Over the years, we have seen several splendid knocks in One Day International cricket, some of which made it to the record books. While some of these knocks are remembered for the strike rate at which they were scored, the others are remembered for being among the highest individual totals in the 50-over format. It can be noted that the rise of T20 cricket has helped batters improve the scoring rate in ODIs, which was not the case until the late 90s. So, Who holds the record for highest individual score in ODI?
In 2010, Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to hit a double century in the 50-over format and there have been several others after him. Here we look at the top five highest individual scores in One-Day Internationals.
Rohit Sharma – 264 vs Sri Lanka, 2014
Rohit Sharma registered the highest individual score in ODI history – a mammoth 264 off only 173 balls against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in 2014. This was the second of Rohit’s three double centuries, the first of which came against Australia back in 2013 in Bangalore, when he scored a 158-ball 209. The right-hander later completed a hat-trick of double centuries in ODIs in 2017, when he hammered an unbeaten 208 off 153 balls against Sri Lanka in Mohali.
His 264, which still remains the highest individual score in ODIs, was laced with 33 fours and nine maximums. Rohit, who was making a comeback after three months of nursing an injury, was dropped on 4 by Thisara Perera, a drop that cost the visitors the game. On the back of Rohit’s knock, India posted a total of 404 runs on the board, and later bowled the Lankans out for only 251 runs.
All in all, the Mumbai batsman has represented India in 227 ODIs, scoring 9205 runs at an average of almost 49 and strike rate of 88.90. This includes 29 centuries and 43 half-centuries.
Also Read: 7 Records in ODI cricket that will never be broken
Martin Guptill – 237* vs West Indies, 2015
The second name on the list of highest individual totals in ODIs is of New Zealand opener Martin Guptill. The right-hander slammed an unbeaten 237 runs off 163 balls against West Indies in a 2015 World Cup game in Wellington. Guptill took the opponent bowlers to the cleaners as New Zealand won the fourth quarter-final by 143 runs.
The 34-year-old opened the batting with Brendon McCullum, who fell on 12 runs to a stunning catch by Jason Holder. Without much support from the second fiddles, Guptill went on to score an unbeaten 237, which included 24 fours and 11 sixes. The Kiwis put up 393-6 in 50 overs, and followed that up by dismantling the Windies for 250 runs. This was Guptill’s first double-ton in ODIs, and still remains the highest individual score by any batsman in the history of ODI World Cups.
The stylish batsman has so far played 186 ODIs, scoring 6927 runs at an average of 42.23.
Virender Sehwag – 219 vs West Indies, 2011
The Nawab of Najafgarh lit up the Holkar Stadium with his 149-ball 219 against the West Indies in 2011. This was the fourth of the five-match ODI series in Indore. Sehwag’s knock saw him plunder 25 fours and seven sixes and also made him the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to cross 200 runs in a single ODI innings. India, on the back of Sehwag’s 219, Gautam Gambhir’s 67 and Suresh Raina’s 55, set a target of 418 runs for the visitors, and then bowled them out for 265 runs. One of the greatest ODI openers of all-time, Sehwag’s knock was also his last century for India in ODIs. The 2011 World Cup winning batsman announced retirement from all forms of cricket on his 37th birthday in 2015. The swashbuckling batsman played 251 ODIs, scoring 8273 runs at an average of 35.05 and strike rate of 104.33. Sehwag scored 15 centuries and 38 half-centuries in the format.
Chris Gayle – 215 vs Zimbabwe, 2015
When it comes to records in limited-overs cricket, Chris Gayle’s name cannot be missed. The West Indies power-hitter holds the record for the fourth-highest individual score in ODIs – 215 runs in 147 balls against Zimbabwe, which he scored in the 15th match of the 2015 World Cup. His marathon knock, which came at a strike rate of 146.26, was laced with 16 sixes and 10 fours.
Marlon Samuels from the other end notched up 133 runs as West Indies put up a total of 372-2 on the board. In reply, Zimbabwe managed only 289 runs after being bundled out in 44.3 overs. With his knock of 215 runs, Gayle became the first batter to score a double-century in World Cup history and the first West Indies batter to score a double century in ODIs.
The Jamaican left-hander has played 301 ODIs, scoring 10480 runs at a strike rate of 87.19, including 25 centuries and 54 half-centuries.
Also Read: Who is the most successful ODI captain?
Fakhar Zaman – 210 vs Zimbabwe, 2018
Fifth on the list is Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman, who scored 210 runs in 156 balls against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2018. During the course of his innings, the opening batsman hit 24 fours and five sixes. For the record, Fakhar also took the least number of innings – 17 – to score a double century in ODI history.
The elegant southpaw’s innings propelled Pakistan to a total of 399 runs for the loss of a single wicket, and eventually hand a 244-run loss to the hosts. Fakhar was well supported by Imam-ul-Haq at the other end, who scored 113 runs off 122 balls.
The unbeaten 210 is the highest score by a Pakistani batsman in ODIs, surpassing Saeed Anwar’s record of 194 runs that he had scored against India in 1997. The knock also made Zaman only the second batsman after Chris Gayle to score a double century against Zimbabwe. Gayle was the first to do it in 2015 at the Manuka Oval.
The 31-year-old has so far played 50 ODIs for Pakistan, from which he averages a healthy 49.17.
Ishan Kishan – 210 vs Bangladesh, 2022
Ishan Kishan may not be the first name on the team list for the Indian ODI XI but the 25-year-old made an extremely compelling case for himself following his onslaught against Bangladesh in the Chattogram ODI in December 2022.
The left-hander notched 210 runs from 131 balls with the help of 24 fours and 10 sixes. He held the record for being the youngest double centurion in ODI cricket before he was surpassed by his own teammate, Shubman Gill just a month later. He is, however, the first Indian to post a double century away from home and the first batter in the world to convert his maiden hundred into a double ton!
The bulk of his runs came in the 290-run partnership he shared with Virat Kohli before he eventually got out to Taskin Ahmed in the 36th over.
Rohit Sharma – 209 vs Australia, 2013
Rohit Sharma finds himself on the list for the second time by having the sixth-highest individual score in ODIs – 209 runs of 158 balls at strike rate of 132, which came against Australia in 2013 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The right-hander plundered 16 sixes and 12 fours during his knock, which helped India post 383 runs on the board and beat Australia by 57 runs.
At that time, Rohit’s knock was the second highest score in ODIs after Virender Sehwag’s 219. He also became the third batsman in the format to score a double-century after Tendulkar and Sehwag.
Rohit Sharma – 208 vs Sri Lanka, 2017
Interestingly, the next spot on the list, i.e. the seventh-highest individual score in ODIs, also belongs to Rohit Sharma. This was his third double century which came against Sri Lanka in 2017. The batter scored an unbeaten 208 runs in 153 balls, hitting 13 fours and 12 sixes. The innings helped India set up a total of 392 against Sri Lanka at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali and eventually beat them by 141 runs. With this knock, Rohit became the first player to score three double-centuries in the history of ODI cricket, and the record is yet to be breached.
Shubman Gill – 208 vs New Zealand, 2023
Shubman Gill has become the latest addition in the double centurion in men’s ODIs club after smashing his maiden double ton against New Zealand in Hyderabad in January, 2023. He capitalised on two lifelines to become the youngest double centurion in ODI cricket, overtaking Kishan’s record.
Eventually finishing with a score of 208, Gill also became the fastest Indian to score 1000 ODI runs. He took 19 matches to get to that mark and only Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman has reached that milestone in lesser games (18).
Since then, Gill has scored five centuries in 2023 and has been the only batter to score over 1000 runs in ODIs in this calendar year.
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