There are some cricketers who have had long careers in cricket, while there are some who have had short careers, yet some have left a powerful impact through their destructive batting skills or excellent bowling. As we know, cricket is quite a popular sport, and almost every kid, especially in India, aspires to be a cricketer. It is because of the immense love we have for cricket and the strong impact left by various players. All this drives us to follow the same path. However, as we all know that all of us do not get the same opportunities, similarly there are a few players who get to play plenty of matches, whereas others do not get many opportunities. So, let’s look at some players who have played the most ODI matches.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar, popularly known as the “God of Cricket,” occupies first place in this list. He has played a total of 463 ODI matches in his career. Sachin debuted for India in 1989 and played his last international game in 2012. Besides, he also holds the record for scoring the most runs in ODI matches, which is 18,426 runs. He has scored a century in ODI 49 times.
2. Mahela Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene, a famous Sri Lankan player, is the second player to play the maximum number of ODI matches. He debuted in 1998 and declared his retirement in 2015. He has played a total of 448 ODI matches and scored 12,650 runs. He has scored a century 19 times.
3. Sanath Jayasuriya
The third person on the list is the Sri Lankan player Sanath Jayasuriya. He has played 445 ODI matches, thus making him the third cricketer to play the maximum number of ODI matches. He made his debut in 1989 and retired from international cricket in 2011. He has scored a total of 13,430 runs. His highest score in an ODI is 89 runs.
4. Kumar Sangakkara
Sangakkara, the legendary Sri Lankan player, is the fourth player to play the maximum number of ODI matches. He made his debut in 2000 and played 404 ODI matches until he retired in 2015. He has scored a century 25 times in ODI. Besides, he has scored 14,234 runs in all the ODI matches.
5. Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi occupies the fifth position on this list. He debuted in 1996 for Pakistan and retired in 2015. He scored 8,064 runs in all the 398 ODI matches he played. His highest score in ODI is 124 runs. Moreover, he is renowned for his conventional bowling style.
6. Inzamam-ul-Haq
The sixth player on the list is the Pakistani batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq. He debuted in 1991 and played his last ODI match in 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has scored 11,739 runs in all the 378 ODI matches he has played. His highest score in ODI is 137 runs.
7. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting, one of the most popular Aussie players, occupies the seventh position on this list. He is popular for his aggressive batting style. Ricky debuted for Australia in 1995 at 20 and played his last international match in 2012. In all the 375 ODI matches he has played, he has scored 13,704 runs. Besides, he has scored a century 30 times in ODI. Lastly, his captaincy helped Australia win the ICC; World Cup trophy 2003.
8. Wasim Akram
The eighth cricketer on this list is Wasim Akram, a Pakistani player. He debuted in 1984 and retired in 2003. He is a left-hand batter who has scored 3717 runs in all the 356 ODI matches he has played. His highest score in an ODI is 86 runs.
9. MS Dhoni
The penultimate player on this list is the former Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He is widely known as the Cool Captain and is also famous for hitting his iconic shot and playing the role of a finisher. Besides batting, he plays the role of a wicket-keeping as well. Further, he has played 350 ODI matches, after which he retired in 2019. His highest score in ODI is 183 runs.
10. Muttiah Muralitharan
The last player on this list is M. Muralitharan. He is a Sri Lankan player who debuted in 1993 and declared retirement in 2011. He is a renowned bowler who has played 350 ODI matches and has taken 534 wickets.
