ODI records: 3 batters hitting centuries in an innings

Travis Head [left], Mitchell Marsh [middle], Cameron Green [right] (Source: Getty Images)

High team totals have been scored multiple times in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Massive scores in the 50-over format are not uncommon any more. In an era where flat pitches have been seen more often than not, batting has become increasingly easier in white-ball cricket, and the bowlers often seem clueless despite not being too wrong with their line and lengths.

There have been several instances where two batters have brought up tons in the same innings. However, three batters clicking and converting their starts to register respective centuries has been attained only five times in the history of ODI cricket, the first time being January 2015.

3 batters hitting centuries in an innings 5. Hashim Amla, Rilee Russouw, AB de Villiers — South Africa vs West Indies (2015) SA vs WI 2015: AB de Villiers (Source: Getty Images)

Hashim Amla stayed unbeaten right till the end, registering 153 off 142 balls. Rilee Rossouw (128 off 115), who got to his maiden ODI ton, and Amla had together forged 247 for the first wicket. AB de Villiers, coming in to bat in the 39th over, produced one of the most fierce innings to break numerous records on his way to a scintillating 149 off 44. The new-ball pair of Jerome Taylor (1/95 in 10 overs) and Jason Holder (0/91 in nine overs) were both expensive. 

West Indies ended up at 291/7 in their share of 50 overs. There were multiple batters like Dwayne Smith (64 off 65), Marlon Samuels (40 off 48), Denesh Ramdin (57 off 55) and Jonathan Carter (40 off 39) all got starts. However, none of them capitalized on their starts. Dale Steyn (1/29 in 10 overs) was the pick of the bowlers. Morne Morkel (2/43 in 10 overs) and Vernon Philander (2/69 in 10 overs) both ended with a couple of wickets.

4. Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis — India vs South Africa (2015) IND vs SA 2015: AB de Villiers (Source: Getty Images)

De Villiers played a similar breathtaking knock in the same year, although against a different opposition and not on home soil. The Wankhede Stadium of Mumbai had at one point started chanting de Villers' name, such was the impact of his ferocious knock. Quinton de Kock departed a few moments into the halfway stage after stroking 109 off 87. Faf du Plessis (133 off 115) retired hurt due to excessive cramps after the final ball of the 44th over. Even the typically-frugal Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 106 in his quota, such was the impact of the Proteas batting.

The hosts were never really in the game while chasing 439. Ajinkya Rahane (87 off 58) and Shikhar Dhawan (60 off 59) were the lone half-centurions in an innings where wickets fell at regular intervals. None of the South African bowlers ever let the game out of their control. Steyn (3/38) and Kagiso Rabada (4/41) took out the majority of the opposition. The Proteas ended up winning the ODI series by a 2-3 margin.

3. Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Phil Salt — Netherlands vs England (2023) NED vs ENG 2022: Jos Buttler (Source: Getty Images)

Every batter from the English unit other than Jason Roy (1 off 7) and Eoin Morgan (0 off 1) fired. Wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler was the star of the show. He ended up unbeaten on 162 off 70 with seven fours and 14 sixes under his belt by the time the innings ended. Phil Salt (122 off 93) and Dawid Malan (125 off 109) were among the other centurions. A late burst with the bat by Liam Livingstone (66* off 22) brought England inches away from touching the 500 mark. 

Netherlands almost played out their entire 50 overs. Max O'Dowd's run-a-ball 55 and Scott Edwards' unbeaten 72 off 56 were the highlights of the second innings. Malan poetically secured his maiden ODI wicket by dismissing Philippe Boissevain, who had earlier conceded 108 in 10 overs. David Willey (2/42 in 10 overs), Reece Topley (2/46 in 10 overs) and Sam Curran (2/46 in nine overs) all took a couple of wickets themselves.

2. Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen — South Africa vs Sri Lanka (2023) SA vs SL 2023: Aiden Markram (Source: Getty Images)

Sri Lanka had to wait 29 whole overs between dismissals. Quinton de Kock (100 off 84) was dismissed the next ball after getting to his maiden World Cup ton. Rassie van der Dussen (108 off 110) could not convert his own ton into anything substantial. Aiden Markram, who was on 36* off 24 at the time of van der Dussen's dismissal, ended up amassing 106 off 54. Skipper Dasun Shanaka (0/36 in six overs) was the only economical bowler from his team.

Sri Lanka ended up sustaining a 102-run loss in their tournament-opening clash. Kusal Mendis's 42-ball 76-run blitz came to an end when Rabada struck. Rabada was one amongst three bowlers from his team to have taken two wickets in the match. Charith Asalanka (79 off 65) was the top-scorer for the Lankans. Playing in his first World Cup game, Gerald Coetzee impressed by picking up a three-wicket haul (3/68 in nine overs).

1. Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green — Australia vs South Africa (2025) AUS vs SA 2025: Cameron Green (Source: Getty Images)

Australia turned up at their lethal best by putting in a stunning batting performance after underwhelming outings in the first two ODIs to lose the series. In a bid to further accelerate, Travis Head (142 off 103) was the first batter to be dismissed after 34 overs. Mitchell Marsh (100 off 106) departed after getting to his ton. By the end of the innings, Cameron Green was unbeaten on 118 off 55. The batting all-rounder recorded the second-quickest ton by an Australian in ODIs.

The touring team were bundled out for 155 in 24.5 overs. Cooper Connolly, playing in just his fifth ODI, secured his maiden five-wicket haul (5/22 in six overs). He was the most economical bowler out of all the five bowlers used. Dewald Brevis (49 off 28) entertained with two fours and five sixes at the crease. However, his dismissal, South Africa's sixth wicket to fall, confirmed his team's fate in what turned out to be a completely lopsided contest.