As we head towards the end of another calendar year, for the cricket fans, this was one to remember with a flurry of impressive displays setting up the 22 yards ablaze in ODIs. Whether it is with the bat or the ball, the players rocked the shores with one impressive display after the other.
With the year almost ticking away, here’s a quick look at the fastest knocks with the bat for the calendar year in ODIs that will come to an end in less than three weeks’ time. These are just the top five who have scored at least 40 runs and of course may not be as good as the ones that you anticipate. If you have a few in mind, please feel free to write them in the comment box.
#1 Ryan Burl – 293.75 vs USA, Harare
Burl had some fine knock in ODIs over the course of the last few years and being one of the spearheads of Zimbabwe, Burl knocked 47 runs from just 16 balls, hammering at a strike rate of 293.75, clubbing three fours and four sixes. Even though the opposition was slightly on the looser side, yet, scoring at a rate almost close to 300, well, that is video game my friends.
#2 Mark Wood – 252.94 vs South Africa, Wankhede
The lanky English fast bowler made quite a few significant ripples around the globe with his imperious brand of fast bowling. But who would have thought in an otherwise lacklustre display for the Lions, it would have been Wood spitting fire with the bat. He smashed an unbeaten 43 from just 17 balls, hammering two fours and five sixes.
#3 Glenn Maxwell – 240.90 vs Netherlands, Delhi
When it comes to rocking the show, Maxi will always be a favourite. He had a flurry of extraordinary knocks in the World Cup that included a double-century while blasting another blistering ton against the Orange Army. He smashed 106 from just 44 balls at a staggering strike rate of 240.90 while clubbing nine fours and eight sixes.
#4 Phil Salt – 217.85 vs Ireland, Bristol
Another Englishman who inflicted some severe agony on his opposition with a pretty fiery knock that saw him racking up 61 runs at a strike rate of 217.85 where he rocked seven fours and four sixes, Phil Salt certainly shined in Bristol. Scoring the total from just 28 balls, the Irish forces tasted the English supremacy emphatically that left them with a sour taste in their mouth.
#5 Heinrich Klaasen – 209.63 vs Australia, Centurion
Klaasen had a dream year in 2023 where he simply scored non-stop and blasted a handful of impressive knocks leading the way for all the teams that he played for. From Sunrisers Hyderabad to the South African cricket team, Klaasen was relentless. He blasted a full blown 174 from just 83 balls at Centurion, clobbering 13 fours and 13 sixes.
