Top 5 Players who have played the most number of ODIs

This topic is also one of those topics which I have been wanting to do for a long time and it is a list of the who’s who in cricket history and this list will be very hard to penetrate into because the number of ODI matches that are played these days are way less as compared to the ones that were played before and the number of great teams that used to play the 50 overs format of the game. Hopefully the charm of the limited overs game comes back because it is entertaining as heck and I am a huge fan of this format.

It us without any surprise that the Top 5 Players with most matches played in ODIs are from Asia as we Asians loved playing the ODI format of the game as all the teams during that time were equal and the ODI cricket scene revolved around Asia and Australia and seeing great quality batters and bowlers going at it for 50 overs and showing the world all their class and skills was a joy to witness which is missing in today’s times as the level of the teams is not so good and only 5 teams are the good ones and the T20I format is taking over the globe. So, let’s look at the Top 5 Players with most ODI Matches played.

Sachin Tendulkar (463 ODI Matches Played)

This is one such recurs of Sachin Tendulkar which will likely never be broken ever as this number of Matches Played is unheard of especially during these times when players prefer to play test or T20I cricket and ODI cricket does not appeal to them but with the 2023 World Cup coming up hopefully more and more ODIs will be played. Sachin Tendulkar played these many ODIs while playing at the top for more than 22 years and just scoring runs and runs for India and he is my all time favorite cricketer as well. The joy in watching Sachin Tendulkar bat was unparalleled. The GOAT of ODI cricket without a shadow of a doubt. He scored more than 18000 ODI runs in these many matches.

Check here Players with most balls faced in ODI cricket history

Mahela Jayawardene (448 ODI Matches Played)

The number 2 player on this list is the great Mahela Jayawardene from Sri Lanka and he played only 15 ODI Matches fewer than Sachin Tendulkar and he was the Mr Dependable of Sri Lanka cricket along with Kumar Sangakkara when it came to batting and he scored more than 12500 runs to prove it. Mahela Jayawardene was the big match player for Sri Lanka and most famously he scored a brilliant hundred for Sri Lanka in the 2021 World Cup final but India were too good on the day and chased down the target easily. He will be missed dearly in Sri Lankan cricket as a very good leader and one of the very best batters.

Also Read | List of Players with 10000 runs in both Tests and ODIs

Sanath Jayasuriya (445 ODI Matches Played)

Another all time great of Sri Lankan cricket as this time he is one of the best all rounders to ever play for Sri Lanka. This player is among the very select few who has scored more than 13000 ODI runs and taken more than 300 Wickets and this is what made him such a deadly player as the opposition team did not know how to play against him either when he was batting at his destructive best or bowling those left arm spinners and taking regular wickets. Sanath Jayasuriya also played the ODI format for 22 years and we can see why he played for that long as there was no other player like him.

Also Read | Teams with most number of wins in ODI History

Kumar Sangakkara (404 ODI Matches Played)

The third back to back player from Sri Lanka and this time it is the third player from the holy Trinity of the greatest of Sri Lankan cricket and only Muthiah Muralidaran is remaining from this list. Kumar Sangakkara was one of the most prolific run scorers of not just Sri Lankan cricket but world cricket as a whole and he did it at an average of 40 plus and scored more than 14000 ODI runs and served Sri Lankan cricket with great dignity and pride and was a great global ambassador for the game. I loved watching him bat and he was the most elegant and stylish player.

Also Read: Highest Individual scores in ODI History

Shahid Afridi (398 ODI Matches Played)

The fifth and final player on our list is the Pakistan great Shahid Afridi. He was to Pakistan what Sanath Jayasuriya was to Sri Lanka. He was the most dangerous batter in the world when he was at his best and he used to smash the bowlers for fun and hit 45 ball ODI Hundreds and not only that Shahid Afridi was magic with the ball as well as he took 395 OD wickets which is among the highest ever and scored more than 8000 runs for Pakistan. He was called Lala fondly by all his teammates and fans and also Book Boom Afridi as he always came out with the intention of hitting sixes.

Also Read: Top 5 Fastest 200s in ODI History