Most Runs in ODI

Most Runs in ODI Cricket is not an easy record to maintain and collate. However, since the inception of cricket, the records have been collated. Every month, a new record is made, and every match, an old record is broken. We have prepared this ever-changing list of most runs in ODI.

Get the complete list of most international runs in ODI.

Cricket is a sport that has captivated audiences for centuries and continues to draw in new fans every year.

Of all the cricketing formats, the one-day international (ODI) matches are among the most popular.

Let’s look at the top ten run scorers, and understand how they achieved this feat.

Most Runs in ODI Cricket | Overall Top Scorers

One Day International (ODI) cricket is a format that consists of teams playing one-day matches that last for up to 50 overs per side. It has produced some of the highest-scoring batsmen in international cricket.

S.No	Players	M	Inn.	Runs	HS	Avg	SR	100	50	6s	4s
1	Sachin Tendulkar	463	452	18426	200*	44.83	86.23	49	96	195	2016
2	Kumar Sangakkara	404	380	14234	169	41.98	78.86	25	93	88	1385
3	Ricky Ponting	375	365	13704	164	42.03	80.39	30	82	162	1231
4	Sanath Jayasuriya	445	433	13430	189	32.36	91.20	28	68	270	1500
5	Virat Kohli	268	259	12754	183	58.23	93.68	46	64	136	1198
6	Mahela Jayawardene	448	418	12650	144	33.37	78.96	19	77	76	1119
7	Inzamam-ul-Haq	378	350	11739	137	39.52	74.24	10	83	144	971
8	Jaques Kallis	328	314	11579	139	44.36	72.89	17	86	137	911
9	Saurav Ganguly	311	300	11363	183	41.02	73.70	22	72	190	1122
10	Rahul Dravid	344	318	10889	153	39.16	71.23	12	83	42	950
11	M.S Dhoni	350	297	10773	183	50.57	87.56	10	73	826	229
12	CH Gayle	301	294	10480	215	37.83	87.19	25	54	1128	331
13	BC Lara	299	289	10405	169	40.48	79.51	19	63	4042	133
14	TM Dilshan	330	303	10290	161	39.27	86.23	22	47	1111	55
15	RG Sharma	241	234	9782	264	48.91	89.89	30	48	896	272
16	Mohammad Yousaf	288	273	9720	141	41.71	75.10	15	64	785	90
17	AC Gilchrist	287	279	9619	172	35.89	96.94	16	55	1162	149
18	AB de Villiers	228	218	9577	176	53.50	101.09	25	53	840	204
19	M Azharuddin	334	308	9378	153	36.92	74.02	7	58	622	77
20	PA de Silva	308	296	9284	145	34.90	81.13	11	64	712	102

The top 10 players with the most runs in ODI cricket are Sachin Tendulkar (India), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Virat Kohli (India), Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka), Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Sourav Ganguly (India), and Rahul Dravid (India). These players have set a benchmark for future generations of cricketers, having achieved such a high level of success in ODI cricket.

ODI records provide an insight into which players have been most successful in the format, giving us a glimpse into the best players in the history of cricket. Sachin Tendulkar of India is at the top of the Most International Runs in ODI list, with a total of 18426 runs from 463 matches.

India Leading the List of ODI Most Runs

Looking at ODI records can also show us which countries have historically been more successful in the format, giving us an understanding of where the most competitive cricket has been played.

While their individual brilliance has certainly contributed to their countries’ success in the format, looking at their records can also help us understand which teams have been consistently competitive in the ODI format.

India has produced top-class ODI cricketers, particularly batsmen. 4 out of 10 top batters are from India. 3 out of 10 leading run-scorers are from Sri Lanka. It shows that these two countries have contributed so much to the legacy of ODI cricket.

It is to be noted that the highest run scorer in overall ODI cricket is also from India. Rohit Sharma holds the record for the highest runs (264 runs) in one innings.

Most ODI runs in a calendar year

The Top 3 run scorers are from India alone. In 1998, Sachin scored 1894 runs with 9 centuries and 7 fifties. In 1999, it was the year of Ganguly and Dravid, who scored 1767 and 1761 respectively.

Not just in the overall list, Indian batters dominated the list of Most ODI runs in a calendar year as well.

Exploring the Top 10 Batters in One-Day Internationals

High-scoring players in ODI cricket tend to have high levels of concentration and focus, allowing them to bat for long periods. This is especially evident in the most successful ODI cricketers, who have made the most runs in ODI cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin is considered ‘the God of Cricket’ by many cricket fans. There is no one on par with Sachin’s popularity, impact and fan base.

He started Cricket when he was too young and mastered the game. He made his debut in Test Cricket when he was just 16 years old. From then on, the master blaster crossed many milestones and made an indelible mark in the history of cricket.

Kumar Sangakkara

The wicket-keeper southpaw of Sri Lanka, played along with the legends of the game. His consistent batting prowess was contagious, and he inspired many youngsters.

His view on cricket is insightful, and he continued to maintain cricket as a ‘Gentleman’s Game’. Now, he is a prominent commentator, providing the best commenting moments.

Ricky Ponting

The prolific Australian batsman is a phenomenon in cricket. Ponting is the best captain in the world, with a winning percentage of 67.9, in terms of numbers.

Ponting led from the front and made Australia a dominating team for a decade. He always walks off whenever he gets out, even before the umpire signals.

Sanath Jayasuriya

Jayasuriya is one of the most destructive openers in ODI history. From the first ball, he starts hitting and smashes every possible ball.

