Batting contribution from players over the years remains invaluable irrespective of his batting position. Sometimes only top order does much of the job for a team that the middle and lower order contributions becomes negligible. But sometimes situations contradicts when top order of a team fails, and middle and lower order batters have to bail out the team. That’s why, nowadays teams like India, England now have all-rounders coming in at no.9, to secure the team in case the top order fails badly. In this article we’re going to go through the respective batting positions and its highest scores in ODI cricket.
Pos 1. Martin Guptill(New Zealand) – The kiwi opener takes up the highest score at no.1 position. In the Quarter final of 2015 World Cup, Martin Guptill was on some mood to destroy the West Indian team’s bowling. Guptill hammered the first ever double hundred in a world cup knockout match on his way of 237 runs. He also broke several other records like highest ODI score by a batsman at no.1
Pos 2. Rohit Sharma ( India) – There would be hardly any Indian cricket fan all-over the world, who isn’t aware of Rohit Sharma 264 runs inning against Sri Lanka. That day, it seemed as though Rohit was playing on a different pitch altogether. Initially Indian batsmen were actually struggling to score runs fluently, but once Rohit settled down he took on the bowlers all alone and scored the highest ever score by a batsman in ODIs that is 264(173).
Pos 3. Charles Coventry (Zimbabwe) – The Zimbabwean legend in 2009 looked as if he is sure to become the first player to hit a double hundred but he failed to reach the milestone by 6 runs, equaling the then individual ODI highest score of 194 held by Saeed Anwar. But even after this, Zimbabwe failed to defend the score of 312 as the brilliance of Tamim Iqbal took Bangladesh home.
Pos 4. Vivian Richards (West Indies) – The West Indian legend needs no introduction to cricket fanatics. He is often regarded as the most dangerous batsman of all time. In 1984, when a team score of 189 was considered as a decent score, Viv Richards against England showed no mercy to English bowlers as he played a mind-boggling 189 runs inning from 170 balls and scored almost 70% of West Indies’s total score of 272 runs.
Pos 5. AB De Villers (South Africa) – The current generation is lucky to have witnessed someone like ABD. This Protea man is a living example of versatility. When required he can score 30 odd runs from 200 odd deliveries and also when required he can play 162 runs inning from 66 deliveries. In World Cup 2015, against West Indies, ABD smashed the fastest ever 100 and 150 in ODI history on course to his 162 runs inning.
Pos 6. Kapil Dev (India) – In the 1983 World Cup, when India was on the brink of World Cup exit and were 4 down for just 9 runs, Kapil Dev arrived in the crease. But his arrival didn’t stop the wicket fall as India were soon down to 17 for 5. From there on India took it slow until both 6th and 7th wicket fell in quick succession and India were down to 78 for 7. No body expected what was coming then as Kapil Dev alone took on Zimbabwean bowlers and decorated his 138 balls 175 runs inning with 6 sixes and 16 boundaries. The next highest score of 24 shows what value that 175 runs inning carries in India’s World Cup history.
Pos 7. Luke Ronchi (New Zealand) – Against the Sri Lankan team in 2015, New Zealand were down to 93-5 in the 20th over. There were some visible tensions on the dressing room of New Zealand when Ronchi and Elliot came together in the crease. From there on the massacre of Sri Lankan bowlers started as New Zealand scored almost 270 runs in next 30 overs without losing a single wicket. Elliot remained not out on 104 and Ronchi did the bigger damage as he scored 170 not out from just 99 deliveres.
Pos 8. Thomas Odoyo (Kenya) – Two relatively weak teams back then faced off each other in 2006 bilateral series. Batting first Kenya were 6 down at the score of 45 when Odoyo came to bat. He built partnerships with every remaining batsmen and took his team score to a respectable 184. Though it wasn’t enough that day, as Bangladesh managed to crawl over the target, Odoyo fighting spirit is worth appreciating.
Pos 9. Andre Russel (West Indies) – Andre Russel is no new face is cricket and almost every cricket fan around the globe is aware of his devastating batting nature. After the World Cup of 2011 and the IPL, many regular team members were rested for this tour and the team was lead by Suresh Raina. Russel came to crease when West Indies were struggling at 96-7 and it was upto him to take the team to a decent position, which he did. With the help of his 64 balls 92 runs inning, West Indies posted a score of 225 which India did chase down but not before struggling a bit.
Pos 10. Ravi Rampaul (West Indies) – In the same series another west Indian took matter into his own hand when his team was struggling. Even after a good start from Simmons, West Indies were down to 8 for 149 when Rampaul came to the crease. He is often known as a dangerous pacy bowler, but to India’s surprise he scored a blistering 86 off 66 deliveries which took the West Indies’ score to 269. But like previous time, this time also it wasn’t good enough to prevent India.
Pos 11. Shoaib Akhter (Pakistan) – Shoaib Akhter needs no introduction to cricket fans for his bowling, but he displayed his batting ability in 2003 World Cup match against England. Chasing 247, Pakistan’s batting fell like a deck of cards,and they were reduced to 80-9. With nothing to lose, Akhter started counter-attack even though it was late. He scored a blistering 43 from 16 deliveries before ultimately falling to Flintoff.
