ODI cricket has changed drastically over the years. When it was first introduced, it was a 120-over affair, with each team getting 60 overs each in their innings. After years and decades of Test cricket, the invention of this format entertained the viewers. Since then, the One-Day International format has witnessed many changes in the rules, with the primary one being the change in the number of overs.

ODIs are a 50-over per side affair, and for 100 overs of action, batters and bowlers entertain the fans to the hilt with their skills. Over the course of five decades and more, many players have registered massive scores in their careers, providing a rich history to the format. Hence, this article will look at the players with the most runs in ODI cricket.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Legendary and arguably the best player ever to grace the sport in Tests and One-Dayers, Sachin Tendulkar is on top of the list of players with the most runs in ODI cricket. After playing for India from 1989 to 2012, the little master, as he was known, turned up in a staggering 463 matches in his illustrious career and amassed a whopping 18426 runs.

He did so at an admirable average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23 and, in the process, smashed 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries as well. Sachin also smacked 2016 fours and 195 sixes in the 50-over format of the sport. 

He is the first player in the history of the format to breach the magical mark of 200 in an innings, and Tendulkar did so in 2010 against South Africa in Gwalior. He batted 452 times in the format and remained unbeaten on 41 occasions.

2. Kumar Sangakkara

Sri Lanka’s left-handed wicketkeeper batter Kumar Sangakkara is second among the leading run-scorers in ODI history. He graced the sport in the 50-over game from 2000 to 2015 and peaked almost all the time he was on the field. Sangakkara kept the opposition bowlers on tenterhooks all the time and ended up playing 404 matches for his country.

Sangakkara scored 14234 runs in his storied career in 380 innings at an average of almost 42 and a strike rate of 78.86. He crossed the 50-run mark 118 times and, on 25 occasions of them, managed to smash a century as well. Sangakkara was more a crafty batter and didn’t believe in playing much in the air throughout his career, as he ended with 88 sixes in the format to go with a massive 1385 fours.

3. Virat Kohli

Arguably among the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) players of the sport, Virat Kohli has scored the third-highest career runs in One Day Internationals. He is far from done in his career yet, and at this stage, he looks certain to eclipse Sangakkara, at least on this list. Kohli has so far collected 13906 runs in 295 matches of his career at a scintillating average of 58.18.

He has smacked a stunning 50 centuries, a world record in the ODI form of the game to go with 72 fifties. Kohli scored these many at a brilliant strike rate of 93.54, with the highest career score of 183, which came against arch-rivals Pakistan. The top batsman has hit 1302 fours and 151 sixes in his career so far.

The best number three batter in the world in this format is destined for great things and should break a lot more records in ODIs if he plays until the World Cup in 2027, which is scheduled to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. He has also made it to the list of the God of Cricket in IPL.

4. Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting, the world’s most successful captain in One-Day International cricket, is next on this list. His name is among the first when it comes to picking the top batsmen in ODI cricket. He graced the field from 1995 to 2012 in the coloured jersey for his country and played a huge 375 matches.

While remaining not out on 39 occasions, Ponting scored 13704 runs in his career in the format at an average of 42.03 and a strike rate of 80.39. He smacked 30 centuries and 82 fifties in his career, which is commendable as he batted across different venues in the world, tackling all kinds of conditions. 

Ponting hit 1231 fours and 162 sixes as well with the highest career score of 164. He is also among very few batters to face more than 17000 deliveries in the history of this form of the game which makes him a special player as well.

5. Sanath Jayasuriya

The man who changed the style of batting in the One Day Internationals, Sri Lanka opener Sanath Jayasuriya, is in the fifth position on this list. He is only a few behind Ponting in the ODI all-time highest run-scorers list. Like Sachin, Jayasuriya also graced the field in this format for more than two decades, from 1989 to 2011 and played a staggering 445 matches for Sri Lanka.

In 433 innings, the elegant and aggressive left-hander scored 13430 runs in his career at an average of 32.36. Many might argue that his average is on the lower side compared to the other batters. But he lived by the sword and died by it playing the game of aggression all the time and with the same approach, he scored these many at a strike rate of 91.2.

