Cricket has always had room for brilliance—but some innings go far beyond brilliance. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), reaching a double century was once unthinkable. Now, it’s become the holy grail of one-day batting, with a handful of extraordinary players not only reaching 200 but pushing well past it. These are the moments that shift the perception of what’s possible in a single 50-over innings.

The top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs are not just numbers. They’re full-scale assaults on bowling attacks, feats of endurance, and exhibitions of timing, power, and composure. Some innings came under the bright lights of World Cup pressure, others in front of frenzied home crowds. What unites them is how they captured a moment and made it historic.

This countdown doesn’t just offer a list—it tells a story. A story of batsmen taking control of the day, rewriting records, and lifting the sport’s ceiling with every boundary. In true cricketing suspense, we’ll start from the 10th-highest and build up to the greatest ODI innings ever played.

Here’s a look at the greatest individual performances that have shaped the modern ODI era—each one a masterpiece in its own right.

1. Shubman Gill (India) – 208 runs vs New Zealand

Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad – 18 January 2023

In just his 19th ODI, Shubman Gill put his name among the greats with a scintillating double century against New Zealand. Facing 149 deliveries, he struck 19 fours and 9 sixes, anchoring India’s total of 349 in a high-scoring thriller that ended with a 12-run win.

This wasn’t just another big knock—it was an innings of maturity, acceleration, and poise. Gill paced his innings superbly, moving from fluency to ferocity as the innings wore on. With wickets falling around him, he shouldered the innings almost entirely on his own. His final assault, which brought up the double hundred, included three consecutive sixes—an emphatic way to bring up a monumental score.

What stood out most was how complete the performance felt. It wasn’t reckless. It wasn’t manufactured. It was a young batter fully in control of his craft, dispatching pace and spin alike, and carrying the strike with elegance.

With this innings, Gill became the youngest player to score a double century in ODIs. It marked the arrival of a future star and added another gem to the growing list of incredible knocks in the history of the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs.

2. Rohit Sharma (India) – 208* runs vs Sri Lanka

PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali – 13 December 2017

There’s a calm brutality to Rohit Sharma when he’s in full flow, and this unbeaten 208 was a masterclass in just that. It was his second ODI double ton—something no one had achieved before—and it came on his wedding anniversary, adding a personal twist to a record-breaking day.

India were under some scrutiny after a heavy loss in the previous match, but Rohit responded in the only way he knows: by occupying the crease and then dismantling the bowlers. He batted through all 50 overs, pacing his innings with the effortless elegance that’s become his trademark. The final ten overs were relentless. Sri Lanka had no answer to the array of lofted drives, pulls, and flicks that soared into the crowd.

His 208 not out came off 153 balls, decorated with 13 fours and 12 sixes. But it wasn’t just the volume of runs—it was the rhythm. Rohit looked unhurried even as he accelerated, making it clear why he’s often called the most dangerous white-ball batter in world cricket.

This knock cemented his reputation and added yet another highlight to the growing archive of the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs. It also reminded everyone that when Rohit bats long, he doesn’t just get big scores—he breaks scoreboards.

3. Rohit Sharma (India) – 209 runs vs Australia

M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore – 2 November 2013

The innings that started it all. Before the myth of Rohit Sharma, double-century machine, there was this – his first ever score beyond 200 in ODIs. It came against a strong Australian side, in a high-stakes series decider, and it had everything: class, chaos, and carnage.

Rohit’s 209 was built on composure early on, and complete annihilation later. What began as a steady innings turned into a festival of sixes—16 of them to be exact. That was a world record for the most sixes in an ODI innings at the time. It was Rohit’s coming-of-age performance, showing that he wasn’t just a stylish opener but one with serious destruction in his locker.

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is a batter’s paradise, but even so, the assault was staggering. Australia’s bowlers were reduced to spectators as Rohit switched from touch to power without warning.

This match also signalled a new era in India’s ODI batting approach—fearless, explosive, and unconcerned with ‘par scores’. And for Rohit, it was the start of his unique place in history, as the only player to appear more than once in the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs.

