Stats: Hashim Amla becomes fastest player to 7,000 ODI runs
The series might be gone and the third ODI between England and South Africa might be a dead-rubber but it was a memorable one for Hashim Amla. The South African batsman broke Virat Kohli’s record and became the fastest to 7,000 ODI runs.
The 34-year-old, who came into the ODI series on the back of an impressive IPL 2017 campaign, got to the mark in just 150 innings, beating Kohli’s record of 161 which was set last year. Playing in his 153rd ODI, Amla got to the milestone in 150 innings, which is 11 innings fewer than the number taken by Indian captain Kohli last year. This is the third time in the last three years that this all-time record was broken.
For 13 years, Sourav Ganguly held the record before it was broken by South Africa’s AB de Villiers against Australia at Perth in November 2014. Kohli broke that record in 2016 but his record has lasted just over a year as Amla added another record to his glittering ODI cap.
Amla is not only the fastest to 7,000 ODI runs but also one of only five players (Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers and Michael Bevan being the others) to have an ODI average in excess of 50.
Among the top ten fastest to 7,000 ODI runs, India dominate the proceedings as they have four players. Virat Kohli got to the mark in 161 innings, Sourav Ganguly got to in 174 innings while both Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni took 189 innings, with the latter taking more matches to get to the mark.
The only other two countries to feature in the top ten are West Indies and South Africa, who both have three players each. While the Proteas have Amla, De Villiers, and Jacques Kallis, West Indies have Brian Lara, Desmond Haynes and Chris Gayle who feature in the top ten.
In total, just 14 players have managed to cross the 7,000 run mark in ODIs inside 200 innings.
Here is the complete list of the fastest to 7,000 ODI runs.
Fastest to 7,000 ODI runs
| No | Batsman | Opposition | Matches | Innings | Year |
| 1 | Hashim Amla (SA) | England | 153 | 150* | 2017 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli (IND) | Australia | 169 | 161 | 2016 |
| 3 | AB de Villiers (SA) | Australia | 172 | 166 | 2014 |
| 4 | Sourav Ganguly (IND) | Kenya | 180 | 174 | 2001 |
| 5 | Brian Lara (WI) | South Africa | 187 | 183 | 2001 |
| 6 | Desmond Haynes (WI) | India | 188 | 187 | 1991 |
| 7 | Jacques Kallis (SA) | Sri Lanka | 197 | 188 | 2004 |
| 8 | Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | Sri Lanka | 196 | 189 | 1998 |
| 8 | Chris Gayle (WI) | Australia | 194 | 189 | 2009 |
| 8 | MS Dhoni (IND) | New Zealand | 212 | 189 | 2012 |
Note: * indicates the statistics are accurate as of the third ODI between England and South Africa