5 Batsmen With The Highest ODI Average In Sri Lanka

Whether it is Test, ODI, or T20I, the batting average is one universal factor that can determine the overall performance of a batsman in any particular format of cricket. When we talk about One Day Internationals, there are many players who have maintained a good ODI average throughout their careers. However, there are also few batsmen who have showcased a great batting average when playing in a particular country.

Sri Lanka is one of the top cricket-playing countries. Sri Lanka has won all the three major ICC titles- ODI World Cup in 1996, Champions Trophy in 2002, and T20I World Cup in 2014. Sri Lanka also hosts a lot of international matches on its soil. In the small island nation of Sri Lanka, there are 8 cricket grounds that have hosted international matches in the past.

Sri Lanka team has been a dominating side on their home soil in ODI cricket, winning 155 matches and losing 89 out of a total of 266 games. In spite of Sri Lanka’s dominance at home, there are few batsmen who have executed a magnificent performance while playing in Sri Lanka.

In this article, we take a glance at 5 batsmen with the highest ODI average in Sri Lanka. This article considers only non-Sri Lanka players and batsmen with at least 500 runs scored on Sri Lankan soil.

5 Batsmen With The Highest ODI Average In Sri Lanka

5. Virat Kohli- 47.31

Virat Kohli is the 5th player in this list. The Indian skipper has an ODI average of 47.31 when batting in Sri Lanka. The right-handed batsman has played 23 ODIs in Sri Lanka so far, in which he has scored 899 runs. The top-order batsman has a strike rate of 85.94 in the Asian nation.

The 32-year-old player has also smashed 4 centuries and 2 half-centuries on Sri Lankan soil. Kohli’s highest score when playing in Sri Lanka is a 131-run knock, which he hit in an ODI against Sri Lanka in August 2017.

4. Hashim Amla- 51.40

Hashim Amla gets 4th place in this list with an ODI average of 51.40 when batting in Sri Lanka. Amla played 11 ODI matches in Sri Lanka during his career. The former South African cricketer scored 514 runs in 10 innings in the country.

The right-handed batsman has an amazing strike rate of 96.07 when playing in the island country. The Proteas opener had also smacked 2 centuries and 2 half-centuries. His highest knock in the Asian country is 109 runs, which he scored in an ODI against the Sri Lankan team in July 2014.

3. MS Dhoni- 51.66

MS Dhoni bags the third spot in this list. The former Indian skipper has an ODI average of 51.66 in Sri Lanka. Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in August 2020, played a total of 38 ODIs in Sri Lanka. He mustered 1240 runs in 35 innings.

The wicketkeeper-batsman had a strike rate of 80.10 when playing in the Asian country. Dhoni also scored 10 half-centuries while batting in the island country. His highest ODI knock when batting in Sri Lanka was 94 runs, which he hit in an ODI against Sri Lanka team in February 2009.

2. Mohammad Azharuddin- 56.76

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin grabs the 2nd spot in this list. The former Indian skipper owns an ODI average of 56.76 in Sri Lanka. The right-handed batsman played 26 ODIs in Sri Lanka during his active career. In 23 innings, he scored 965 runs at a strike rate of 81.64.

Azharuddin also smashed 1 hundred and 9 fifties while batting in the island country. His highest knock in Sri Lanka was unbeaten 111 runs, which he scored in an ODI against Sri Lanka in August 1997.

1. Joe Root- 64.12

England cricketer Joe Root steals the top spot in this list. The England captain has an ODI average of 64.12 when batting on Sri Lankan soil. So far, the England Test skipper has played 12 ODIs in Sri Lanka and scored 513 runs. The right-handed batsman has a strike rate of 79.16 while batting in the Asian country.

In 12 innings, Root has smacked 3 centuries and 1 half-century. His highest knock is of unbeaten 104, which he scored in an ODI clash against Sri Lanka in December 2014.