One-day International (ODI) cricket is one of three cricket formats in which there is one inning per team, with the number of overs limited to 50 overs per inning. ODI is one of the most renowned cricket formats. The most famous cricket World Cup is also in the ODI format. There are around ten teams playing ODIs. Here we are going to talk about the West Indies cricket team which has given some of the best and most potent batters in cricket history. When the ICC introduced the ODI format, West Indies came out to be the most dangerous team with some of the most vital and most demanding players. We will look at the Top 10 West Indies batsmen who scored above 5,000 runs in ODI cricket.
1. Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle is one of the best batters in the world to date. He is nicknamed "The Universe Boss". He holds the record for most runs (215 against Zimbabwe) by a left-handed batter in a single inning in ODI cricket. He is also the first West Indies batsman to do so. He is the most capped player in West Indies cricket. He is the only player from the West Indies to score more than 10,000 runs in ODI along with Brian Lara. He has scored 10,425 runs in 298 matches. The more we discuss his career, the more feathers are added to his cap.
2. Brian Lara
Brian Charles Lara is a former West Indies player based in Trinidad. He is one of the most incredible batters of all time. He has formed many records during his 17-year career. He holds the record for most runs scored in a Test innings after scoring 400 no out against England in 2004. He was captain of the West Indies for ten years and took the team to greater heights during this period. He is one of two players scoring over 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. He scored 10,405 runs in 299 matches in ODI cricket.
3. Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul is an Indian-origin cricketer who played for the West Indies cricket team and served as its captain. He is one of the greatest batters of his era. Tiger was the backbone of the West Indies batting line-up during his period. He holds the record for prolonged batting period (1513 minutes) without being dismissed. He is also known for his orthodox batting stance, in which he stands facing the bowler instead of standing side-on. He started his ODI career in 1994. He played 268 ODI matches and scored 8,778 runs throughout,for 17-year (1994-2011). He hit eleven centuries during this time.
4. Desmond Haynes
Desmond Leo Haynes is a former Barbadian cricketer who played for the West Indies cricket team between 1978 and 1994. He hit 148 against Australia in his debut match, the highest runs scored by someone in his debut ODI match. It was also the fastest century scored by an ODI debutant. In ODI cricket, he was most successful against Australia; he scored six centuries against Australia. He scored 8648 runs in 268 matches in ODI cricket. He hit seventeen centuries during his ODI career.
5. Viv Richards
Sir Vivian Richards is one of the most aggressive batsmen of all time. His batting style was not a common sight in the 1970s and 1980s, he was merciless when he hit the batting area. With no fear of bowling, he used to enter the field without a helmet, just wearing a cap and hitting the ball like a child's play. When he used to hit the ball, fielders used just to stand like spectators, watching the ball pass the boundary. When he retired, he had a strike rate of 90+ in ODI. He was part of the World Cup-winning West Indies in 1975 and 1979 and scored a century in the 1979 final, helping his team take the trophy home. He scored 6,721 runs in 187 ODI matches.
6. Richie Richardson
Richie Benjamin Richardson is a former West Indies international cricketer. Throughout his career, he was under the shadow of Vivian Richards. Still, he was able established his image as one the most successful cricket players during the late eighties and early nighties. Like Richards, he played all his matches without wearing a helmet; instead, he carried a wide-brimmed maroon sunhat. He was one of the most stylish cricket players during his time. He scored 6,248 runs in 224 matches during his ODI career. He hit five centuries during his span.
7. Ramnaresh Ronnie Sarwan
Ramnaresh Ronnie Sarwan is an Indian-origin right-handed batsman who played as batter for the West Indies. He is also a former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He succeeded Brian Lara as captain. He was one of the best batters of his generation. He scored 5,804 runs in 181 matches in his ODI career. He hit five centuries and thirty-eight half-centuries during this time. He played his last ODI match against India. He had an excellent career of 13 years in International cricket.
8. Carl Hooper
Carl Llewelyn Hooper is a former West Indies cricketer who captained the West Indies team in Tests and ODIs. He is nicknamed Cool Carl. He started his ODI career in 1987 at the age of 20. He was a right-handed batsman. He was also a great off-spinner. He is the only cricketer in the world to score 5,000 runs and take 100 wickets and 100 catches in both tests and ODIs. He scored 5,761 runs in 227 matches in his ODI career. He hit seven centuries and twenty-nine half-centuries during his ODI career.
9. Marlon Samuels
Marlon Samuels is a former Jamaican batsman who played for the West Indies in all three formats. He was also a former captain of the ODI format. He was an all-rounder, a middle-order right-handed batsman and, an off-spinner. He debuted in ODI cricket in 2000, the same year he debuted in Test cricket. He scored 5606 runs in 207 matches in his ODI career. He hit ten centuries and thirty half-centuries during his ODI span.
10. Cuthbert Gorden Greenidge
Sir Cuthbert Gorden Greenidge is a former cricketer who represented West Indies in Tests and ODI format for 17 years. He belongs to Barbados. Greenidge is one of the most incredible and most destructive batters in cricket history. He is celebrated in the ICC Hall of Fame. He was then eligible to play for England but chose the West Indies. He started his ODI career in 1975. He scored 5,134 runs in 128 matches during his ODI career. He hit eleven centuries and thirty-one half-centuries during his ODI span.
