Top 10 batsmen with highest strike rates in ODIs (8000 plus runs)

Top 10 batsmen with highest strike rates in ODIs (8000 plus runs): One Day cricket is all about how many runs you make in 50 overs and how fast you make them. More runs in fewer balls became the norm after the 1992 World Cup. Making more than a run a ball is the normal thing now thanks to fielding restrictions, heavier bats and innovations in batting techniques. Here are the Top 10 batsmen with highest strike rates in ODIs (8000 plus runs): 10. Chris Gayle – 85.11 Chris Gayle. (© Getty Images) West Indian giant Chris Gayle has been able to dominate the bowlers according to his will in recent 5-6 years easily. It doesn’t matter who the opposition is, what kind of wicket it is if he is in the mood, he will go after the bowlers and demolish them. He recently hit the first double hundred in World Cup history and that too the fastest one. He has the strike rate of 85.11 in his 9221 runs. Also Read – Top 10 Longest sixes in international Cricket 9. Sachin Tendulkar – 86.23 Sachin Tendulkar played 452 innings and scored 18426 runs with an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23. (Photo Source: AFP) Sachin Tendulkar played 452 innings and scored 18426 runs with an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23. It is amazing that Sachin scored runs at that strike rate for such a long career. Playing for 25 years and maintaining that strike rate for that period of time tells that Sachin was indeed special in the way he batted. 8. Tillakaratne Dilshan – 86.23 Tillakaratne Dilshan. (Photo Source: BCCI) Tillakaratne Dilshan has scored 10290 runs with an average of 39.27 in 296 innings. He has a strike rate of 86.23 in his ODI career. Dilshan has been one of the most versatile players in World cricket; he can keep wickets, bat from no.1 to no.7 in batting order and can bowl off spin. Dilshan recently hit his highest ODI score of 161* in the 2015 World Cup. 7. Yuvraj Singh – 87.24 Indian cricket batsman Yuvraj Singh. (Photoby DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) Currently out of form and favour Yuvraj Singh scored his 8329 runs with a strike rate of 87.24. A powerful hitter of the ball, Yuvraj was also the Man of the tournament in India’s 2011 World Cup win. Yuvraj is a brilliantly attacking batsman with both power and touch gifted to him. He can easily glide a bowler down the fine leg and hit the same bowler for 6 sixes in an over. 6. MS Dhoni – 88.94 MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Getty Images) World Cup winning Indian Captain MS Dhoni has scored his 9069 runs at an astonishing average of 50.94 and at a strike rate of 88.94. Widely regarded as the greatest finisher in the ODI history, Dhoni is also known for his big hits and the helicopter shot. He is also considered one of the most shrewd Captains in ODI matches. 5. Sanath Jayasuriya – 91.20 Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) Former Sri Lankan Captain Sanath Jayasuriya played 433 innings to make 13430 runs at a strike rate of 91.20. One of the most dangerous batsman in the world, he redefined what is hitting in the first 15 overs of ODI cricket in the 1996 World Cup, which Sri Lanka won and he got the man of the tournament prize. He played cricket for more than 23 years and made the once fastest hundred, 50. He also took 300 wickets in his ODI career. 4. Adam Gilchrist – 96.94 Australia’s Adam Gilchrist. (Photo by Fairfax Media/Fairfax Media via Getty Images) Another dangerous opening batsman, Adam Gilchrist redefined the role of a wicket keeper in ODI and Test cricket with his aggressive and without a worry hitting technique. He could hit the best of the bowlers into submission and did his best in the process. He won all the 3 World Cups he played in in 1999, 2003 and 2007. His strike rate was 96.94 for his 9619 runs in 279 innings. 3. AB de Villiers – 99.87 South African captain AB de Villiers plays a shot during the Cricket World Cup semi-final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Eden Park in Auckland on March 24, 2015. (Photo by Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images) If you are to discuss the batsmen who have smashed bowlers from across the world at will and in distinguished style during the last couple of years, the discussion would certainly begin with AB de Villiers. AB has been at his very best and does not seem to give pay heed to the age old term of paying respect to the good balls, if he has decided to go for it he will, no matter what. As soon as we state his strike rate – 99.87, nothing else needs a mention. 2. Virender Sehwag – 104.33 Indian cricket team players Gautam Gambhir (R) and Virender Sehwag run between the wickets. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) Perhaps one the greatest openers in international cricket, Virender Sehwag hit his 8273 runs at a strike rate of 104.33 and with a highest score of 219 in ODIs. Sehwag got a chance to open the innings in 2001 and he celebrated by making the then fastest century for India against New Zealand. His non complicated batting style depended on precise hand eye coordination and not much footwork. Sehwag batted with simple philosophy of see ball hit ball. He is also one the few batsmen to hit 2 triple centuries in Test cricket. 1. Shahid Afridi – 117 Boom Boom Shahid Afridi (Photo Source : AFP) Boom Boom Shahid Afridi recently completed 8000 runs in ODI cricket and became the slowest to do so in 367 innings. He also averages just 23.57, but the strike rate is 117.00, the highest for any batsman with 8000 runs in ODI cricket. For the last 6-7 years, Afridi has played ODI more as a specialist bowler than a batsman he used to be. He does occasionally makes a 50 here and there, but he has lost the batting ability that he had during his early years in cricket. Also Read – Top 10 batsmen with highest strike rate in Tests (All stats updated till 29th October 2016)