• Imam-ul-Haq second to 1000 ODI runs

    Imam-ul-Haq’s superb 101 against South Africa at SuperSport Park helped his side set the Proteas a challenging score of 318 for victory … but it also put the opener second on the list of fastest batsmen to 1000 ODI runs.

    Imam’s race to 1000 ODI runs has been helped by the opener scoring heavily against Zimbabwe (three centuries) Bangladesh and Afghanistan (80s against both nations), but his innings of 86 and 101 against the strong Proteas bowling attack have certainly proven his credentials at the highest level.

    Imam-ul-Haq’s first 19 ODI innings

    Runs Balls S/R Dismissal Opposition Year
    100 125 80.00 caught Sri Lanka 2017
    2 3 66.66 lbw Sri Lanka 2017
    45* 64 70.31 not out Sri Lanka 2017
    2 11 18.18 caught New Zealand 2018
    128 134 95.52 caught Zimbabwe 2018
    44 51 86.27 run out Zimbabwe 2018
    0 1 0 caught Zimbabwe 2018
    113 122 92.62 caught Zimbabwe 2018
    110 105 104.76 lbw Zimbabwe 2018
    50* 69 72.46 not out Hong Kong 2018
    2 7 28.57 caught India 2018
    80 104 76.92 run out Afghanistan 2018
    10 20 50.00 lbw India 2018
    83 105 79.04 stumped Bangladesh 2018
    34 46 73.91 caught New Zealand 2018
    16* 34 47.05 retired New Zealand 2018
    86 101 85.14 caught South Africa 2019
    5 14 35.71 caught South Africa 2019
    101 116 87.06 caught South Africa 2019

    Ul-Haq was also the second-fastest to the mark in terms of days since ODI debut, taking one year and 99 days from his debut 100 against Sri Lanka to Friday’s 101 against the Proteas. He reached the mark just more than a month slower than Fakhar Zaman, who reached his 1000 runs in one year and 45 days.

    Pakistan’s Yasir Hameed reached the 1000-run mark in just 242 days after his debut, while New Zealand’s legendary batsman Glenn Turner took a few days short of 10 years to get to his 1000 ODI mark, although that was owing to the scarcity of ODIs in the 1970s and early 1980s when he played.

    South African-born and Pakistan-born batsmen dominate the ‘fastest to 1000 ODI runs’ mark, with 10 of the top 13 players in the list being South African-born and Pakistan-born (both have five players). Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Azhar Ali and Yasir Hameed for Pakistan, while Pietersen, Trott, De Kock, Ten Doeschate and Amla were all born in South Africa.

    Fastest batsmen to 1000 ODI runs

    Player Debut Time Mat Inns
    Fakhar Zaman (PAK) 7 Jun 2017 1y 45d 18 18
    Imam-ul-Haq (PAK) 18 Oct 2017 1y 99d 19 19
    IVA Richards (WI) 7 Jun 1975 4y 229d 22 21
    KP Pietersen (ENG/ICC) 28 Nov 2004 1y 123d 27 21
    IJL Trott (ENG) 27 Aug 2009 1y 187d 21 21
    Q de Kock (SA) 19 Jan 2013 1y 212d 21 21
    Babar Azam (PAK) 31 May 2015 1y 233d 21 21
    CG Greenidge (WI) 11 Jun 1975 4y 352d 23 23
    RN ten Doeschate (NL) 4 Jul 2006 3y 59d 24 23
    Azhar Ali (PAK) 30 May 2011 4y 50d 23 23
    GM Turner (NZ) 11 Feb 1973 9y 354d 25 24
    Yasir Hameed (PAK) 20 May 2003 0y 242d 24 24
    HM Amla (SA) 9 Mar 2008 2y 74d 25 24
    V Kohli (INDIA) 18 Aug 2008 1y 291d 27 24

    Stats: Cricinfo

    Scorecard

    Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images

    Post by

    Simon Lewis