Highest Scores on ODI Debut
It is the dream of every budding cricketer to play and represent his country in at least one format of the game. The players put hard yards to reach their aim and only a few get successful in their pursuit of international professional cricket. It is really an emotional moment for the players on their debut as we saw in the case of Mohammed Siraj who was in tears on his debut T20 game.
When the batsman makes a debut after putting his sweat and blood in the domestic circuit, the expectations do hit the top roof. The player will like to extend his stay at the crease and make the debut a memorable one. And if they get a half-century or a century on debut, it is definite that they will be on cloud nine. Here are the top five highest scores on ODI debut in the international circuit:
#1) Desmond Haynes (Score on debut-148*)
The legendary West Indies batsman showed what he is capable of in the debut match itself against Australia at St.John’s. Despite creating the record for the highest score on ODI debut by any player in 1978, nobody has even reached near to the score. The player scored an unbeaten 148 against Kangaroos which helped the team to score 313 in 50 overs. Australia was mercilessly crushed in a rain-affected game at St John’s. The innings included 16 fours and two sixes with a strike rate of more than 100.
#2) Mark Chapman (Score on debut-124*)
One of the fringe countries in the sport of cricket, Hong Kong holds several records that are not worthy of being praised. However, there is always a silver lining in the dark clouds. Mark Chapman, the young player in 2015 scored a century on his One-Day International debut against U.A.E in Dubai. He posted an unbeaten 124 which helped the team to post 298 on the board. U.A.E were restricted for 209 and the debut was a memorable one for the young lad. The innings included 11 fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 106.90.
#3) Colin Ingram (Score on debut-124)
The southpaw was on the prowl on his debut against Zimbabwe at Bloemfontein. The player went on to score 124 on his debut which is the third-highest score by a player on his ODI debut. The player came at No 3 for Proteas after the dismissal of Graeme Smith in the eighth over. The player not only stitched a great partnership with Hashim Amla but also gathered a century under his belt. His innings included eight fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 98.41. The innings helped South Africa to post 351 on the board which was sufficient to defeat Zimbabwe.
#4) Martin Guptill (Score on debut-122*)
One of the batsmen who are known for their short-arm pull, Martin Guptill had a great start to his exciting One-Day International career. The attacking right-handed batsman took West Indies to task with his unbeaten 122 at Auckland. In his 201 minutes stay at the crease, Martin Guptill scored eight fours and two sixes in front of the voracious crowd. However, the game ended without producing as a result as the game was abandoned due to rain.
#5) Andy Flower (Score on debut-115*)
One of the finest batsmen to have ever played for Zimbabwe, Andy Flower ranks fifth in the list of top five highest scores on ODI debut. The right-handed batsman went on to score an unbeaten 115 on his debut against Sri Lanka. The century helped Zimbabwe to post a total of 312. Though the result didn’t go in Zimbabwe’s way as Sri Lanka won the thrilling game with three wickets in hand, it was a memorable outing for the batting legend of Zimbabwe. The innings included eight fours and a solitary six.
There are no Indians in the top 10 highest scores on the One-Day International (ODI) debut. The highest score on his One-Day International debut belongs to KL Rahul who scored an unbeaten century on his debut against Zimbabwe at Harare Cricket Ground.
