5 Star batsmen who failed to score an ODI ton

Scoring a century, irrespective of the format, is a tough task without a doubt. Even as in Test cricket, one can afford to take time and get to the milestone, in ODI cricket, a batter has to ensure not losing any momentum while getting to the ton.

Sachin Tendulkar scored as many as 49 centuries in his career and even after seven years following his retirement, his numbers in the format remain unscathed. Though Virat Kohli is speculated to break the records, the enormity of Sachin’s numbers in a generation where run-scoring wasn’t easy can’t be denied.

Nevertheless, there have been a few batsmen, who has promised to the cross and 100-run barrier, but somehow couldn’t. Just when it seemed that they will get the three-figure score, thunder stroke and crashed their dreams.

In the article, let’s take a look at 5 star batters, who couldn’t get an ODI century:

1. Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq has the most runs in ODI cricket without having scored a single century. In all of his top five scores, which included a couple of 90s, he stayed unbeaten. In his career that spanned 13 years from 2002 to 2015, the Mianwali-born churned out 5,122 runs with as many as 42 half-centuries.

His top score of an unbeaten 96 came against the West Indies at The Oval in 2013. He became a regular member of the Pakistan side after his stupendous show in the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa.

He mostly batted in the middle-order and brought in a sense of calmness. His average of 43.40 is also a testament to his incredible amount of consistent. Misbah last donned the ODI jersey against Michael Clarke’s Australia in the 2015 World Cup at the popular Adelaide Oval.

2. Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan was an inspirational captain for the England cricket team. However, he didn’t have an overly great ODI career, having scored 1,982 runs in 86 matches at an average of 27.15. It springs a bit of a surprise on knowing that he couldn’t score a century in the 50-over format.

From 2001 to 2007, the Manchester-born managed 16 half-centuries with a top score of 90* versus Zimbabwe. Apart from that, he got scores of 83 and 86 against South Africa and Australia respectively.

Both of those knocks came against the Edgbaston in Birmingham, but unfortunately, he missed out. The fact that he scored nine ducks out of the 83 innings he batted in depicted his travails in the format. Vaughan last played ODI cricket against the West Indies in the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup.

3. Habibul Bashar  

Habibul Bashar, the former Bangladesh skipper, was a fulcrum of his national side in the 2000s. He played a key role in the formative years of the Tigers and often turned up with useful knocks. In 111 ODIs from 1995 to 2007, the Kushtia-born scored 2,186 runs at an average of 21.68.

However, despite having 14 half-centuries to his name, the now 47-year-old veteran couldn’t convert any of them into a ton. His top score of 78 came against Zimbabwe back in February 2007 at the Harare Sports Club.

He also got half-centuries against India, Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka back then. Bashar managed as many as 18 ducks in his otherwise reasonable career. His 12-year-long ODI came to an end after Bangladesh’s home series against India. In his very last match, Habibul churned out 43 versus India.

4. Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik’s career kicked-off even before MS Dhoni came into the picture. But even as Dhoni has kept garnering laurels, Karthik’s journey at the highest level couldn’t take off. The Tamil Nadu cricketer had the privilege of making his debut against England in 2004 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.

From there on, the wicketkeeper has played 94 ODIs and has churned out only 1,752 runs at an average of 30.20. Dhoni, on the other hand, crossed the 10,000-run mark, showing the disparity in their respective careers.

Karthik has only nine half-centuries in the 50-over format. He mostly scored in the 60s with his top score of 79 coming against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010. He previously played in the 2019 edition of the World Cup in England and Wales, and has ever since gone out of the national selectors’ radar.

5. Dwayne Smith

Dwayne Smith was deemed to be the next best thing in West Indies cricket after he forayed into the sport. However, inconsistency and lack of form kept turning detrimental to his career. The Barbados-born plied his trade in as many as 105 ODIs, but could only manage 1,560 runs at a rather dismal average of 18.57.

The top order batsman scored only eight half-centuries in his ODI career. Back in the match against India in Delhi, Smith was on the threshold of getting his maiden ODI ton. But at the Feroz Shah Kotla, the opening batsmen got out on 97.

Men in Blue’s speedster Mohammed Shami castled him after he threatened to take the match away.  After making his debut way back in 2004, the now 36-year-old last donned the ODI jersey in the 2015 World Cup against the United Arab Emirates.