Top 5 fastest openers to 5000 ODI runs
In cricket, the start of every team depends on how well their openers do. Openers not only allow the team to score massive totals but also to chase down huge totals. One of the important duties of the opener is to build a strong foundation for the team on which the middle order can capitalize. Sometimes it all depends on the openers as they can release the pressure off the middle-order and lead the team to victory. Teams that have dependable openers are the blessed ones.
Few cricket teams have been lucky to have trustworthy openers in their side who have won lots of matches for them.
Here are the 5 fastest openers to complete 5000 ODI runs.
#5 Sourav Ganguly (India)
Innings- 123
Surprisingly out of the five fastest openers to complete 5000 ODI runs three are Indians and Sourav Ganguly is the third fastest opener for India and 5th worldwide to reach 5000 runs in ODIs. It took him 123 innings for completing 5000 runs in ODIs as an opener.
Sourav Ganguly who is popularly known as Dada holds a special place in the history of Indian cricket. The 46-year-old Calcutta born who has already retired from cricket played his first ODI match in 1992 against Windies. He was one of the first Indian openers to complete 5000 ODI runs. Dada represented India in 311 matches and made 11363 runs with an amazing average of 40.73.
#4 Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
Innings- 121
The only Sri Lankan who makes it to the list of top 5 fastest openers to 5000 runs in ODIs, Dilshan took 121 innings to reach this mark. He responsibly took the role of the opener for Sri Lanka after the retirement of left-hander Sanath Jayasuriya.
Dilshan was a brilliant counter-attacker and had the ability to go for big hits from the very first over of the innings. Once he fixed his spot as an opener in the Sri Lankan team he was given the license to play his own game i.e. aggressive. After Sanath Jayasuriya, he was the best opener for Sri Lanka.