading run scorer in the chart of the highest number of ODI runs.
- RICKY PONTING
Ricky Ponting, the former Australian cricketer, has registered a total number of 30 ODI centuries to his name. He holds a record of scoring most number of runs (12662) batting at position number 3. Ricky Ponting is the first batsman to score ODI centuries against all the test playing nations.
In One Day International, Ponting has scored a total number of 13,704runs in 375 matches with a batting average of 42.03 which includes 30 centuries and 82 fifties. His top score in ODI cricket was 164 against South Africa. He is the leading run scorer for Australia in ODI cricket. He holds a record of being part of a team in the most number of ODI wins (262) and also for being the most capped ODI captain (230 matches).
He holds the record of the scoring highest number of ODI runs as captain (8497 runs). He was named as the ‘Cricketer of the Decade 2000’ for his exceptional performances in the history of cricket.
- VIRAT KOHLI
Virat Kohli, the current captain of the Indian Cricket Team, has registered 30* ODI centuries to his name. Kohli has a sundry of Indian batting records in his closet. He scored the fastest ODI century, he is also the fastest to score 5000 plus runs and fastest to score 10 ODI centuries.
Kohli is the world’s second batsman to score 1000 plus ODI runs consecutively for four calendar years. As of now, in One Day Internationals, he has added up 8,587 runs in 194 matches with a batting average of 55.76 which includes 30 centuries and 44 fifties. His top score was 183 against Pakistan. In 2013, he became the fastest batsman to score 17 centuries. As per the current ICC rankings, Virat Kohli is on number one position with a rating of 887.
- SANATH JAYASURIYA
Sanath Jayasurya, the former Sri Lankan cricketer, has scored 28 ODI centuries. He is a renowned ODI cricketer as he produced many matches winning performances for Sri Lanka with his all-round abilities. He is the only player to scalp 300 wickets and to score 12000 plus runs and hence, he is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in One Day Internationals.
Surya has racked up 13,430 runs in 445 One Day Internationals with a batting average of 32.36 which includes 28 centuries and 68 fifties. He also took 323 wickets in 445 ODI matches with a bowling average of 36.75 which includes 4 five-wicket hauls.
Jayasuriya holds the record of scoring the fastest fifty (off 17 balls vs. Pakistan), fastest century for Sri Lanka( off 48 balls vs. Pakistan ) and also the fastest 150( off 95 balls vs. England) in One Day Internationals. But later, the record of fastest ODI 50 and 100 was surpassed by AB De Villiers. He is the only cricketer to score two consecutive 150 plus runs in the history of ODI cricket. Jayasuriya’s top score was 189 vs. India. In 1996, he was named as the Most Valuable Player of the Cricket World Cup, 1996.
- HASHIM AMLA
Hashim Amla, current South African Cricketer, has registered 25 ODI centuries. He became the fastest player to score 7000 plus ODI runs (11 innings quicker than Kohli). In 2017, he became the fastest batsman to score 25 ODI centuries and yet again 11 innings quicker than Kohli. In 2013, he was named as the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. He scored a total of 7,186 runs in 156 ODIs with a batting average of 50.25 which includes 25 centuries and 33 fifties. In One Day Internationals, Amla is the fastest batsman to reach 2,000 (in 40 inns), 3,000 (in 59 inns), 4,000 (in 81 inns), 5,000 (in 101inns), 6,000 (in 123 inns) 7,000 (in150 inns) runs.
He also created a milestone of scoring 1000 plus runs in both ODI and Tests in the same calendar year. Incredibly, Hashim Amla is the fastest cricketer to reach 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th (86 inns), 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th (151 inns) centuries in ODIs. He is applauded as one of the greatest South African batsmen for his amazing performances.
– by Rishita Patnaik