One Day International (ODI) cricket, an engrossing variant of the beloved game, has played a pivotal role in popularizing cricket globally since its introduction in the early 1970s. This version of the sport revolutionized the traditional five-day test matches into a single, action-packed day of cricket. A typical ODI cricket match is a spectacle filled with tactical gameplay, explosive batting, crafty bowling, and often nail-biting finishes.
Here, we explore 25 fascinating facts about ODI cricket that add to its charm and captivate audiences worldwide.
1. Inception: The first ODI cricket match took place on January 5, 1971, between England and Australia in Melbourne, primarily due to an abandoned Test match due to rain.
2. The First World Cup: The first cricket World Cup was an ODI competition, held in England in 1975. The West Indies emerged victorious.
3. High Scoring Game: The highest team total in an ODI is 481-6, scored by England against Australia in 2018.
4. The Fastest Century: South African player AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in ODIs, reaching 100 runs off just 31 balls against West Indies in 2015.
5. Greatest Chase: The highest successful run chase in ODIs is 438-9 by South Africa against Australia in 2006.
6. Record Attendance: The largest crowd ever recorded at an ODI cricket match was 87,182, during the 2015 Cricket World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
7. Sachin Tendulkar’s Record: Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in ODI cricket history with 18,426 runs.
8. Muttiah Muralitharan’s Wickets: Sri Lankan player Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the most wickets in ODI history with a staggering 534 wickets.
9. Hat-Tricks: Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan fast bowler, is the only player to have taken two hat-tricks in ODI cricket.
10. Unbeaten Streak: Australia holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak in ODIs with 34 matches between 2003 and 2004.
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11. First Day-Night Match: The first-ever day-night ODI was played between Australia and the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 27, 1979.
12. Most Centuries: Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most centuries in ODI cricket with 49 hundreds.
13. First Double Century: Tendulkar was also the first player to score a double century in ODI cricket.
14. Five World Cup Wins: Australia holds the record for the most Cricket World Cup wins, with five victories.
15. Most ODI Matches: Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most ODI matches played by a player, with 463 appearances.
16. Most Matches as Captain: Ricky Ponting of Australia and Stephen Fleming of New Zealand share the record for captaining the most ODI matches, with 230 each.
17. Youngest Player: Pakistan’s Hasan Raza is the youngest-ever player to appear in an ODI, making his debut at 14 years and 233 days old.
18. Oldest Player: Nolan Clarke of the Netherlands is the oldest player to make his ODI debut, aged 47 years and 257 days.
19. Most Dismissals by a Wicketkeeper: Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in ODIs, with 482.
20. Best Bowling Figures: Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka holds the record for the best bowling figures in an ODI with 8 wickets for 19 runs.
21. Most Matches as an Umpire: Rudi Koertzen of South Africa holds the record for officiating in the most ODI matches as an umpire, with 209 matches.
22. Maximum Sixes: Shahid Afridi of Pakistan holds the record for the most sixes hit in ODI cricket, with a whopping 351 sixes.
23. Most Runs in a Calendar Year: The record for the most runs scored in a calendar year in ODIs is held by Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed 1,894 runs in 1998.
24. Highest Average: Dutch cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate holds the record for the highest batting average in ODIs, with an average of 67.00.
25. Women’s ODI: Women’s cricket also follows the ODI format. The first Women’s ODI took place on 23 June 1973 between England and International XI at the Brighton and Hove.
ODI cricket, over the years, has provided an abundance of memorable performances, moments of magic, and records that have etched themselves into cricketing folklore. This form of cricket continually captivates fans across the globe, bearing testament to its significant role in elevating cricket to one of the world’s most popular sports.
