Top three batters with most fours in men’s ODIs

Purists have argued that cricket has always been the batters’ game, and since the advent of T20s power hitting is being prioritized by the batters in white-ball cricket. While sixes in the game excite the fans the most, the surgical precision of batters to find the gaps to thread boundaries remains one of the most soothing experiences in the game. On that note, here’s a look at batters with the most fours in ODI cricket:

Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 1385 fours

Sri Lanka’s finest, and arguably one of the most gifted wicketkeeper-batters since the turn of the century, Kumar Sangakkara was one of the most prolific batters during his prime. The southpaw scored in excess of 14000 runs in ODIs and did so stylishly with 1385 fours to his name. The former Sri Lankan skipper also finished with 25 centuries and 93 half centuries to his name in 50-over cricket.

Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – 1500 fours

Sangakkara’s compatriot, Sanath Jayasuriya, was probably the most dangerous batter of his time. The diminutive Sri Lankan was known for his ultra-aggressive batting against the new ball bowlers at the beginning of the innings. The fourth highest run-getter in the format, Jayasuriya scored his runs in style as smashed 270 maximums in his career, the third most in ODIs to go along with a whopping 1500 boundaries. The southpaw also possessed a golden arm as he scalped 323 wickets for Sri Lanka in 50-over cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 2016 fours

Sachin Tendulkar takes the top spot in this list to nobody’s surprise. Considered the greatest batter of all time, the top-order batter hailing from Mumbai amassed a record-breaking 18426 runs in ODIs with 49 centuries to his name. He was also the first cricketer to breach the 200-run mark in 50-over cricket when he reached there in an unbelievable innings against South Africa in 2010. By the time he retired from international cricket, he had scored 2016 boundaries in ODI cricket, head and shoulders above the rest.