Death overs are an important part of modern white-ball cricket, both for the batting and fielding teams. The reason is simple: a good finish by either side invariably gives the momentum heading into the next innings and paves the way for a strong start to the next. But here, we will focus on the batting aspect alone.
Death overs in the longest white-ball format, ODI, mean the final 10 overs of an innings, and this is where the batting teams try to accelerate their scoring rate to have a strong finish. These batters can be called the finishers and hold the responsibility to provide impetus to the batting team in the latter part of the innings.
This article will delve deep into the batters who have scored the most career runs cumulatively in the last 10 overs in ODIs.
Most Runs in Death Overs in ODI (Overall)
| Player | Innings | Runs in Death Overs | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni (IND) | 172 | 4027 | 127.67 |
| Abdul Razzaq (PAK) | 115 | 2277 | 143.75 |
| Angelo Mathews (SL) | 103 | 2195 | 116.26 |
| Michael Hussey (AUS) | 98 | 2051 | 129.31 |
| Yuvraj Singh (IND) | 94 | 2001 | 134.74 |
| Jos Buttler (ENG) | 63 | 1894 | 169.10 |
| Mahmudullah (BAN) | 101 | 1889 | 113.45 |
| David Miller (SA) | 70 | 1776 | 147.14 |
| Michael Clarke (AUS) | 77 | 1663 | 121.20 |
| JP Duminy (SA) | 78 | 1622 | 130.70 |
Key Stats
4027: The number of runs scored by the former legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, MS Dhoni, in the last 10 overs and he averages 40.27, coupled with a decent strike rate of 127.67 in that period.
2: The number of batters who have smashed 100 or more sixes in ODI just in death overs of the format. They are MS Dhoni of India and the current England skipper, Jos Buttler.
139: MS Dhoni leads the way with the most number of maximums (6s) hit during the death over phase of an ODI innings.
169.10: Jos Buttler’s strike rate when he bats in the final 10 overs of an ODI innings, and this is the highest ever for any batter in the format during death overs (in this list). However, AB de Villiers (1541) and Glenn Maxwell (1536) have a better strike rate in this phase. While Maxwell strikes at 171.62 per 100 balls in the last 10 overs, the former has an even better strike rate of 172.75 in ODIs.
2277: It is to be noted that Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq, who played most of his ODI cricket in the early 2000s, has a staggering strike rate of 143.75 and has scored 2277 in the final 10 overs, batting 115 times, which is truly remarkable.