Jayasuriya smacked 270 maximums in his ODI career to go with 1500 fours and also hit 28 centuries and 68 half-centuries during his time on the field for the island nation. Jayasuriya signed off from the sport in 2011 and with the highest score of 189 in the format for Sri Lanka. He also played a massive role in Sri Lanka lifting the World Cup in 1996 played in the Asian conditions.

6. Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene played this form of the game from 1998 to 2015, playing some of the best cricket of his career during this period. Jayawardene led Sri Lanka in a lot of matches and in the process, he also featured in 448 games for his country. He amassed 12650 runs in 418 innings while remaining unbeaten 39 of those. 

He scored these many at an average of 33.37 facing more than 16000 deliveries. Despite being a middle-order batter, Mahela smacked 19 centuries and 77 half-centuries hitting 1119 fours and 76 sixes. Jayawardene’s strike rate of 78.96 seems to be on the lower side but more often than not, he arrested the batting collapse bailing his team out of trouble eventually.

Unlike the above players in the list, Jayawardene’s highest score isn’t big, as he could never notch up a 150-plus score with the bat. Over the course of a 17-year career, his highest individual score remained only 144.

7. Inzamam-ul-Haq

Legendary Pakistan cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq is also amongst the players with the most runs in ODI matches. He is at the seventh position on this list, smashing 11739 runs in 378 ODI matches played for Pakistan during his career, which spanned from 1991 to 2007. Inzamam’s career average of 39.52 in the format is decent, too, even as he scored these many at a strike rate of 74.24.

The low strike rate indicates in the era he used to play ODI cricket when even a score of 220-230 used to be more than competitive in 50 overs. Moreover, the former Pakistan captain notched up 10 centuries and a staggering 83 half-centuries during his storied career.

He managed to hit 971 fours and 144 sixes during his time at the crease while facing more than 15800 deliveries. After batting 350 times in the format, Inzamam’s highest individual score remained at 137*.

8. Jacques Kallis

Without a doubt, Jacques Kallis is the greatest all-rounder to ever grace not only the ODI format but also the sport. He played a staggering 328 matches in the format for South Africa and scored 11579 runs at an average of 44.36 with 17 centuries and 86 half-centuries to his name.

Kallis remained unbeaten in One-Day Internationals 53 times in 314 innings as he smashed 911 fours and 137 sixes. His strike rate of 72.89 is just like Inzamam’s which again indicates that he was part of the old school cricket in this form of the game when a 120-ball century was also a winning knock.

9. Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly played for India in the ODI format from 1992 to 2007 and was arguably the best captain of the country until MS Dhoni arrived on the scene. He is in the 9th position in the list of players with the most runs in ODI cricket, amassing 11363 of them in 311 matches played for India. 

He batted 300 times for India and remained unbeaten on 23 occasions, scoring at an average of 41.02 and a strike rate of 73.70 with 22 centuries and 72 fifties to his name. Known for his stylish sixes off-spin bowlers, Ganguly, the elegant left-hander, smacked 190 maximums to go with 1122 fours in his career.

10. Rahul Dravid

Right through his career, Rahul Dravid was the crisis man of Indian cricket. He opened the innings, batted at three, played the finisher’s role, and featured in the playing XI as a wicketkeeper-batter during his ODI career. After doing all this, he became one of the leading run-scorers in ODI history.

Dravid amassed 10889 runs in his illustrious career, playing 344 matches in the format for the men in blue at an average of 39.16 and a strike rate of 71.23. He smacked 12 centuries and 83 fifties in the coloured jersey for India while remaining unbeaten on 40 out of 318 times he batted.

Dravid was always doubted as a white-ball batsman, but he repeatedly proved his mettle with his batting. In fact, the batter smashed one of India’s fastest fifties off just 22 deliveries against New Zealand in 2003. Dravid’s highest individual score remained 153 in One-Day Internationals, even as he smacked 950 fours and only 42 sixes during his storied career.

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