Highest ODI Strike Rates: The upcoming ODI World Cup in 2023 will be the biggest challenge for the format. It is imperative for the 2023 ODI World Cup to be successful for the format to stay relevant. There is increasing debate about the existence of the ODI format in the T20I age. It is herein where the discussion around strike rate in ODIs too has gained momentum.
Importance of strike rates in the upcoming ODI World Cup:
Batsmen are expected to not only accelerate but also take an aggressive route. The subcontinental wickets will aid the batters. Hence the expectations will naturally lean on batsmen to push their strike rates. We look at batters who have always boasted of high strike rates in the ODI format.
Top 5 batsmen with the highest strike rates: [Minimum – 1000 runs]
#5 Hardik Pandya – 115.59
He is India’s most valuable player in limited-overs cricket. Hardik Pandya’s ability came to the fore in the 2022 T20 World Cup. He has had his fair share of injury troubles but Pandya has risen above all the odds. Playing in a side that tends to go conservative at the first call, Pandya is a rarity. He has taken over the role of a finisher in both the white ball formats. Pandya has scored 1386 runs in 66 ODIs at an average of 33.80. His strike rate of 115.59 in ODIs is a breath of fresh air for the Indian team.
#4 Shahid Afridi – 117.00
He is the only one on this list who has played almost 400 (398) ODIs. Shahid Afridi’s uniqueness was in his ability to hit right from ball one. He has smashed 730 boundaries and 351 sixes in ODIs. Afridi smashed the quickest ODI century in 37 balls, a record that stood for two decades. Owing to his instinctive nature of attacking batting, Afridi’s batting average of 23.57 appears dismal. But he was a high-impact batsman who struck at 117.00 in ODIs.
#3 Jos Buttler – 119.04
He is arguably England’s best white ball cricketer. Jos Buttler changed the outlook of English cricket with his batting exploits. He emulated MS Dhoni in the early part of his career. Buttler soon took over as one of the most destructive finishers in the game. He played a stellar role in England’s maiden ODI World Cup win in 2019. Buttler has played 159 ODIs so far scoring 4275 runs at an impressive average of 39.95. The current skipper’s biggest USP though is his strike rate of 119.04.
#2 Glenn Maxwell – 124.98
He is popularly called the big show. Glenn Maxwell had a relatively low couple of years. But he was one of the lynchpins behind Australia’s World Cup win at home in 2015. He had a sensational World Cup wherein he often put bowlers under immense attack. Maxwell has played 127 ODIs scoring 3482 runs at an average of 34.13. The Australian though is known for his ability to strike at an outstanding pace. Hence his strike rate of 124.98 is second on this list of big strikers.
#1 Andre Russell – 130.22
He hasn’t featured in a single ODI in the past three years. Andre Russell though continues to remain one of the most fearsome strikers in the game. In the 56 ODIs he has played so far, Russell has raked up 1034 runs at a measly average of 27.21. The big-hitter from the Caribbean though tops the list in terms of strike rate. He is 5 points clear of the next hitter on this list. Russell’s strike rate of 130.22 shows the impact he can have on the game.
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