Highest Batting Average in ODI Cricket: Top Contributors

Do the math on batting average and you get a simple ratio: runs scored divided by times dismissed. But that simplicity hides how hard it is to keep that number above 50 for a decade of ODI cricket. Bowlers adjust, fields change, conditions vary from Mirpur to Manchester, and a batter still has to keep finding a way to survive and score. Only a handful of names have managed it for long enough to matter: Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, and MS Dhoni, each doing it in a completely different way.

What makes a high ODI average?

Tests give a batter five days to build an innings. ODIs give 50 overs, and the scoreboard pressure never really lets up. Averaging highly in this format comes down to three things:

• Converting starts into big scores consistently
• Avoiding cheap dismissals under pressure
• Performing across different conditions, opposition, and match situations

Elite ODI averages — a qualitative overview

These are the names that show up again and again when the conversation turns to the highest all-time ODI averages (minimum roughly 30 innings):

Batter	Era	Noted for
Babar Azam	2015–present	Technical elegance, consistent run-scoring
Virat Kohli	2008–present	Chase mastery, elite record in run-chases
AB de Villiers	2005–2018	Extraordinary range of shots, high average + high SR
Hashim Amla	2008–2019	Methodical accumulation, ultra-low dismissal rate
MS Dhoni	2004–2019	Finishing skills, exceptional not-out record inflates average
Quinton de Kock	2014–present	Aggressive opening, consistent conversion
Joe Root	2013–present	Adaptability across formats and conditions
Kane Williamson	2010–present	Composure, few reckless dismissals

Note: Live averages shift with every innings. Check ESPNcricinfo or the ICC site for current figures.

Why “not outs” matter

Dhoni’s numbers only make sense once you factor in how he batted. Finishers who come in lower down the order rack up plenty of not-out innings simply because the match ends before they get out. An opener rarely gets that luxury; they’re dismissed far more often relative to their innings count. So comparing a finisher’s average against an opener’s isn’t really an apples-to-apples exercise unless you account for batting position.

The 50-average benchmark

Very few players hold an ODI average above 50 across 50-plus innings. The ones who do it tend to share three habits:

1. High conversion rate (turning 30s into 80s and beyond)
2. Strong big-innings ratio
3. Intelligent shot selection against both pace and spin

Records vs. active players

Any “top ODI batting averages” list keeps moving because active players are still adding innings every series. Names like Graeme Pollock and Don Bradman put up staggering numbers in other formats, but they played before ODI cricket existed. Within the ODI format itself, every name on this list comes from the post-1971 era.