4. Ishan Kishan (India) – 210 runs vs Bangladesh

Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram – 10 December 2022

When Ishan Kishan walked out to open in Chattogram, he wasn’t even a guaranteed pick in India’s first-choice XI. By the time he walked off, he’d become the fastest double centurion in ODI history. In just 126 balls, Kishan racked up an astonishing 210—turning a dead rubber into a historic showcase of unrelenting aggression.

What made this innings stand out wasn’t just the speed, though that alone was jaw-dropping. It was the attitude. Kishan batted with absolute freedom, treating Bangladesh’s bowling with disdain while still keeping his shape and timing intact. His 131-ball total included 24 fours and 10 sixes—most of them clean hits into and over midwicket.

This knock effectively silenced any remaining questions about whether India’s bench strength could match the first team. It also sent a loud message to selectors ahead of World Cup planning: leave this guy out at your peril.

Kishan’s 210 felt like a statement—youth, audacity, and modern one-day batting distilled into one explosive innings. As far as the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs go, few have come with more swagger or as little warning.

5. Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka) – 210* runs vs Afghanistan

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium – 9 February 2024

No one quite saw this coming. Not from Pathum Nissanka. Not in Pallekele. Not against an Afghanistan side that’s been increasingly difficult to dominate. And yet, here it is: an unbeaten 210 from a player more associated with patience than power, delivered with grace and steel.

Facing 139 balls, Nissanka found his flow early and never let go. He struck 20 fours and 8 sixes, many of them lofted drives and late cuts, threaded through gaps with surgical precision. What made this innings special was the balance—it wasn’t built on slogging, but on tempo and control.

Afghanistan threw everything at him—pace, spin, field changes—but nothing broke his concentration. Nissanka batted deep, adapting to each phase and never once looking rushed. His ability to rotate strike kept the innings ticking until it exploded in the final ten overs.

This performance was a major boost for Sri Lankan cricket. It proved they still produce match-winners who can compete at the top level, and in doing so, added a fresh name to the list of greats in the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs.

A quiet cricketer with a loud innings—just the kind of surprise this list needs.

6. Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) – 210* runs vs Zimbabwe

Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo – 20 July 2018

Records tumbled in Bulawayo when Fakhar Zaman etched his name in history with Pakistan’s first-ever double hundred in ODIs. His 210 not out was a blend of boldness and calm, played with the kind of ease that makes the extraordinary look routine.

Coming in as part of a series where Pakistan were already dominant, Fakhar didn’t take the foot off the pedal. He found the boundary regularly—24 fours and 5 sixes in total—and paced the innings to perfection. There was no wild slogging, just precision and placement.

Alongside Imam-ul-Haq, he formed a 304-run opening stand—the highest partnership in ODI history at the time. Yet, even with records falling all around him, Fakhar remained ice-cool. His milestone felt inevitable, not frantic, and that’s what made it so compelling.

Some critics pointed to the quality of the opposition, but that misses the point. Fakhar still had to bat for 50 overs, handle the fatigue, and maintain focus through every phase. His 210* wasn’t just about stats—it was about making history for a nation that reveres its cricket icons.

It’s a deserving entry among the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs, both for its clinical execution and its symbolic value for Pakistan.

7. Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 215 runs vs Zimbabwe

Manuka Oval, Canberra – 24 February 2015

When Chris Gayle gets going, there’s usually only one outcome: carnage. Against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup, he delivered exactly that—an outrageous 215 off just 147 balls, studded with 10 fours and a jaw-dropping 16 sixes. It was the first double century in World Cup history, and it felt inevitable from the moment he passed 100.

This was Gayle at his destructive best. He didn’t just attack—he pulverised. Bowlers tried changing lengths, speeds, and lines. None of it mattered. Gayle stood tall, cleared his front leg, and deposited balls into orbit. The sixes weren’t just frequent—they were enormous, some disappearing out of the stadium altogether.

Importantly, this innings ended a bit of a dry spell for him. Critics had questioned his form, but Gayle responded the only way he knows: by rewriting the record books. He added a 372-run stand with Marlon Samuels—the highest partnership in ODIs at the time.

