Tons of runs: Top ten run-scorers in ODIs

1. Mithali Raj (India)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg	100s	50s
209	189	6888	125*	50.64	7	53

© ICC

It’s no surprise that Mithali Raj leads the list for top-run scorers in a format which saw her make debut against Ireland on June 26, 1999. She started with a bang scoring a ton, and since then has not looked back. Raj became the first player to breach the 6000-run barrier. She is the rock of India’s middle-order and captain cool in the ODI format, who often anchors the innings. Her cover drives through the off-side are still a delight to watch. And she doesn't seem to be slowing down with age.

 

2. Charlotte Edwards (England)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg	100s	50s
191	180	5992	173*	38.16	9	46

© Getty Images

Charlotte Edwards started as early in the year 1997 and went on to dominate the cricketing world for 19 years. She made her debut against South Africa and the right-hander carried England’s batting on her shoulders with great composure and calmness.  She also became the first female cricketer to have scored 1000 runs in the format and became the first player to score 5000 runs and led her team to victory in the 2009 ODI World Cup Edwards bowed out in the year 2016 accumulating a staggering 5992 runs - then the highest, before Raj overtook it.

 

3. Belinda Clark (Australia)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
118	114	4844	229*	47.49	5	30

© Getty Images

Belinda Clark was always earmarked for great things in the field of cricket and true to the words, Clark played like a champion since making her debut in the year 1991. The right-hand batter created history by scoring the first ODI double-century (229*) across genders in the year 1997 thereby becoming the first captain to achieve the feat. She also holds the record for scoring most runs in the World Cup - 1,151 runs - a staggering 970 of which came in the 1997 edition, where she led Australia to the victory as well.  She is still Australia’s leading run-scorer in ODIs with 4,844 runs.

 

4. Karen Rolton (Australia)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
142	132	4814	154*	48.14	8	30

© Getty Images

Karen Rolton was often considered the key wicket for many opposition teams because the allrounder often would take the attack to the opposition and score runs quickly to put Australia in a pole position. Rolton made her ODI debut against New Zealand in the year 1995 and since then didn’t look back till 2009. The burly left-hand batter’s appetite to score big stood out when she became the first player to score a century in the knockout stage of the Women’s World Cup in the year 2005. Her record-breaking feats were recognized by Cricket Australia as she was named Australia’s Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. She was also named ICC Female Cricketer of the Year in 2006.

 

5. Sarah Taylor (England)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
126	123	4754	171	44.01	5	36

© ICC

When on song, Sarah Taylor was one of the most elegant players to watch and the wicketkeeper-batter’s ability to score runs easily stood out in the 11 years she played cricket. Her ability to score quick runs made her the youngest female cricketer to score 1000 runs in the year 2008. What made Taylor even more dangerous was her ability to score runs at a good strike rate without taking any risks. She also won the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2014. Taylor’s ability to have prolonged her career for so long, whilst battling mental health issues, is a testimony to her strong willpower and determination to do well for England before she bowed out in the year 2019.

 

6. Suzie Bates (New Zealand)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
124	118	4534	168	44.77	10	27

© ICC

A double international, Suzie Bates has also played basketball before she chose to focus on cricket. The right-hand batter started in the year 2006, and since then has been the pillar of New Zealand’s batting lineup. Be it anchoring the innings or upping the ante in the closing stages of the game, Bates does it with remarkable consistency. In the year 2018, she surpassed Debbie Hockley’s tally of 4,064 to become New Zealand’s highest run-scorer. She was named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2013 and 2015.  She was also named Wisden’s Leading Women Cricketer of the Year in 2015.

 

7. Claire Taylor (England)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
126	120	4101	168	40.20	8	23

© Getty Images

Another double international, Claire Taylor has represented hockey team at Under-17 and Under-19 levels, before she decided to focus on cricket. A top-order player Taylor made her debut in 2006 and was instrumental in many of England’s victories during the first decade of the 21^st century. For the initial few years, Taylor was also a wicketkeeper but later went to be primarily selected as a batter. Her 156 not out at Lord's in the year 2006 against India is still the highest individual score in that particular ground. Taylor scored 324 runs in England’s World Cup victory in the year 2009. Her run-scoring resulted in her being selected as Wisden’s Cricketer of the Year in 2009. She also was the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2009, before she decided to retire in 2011.

 

8. Debbie Hockley (New Zealand)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
118	115	4064	117	41.89	4	34

© NZC

Debbie Hockley was a top-order player who went to dominate the world of cricket for close to 18 years. The right-hand batter was pivotal in New Zealand being a force to reckon with in the late eighties and nineties. Her consistency with the bat helped New Zealand beat top teams like Australia, England and India. Hockley became the first female player to score 4000 runs and play 100 ODIs. She bowed out on high in 2000 when New Zealand won their maiden World Cup.

 

9. Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
126	119	4056	147	38.26	7	20

© Getty Images

Having started at a tender age of just 17, Stafanie Taylor has gone from a teen prodigy, who could give a ball a real whack, to one of the most responsible and reliable batters of West Indies. For close to a decade she has been the pillar of their batting line-up often bailing the team out in crunch situations. She also established herself as more than handy off-spinner, and in the year 2013, became the only player in history - male or female - to attain the number one ranking in both batting and bowling.  She also was ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2011 and won ODI cricketer of the Year award in 2012.

 

10. Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand)

M	Inns	Runs	HS	Avg.	100s	50s
119	113	4056	137*	38.98	6	21

© Getty Images

Left-handed batters are always a delight to watch and Amy Satterthwaite is one such player. She made her debut against Australia in the year 2007 and soon went to become one of the most reliable batters in the middle-order for New Zealand. Satterthwaite’s remarkable appetite to score runs was visible for all to see when she became the first female player to score four successive centuries in ODI cricket - three against against Pakistan and one against Australia.

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