Top 5 batsmen with most half centuries in international cricket

Top 5 batsmen with most half centuries in international cricket: Cricket is a harsh and demanding game; be a batsman or a bowler you are expected to perform every time you take the field. Cricketers who have scored centuries in cricket get all the applauds and the ones who fall short of it get criticisms for the low conversion rate. But cricket is a team game, and as mentioned in Hofstede’s dimension’s collectivism should be given more impetus than individualism. Individual performances should have fair enough credit, but if they don’t serve the purpose for the team then there is no point in counting them. Sachin Tendulkar a cricketing legend and arguably the best batsman the game has seen was once criticised for getting out between 90 and 100 famously known to be the nervous 90s. His reply was cool and calm something you can surely associate with Tendulkar, ” If I can make my team win with these half centuries then I do not bother getting out” . The master has said it. In this list we take a look at the top 5 batsmen with the most half centuries in international cricket. 1. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar – 164 Sachin Tendulkar plays a late cut shot for a four . (Photo Source : AFP) Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is undoubtedly one of the best batsman in the modern era of cricket. He has left his imprints everywhere in the cricket records book. Sachin has played an aggregate of 781 innings played over a span of 24 years. So it is predictable that he tops this list as well. The former India batsman is at the 1st place with 164 half centuries to his credit. No other player has played the number of innings the Master Blaster has done. He was a complete batsman, never had glitches in his batting techniques and surpassed tests of conditions, opponents and time as well. But in the most glorious career one spot of concern was the number of nervous 90s he had and that brings him under this list. 2. Kumar Sangakkara – 152 Kumar Sangakkara takes a run with Angelo Matthews. (Photo Source: BCCI) Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lankan stalwart is next on the list with 150 half centuries. He has given 15 years of cricket by now and is still going strong. In the recent ODI against England he scored yet another half century but missed out on yet another hundred. Sanga is very much the heart and soul of the Lankan middle order. He is someone tough to replace, being an absolute team man has given him success as a cricketer and as an individual. Will Sri Lanka find someone of his stature? one will have to wait and see. 3. Jacques Kallis – 149 Jacques Kallis flicks the ball for a four . ( Photo Courtesy: Zimbio) Jacques Kallis is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders of the world of cricket has seen. Looking at his performance you would need to ask if he is a batsman or bowler, as he is equally proficient in both the roles. Kallis is no. 3 on the list with 149 half centuries. Statistically speaking, Kallis has a better batting average than even Sachin Tendulkar. For someone to stand at a position to even get compared with one of the modern-day batting greats itself is a big credit. It shows the class and elegance that Kallis possesses. 4. Rahul Dravid – 146 Rahul Dravid celebrates his last half century in his last ODI (Photo Source: PA Photos) Rahul Dravid, probably one of the most shadowed batsman that has ever played for India considering the league of batsman he was. Sachin Tendulkar had already become a household name by the time Dravid started playing for India. Tendulkar often, rather unknowingly over shadowed Rahul Dravid and his stellar performances. Dravid, who played an aggregate of 604 innings that started from the tour of England in 1996, till the time he retired from cricket had no looking back at all. He time and again with his compassion and spirit proved to be a complete team man. He always placed the team ahead of his individual performances’. He was known for his immaculate focus, temperament and patience. In the 2003, Adelaide test against Australia Dravid displayed absolute patience to gift India a victory as he batted for 835 minutes over 2 innings. Along the 16 years of his international career Rahul Dravid has done enough to be called a legend and it would take a million cricketers to pass by before we get another Dravid. 5. Ricky Ponting – 146 Ricky Ponting plays a pull shot for a six ( Image Source : Getty Images ) Ricky Ponting was the Mr Dependable and a true leader for Australia until his retirement. He had the knack of scoring half centuries at will and the form he carried throughout; a half-century at times prompted of Ponting being out of touch. If Bradman had not played cricket for Australia, Ponting would have been the best batsman the country ever produced. He was never on the backfoot, always looking to be aggressive and to hit the bowlers out of the park. Ponting’s game was a real treat to watch when in full flow. The cover drive’s and the pull shot’s depicted sheer class. Ponting is also one of the most successful captains for the Aussies. Punter stands fifth on the list of most half-centuries in cricket with 146 half centuries. 6. Mahela Jayawardene** – 136 Mahela Jayawardene takes a run .(Photo Source: BCCI) At number 6 is Sri Lankan batting wizard Mahela Jayawardene. Jayawardene is Srilanka’s answer to Rahul Dravid. He was a technically correct batsmen who seldom played a misplaced shot. He was immaculate when it came to scoring half centuries, because he wanted to be amongst runs for almost every match. After Jayasuriya’s retirement, it has been Mahela and Sangakkara who had been the back bone of the Lankan batting. He announced his retirement from cricket recently. A player hard to replace purely because he was a batsman without any weakness. The sole criticism maybe his inability to perform in overseas conditions. **Mahela Jayawardene the 6th batsman is in the list as Rahul David and Ricky Ponting have equal number of half-centuries i.e. 146. The record fifth highest number of half-centuries in cricket stands with Jayawadene. *All stats updated till 11th March 2015.