Jayasuriya was also a notable left-arm spinner during his era. He got 300+ wickets in ODI cricket.

Virat Kohli

He doesn’t fit the title ‘the legend in the making’ anymore, as he has already become a legend.

Kohli has been promising and delivering in every series. In January of 2023, he has already bagged ‘Player of the Series’ in the Sri Lanka series. He also got ‘Player of the Match’ award in the final, scoring 166 runs in just 110 balls.

Kohli is a vintage player, and aging like wine: getting finer, better and smarter as a batsman.

Mahela Jayawardene

Jayawardene is one of those highly talented batsmen, who can excel in all formats of this game. He became a No.1 Test Batsman as well.

Jayawardene is versatile as a batter, as he can open the innings, bat in the middle, and play the role of a hitter.

Inzamam-ul-Haq

Inzamam is the highest ODI run scorer for Pakistan. He is so vibrant and expressive both on field and off field.

Inzaman was a prodigy when he was young. He was picked for the 1992 World Cup, where he performed almost in all positions. His performance in the Semi-finals and the Finals took Pakistan to glory. He continued to inspire many youngsters.

Jaques Kallis

Kallis is one among the notable all-rounders in cricket. He can open the batting and the bowling of his team.

Kallis made a great impact in the IPL as well, in the early days of the league.

Saurav Ganguly

Fondly called “Dada”, Ganguly is the most influential captain of India, second only to Dhoni.

Ganguly opened with Sachin many times and emerged successful. This combo was evergreen in terms of left-right combinations in cricket.

Rahul Dravid

The Wall of Cricket, Dravid, is a pure Test cricket player who can bat at any position in any format.

Now he has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. His mettle is so strong that he can deal with any bowler on any pitch.

Hand-eye Coordination | Analysis of Most runs in ODI Cricket

These players also have excellent hand-eye coordination, enabling them to pick gaps in the field and score quickly. All these ten players can play classic drives, better pull shots, and accelerate the run rate whenever required.

If there is one characteristic that we need to attribute to top cricket players, that is Game Awareness. Each of these batters can play according to the situation and see their team on the winning side. High-scoring players also tend to have an innate understanding of the game, being able to read the situation and adjust their batting accordingly.

Along with that, they were consistent in the other formats as well. They played up to the phrase: “Form is temporary, and Class is permanent.”

There is one more common factor among many of these players. They treated cricket as a Gentleman’s Game and never argued with the umpire unnecessarily. Whenever they got out, they walked off without even waiting for the umpire’s signal.

They have not only exhibited top-notch batting skills but also great mental strength and concentration to remain top of the game for years. Each of these player’s contributions to the cricket world has been immense and their achievements remarkable.

Is captaincy a pressure or pleasure?

There is a lesser-known fact when it comes to leading run scorers in ODI.

All these batsmen have captained their respective countries at least for a short span of time. They led the team from the front. It disproves the most-debated subject: captaincy adds pressure and subdues individual performance.

Players like Jayawardene, Ponting and Kallis played well even during their tenures as captains.

Who can lead this list of Most ODI runs in the future?

In this chart of Most runs in ODI, new players are trying to get to the top in the recent past. It is likely to continue to rise as newer players break into the top ten and overtake some of the long-standing record holders.

One such player who can get into the Top 10 list is Rohit Sharma. He is now in 17th position, having scored 9596 runs. All the other players who are above him on the list are retired now.

There is no active player, except Virat Kohli, who is already a part of Top 10 Batters. Rohit Sharma needs just 1293 ODI runs to get on the list.

Dominance of Virat Kohli in ODI | Future of Most Runs in ODI

Virat Kohli needs just 950 ODI runs to be the Top 3 batsmen, in terms of most runs in cricket history.

If you closely look at the Batting Average, Virat has the best average among all these top batsmen. He has been breaking all the major records that Sachin has made.

As many cricket aficionados feel, Kohli will be the future of the ODI. His legacy will never be forgotten. He is still an active cricketer, growing match by match in terms of skills and strength.

Wrapping up:

With the arrival of new and upcoming players, the most runs in ODI cricket record is likely to be constantly broken. As these new players make their way into the top ten list, some of the long-standing record holders may have to make way for them. This indicates that the most international runs in ODI cricket will continue to rise as newer players keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

Soon, we can see Virat Kohli scoring the most 100s in ODI. He may also maintain the best batting average. He may also score the most runs, crossing Sachin. Only time can answer.

Cricket is a mysterious game of skills, talent, practice, determination, dedication, commitment, and luck.

It elevates the game of cricket. You may read about More Runs in ODI Cricket on Fun88 Blog

Frequently asked questions about Most Runs in ODI

Who has more number of 50s in ODI cricket?

Sachin Tendulkar holds the record of Most 50s in ODI (96).

Who scored the most 100s in ODI?

Sachin scored the most centuries in ODI cricket (49). Kohli is just a few hundred away.

Who has hit the most 6s in ODI cricket?

Shahid Afridi hit the most sixes in ODI (351). Rohit Sharma has a chance to break this record.

Is Kohli better than Sachin?

Kohli & Sachin are legends of the game. In terms of numbers, Sachin is better. In terms of average, Kohli is better. For overall impact, both did a great job.

Indians who scored the most ODI runs in a calendar year

Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid, Dhoni, Kohli, Rohit, Yuvraj Singh, Azharuddin, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajay Jadeja and Sehwag.

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