The game of cricket has a reputation for being a gentleman’s game, however, some of its gentlemen are known for their competitive bowling skills which are deadly. In this article, I will examine the 10 most dangerous hard hitters in cricket throughout history. With their astounding batting skills, these players can change the outcome of any match.
Hard-hitting players ranked according to their danger levels in cricket
Among the greatest cricketers of all time are fast bowlers and spinners. In addition to great bowling, the sport requires incredible batting as well. Furthermore, in this age of T20, the most destructive batsmen are in high demand. Here they are!
10. Shane Watson: Most Dangerous Australian Batsman
- Right-hand batsman / fast medium pace bowler (right arm)
- ODI debut against South Africa: 24th March 2002
- Debut against Pakistan: 2nd January 2005
- Twenty20 debut: 24th February 2006 against South Africa
In Australia, Shane Watson has represented the sport as a torchbearer. Additionally, he is one of the finest all-round cricketers in the history of the country.
In 2016, however, on the eve of Australia’s crucial clash with India, the 34-year-old called it a day in Mohali with his teammates. Over the course of 190 one-day international matches, Watson has taken 168 wickets at an average of 31.79 and scored 5,757 runs at an average of 40.54.
Having played 54 international T20 games for the Australian team so far this year, he is on track for a five-figure score. Watson’s Test career came to an end with the English Ashes series of 2014-15. In 35 Test matches, he averaged 35.19 and claimed 75 wickets at a strike rate of 33.68 while scoring 3,731 runs in 59 Tests.
The unpredictable nature of Watson’s ball hits complicates the lives of bowlers. A hard hitter who possesses sharp skills, he is one of the most dangerous in cricket. A highly coveted individual award in Australian cricket, the Allan Border Medal is the most prestigious award in the sport.
It is awarded to the top field player each year. The award went to Shane Watson in both 2010 and 2011. He became the first cricketer to win four consecutive Man of the Match awards following his performance at the 2012 World T20.
Watson won 17 one-day awards as well as four series man-of-the-series awards. He has played in all six World T20s (from 2007 to 2016), winning Player of the Tournament in 2012.
9. Most Dangerous Batsman Of New Zealand: Jesse Ryder
- Batsman / medium-pace bowler – left-handed, right-handed
- Debut in the ODI series against England: 9th February 2008
- Debut in a test match against Bangladesh: 17th October 2008
- Debut in a T20I against England: 5th February 2008
Jesse Ryder was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on 6th August 1983. A legendary left-handed batsman, he has been widely regarded as one of the best. Often opening and batting in the middle order in ODIs, he is an aggressive batsman.
A destructive batting style defined Ryder’s career. Additionally, he earned the reputation of being a dangerous hard hitter during his time.
Ryder played for New Zealand in the ODI series against India following his injury recovery. Ryder was their best batsman during the series. An average of 56.25 runs per One-Day International was scored by him in five games. It was the third ODI in which he notched up his first century which earned him the award of the game’s most valuable player.
The ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England was extended to him as a result of his outstanding performances.After scoring 31 points from 12 balls in the match against Scotland, he fell ill. When Ryder scored his first Test century against India in March 2009, he became the first Australian to do so.
Against India, he scored his first double-century at Napier in the very next match. Ryder’s performances made him an integral member of the squad, but injuries led to his premature retirement. The century was Ryder’s sixth in ODIs and sixth in international cricket. We set the record for the most sixes in a single game in this match by Corey Anderson.
Read Also: 10 Longest Sixes in Cricket History
8. Abdul Razzaq: Most Dangerous Pakistani Batsman
- Batsman / Fast Medium Bowler, right-handed
- Debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe on 1 November 1996
- Debut in a test against Australia on 5th November 1999
- Debut in a Twenty20 international against England on 28th August 2006
He is one of Pakistan’s most famous cricketers and one of the best players in the world. Abdul Razzaq plays for the team with full passion and courage. Having been a member since 1999, he has been a great success for the group.
The 2nd of December 1979 was Abdul Razzaq’s birth date in Lahore, Punjab. He played in his first ODI, Twenty20, and Test match for the Pakistan National Cricket Team in 1999.
In Razzaq played for his team in every game he played. His innings are widely known for their selflessness. As well, Razzaq’s consistent performances have led to Pakistan’s success throughout his career. As one of Pakistan’s hardest hitters, he was considered as one of the most dangerous players in the country.
It is his role as a batsman that he has played the most prominently in the team, and he has excelled for both the national and international teams. Additionally, he is capable of bowling fast and medium right-arm, as well as spinning sporadically.
He is an excellent fielder because of his ability to play from any position. He is an excellent ground fielder as well as catcher. Abdul Razzaq is a member of the Pakistani National Cricket Team and plays ODIs, T20s, and Tests.
