Pakistan’s star batsman and captain, Babar Azam, has once again claimed the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings for the best batter in the world. Despite Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, Babar showcased his exceptional skills by scoring over 300 runs in 9 matches.
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | HS | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 24 | 1065 | 46.30 | 151 | 84.35 |
BET NOW: Enjoy exclusive sign-up offers and bonuses for cricket betting
Babar Azam has become the first Pakistani cricketer in the 21st century to achieve the title of the best Men’s ODI batter, achieving this remarkable feat for the third consecutive time.
Joining the ranks of legendary batters like Virat Kohli from India and AB de Villiers from South Africa, Babar Azam’s consistent performance has solidified his position at the top of the ODI rankings.
In a historic streak, South Africans AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla dominated the ODI batting rankings for an impressive seven years from 2010 to 2017.
In this special feature with The Sporting News, we delve into the list of top Men’s ODI batters in each year of the 21st century.
READ MORE: Salman Butt supports Babar Azam amid fitness concerns
Top ODI batsman of each calendar year in the 21st century
| Player | Team | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Bevan | Australia | 2000 |
| Michael Bevan | Australia | 2001 |
| Michael Bevan | Australia | 2002 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 2003 |
| Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 2004 |
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | 2005 |
| Michael Hussey | Australia | 2006 |
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | 2007 |
| MS Dhoni | India | 2008 |
| MS Dhoni | India | 2009 |
| Hashim Amla | South Africa | 2010 |
| Hashim Amla | South Africa | 2011 |
| Hashim Amla | South Africa | 2012 |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 2013 |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 2014 |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 2015 |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 2016 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2017 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2018 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2019 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2020 |
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 2021 |
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 2022 |
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 2023 |
READ MORE: Players from Australia’s Test squad who have won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Sporting News has editorial oversight for this content. Learn more >