List of Players who reached Fastest 1000 Runs in ODI cricket

Top 10 Players to reach Fastest 1000 ODI Runs

Many great players have taken only a few innings to reach the milestone of scoring 1000 runs in ODIs. The players who are on the list for scoring the fastest 1000 runs in ODI have gone on to have great careers. It is because of their ability to perform under pressure while fighting the jitters of starting their career that they achieved these milestones.

10. Dawid Malan (21 innings)

English cricketer, Dawid Malan is the 10th fastest to 1000 runs in ODI. The left-handed top-order batter took 21 innings to reach the historic milestone. Malan’s start to the career was filled with highs and lows. Among his first 21 innings, five were centuries. However, the English batter also scored five ducks during the same time. 

If not for the five ducks, Malan could have reached the milestone in record time which would have seen him on top of the record list. Malan reached the milestone against New Zealand at the Lord’s. Opening the innings, the left-handed batter scored 127 runs in only 114 balls hitting 14 and three sixes.

9. Rassie van der Dussen (21 innings)

Rassie van der Dussen like Malan reached the milestone of 1000 runs in ODIs in 21 innings. Unlike Malan, van der Dussen only scored one century against Pakistan during his first 21 innings. The South African batter during the start of the career had the ability to score big totals. In his debut match, he scored 93 runs against Pakistan. He followed it up with an unbeaten knock of 80 runs. 

The first two innings were evidence of how he was destined to break batting records. The lack of centuries in his first 21 innings stopped van der Dussen from reaching the milestone in fewer innings.

8. Babar Azam (21 innings)

Babar Azam is one of the three Pakistani batters to be on the list of fastest 1000 runs in ODI. Like many other batters on this list, Babar too scored multiple centuries while he was on his way to scoring 1000 runs. He scored a half-century in his debut match against Zimbabwe. In a three-match ODI series against the West Indies in the UAE, Babar scored three consecutive tons. 

His 21st innings came against Australia at the iconic W.A.C.A. stadium. Babar scored 84 runs in the match. While he is the eighth fastest to score 1000 runs in ODIs, Babar went on to become the fastest player to score 5000 ODI runs.

7. Quinton de Kock (21 innings)

Quinton de Kock is 7th fastest to score 1000 runs in ODI. The opening batter started his career with a few low scores. De Kock failed to score a single half-century in his first eight matches. However, he converted his first fifty into a ton against Pakistan. 

While reaching the milestone of 1000 runs in ODIs, de Kock went on to hit four more tons. Three of them came in a row against India. His first fifty only came after he had centuries in the format.

6. Jonathan Trott (21 innings)

Jonathan Trott is one of the two English cricketers on the list of fastest to 1000 runs in ODI. Trott started his career in the worst way possible. The right-handed batter was dismissed for a bronze duck in his debut match against Ireland. However, the former batter came back stronger in the following match with a knock of 87 runs against South Africa.

With two scores in the 90s and three centuries, Trott reached the milestone of 1000 runs in 21 innings. However, the match was not as memorable for Trott and the rest of the English team as they lost to Ireland in the 2011 World Cup group stage.

5. Kevin Pietersen (21 innings)

Kevin Pietersen like his countryman reached the milestone of scoring 1000 runs in ODI in 21 innings. Pietersen had a great start to his international career which saw him play in the Ashes series in his test debut. In ODIs, Pietersen would often not get a chance to bat. 

When he would bat, Pietersen would often remain not out. In his first match, the English batter scored 27 runs while being not out. In the first 21 innings, Pietersen scored three centuries as well. He reached the milestone while scoring 71 runs against India in 2006.

4. Viv Richards (21 innings)

Viv Richards is the oldest player to be on the list for being the fastest to 1000 runs in ODI. His high striking abilities during the time when he played show how the West Indies’ legendary batter was way ahead of his time. When Richards made his debut for the two-time ODI World Cup champions, no other players played similarly. 

He scored over 6000 runs at a strike rate of 90. Richards did not score many runs in his first few matches and scored only 38 runs in the first four innings. However, he bounced back in style scoring 290 runs in the following three innings. He scored three centuries on his way to score 1000 runs in ODIs in only 21 innings. The former West Indian batter was the first cricketer to score 1000 runs in ODI history.

3. Shubman Gill (19 innings)

India has produced some of the best batters of all time in ODIs including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, however, it is Shubman Gill who has the fastest 1000 runs in ODIs from India. The 25-year-old opening batter reached the elusive milestone in only 19 innings. He had a poor start to his ODI career and made only 16 runs in his first two innings. Gill’s third match came almost two years later. His fourth match again came almost two years later. However, since then Gill has been a regular feature in the Indian side thanks to his consistency at the top of the order.

The right-handed batter came astonishingly close to scoring his first century when he scored 98 not out against the West Indies in his sixth match. After becoming a regular feature in the Indian cricket team, Gill started to rack up big scores. He was only able to reach the milestone in the 19th innings thanks to a double-century against New Zealand.

2. Imam-ul-Haq (19 innings)

There are not many players who have been able to fill the shoes of their family members. However, Imam-ul-Haq, the nephew of Pakistan’s legendary batter, Inzamam was able to do so to some extent. Imam is the joint second fastest to score 1000 runs in ODI. The left-handed opening batter started his career with a bang and scored a ton on his debut against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi.

Among five single-digit scores, Imam made four more centuries. A century in the 19th innings against South Africa allowed the Pakistani opening batter to reach the milestone of 1000 runs in ODIs.

1. Fakhar Zaman (18 innings)

Fakhar Zaman is the fastest cricketer to score 1000 runs in ODI. The opening batter only took 18 innings to reach the milestone. Unlike many other players, Zaman made his debut in a major tournament during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. He repaid the faith that was shown in him by the selectors with a match-winning century in the final against arch-rivals India. Before the century in the final, the opening batter also scored two fifties including one in the semi-finals against England.

Once Zaman had already conquered top teams in the Champions Trophy, he carried on in his merry ways scoring multiple half-centuries. On the 20th of July 2018, Zaman became the only Pakistani to score a double-century in ODIs. He achieved the feat against Zimbabwe and followed it up by a knock of 85 runs reaching the milestone of 1000 runs in ODIs.

Fastest 1000 ODI Runs by Indian Players

Shubman Gill is the fastest to score 1000 runs in ODI. He reached the milestone in 19 innings. Gill is followed on this list by Delhi’s Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan. The two players scored 1000 runs in ODI in 24 innings. Kohli has bossed ODI cricket and holds records for fastest to score 8000 runs to fastest to 13000 runs.

The list features some of the other Indian greats of the game including MS Dhoni. Dhoni scored 1000 runs in ODI in 29 innings despite the fact that he managed only 22 runs in his first four innings.