7. Glenn Maxwell: Australian batsman with Strong Hitting Ability
- Right-Handed Batsman / Right-Arm Off Break Bowler
- Debut in ODI: 25th August 2012 against Afghanistan
- debut in test match: 2nd March 2013 against India
- First Twenty20 International: 5th September 2012 against Pakistan
Maxwell deserves additional attention as a 360° player. A reverse sweep is one of the few techniques that he uses to sweep any pitch in the world. Furthermore, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest fielders in sports history. The Ryobi Cup (now Marsh One-Day Cup) records the fastest fifty (19 balls) for Maxwell as of 2022.
He During the 2013 IPL auctions, he commanded the highest price ($1 million). As a result of Maxwell’s century against Sri Lanka during the 2015 World Cup, he was named one of the world’s most dangerous hard hitters (52 balls).
In T20Is, Maxwell formerly ranked second (145*) among all players. Additionally, he is an Australian who has scored hundreds on all three levels of international play. A century was Maxwell’s first T20 century during his first innings as an opener.
Maxwell made his Test debut in 2017 for India and recorded his first century. The only other player to score international centuries in all three formats is Shane Watson (also an Australian). Tyson only appeared in one game during the ICC Champions Trophy.
6. Kieron Pollard: Dangerous Player from the West Indies
- Position: Right-handed batter / Right-handed medium-speed bowler
- ODI debut against South Africa on 10th April 2007
- Test debut: Never played in an international match
- The team made its T20I debut against Australia on 20th June 2008.
At his best, Kiron Pollard is among the best batsmen in the world when it comes to batting. Batting in the lower middle order, he is a right-handed batsman for the West Indies.
He is a medium-pace bowler. The Indian Premier League has also produced one of the best fielders in its history.
His batting skills, fielding capabilities, and other attributes have made him an invaluable member of the Mumbai Indians, the West Indies, and other teams. Pollard’s bat can transform boredom into excitement and joy in any game. T20 cricket’s most dangerous hard hitter is Pollard’s power hitting.
Kieron Pollard made his first appearance for the New Zealand team in a T20I against Australia on 20 June 2008. Australia nearly failed to qualify for the 2012 World T20 semifinals after scoring 38 runs off 15 balls. Having reached the 1,000 run mark in T20I cricket, Pollard is now the fourth West Indian batsman to reach this milestone.
Kieron Pollard became the first player in Twenty20 history to play 500 matches in the first Twenty20 International on 4th March 2020. Pollard made his 10,000th run in both the format and the exact match in addition to making his 10,000th run in the format. In 35 balls, he has bowled the ball, and he has scored 1123 runs so far.
5. MS Dhoni: Indian Dangerous Batsman
- The position of right-handed batsman or wicketkeeper is available
- First ODI against Bangladesh on 23rd December 2004
- First test against Sri Lanka, 2nd December 2005
- Debut in T20Is vs. South Africa on 1 December 2006
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s skill as a finisher is one of his most enduring contributions to cricket. Among the greatest wicketkeepers in history, he is also widely regarded. With his one-day World Cup victory for the Indian cricket team, Dhoni became a legend in the early 21st century. The Indian cricketer was born on July 7, 1981, in Ranchi.
It was his debut year on the international stage in 2004. In his 5th match against Pakistan, he showed his batting ability. A total of 148 runs were scored. It was in his first year as a member of the Indian Test team that MS ‘Dhoni’ turned in his first century against Pakistan.
As captain of the one-day series, Dhoni was also responsible for India’s victory in the 2007 T20 world championships due to his immaturity.For the first time in 2009, India topped the ICC Test rankings after winning the series against Sri Lanka and Australia.
Mr. Dhoni won the title of Player of the Year twice in a row between 2008 and 2009. Dhoni’s 91-run innings in India’s victory over Sri Lanka in the 2011 One Day International World Cup, which culminated in India winning the tournament, set the foundation for the success of the team.
The Indian cricket team was led by Dhoni to the semifinals during the 2015 Cricket World Cup. It is widely believed that MS Dhoni is one of the greatest cricket captains of all time, having captained India in 331 matches across five formats of the game.
4. Yuvraj Singh: Hard-hitting Indian Batting Sensation
- Right-handed Batsman / Left-handed Orthodox Bowler
- His debut in an international match was against Kenya on 3 October 2000
- His debut in a test match was on 16 October 2003 against New Zealand
- First Twenty20 International: 13th September 2007 against Scotland
As a cricketing enigma, Yuvraj Singh will likely never be fully understood. Even after retiring, he remains among the highest-paid cricketers. Despite being hailed as the next great Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh failed to live up to expectations in Test matches.
