One day Cricket was the next best thing happened in international Cricket before that people were used to see test cricket, at the start this format would have infuriated some of the purists of the game but nobody can deny that this format has its own heart and slowly it has captured everyone's attention and makes its own place in every fan's heart.
Thanks to limited overs format of cricket we have been witness of some of the massive changes in international cricket over the years and now the shortest format of the game (T20) is bringing more.
Over the years, we have seen how an Individual brilliant performance was enough to bring Victory for his team and sometimes it took a whole team's effort to help a team go over the line but sometimes things don't go as planned and despite all the hard work put in place, results goes other ways.
Top 5 Odi centuries that went in vain
194 by Charles Kevin Coventry Jr. against Bangladesh, 2009
The year was 2009, Zimbabwe was no more a team which can threaten international teams anymore such was the condition that they were referred as a sub standard team in international cricket.
In 2009, Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe to play 5 match Odi series, Bangladesh won the first 2 matches of the series in the third match Zimbabwe won by scoring 323 and bowling out their opponents for 254, this win gave Zimbabwe a chance to level the series.
In the 4th match, Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first, despite having a poor start (5/1), both Hamilton Masakadza (21) and Charles (194*) made 82 runs partnership , which helped Zimbabwe to stabilize the innings a bit.
Charles was playing a fine knock but at the other end batsmen were struggling, very soon Zimbabwe were 111/4, Stuart Matsikenyeri (37) played a good supporting knock with Charles and both added 107 runs in the Partnership, after Stuart's dismissal, Charles added another 64 runs with Elton Chigumbura (15) and 20 runs with Malcolm Waller (3), but due to lack of proper support from any other batsmen Zimbabwe were able to score 312 in their stipulated 50 overs.
Charles equalled the then highest score from Men's Cricket (194 from Saeed Anwar), had their been a proper support from any other batsmen, Charles would have scored the first double century in one day internationals and Zimbabwe would have ended on a high score.
Bangladesh in their reply, on the back of a splendid innings by Tamim Iqbal (154) won the match by 4 wickets.
Just few months later Sachin broke the record of both Charles and Saeed Anwar and scored the first double hundred of Men's international cricket.
193 by Fakhar Zaman against South Africa, 2021
Pakistan cricket has one of the most unpredictable cricket history but over the years Pakistan has been always represented by talented cricketers and Fakhar Zaman is one of them.
Fakhar has already proved himself multiple times and on important occassions for his team, he had already scored a double century (210) against Zimbabwe but it is this innings against South Africa that really receive all the praises but it wasn't enough to bring the victory for his team.
Pakistan toured South Africa in 2021 to play 3 match ODI series and 4 match T20I series, Pakistan won the first match and South Africa need to win the next match to level the series.
In the 2nd match, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first, half centuries from Skipper Temba Bavuma (92), Quinton De Kock (80), Rassie Van Der Dussen (60), David Miller (50*) helped South Africa to reach 341/6.
Pakistan's chase went downhill from the very start it was only Fakhar's innings (193) which kept Pakistan afloat in the match, the second highest contribution from the team was from skipper Babar Azam (31) , so it was Quiet evident how the chase was completely a one man show.
In the final over, Pakistan required 30 runs, it was then when Fakhar was run out and South Africa won the contest by 17 runs, however Pakistan went onto win the final match of the series and won the series by 2-1 result in their favour.
181 by Matthew Hayden vs. New Zealand in 2007
Just before the start of the 2007 cricket World Cup which was to be played in carribean, the tournament favorites and defending Champions Australia were under tremendous pressure.
There were few star players of Australian team who looked like out of contention due to injuries and this was a major setback for Australia, for the first after a long time Australian cricket team were looking at some unanswerable questions.
To make matters worse, Australia lost both finals of Commonwealth Bank Tri series against their archrivals England, Australia toured New Zealand to participate in a three match Chappel Hadlee tournament just after completion of the tournament.
Australia were testing their bench strength and fielded players who were always seen as replacements and a couple of players who were regular in the national side, team was captained by Mike Hussey.
Australia started the tour in a poor fashion when they lost both of the matches to Kiwis, this was someting that nobody believed that this could happen to all winning Australia at that point of time.
Australia were determined to stop New Zealand from whitewashing Australia, in the 3rd match Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, Matthew Haden and Shane Watson (68) started the innings on a positive note, but it was Hayden Who played his aggressive best.
In that day, it was Hayden who looked unstoppable despite being injured (fractured foot), Hayden (181*) kept playing till the end and due to this inning Australia managed a huge 346/5.
