In the One Day International (ODI) format, the openers face the daunting task of providing a strong start to the team. If they fail to put runs on the board and lose their wickets early on, their teams might end up in trouble.
However, some opening batters show resilience by soaking up the pressure and building a formidable total for the team by the end of the innings. The openers remain unbeaten in this process and return to the dugout without losing their wickets.
So, here are the top 10 opening batsmen with the most not outs in ODI cricket.
Most Not Outs by an Opening Batsman in ODI
| Player | Innings | Not Outs as Opener |
|---|---|---|
| Desmond Haynes (WI) | 237 | 28 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 340 | 23 |
| Martin Guptill (NZ) | 174 | 18 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 184 | 17 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) | 176 | 16 |
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | 236 | 16 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 274 | 16 |
| Gary Kirsten (SA) | 175 | 16 |
| Saeed Anwar (PAK) | 220 | 16 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 383 | 15 |
Key Insights
28: Desmond Haynes, one of the finest openers, holds the record for remaining unbeaten most times in the 50-over format. The former Windies opener returned to the pavilion not out in 28 innings.
10: Over 20 opening batsmen have had the honour of staying undefeated on the pitch in 10 or more innings.
383: Sanath Jayasuriya, who started his career as a middle-order batter, ended up opening in 383 innings. This is the most number of innings an opening batter has played in ODIs.
237: Among the openers who have smashed double tons in ODIs, Martin Guptill’s unbeaten 237 is the highest score while staying not out at the end of the innings. Guptill hammered his 237* against the West Indies in the 2015 World Cup.
13: There are 13 opening batters who have carried their bats in ODIs, with 6 of them scoring unbeaten centuries.
