Attaining milestones holds significant importance for cricketers, as it represents a noteworthy moment in their career. Often, a player makes a spectacular debut in his international career, yet sustaining consistent performance demands considerable effort. However, those who manage to do so often emerge as the true legends of the game.
For bowlers, these milestones are commonly defined by the number of wickets secured, while for batters, the yardstick is the quantity of runs they accumulate. The pace and consistency with which these achievements are accomplished frequently mirror the skill and prowess of a batsman. One such landmark is the pursuit for the fastest 4000 runs in ODI.
So, let’s check the details of those batters who have got the feat of the fastest 4000 runs.
Fastest 4000 runs in ODI
Below is the list of the top 5 batters who were the quickest to achieve this milestone:
| Batters | Teams | Innings | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM Amla | South Africa | 81 | 2013 |
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 82 | 2022 |
| IVA Richards | West Indies | 88 | 1985 |
| SD Hope | West Indies | 88 | 2022 |
| JE Root | England | 91 | 2017 |
1. Hashim Amla
The legendary opening batter of South Africa, Hashim Amla, holds the record for being the quickest batter to cross the 4000 runs in ODIs. He made his international debut in 2008, and it took him 81 innings to achieve this milestone. He finished his career as one of the most incredible batters of this format of the game.
In an ODI match against India in 2013 at Durban, he smashed a century and became the fastest player to score 4000 runs. Amla played 181 matches for the Protease and accumulated 8113 runs at an average of 49.4. He has also scored 27 centuries and 39 fifties in his ODI career.
2. Babar Azam
The star batter of Pakistan, Babar Azam, holds the second spot for the fastest 4000 runs in ODI history. He made his debut for Pakistan in 2015, and it took him 82 innings to attain this milestone. He is the overall 15th player from Pakistan to score 4000 runs in ODIs.
Babar Azam grabbed the spotlight by surpassing the legendary West Indian cricketer Sir Vivian Richards, achieving the milestone of 4000 runs in just 82 innings. He accomplished this landmark feat on March 29, 2022, during Australia’s tour of Pakistan.
Azam scored 57 runs to mark his achievement of 4000 ODI runs. He has played 117 matches for Pakistan so far and has scored 5729 with an incredible average of 56.7, including 19 tons and 32 half tons.
3. Viv Richards
Vivian Richards stands as a legend and ranks among the greatest players in the history of cricket. His cricketing repertoire was complete, encompassing class, attitude, and unwavering consistency.
Sir Vivian Richards is widely celebrated for his status as one of the great cricketers. He was a big-match player who demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate high-pressure situations with ease. Richards held the distinction of being the fastest to reach 4000 runs, which was broken by Hashim Amla in 2013.
He achieved this feat in 88 innings. He played 187 matches for the West Indies, amassing a total of 6,721 runs at an average of 47. His remarkable batting record included 11 centuries and 45 half-centuries.
4. Shai Hope
Among the top 5 batters to reach the landmark of the fastest 4000 runs in ODI is another West Indies batter, Shai Hope. He made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2016. Hope made a significant mark by scoring 127 against Pakistan in the ODI series in 2022. This stellar performance catapulted him to become the third-fastest batsman in history to reach the milestone of 4000 runs in One-Day Internationals.
Hope became the 11th West Indian batter to achieve this notable feat. In his 118 appearances for West Indies, he has scored 4,940 runs at a remarkable average of 50. He has also scored 15 hundred and 24 fifties in his career so far.
5. Joe Root
Joe Root is widely recognized as one of the premier batters on the cricket stage. Like the other greats of the game, Root is known for his remarkable consistency and reliability. His ability to deliver under pressure further confirms his status as one of the most incredible talents in cricket.
Former England captain Joe Root stands as the fifth-fastest batsman to reach the milestone of fastest 4,000 ODI runs. Making his debut in January 2013 against India in Rajkot, he accomplished this feat in 91 innings.
Throughout his ODI career, which spans 171 matches, Root has amassed a total of 6522 runs at an average of 47. His stats include 16 centuries and 39 half-centuries.
Sum Up
Certain records are made and broken on the international stage of cricket. The players are always determined to achieve milestones that carve them into the history of this game. One such landmark is the fastest 4000 runs in ODI.
Hashim Amla is the fastest batter to achieve this feat in 81 innings. Second on this list is the great modern-day batter, Babar Azam. He took 82 innings to cross the 4000 runs mark.
Sir Vivan Richards was the first batter to achieve this feat in 88 innings, and Amla broke his record in 2013. Shai Hope and Joe Root are at the 4th and 5th position on this list with 88 and 91 innings, respectively.
