Sachin Tendulkar holds the all-time record for the most runs in ODI cricket with 18,426 runs across 463 matches between 1989 and 2012. Virat Kohli occupies the second position with 14,797 runs at a remarkable average of 58.71, the highest among the top 10 run scorers in ODI history.
Moreover, Kohli leads the all-time ODI centuries list with 54 hundreds, surpassing Tendulkar’s 49. The top 10 features 4 Indian batters, 2 Sri Lankans, and representatives from Australia, Pakistan, and South Africa, reflecting the global spread of ODI batting excellence across 3 decades.
Top 10 Highest Run Scorers in ODI Cricket History
The table below ranks the 10 highest run scorers in ODI cricket history, covering career spans from 1989 to 2026.
| Player | Country | Span | Matches | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1989-2012 | 463 | 452 | 18,426 | 200* | 44.83 | 86.23 | 49 | 96 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2008-2026 | 311 | 299 | 14,797 | 183 | 58.71 | 93.82 | 54 | 77 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 2000-2015 | 404 | 380 | 14,234 | 169 | 41.98 | 78.86 | 25 | 93 |
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | 1995-2012 | 375 | 365 | 13,704 | 164 | 42.03 | 80.39 | 30 | 82 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 1989-2011 | 445 | 433 | 13,430 | 189 | 32.36 | 91.20 | 28 | 68 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 1998-2015 | 448 | 418 | 12,650 | 144 | 33.37 | 78.96 | 19 | 77 |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 1991-2007 | 378 | 350 | 11,739 | 137* | 39.52 | 74.24 | 10 | 83 |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 1996-2014 | 328 | 314 | 11,579 | 139 | 44.36 | 72.89 | 17 | 86 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 2007-2026 | 282 | 274 | 11,577 | 264 | 48.84 | 92.74 | 33 | 61 |
| Sourav Ganguly | India | 1992-2007 | 311 | 300 | 11,363 | 183 | 41.02 | 73.70 | 22 | 72 |
Sachin Tendulkar: 18,426 Runs in 463 ODI Matches
Sachin Tendulkar retired as the highest run scorer in ODI history with 18,426 runs across a career spanning 23 years from 1989 to 2012. His consistency across different eras of cricket remains unmatched, with the Master Blaster scoring runs against every Test-playing nation across all conditions.
- Tendulkar scored 49 ODI centuries, including the first-ever double century in ODIs (200* vs South Africa at Gwalior in 2010)
- He played 463 matches, the most by any batter in the top 10, accumulating runs at an average of 44.83
- Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in ODI World Cups with 2,278 runs across 6 tournaments between 1992 and 2011
- He scored 96 half-centuries alongside his 49 hundreds, giving him 145 scores of 50 or more in ODIs
- Tendulkar faced 21,368 deliveries in ODIs, the most balls faced by any batter in the format’s history
Virat Kohli: 14,797 Runs at an Average of 58.71
Virat Kohli occupies the second position with 14,797 runs and holds the record for the highest batting average among the top 10 at 58.71. His dominance in run chases sets him apart from every other batter in ODI history.
- Kohli holds the all-time record for the most ODI centuries with 54, surpassing Tendulkar’s 49 during the 2023 World Cup semi-final
- He maintains the highest average (58.71) and highest strike rate (93.82) among the top 10, combining consistency with aggression
- Kohli scored 44 of his 54 ODI centuries while chasing, reinforcing his reputation as the greatest run-chaser in the format
- He reached 14,000 ODI runs in just 299 innings, significantly fewer than Tendulkar’s 452 innings for 18,426 runs
- Kohli’s fastest ODI century came off just 52 balls against Australia at Jaipur in 2013, the quickest by an Indian batter
Kumar Sangakkara: 14,234 Runs with 25 Centuries
Kumar Sangakkara finished his ODI career as the third-highest run scorer with 14,234 runs in 404 matches for Sri Lanka. His elegant left-handed batting produced consistent performances across 15 years of international cricket.
- Sangakkara scored 4 consecutive ODI centuries during the 2015 World Cup, a record in World Cup history
- He accumulated 93 half-centuries alongside 25 hundreds, giving him 118 scores of 50 or more in ODIs
- Sangakkara averaged 41.98 across 380 innings, maintaining remarkable consistency across all conditions
- He scored 14,234 runs in 152 fewer matches than Tendulkar, reflecting a higher runs-per-match ratio
- Sangakkara’s highest score of 169 came against South Africa at Bloemfontein in 2010
Ricky Ponting: 13,704 Runs with 30 Centuries
Ricky Ponting scored 13,704 runs in 375 ODIs for Australia between 1995 and 2012, finishing as the fourth-highest run scorer in the format. His aggressive batting style and leadership defined Australian cricket during their dominant World Cup era.
- Ponting captained Australia to 2 consecutive World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007, scoring heavily in both tournaments
- He hit 30 ODI centuries at an average of 42.03, with his highest score of 164 coming against South Africa
- Ponting scored 1,231 fours and 162 sixes across his ODI career, reflecting his ability to score through conventional and power hitting
- He reached 10,000 ODI runs in 266 innings, the fastest by an Australian at the time
- Ponting’s ODI career included 82 half-centuries, giving him 112 scores of 50 or more
Sanath Jayasuriya: 13,430 Runs as ODI Cricket’s First Power Hitter
Sanath Jayasuriya revolutionised ODI batting with his explosive approach at the top of the order, scoring 13,430 runs in 445 matches for Sri Lanka. His aggressive style changed how opening batters approached the powerplay in the mid-1990s.
