Top 10 brutal innings in ODI cricket

5. Herschelle Gibbs (175 v/s Australia, 2006)

This was savagery at its best, but it also had glimpses of perfect timing and immaculate placement.

Ricky Ponting’s Australian side piled a record 434 after making first use of the wicket at the Wanderers; the skipper himself led the way with a phenomenal century, along with vital contributions from the usual suspects. It left the South Africans needing to go at around nine an over to even think about the possibility of tying the game.

Coming in at the fall of Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs took charge right from the word go. He did what anyone would do under the circumstances – go for shots that build up your confidence, and keep the scoreboard motoring along. With captain Graeme Smith also deciding to go for broke, the scoring rate kept rising with each passing moment.

After the dismissals of Smith and AB de Villiers, Gibbs just stood at the batting end and hit everything offered up to him. He duly outscored Ponting, eventually falling for a magnificent 175.

His brand of power hitting was one of the key factors why Mick Lewis ended up conceding the most runs in ODI cricket, and may have also influenced the Aussie bowler’s exit from the national set up. However, it still remains one of the greatest innings in the limited-overs format, and was instrumental in the Proteas winning the game with just one ball to spare!