Top 10 active batsmen with most runs in ODI cricket
One Day International cricket is often cited as a format titled heavily in favour of the batsmen. Batting friendly flat strips, fast outfields, unorthodox shot-making and defensive field placings make the format a batsman’s paradise. Over the years, we have seen some batting maestros mesmerize the cricketing fraternity with their exquisite stroke play. Batting legends like Sachin, Lara, Ponting, Jayasuriya and AB De Villiers took batting to another level and entertained crowds with their scintillating shot making.
Consistency in run scoring with an impressive strike rate consistency across different batting conditions is the standard benchmark of judging a batsman’s true prowess with the willow. Many batsmen donned the national colours in ODI cricket but only a select few could go the distance and establish themselves in the league of all-time greats. 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar has cemented his spot as the all-time leading ODI run-getter with over 18000 runs. His contemporaries like Kumara Sangakarra, Ricky Ponting and Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene round up the all-time top five list of run-getters. Among the current crop of international batsmen; Virat Kohli, Hashim Amla, Kane Williamson, David Warner, Joe Root and Rohit Sharma are hailed as the most prolific run scorers in the limited overs format. Interestingly, there are some experienced campaigners like Ross Taylor, Chris Gayle, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shoaib Malik, Upul Tharanga and Mohammad Hafeez who are still going strong and giving the younger lot a run for their money with their prodigious run scoring ability.
So it would be interesting to compile a list of top ten active batsmen with the most number of runs in ODI cricket.
Note: For my selection, I have only considered those batsmen who are actively playing ODI cricket for their respective nations and are regularly picked up in the playing eleven of their one-day sides.
Before we run through our list, a look at the active international batsmen who have scored 5000 or more runs in ODI cricket
New Zealand - Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson
Bangladesh - Shakib Al Hassan, Mushfiqur Rehman
India - Suresh Raina
Pakistan - Mohammad Hafeez
Sri Lanka - Angelo Matthews
West Indies - Marlon Samuels
Zimbabwe - Brendon Taylor, Hamilton Mazakadza
Note - Yuvraj Singh with 8701 ODI runs has not been picked to represent India in ODI's in 2018, hence not considered for selection
#10 Tamim Iqbal
Tamim Iqbal has certainly been the best ODI batsman to come out of Bangladesh. Iqbal is an aggressive opener who likes to play his shots in the power plays and gets his side off to some breezy starts. He is known for his flamboyant offside play and is one of the hardest hitters of the red cherry.
Iqbal has been a prolific run scorer at the top of the order and contributed handsomely to make Bangladesh a formidable challenger in ODI cricket. With over 6000 ODI runs, Iqbal has been his nation’s leading run scorer in the limited overs format.
ODI Record
Matches 183 Runs 6307 Avg 36.27 100s