A few exceptional batting innings in 2023 failed to make it to Wisden’s top five men’s ODI knocks of the year and here are the top four honourable mentions.
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Shubman Gill, 208 vs NZ
1st ODI, Hyderabad
Gill had been shown a lot of faith by the Indian management against New Zealand, replacing Ishan Kishan in the XI in the first ODI. Kishan had scored a double hundred in Bangladesh a month earlier but was confined to the bench as Gill was preferred as the first-choice opener alongside Rohit Sharma in Hyderabad.
Gill, however, made the most of his opportunity, striking a double hundred of his own in 149 deliveries with the help of nine sixes and 19 fours. Batting first, Gill took his time to get going, scoring his first 50 in 52 balls and needed 35 more balls for his next 50 runs. He upped the scoring rate thereafter, making his next 108 runs in only 61 balls, becoming the youngest player with a double-century in men’s ODIs.
Watch: 6, 6, 6 – Shubman Gill brings up record-breaking double hundred in style
The fact that the next-best score in the innings was 34 by Rohit highlights how dominant Gill was on the day. His innings was trumped by Michael Bracewell’s on the night, and though it ended in a defeat for New Zealand, the temperament he showed under pressure sees Bracewell rank No.4 in Wisden’s best knocks of 2023, while Gill was unfortunate to miss out.
Rohit Sharma, 87 vs ENG
2023 ODI World Cup, Lucknow
Arguably the best non-hundred knock in 2023, Rohit’s 87 against England on a tricky surface at the Ekana Stadium once again showed the batter’s calibre and adaptability. The India skipper started in a typical aggressive fashion but slowed down after the side was reduced to 40-3. Quickly realising the wicket needed the batters to play cautiously, Rohit negotiated the tight bowling and the extreme heat conditions to bring up his fifty in 66 balls.
Rohit Sharma beats the heat in Lucknow with a World Cup knock for the ages
Having hit the most sixes in the World Cup, Rohit struck only one maximum after the third over in the game, cutting down any risk and instead focussing on finding the gaps with the occasional boundaries. Rohit was eventually dismissed for a 101-ball 87, his slowest knock in the competition.
No other batter across the two sides made more than 50 in the game and his innings helped India to a competitive 229, which gave the bowlers plenty to play with.
Fakhar Zaman, 126* vs NZ
2023 ODI World Cup, Bengaluru
In a must-win game, Pakistan conceded 401-6 against New Zealand and needed something miraculous to stay alive in the competition. It was provided by Fakhar Zaman, who was playing his third match in the World Cup after replacing Imam-ul-Haq midway through the competition.
With rain predicted to play spoilsport in the Pakistan-New Zealand clash, Zaman maximised the powerplay in a bid to keep Pakistan ahead of the DLS par score. After the early dismissal of Abdullah Shafique, Zaman combined with then-skipper Babar Azam, bringing up the team’s first 100 runs in 78 balls, of which the former contributed 67 runs in 46 deliveries.
Zaman eventually got to his 11th ODI hundred with successive sixes in 63 balls, becoming the fastest World Cup centurion from Pakistan. By the first rain interruption in the 22nd over, Pakistan were already ahead of the DLS target. The match was officially called off after 25.3 overs with Pakistan at 200-1, 21 runs ahead of the required DLS score.
Zaman hit 11 sixes in his knock of 126* off 81 deliveries, striking at 155.56, helping Pakistan to stay alive in the competition albeit narrowly, something that seemed improbable after the first innings mauling.
Temba Bavuma, 114* vs AUS
1st ODI, Bloemfontein
Bavuma became the first South African captain to carry his bat in an ODI innings with a masterful unbeaten 114 after his team had collapsed to 100-5. On a two-paced wicket with plenty of uneven bounce, as the other batters failed, Bavuma put his hand up and batted expertly, especially with the tail. After Marco Jansen fell with the scorecard at 157-6, Bavuma showed great patience, farming the strike masterfully as he took South Africa to 222. The last four batters made only five runs, with Bavuma scoring 60 runs.
SA v AUS: Temba Bavuma carries his bat in incredible solo hundred against Australia
The South Africa skipper became only the 13th batter in ODI history to carry his bat through an innings and his knock was even more commendable considering his teammates combined to make 89. Bavuma’s knock could have ended on a winning note if not for concussion substitute Marnus Labuschagne’s 80*, which paved the way for his selection for the ODI World Cup.
