5 accomplished batsmen who never scored an ODI hundred

Scoring a century in one-day internationals is not something extraordinary these days. In fact, the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma score centuries at the drop of a hat.

However, from the 70s (when one-day cricket came into existence) up until the mid-90s, registering an ODI hundred was a rare occurrence, and hence was viewed as a highly significant achievement.

There were three key reasons why notching tons in limited overs cricket was a tough task for a very long time. For one thing, batsmen weren’t as aggressive back then as they are now in the IPL era. A strike rate of 60 to 70 was considered acceptable until the early 90s, and hence many hundreds weren't scored even when ODIs were a 60-overs-a-side affair.

Secondly, the quality of fast bowling was exceptionally superior in contrast to today. Be it West Indies’ pacers or Pakistan’s reverse swingers, most top cricketing nations had bowlers who gave batsmen around the world a really tough time.

Quality bowlers like Imran Khan made it tough to score centuries

Finally, there were no strict field restrictions until 1992, when it became mandatory that only two fielders would be allowed outside the 30-yard circle in the first 15 overs. The rule tilted the scales heavily in the favor of batsmen, and hundreds soon started flowing like water.

That said, there are a few well-known batsmen from the modern era who somehow couldn’t reach three figures despite the restrictions in place. Here, we look at five highly accomplished batsmen who ended their ODI careers without a century.

#5 Peter Kirsten

The South African batsman was in his mid-30s by the time he made his ODI debut against India in November 1991, as South Africa returned to the international circuit after the ban over the apartheid policy in the country was lifted.

Kirsten went on to feature in 40 ODIs for South Africa over the course of three years. He scored nine fifties at an average of 38.02 but could never reach the three-figure mark.

Kirsten came agonizingly close when he made 97 against New Zealand during a Benson & Hedges World Series game at Brisbane on 8 January 1994. He had reached 90 once before against the same opponent, at Auckland in February 1992.

In his very third game, Kirsten made an unbeaten 86 against India at New Delhi. He also scored 84 against the same nation during the 1992 World Cup. The three-figure mark though remained elusive.

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#4 Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell

The much respected commentator and TV analyst Ian Chappell was a shrewd captain of the Australian team and highly renowned batsman of his era. He featured in only 16 ODIs from 1971 to 1980, owing to his participation in the rebel Kerry Packer series.

Even in those few games, he managed to score eight half-centuries. In fact, he scored fifties in four of his last five ODIs.

Chappell’s highest one-day score remained 86 against New Zealand at Christchurch on 31 March 1974. Captaining the team, he led from the front with 86 from 67, with 10 fours and two sixes, at a highly impressive strike rate of 128.35 for that era.

In the game before, he played a similar innings, making 83 from 68 deliveries, featuring 12 fours and two sixes. These two innings were the closest Chappell came to reaching the three-figure mark in one-day internationals.

#3 Alvin Kallicharran

Alvin Kallicharran

A legend of West Indian cricket, Kallicharran has 12 Test hundreds to his name but none in one-day cricket. He featured in 31 ODIs from 1973 to 1981, and scored 826 runs at a reasonable average of 34.41 with six half-centuries. However, he never came close to a hundred.

Kallicharran’s highest ODI score was 78 against Australia in match number 11 of the 1975 World Cup, scored at The Oval on June 14. West Indies were chasing 193 to win the game and Kallicharan was the standout performer with 78 from 83 balls, a knock featuring 14 fours and a six. A strong West Indies won the match by seven wickets and Kallicharran was declared man of the match.

In the very next game against New Zealand he made 72 from 92 balls, with seven fours and a six. West Indies again won by 5 wickets, and Kallicharran was man of the match once more.

Sadly, he never reached 70 for the rest of his ODI career.

#2 Graham Thorpe

Graham Thorpe

Graham Thorpe was a class act for England at a time when they did not have a very strong batting line-up. He featured in exactly hundred Tests and gathered 16 hundreds at an average of 44.66.

His ODI numbers were decent as well but paled in comparison to his Test numbers - 2380 runs in 82 games with 21 fifties at an average of 37.18 - an indication that England did not take their one-day cricket too seriously back in the day.

Thorpe’s ODI best of 89 came against Zimbabwe during a Benson & Hedges World Series game at Brisbane on 7 January 1995. The innings came off 119 balls with 7 fours. England posted 200 for 8 on the board and won by 26 runs as Thorpe was awarded man of the match.

Thorpe made another 89 against Netherlands at Peshawar during the 1996 World Cup.

#1 Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq

The former Pakistan captain’s case is a really unique one. Despite playing in an era of T20 and power plays, he couldn’t reach the three-figure mark.

Misbah’s numbers remain highly impressive nonetheless: 5122 runs in 162 ODIs at an average of 43.40 with 42 fifties.

Misbah, known for his unconventional batting, registered his highest score of 96 not out against West Indies at The Oval on 7 June 2013, in a match of that year’s Champions Trophy. Misbah remained unbeaten on 96 from 127 balls with five fours and three sixes. Opener Nasir Jamshed made 50 but the rest of the batting attack crumbled around him, and West Indies won the game by two wickets.

Misbah also came close to reaching a hundred when he made 93 not out against New Zealand at Napier on 1 February 2011. Pakistan were chasing 263 in the match and Sohail Tanvir’s 14 from 6 balls left Misbah stranded on 93 but resulted in a close two-wicket triumph.