New Zealand in their reply, were looked in all sorts of trouble when they lost half of their side for 116, however it was Craig Mcmilan's scintillating century (116) and half centuries fom Brandon Mccullum (81) and Peter Fulton (51) helped New Zealand to chase down the total.
This was the fifth consecutive loss for Australia and almost every expert believed Australia had no option and nowhere near their best and if they don't get the services of their players back Australia would not get the world cup.
However Aussies proved every one wrong, we all know how, Matthew Hayden carried his form into that World cup and scored 659 runs in the tournament.
176 by Evan Lewis against England, 2017
After their disastrous 2015 World Cup, England management decided that they will also need to be at their best in White ball cricket, England had always had a good side in tests England's men's team (Seniors) had won only one ICC tournament (2010 T20 World Cup) in all these years..
Andrew Strauss, became Director of England Cricket team and he decided to bring some of the best changes that eventually transformed the way England used to play in limited overs cricket, under his supervision the best cricketers of white ball were included into the National team.
The thought process has been changed now this new Looking outfit play positive or aggressive cricket, talent was already there now it was mixed with aggression and it gave England a phenomenal Rise in limited overs cricket, which helped them to win their most elusive title the 50 overs World Cup, the team is now filled with matchwinners.
On the other hand we have West Indies who were once considered as one of the most amazing team in their prime, now they are more considered as unpredictable, on their day they seemed like an unstoppable force but on any another day their performance will disappoint you as a fan.
In 2017, West Indies toured England to play a three match test series, one T20 match and 5 match one day series.
England won two out of first three matches (the second match was abandoned due to rain), West Indies need to win the 4th match now, not only to make a comeback in the series but also to get an opportunity to leveling the series by winning the fifth and final match of the series.
England won the toss and elected to field first, West Indies started poorly and was Looking at trouble at 3/33, Opener Evan Lewis (176) then joined hands with Jason Mohammed and added 117 runs.
After dismissal of Mohammed, Lewis added another 168 runs with captain Jason Holder (77), Lewis was looking good for a double century, but unfortunately he got injured and had to stretchered out and he was declared retired hurt, West Indies ultimately finished at 356/5.
England started their reply on a positive note with openers Jason Roy (84) made 126 runs with Johny Bairstow for opening Partnership, England who were going with a good rate were under deep trouble when out of nowhere they lost half of there side for 181.
Fortunately for England Jos Butler and Moeen Ali added another 77 runs, at 258/5, rain started and no further action was possible, at the end it was seen that as per Duckworth Lewis method England is 6 runs ahead from the par score, so England won the match.
The disappointment was evident in Holder's voice when he said :
'It's not often a guy scores 170, a guy gets five wickets and you lose.'
175 by Sachin Tendulkar against Australia, 2009
There are some rare breed of players in international cricket who proved their mettle and what they are destined for in their debut match or series.
When Sachin toured Pakistan for his debut everybody saw him as a child and almost everyone thought that he don't have any thing to do here.
But this opinion changed by the time tour has been ended, especially after that incident when at Sialkot in 1989, when Sachin was hit by a bouncer bowled by another debutant Waqar Younis despite being dazed and bleeding profusely Sachin decided to continue playing, it is his determination, its his defiance that helped him in his long international career.
Sachin has given 24 years to indian Cricket, in his long international career, he played some memorable knocks, and also made important contribution with ball in hand and by his fielding.
Sachin as a batsman was a pleasure to watch and throughout his career played some magnificent knocks, some were enough to help the team win and then there were some other innings when his innings was not enough for victory.
In 2009, Australia toured India to a 7 match ODI series, till the fourth match of the series both hosts and Australia had won 2 match a piece, in the fifth match of the series, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first.
Australian openers Shane Watson (93) and Shaun Marsh (112) gave a positive start, both added 145 runs for the first wicket, Marsh added 91 runs with skipper Ricky Ponting, after this Cameron white (57) a quickfire half-century to ensure that Australia reach 350/4 in their 50 overs.
Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin (175) started in positive note but suddenly they found themselves in tricky situation at 162/4, but Sachin and New Batsman Suresh Raina (59) made an all important 137 runs partnership, despite Raina's dismissal at 299 Indian team was still looking on course to yet another huge win because Sachin was still playing on the other end.
Unfortunately, Sachin was dismissed when Team India were just required another 18 runs in 17 balls and it all went downhill after that with rest of other batsmen fail to made the required runs, Australia won the match by just 3 runs and then went onto win the series by 4-2 result match (7th match was abandoned).
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