It’s been more than 50 years since ODI cricket has been played. And in between these many years, the format has given us so many classic matches.
Many of these games are still fresh in our minds like they happened yesterday. But what made these games special was the individual brilliance shown by players.
Going through the history of the format, we have seen some trailblazing knocks from batters. These knocks single-handedly destroyed the opposition’s bowling attacks while taking batting to a different dimension.
On that note, let’s immerse through the 10 best knocks of all time in ODI cricket.
10. Kevin O’Brien (Ireland): 113 vs England, 2011
It’s not that often we see England getting humbled by a low-ranked team. But the 2011 World Cup saw it happen.
England were almost certain winners against Ireland after posting 327 runs on the board. A few thought that Ireland would challenge their neighbours.
As Ireland lost their captain, William Porterfield, on the very first ball, it looked like the chase was over even before it started. The Irish team was soon reeling at 106 for 4 when Kevin O’Brien joined the chase.
And the former all-rounder turned the match on its head. O’Brien turned the heat on England’s bowlers as he creamed boundaries in Bengaluru.
He kept Ireland’s hopes alive with two crucial partnerships with Alex Cusack and John Mooney. O’Brien’s onslaught saw him cross the 100-run barrier in 50 balls before a run out brought an end to it on 113.
But his knock made sure that Ireland registered their first-ever ODI win against England.
9. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): 189 vs India, 2000
Sharjah witnessed a one-man show in the 2000 Coca-Cola triangular series final. Sri Lanka and India were up against each other, with the former electing to bat first.
India’s bowling attack dealt blows at regular intervals to leave the Lankans struggling at 116 for 4. By then Sanath Jayasuriya had seen four of his partners fall for paltry scores.
But he had enough of it and swung into action along with Russel Arnold. The duo put up a 166-run stand as Jayasuriya bulldozed his way to 189 runs off 161 balls.
Jayasuriya’s dash studded with 21 fours and 4 sixes propelled Sri Lanka to 299. In response, India didn’t even put up a fight, getting wrapped up for 54.
8. Saeed Anwar (Pakistan): 194 vs India, 1997
Even before Sachin Tendulkar blasted 200, one man came quite close to that mark. And he is none other than Saeed Anwar.
It was back in 1997 when India and Pakistan squared off in the Independence Cup. Chennai hosted the group stage clash, which saw Saeed Anwar bring out his best. India’s bowling attack wasn’t potent, which worked in Anwar’s favour.
He opened the innings and built three important partnerships with Ramiz Raja, Ijaz Ahmed, and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Meanwhile, Anwar scored 194 runs from 146 balls, smashing 22 fours and 5 sixes.
Tendulkar, who would later go on to hit an ODI double ton in 2010, got the better of the left-hander on 194. Pakistan posted 327 runs, which they successfully defended by restricting India to 292 runs.
7. Martin Guptill (New Zealand): 237* vs West Indies, 2015
The 2015 World Cup had already seen a double centurion in Chris Gayle. But almost a month later, the West Indies were on the receiving end as Martin Guptill logged the highest individual score in a World Cup encounter.
And the knock couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time than a World Cup Quarter-Final. Playing in front of a home crowd, Guptill delivered a mighty innings to breeze past the Windies.
With New Zealand deciding to bat first, Guptill opened the innings with a four and closed it on a high. He lost his skipper Brendon McCullum early on, but that didn’t stop him from hammering an unbeaten 237.
Along the way, he stitched crucial partnerships to take New Zealand to 393 runs. It was a tough chase for the Windies, as they eventually fell for 250.
6. Adam Gilchrist (Australia): 149 vs Sri Lanka, 2007
A final of any multi-nation tournament comes with a lot of pressure. But Adam Gilchrist aced the situation like a boss.
It was the 2007 World Cup final when the Australian wicketkeeper went on a rampage. He demolished the Lankan bowling attack in the most important game.
In a rain-interrupted final, Gilchrist opened Australia’s innings with Matthew Hayden. With just 38 overs to bat, the left-hand batter waltz his way to a 72-ball hundred.
He kept the attack going to deliver one of the best World Cup knocks. Gilchrist looked set to cross 150, but he bowed out on 149 runs.
His knock, laced with 13 fours and 8 maximums, turned out to be the point of difference as Australia made a hat-trick of the World Cup.
