Top ten debut innings in ODIs

5. Rob Nicol (New Zealand – 108* vs Zimbabwe, Harare, October 2011)

Rob Nicol of New Zealand

Kiwi batting all-rounder Rob Nicol became the second player from New Zealand to score a century on ODI debut when he hammered an unbeaten 108 against Zimbabwe in the first of a three-match series at Harare.

After rival captain Brendan Taylor smashed a belligerent unbeaten 128 to lift his side’s total to 231, along with admirable support from Forster Mutizwa (69), Nicol took centre-stage with an exhibition of pure class and powerful timing as he hit back hard, adding 153 runs for the first wicket with Martin Guptill (74), and secured the win with Brendon McCullum at the other end.

In the process, Nicol went past Stephen Fleming’s 90 as the previous best score by a Kiwi batsman on debut in ODIs.