For all the fun and spectacle, the innings had substance too. It was match-defining, tournament-defining, and pure box office. It’s no surprise this knock remains one of the most iconic entries in the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs.

8. Virender Sehwag (India) – 219 runs vs West Indies

Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore – 8 December 2011

When Sehwag scored 219, it wasn’t just a record—it was a seismic moment. Before that day, only one player had ever gone past 200 in ODIs. Sehwag became the second, but he did it in a way only he could: with flair, fearlessness, and a complete disregard for the bowlers’ reputations.

The innings came against a West Indies attack that simply had no answers. Sehwag hammered 25 fours and 7 sixes in a 149-ball hurricane that lifted India to a massive total of 418. He didn’t build his innings cautiously. He attacked from ball one and never looked back.

It was the sort of knock that reminded fans why Sehwag was so thrilling to watch—unpredictable, devastating, and often unstoppable. He brought up his 200 with a casual push, celebrated with a wave, and went back to business. That casual confidence was peak Sehwag.

His record stood for just a few years before Rohit broke it, but it left a permanent mark. This was more than just a big score—it was a clear sign that 200 wasn’t a fluke or a one-off. It was now a target within reach. Sehwag’s effort firmly belongs among the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs.

9. Martin Guptill (New Zealand) – 237* runs vs West Indies

Westpac Stadium, Wellington – 21 March 2015

This wasn’t just the highest score in World Cup history—it was a performance that elevated Martin Guptill into global stardom. His unbeaten 237 against the West Indies in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final was as much about timing and poise as it was about brute force.

Guptill began steadily, playing out the early movement before launching into full attack. Once he got going, there was no stopping him. His 163-ball masterpiece included 24 fours and 11 sixes. The last ten overs saw Guptill shift gears into something almost surreal, flicking sixes off his pads and clearing cover with ease.

What made this innings truly special was the stage. A World Cup knockout match, home crowd, pressure—Guptill didn’t just handle it, he rose above it. New Zealand’s total of 393 was more than enough, and the innings remains the highest by any player in a World Cup to date.

Guptill’s knock was a perfect mix of technical brilliance and fearless hitting. He didn’t look like a man chasing history—he looked like a man enjoying every second. A worthy inclusion in the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs, and arguably the most complete innings on this list.

10. Rohit Sharma (India) – 264 runs vs Sri Lanka

Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 13 November 2014

It’s been nearly a decade, and still no one has touched it. Rohit Sharma’s 264 remains the highest individual score in ODI history, and frankly, it may stay that way for a while. The number is absurd. The innings itself, a once-in-a-lifetime mix of precision and mayhem.

Rohit started cautiously, even surviving a dropped chance on 4. What followed was pure domination. He faced 173 balls, struck 33 fours, and cleared the ropes 9 times. His second hundred came in just 73 balls. His third? In just 15 overs. At one point, even his teammates were laughing in disbelief.

Sri Lanka had no answer. Even the crowd at Eden Gardens—initially just enjoying a nice day of cricket—slowly realised they were witnessing history. By the end, every run was cheered like a milestone.

Rohit’s 264 wasn’t just a record—it was a statement of how far ODI batting had evolved. It showed what was possible when form, timing, and opportunity aligned perfectly. And to this day, it stands as the summit of the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs.

Highest Individual Scores in ODIs: Why These Feats Still Matter

Batting has always had its giants, but the top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs represent something beyond big numbers. These aren’t just milestones—they’re flashpoints that changed how the game is played, watched, and understood.

Each innings on this list pushed boundaries. They shifted what teams thought was achievable in 50 overs, redefined expectations, and helped spark the evolution of ODI cricket into the high-scoring, high-stakes format it is today. Some of these performances came in pressure cookers like World Cups. Others were built on personal comebacks, underdog stories, or sheer hunger to dominate. But every one of them moved the needle.

In a game increasingly focused on T20 spectacles, these ODI giants serve as reminders that there’s still room for the long, unfolding drama of a 50-over classic. For fans, they offer nostalgia. For players, they offer a target.

And for the history books? These knocks are already written in ink. The top 10 highest individual scores in ODIs will be chased for years to come—but they’ll never be forgotten.