Fastest to 1000 Runs in ODI – Top 5 Batters

Fastest to 1000 runs in ODI is a sign of greatness in a player. Many great players have scored 1000 runs in no time and piled up more milestones in their ODI careers. Legendary players like Viv Richards and Kevin Pietersen are in the top five list of fastest to score 1000 runs in ODI cricket. Who else features in this elite club? 

Fastest to 1000 Runs in ODI

Fastest to 1000 runs in ODI cricket is a record to be proud of. Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman holds the record currently, reaching 1000 runs in just 18 innings. Fakhar’s teammate Imam-ul-Haq and India’s Shubman Gill are joint second in the list. In World Cups, Rohit Sharma and David Warner hold the record as the opening batters got to 1000 runs in 19 innings.  

Here are the top five players in the fastest to 1000 runs in ODI list: 

Fakhar Zaman (18 innings)

The Pakistan opener is the fastest cricketer to reach 1000 runs in ODI. He achieve score in 18 innings and scored his 1000th run against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2018. Fakhar made his ODI debut in June  2017, and took a little more than a year to get the job done, which shows how ruthless he was in his first year in international cricket.

 Imam ul Haq (19 innings)

The left-handed Pakistani batter is the joint-second fastest to reach 1000 runs in ODI cricket. Imam, the nephew of former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, has a classy technique and is usually dominant on the leg side. He played his first ODI in October 2017 and reached the milestone in January 2019.

Shubman Gill (19 innings)

The 24-year-old, joint-second along with Imam, reached 1000 runs during his 208-run knock against New Zealand in Hyderabad. He took just 19 innings to reach the milestone after making his ODI debut in January 2019, meaning he took almost three years to get to the four-digit mark. However, due to COVID-19, international cricket was suspended for over three months in 2020. 

Viv Richards (21 innings)

The legendary batter is the fastest West Indian player in ODI cricket. Richards, who made his white-ball debut in June 1975, reached the landmark in 1980 – almost five years later against England in Sydney. However, it took him just 21 innings to reach the milestone.

Kevin Pietersen (21 innings):

Kevin Pietersen, who played his first ODI in November 2004, revolutionized English cricket with his superb batting. He was on the money in his initial years and went on to reach his 1000 ODI runs on the 2006 India tour. During his knock against India in Faridabad, he got his 1000th run, which took only 21 innings.

Fastest to Score 1000 Runs in ODI (Top 10)

Concluding Thoughts

With the bowling line-ups worldwide getting less sharp and modern-day cricket more focused on the batters, it is easier to reach this milestone. However, one must understand that getting to 1000 runs is just the beginning, and even if you do that, that doesn’t mean the international career will take off. There have been many who have been good for the first 1000 runs before losing their way.

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