Top 10 left-handers with most runs in ODI cricket

Left-handers have always been recognized with elegance and fluency. The difference in style and stance has a huge impact on technique and the approach of a left-hander vis a vis a right-hander. Cricket has produced many such prolific run getters and accumulators who have won the hearts of their fellow fans. A common attribute for the southpaws is their ability to play it through the off-side, quite a few legends enjoyed scoring on one side of the ground predominantly. Asians and West Indians mainly dominate the list which contains one batsman from Australia and New Zealand too. Following is the list of the 10 most prolific left-handed run scorers in the ODI format. 10. Stephen Fleming- 8037 Runs Stephen Fleming of New Zealand. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) The former New Zealand captain, one of the most successful and charismatic players to lead his country, has amassed 8037 runs in ODIs, mainly as an opener or in the top 4, up against the swinging ball in bowler friendly conditions. Although he scored at a seemingly modest of 32.06 and had a strike rate of 71.49, his 49 fifties and 8 hundreds include many a match-winning contributions, including his best score of 134* that came in the 2003 World Cup against South Africa. 9. Yuvraj Singh- 8329 Runs Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh. (Photo by RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images) The man of the tournament of the 2011 World Cup has always been impactful with the bat in hand in his long 50-over career fraught will great memories. He has smashed 8329 runs at an amazing strike rate of 87, spending most of his career batting at No.4 and No.5. His average of 36.6 speaks of his consistency and reliability in the middle order. His 13 hundreds and 51 fifties include his highest score of 139* against an Australian bowling line up with Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie at the SCG in 2004. 8. Shivnarine Chanderpaul- 8778 Runs Shivnarine Chanderpaul of West Indies. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) The West Indian legend may be better known for his exploits in Test cricket but has racked up 8778 runs in ODIs with a highly impressive average of 41.64. The average specifically stands out because of his versatility as a batsman, Chanderpaul found himself opening the batting just as often as he ended up at No.5. His strike rate as an opener is 69, and as a batsman at No.5 is 81, reiterating how effective he be in both roles. His 59 fifties and 11 hundreds include a match winning 150 as an opener against South Africa in 1999. 7. Saeed Anwar- 8824 Runs Saeed Anwar. (Photo by Getty Images) The best Pakistani opener to ever play the game in terms of his stats, Anwar has racked up 8824 runs at an average of 39.5. However, he will always be remembered to have held the record of the highest ever score in ODI cricket of 194 for over a decade, that too against arch-rivals India in their own den, in 1997. He has also scored 20 hundreds and 43 fifties to compliment his numbers. Only six 50-plus scores didn’t come as an opener, reiterating prolific he was, as an opener. 6. Chris Gayle- 9221 Runs West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle. (Photo credit JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages) The 37-year-old dasher from West Indies may hold every possible record in T20 cricket but has also scored 9221 runs at an average of 37 and strike rate of 85 in ODIs that would definitely be of more value to him. He has scored the most of runs for West Indies as an opener and finds himself in the top 10 ODI century scorers list with 22 centuries to go with his 46 fifties, all coming at the top of the order. He became the first double centurion in a World Cup with his mammoth 215 against Zimbabwe in 2015. 5. Adam Gilchrist- 9619 Runs Adam Gilchrist. (© Getty Images) The only Australian in the list, Gilchrist has scored 9200 out of his 9619 runs as opener, the third highest ever for the position. He scored his runs at an astonishing strike rate of 96.9, the second best for any opener behind Virender Sehwag and averaged an impressive 36 throughout. His 16 hundreds and 55 fifties complement his record. Although his highest score of 172 came against Zimbabwe in 2004, he is better remembered for his crucial 149 in the 2007 World Cup final against Sri Lanka. 4. Brian Lara- 10405 Runs West Indies cricketer Brian Lara (R) sweeps a ball. (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images) His ODI numbers are just as good as his Test numbers. One of the only 4 left-handers with over 10,000 runs, Brian Lara’s 10,405 runs are the most by a West Indian. Couple that with an average of 40.5 and a strike rate of over 80, and that makes for a lethal top order batsman. Out of his 19 hundreds and 63 fifties, his 169 against Sri Lanka in the 1995 Champions Trophy would have a special place in his heart. His 4600 runs at No.3 are the most by a West Indian at the important position. 3. Sourav Ganguly- 11363 Runs India’s Saurav Ganguly. (Photo by MUFTY MUNIR/AFP/Getty Images) Having scored 11,363 runs at an average of 41, Ganguly was always a prolific batsman, being India’s highest run-getter after Sachin Tendukar his partner in crime, with whom he made a majority of his 9146 career runs as an opener. Ganguly was also the fastest to 7000, 8000 and 9000 runs before AB de Villiers broke his records. His 22 tons and 72 fifties combine to 92 fifty plus scores, one of the highest ever, and also include the highest of 183 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup. 2. Sanath Jayasuriya- 13430 Runs Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya. (Photo by RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images) Not only has he scored 13,430 runs at a strike rate of 91, but also his 28 hundreds are the third highest on the list for most centuries. Sanath was the second most capped player after Sachin and had enhanced his ODI prowess with his bowling abilities (320 wickets) as well. He has the highest score for any Sri Lankan- 189 coming in a 245 run mauling of India in the 2000 Champions Trophy. He has the second most runs as an opener ever accumulating over 12,700 in that position alone. 1. Kumar Sangakkara- 14234 Runs Kumar Sangakkara. (© Getty Images) Top of the pile for left-handers and second highest of all time, Kumar Sangakkara has scored 14,234 runs at the highest average on this list of 41.98. His 93 fifties are the second most fifties by a player ever and he is the only player to score 4 consecutive centuries, and that too in the most recent 2015 World Cup, in which he was the highest run-scorer. His dominant stroke play and versatile approach helped him succeed as an opener as well as in the top order. His highest score of 169 came against a South African attack comprising the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in Colombo in 2013.

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Top 10 left-handers with most runs in ODI cricket

1. Kumar Sangakkara- 14234 Runs

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