- Jayasuriya hit 270 sixes in ODIs, the third-highest tally in the format’s history at the time of his retirement
- He struck at 91.20, the third-highest strike rate among the top 10 behind Kohli (93.82) and Rohit Sharma (92.74)
- Jayasuriya played 445 ODIs, the second-most in the top 10 after Tendulkar’s 463
- His highest score of 189 came against India at Sharjah in 2000, a knock that defined aggressive ODI batting
- Jayasuriya also took 323 ODI wickets with his left-arm spin, making him the most prolific all-rounder on the top 10 run scorers list
Mahela Jayawardene: 12,650 Runs Across 448 ODI Matches
Mahela Jayawardene scored 12,650 runs in 448 ODIs for Sri Lanka, placing him sixth on the all-time list. His technically refined batting produced consistent performances across 17 years of international cricket.
- Jayawardene played 448 ODIs, the most matches by any player in the top 10
- He scored 19 centuries and 77 half-centuries at an average of 33.37 across 418 innings
- Jayawardene’s most iconic ODI innings came in the 2011 World Cup final, where he scored 103* against India at the Wankhede Stadium
- He faced 16,020 balls in ODIs, the second-most in the format’s history after Tendulkar
- Jayawardene and Sangakkara combined for 40 century partnerships in ODIs, the most by any pair in the format
Inzamam-ul-Haq: 11,739 Runs at an Average of 39.52
Inzamam-ul-Haq scored 11,739 runs in 378 ODIs for Pakistan between 1991 and 2007. His languid batting style produced some of the most memorable middle-order innings in ODI history.
- Inzamam scored 10 ODI centuries and 83 half-centuries, giving him 93 scores of 50 or more
- His highest score of 137* came against Bangladesh, showcasing his ability to anchor innings
- Inzamam averaged 39.52 across 350 innings, with a strike rate of 74.24 reflecting the era in which he played
- He played a crucial role in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup triumph under Imran Khan’s captaincy
- Inzamam scored 971 fours and 144 sixes across his ODI career
Jacques Kallis: 11,579 Runs as ODI Cricket’s Greatest All-Rounder
Jacques Kallis scored 11,579 runs in 328 ODIs for South Africa, making him the eighth-highest run scorer in the format. His dual contribution with bat and ball makes him arguably the greatest all-rounder in ODI history.
- Kallis averaged 44.36 with the bat, the third-highest among the top 10 behind Kohli (58.71) and Rohit Sharma (48.84)
- He also took 273 wickets in ODIs, making him the only player in the top 10 to surpass 250 wickets alongside 11,000 runs
- Kallis scored 17 centuries and 86 half-centuries, with his 86 fifties ranking joint-second alongside Sangakkara’s 93
- His highest ODI score of 139 came against Zimbabwe, while his career strike rate of 72.89 reflects his role as an anchor
- Kallis reached 10,000 ODI runs in 277 innings, the fifth-fastest at the time of reaching the milestone
Rohit Sharma: 11,577 Runs with the Highest Individual ODI Score
Rohit Sharma sits ninth on the all-time list with 11,577 runs in 282 ODIs, holding the record for the highest individual score in ODI history with 264 against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in 2014.
- Rohit holds the record for the most double centuries in ODIs with 3 (264 vs Sri Lanka, 209 vs Australia, 208* vs Sri Lanka)
- He has hit 357 sixes in ODIs, the most by any batter in the format’s history
- Rohit scored 33 centuries at an average of 48.84 and a strike rate of 92.74, the second-highest strike rate in the top 10
- He reached 11,000 ODI runs in just 274 innings, the second-fastest after Kohli
- Rohit captained India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, scoring 597 runs in the tournament at an average of 54.27
Sourav Ganguly: 11,363 Runs as India’s Aggressive Captain
Sourav Ganguly scored 11,363 runs in 311 ODIs for India between 1992 and 2007, rounding out the top 10 highest run scorers in ODI history. His aggressive left-handed batting at the top of the order transformed India’s approach in the format during the early 2000s.
- Ganguly scored 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries at an average of 41.02 across 300 innings
- His highest ODI score of 183 came against Sri Lanka at Taunton during the 1999 World Cup
- Ganguly hit 1,122 fours and 190 sixes in ODIs, reflecting his ability to dominate through both conventional and power hitting
- He captained India to the 2003 World Cup final, scoring 465 runs in the tournament
- Ganguly and Tendulkar formed one of the most prolific opening partnerships in ODI history, sharing 26 century stands
Also Read:
Sachin Tendulkar Has the Most Runs in ODI Cricket History
Sachin Tendulkar’s 18,426 ODI runs stand as the benchmark for batting excellence in the 50-over format. His career spanned 23 years across 6 World Cups, producing 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries against every major cricketing nation.
Virat Kohli’s 14,797 runs at an average of 58.71 represent the strongest challenge to Tendulkar’s overall tally, while his 54 centuries already surpass the Master Blaster’s hundred count.
Furthermore, Rohit Sharma’s 357 sixes and 3 double centuries add a power-hitting dimension that no other batter in the top 10 can match. The top 10 list reflects the evolution of ODI batting across 3 decades, from Jayasuriya’s powerplay revolution in the 1990s to Kohli’s chase mastery in the 2020s.