Do you know, whenever Adam Gilchrist scored a century score in ODI, Australia has ended up winning that game.
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa): 149 vs West Indies, 2015
Another 149 by a keeper-batter, but this time by AB de Villiers. The former South African batter took batting to another level in his days.
And the world saw his blitzkrieg in full action in 2015. In an ODI game against the West Indies, South Africa were riding high on 247 for 1.
The openers had just frustrated the Caribbean bowlers, but ABD decided to rub salt in their wounds. He started with a cracking boundary, setting the tone of his innings right from the first ball.
Then started a flurry of boundaries with no stopping in sight. ABD just needed 16 deliveries to raise his fifty before hitting the fastest ODI hundred off 31 balls.
He entertained the Johannesburg crowd with his clean striking but fell short of 150 by a run. His 149-run rampage was dotted with 9 fours and 16 sixes.
4. Rohit Sharma (India): 264 vs Sri Lanka, 2014
This wasn’t the first time Rohit Sharma raised a double ton in an ODI. What made it special this time was his hunger to score more.
The Indian opener built his knock with patience before toying with the Sri Lankan bowling attack. And Sri Lanka faced the wrath at the expense of dropping Sharma’s catches a couple of times.
As Sri Lanka offered him lifelines, Sharma decided to cash in on them. He reached the first 100 runs in 100 balls before hitting the top gear.
The next 73 balls saw him hammer 164 runs with the help of boundaries, leading to one of the fastest ODI double centuries. He didn’t spare any Lankan bowlers on the way to his second double century in ODIs.
Sharma fell on the last ball of the innings but made sure India crossed 400 runs. His knock was dotted with 33 fours and 9 sixes.
3. Kapil Dev (India): 175* vs Zimbabwe, 1983
Perhaps this is one innings that no cricket enthusiast will forget. And surprisingly, there is no footage of this knock played in the 1983 World Cup.
India were four down on 9, prompting captain Kapil Dev to walk in at No. 6. He saw his side further slide to 140 for 8.
In between, Dev managed two 60-odd partnerships with Roger Binny and Madan Lal to keep India in the game. With hopes pinned on him, Dev started his carnage.
He brought up his century off 100 deliveries before going on a rampage. Dev fetched his next 75 runs in 38 balls laced with boundaries.
His onslaught saw India put up 266 runs with Dev playing a captain’s knock of an unbeaten 175. The total proved to be enough as India defeated Zimbabwe by 31 runs.
Check: Highest ODI Individual Scores
2. Viv Richards (West Indies): 189* vs England, 1984
A year after Dev’s knock, Viv Richards rose as a saviour for the West Indies. The Caribbean team was up against England in the first ODI in Manchester.
After electing to bat first, the Windies had a terrible start. They lost both openers within 11 runs, with Richards walking in at No. 4.
He tried his best to hold onto one end as the wickets fell at the other end regularly. They slumped to 102 for 7 before Richards struck a 59-run stand with Eldine Baptiste.
But then two wickets fell in quick succession, leaving the Windies reeling at 166 for 9. With the all-out almost inevitable, Richards took matters in hand to stitch an unbeaten 106-run partnership with Michael Holding.
That last wicket partnership proved to be crucial as the Windies beat England by 104 runs. Richards, though, remained unbeaten on 189 runs, striking 21 fours and 5 sixes off 170 balls.
1. Glenn Maxwell (Australia): 201* vs Afghanistan, 2023
Glenn Maxwell delivered a once-in-a-lifetime performance with the bat. And it came when a spirited Afghanistan almost pinned down Australia.
In a group stage match of the 2023 World Cup, Afghanistan put up 291 runs on the board. A few would have thought that Afghanistan had a chance in the game.
But Afghanistan’s pacers shocked everyone, including the mighty Aussies. Playing in humid Mumbai conditions, Australia were in a fix at 49 for 4 when Maxwell strode out.
The score further went down, with Australia almost on the verge of a loss at 91 for 7. But then the Wankhede crowd witnessed a rescue act for the ages.
Maxwell built a match-winning, unbeaten partnership of 202 runs with captain Pat Cummins to take Australia home. In the meantime, he showcased his fireworks, sending down 21 fours and 10 sixes.
The right-hand batter reached the double hundred mark with a match-winning six to remain not out on 201 runs.
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