5 most destructive ODI innings of all time

There was a time in ODI cricket when a 250-plus total was considered more than competitive. But snap to the present, and a team would be said to have underperformed if they put up a similar total. And that is the hard reality. No more than four fielders in the deep, batting power play, free-hits, advent of T20 – blimey! This gentlemen’s game has seen all kind of changes to make the rules tilt in favour of the batsmen, and the batsmen are only too happy to exploit those rules.The 50-over ODI format has seen 13 400-plus totals in its history, most of which have come in the recent past. Bowlers have started getting nightmares prior to every match. The 22-yard pitch has now turned into a batsman’s paradise. Batting strike rates have become the USP of players world-wide.With so much emphasis on scoring rate and AB de Villiers’ blockbuster innings today, it is only appropriate that we take a look at five of the most destructive ODI innings in the history of the game, in terms of batting strike rate:(Note: Only 100-plus have been considered in this list)

#5 Shahid Afridi - 102 (Strike Rate: 221) vs India, 2005

Afridi scored a 102 at Kanpur against India which saw a strike of 221

There can be no bigger occasion than a clash against an arch-rival and they don’t come any bigger than Pakistan vs India. At Kanpur, in 2005, Afridi launched a brutal attack against India in their own backyard.

The gutsy knock, amidst a sea of blue, saw him score 102 off 46 balls at a strike rate of over 221. The innings, in which he smacked 10 fours and 9 sixes, steered his team to victory during the chase of a target of 250.

This will indeed be one of the most memorable matches (for Pakistan, at least) in the India-Pakistan rivarly.