Top 5 highest individual scores in ODI cricket in a chase
Here are the Top 5 highest individual scores in ODI cricket history in a chase. Four of them came in a winning cause and three of them who made this list are Asian batsmen.
5. Ross Taylor 181* v England
Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor’s 181* is also his personal best score in One Day International career. On 7th March 2018 Taylor helped New Zealand from a grave situation to a safety path at Dunedin.
Chasing a massive total of 336 to win – New Zealand lost openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro for ducks as Ross Taylor walked in to bat at No.4 with the score at 2-2 in 2.4 overs.
Taylor struck 17 fours and 6 sixes in his innings as he powered on to an unbeaten knock of 181 in 147 deliveries which helped New Zealand chase down the target with 3 balls to go. Easily one of the greatest knocks in a chase in ODI history!
4. Virat Kohli 183 v Pakistan
Virat Kohli’s knock of 183 is the highest score in a chase by a batsman in a ODI tournament. He set the record on March 18, 2012 in a Asia Cup fixture against arch rivals Pakistan at Dhaka.
Every super hero has a origin story and the origin story of chase master Virat Kohli could be traced back to this event.
Chasing 330 runs to win, Virat Kohli walked in to bat at No.3 in just the 3rd ball of the innings as opener Gautam Gambhir departed for a duck. Kohli combined with Sachin Tendulkar (52) and Rohit Sharma (68) to help India to a commanding situation.
23 year old Kohli hit 183 runs in 148 balls with the help of 22 fours and 1 six as India chased down the target in 47.5 overs.
3. MS Dhoni 183* v Sri Lanka
MS Dhoni’s sensational knock against Sri Lanka on October 31 2005 was a testament to what was to follow in a great ODI career. Aged 23, Dhoni walked in to bat at No.3 at Jaipur as India lost Sachin Tendulkar in the first over chasing 299 runs to win.
Dhoni absolutely dominated the proceedings pounding the opponent bowlers all round the park. The knock of 183 not out in 145 balls had 15 fours and an astonishingly high 10 sixes. Dhoni’s knock helped India chase down the target in 46.1 overs.
2. Shane Watson 185* v Bangladesh
Another Dhaka chaser and this time it was the Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson who walked in as an opener on April 11, 2011 with Australia needing 230 runs to win.
Watson hit 185 runs out the 230 runs to win against Bangladesh – which was 80 percent of the runs.
Watson’s imperious knock of 185 not out in 96 balls with the help of 15 fours and 15 sixes helped Australia chase down the target in 26 overs!
1. Fakhar Zaman 193 v South Africa
Fakhar Zaman broke Shane Watson’s record on 4th April 2021 in a Pink ODI against South Africa at Johannesburg. Zaman’s knock of 193 came against all odds as Pakistan crumbled at regular intervals in a chase of 342 runs against South Africa.
Pakistan were reduced to 205/7 in 38 overs with the team needing 137 more runs to win in 12 overs. Zaman was still 3 runs away from the century at this moment. He took control over the innings having being left with the tail enders to deal with the target.
He just took 128 balls to reach his 150 and rallied his team over the 300 mark in 47.4 overs. The left handed Pakistan opener’s knock was not enough to help Pakistan cross the line but he got them so close and almost made the impossible possible!
Fakhar Zaman scored 193 runs in 155 balls with the help of 18 fours & 10 sixes before succumbing to a freak run out from the deep by Aiden Markram. Pakistan lost the match by 17 runs.
Other Knocks
The other brilliant knocks which made the Top 10 in this list are Martin Guptill’s 180* against South Africa at Hamilton, Jason Roy’s 180 against Australia at MCG, Quinton De Kock’s 178 against Australia at Centurion, Herschelle Gibbs’ 175 against Australia at Johannesburg (highest ODI run chase and Sachin Tendulkar’s 175 v Australia at Hyderabad.
My dream team will feature Marcus Trescothick and Anil Kumble