It is his inability to bat against spin, particularly off-spin, that has become his Achilles’ heel. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman were among the batting heavyweights that restricted his success in the extended format. Yuvraj arrived with a hundred of his own, which forced Parthiv Patel to open for India.
Yuvraj’s most picturesque strokes are those that run along or over the surface of the ground at a 45° angle during a cricket match. As Stuart Broad learned during the 2007 World Twenty20, the batsman is known for his big hits.
Yuvraj made the fastest fifty of any batsman that day in an international match. His reputation as one of the best hard-hitters in ODIs is well-deserved. Additionally, he has played a number of terrific innings that have delighted the fans.
3. Chris Gayle: West Indies Hard Hitting Batsman
- Left-handed batsman / right-handed bowler
- Debut against India, 11th September 1999
- First Test match: 16th March 2000 vs. Zimbabwe
- Debut in Twenty20 cricket: 16th February 2006 against New Zealand
One of the greatest cricketers of all time is undoubtedly Chris Gayle, the world’s most powerful batsman. In the short game, Gayle excels more than any other player for the West Indies Cricket team, which makes him a serious contender for the top spot. He would probably be able to get a six over the fence if he swung a bat with an edge.
Featured among the world’s most dangerous hard hitters, Chris Gayle leaves international bowlers in a state of awe. This is his seventh T20 century. Gayle’s ability to remain on the crease poses a challenge to bowlers.
Chris Gayle is known to open innings slowly. However, once he has settled down, he is hard to stop. In addition to playing in the Indian Premier League, Chris Gayle represents Royal Challengers Bangalore in that league. Having played Tests, ODIs, and T20s, Gayle is a dangerous hitter. His tattoos also make him one of the most tattooed cricketers in history.
Aside from the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, West Indies captain Brian Lara took part in the 2010 edition. It was a pivotal moment in his career when Gayle participated in the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup. In the semifinal match against Australia, he scored 75 runs to lead the Windies to the finals. His score was the highest of the tournament.
2. Shahid Afridi: Outstanding Pakistani Batsman
- Batsman / Leg spinner with right-handed swing
- Debut in the One-Day International against Kenya on 2nd October 1996
- Debut in the Test match against Australia on 22nd October 1998
- First Twenty20 International vs. England: 28th August 2006
As one of the world’s most enigmatic players, Shahid Afridi has one of the greatest hitting abilities in cricket. He has also played cricket throughout his life, as being a philanthropist.
As one of the first batsmen to adopt a new batting strategy during the mid-1990s, Afridi was one of the first to adopt a new strategy. In addition, he remains the cricketer with the longest sixes ever recorded.
While his unpredictable performances often leave a path of destruction, his irregular innings of substance are what make him stand out. It is nonetheless considered that Afridi is one of cricket’s greatest hard hitters. His performance turned the critical match situation in his team’s favor.
His 110.72 strike rate and rapid batting make him unmatched among international players. Despite sometimes being irritable, Afridi can be incredibly compelling to watch when he gets it right. During his early years as a player, Shahid Afridi demonstrated great promise.
The 16-year-old became the youngest batsman to score a century at an international level. He scored a century in 37 balls against Sri Lanka, which is the fastest in cricket history. He also hit 11 sixes, another record.
1. Virender Sehwag: Greatest Batsman
- Batsman / Off-break bowler with a right-handed grip
- Debut in an ODI against Pakistan: 1st April 1999
- First Test against South Africa: 3rd November 2001
- First Twenty20 International played on 1st December 2006
The hard-won credentials and first-class record of Virender Sehwag made him one of the best Indian batsmen. Furthermore, he is considered one of the world’s greatest batsmen. Viru has broken countless records and achieved countless feats throughout his 16-year career.
As Several factors conspired to prevent him from playing, including injuries, poor form, and competition from other middle-order batsmen. As a consequence, he had difficulty playing middle-order batsmen and sometimes opening batsmen.
There are few hard hitters who are as dangerous as Sehwag. When he is playing, he always hits hard and puts the bowlers to the test. Virender Sehwag played mostly off-spin for Delhi before 1997 and was an average batsman.
From 1997 onwards, Sehwag changed his batting style, his method, and his approach to the National team. In terms of his batsmanship, Sehwag presented selectors with a high level of balance and aggression. Even though his average was not that impressive, the selectors could not ignore the quick, blistering double centuries he made.
FAQ’s
If you do not know how to hit a cricket ball, you cannot get the nickname “Boom Boom”. In addition to his offensive abilities, Afridi was among Pakistan’s most potent batsmen.
Gayle is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous opening batsmen in the world.The big Jamaican player plays in all three formats of West Indies Cricket. Virender Sehwag is the most dangerous opener in history, historically speaking.
As a result of death overs, A.B. As a result of death overs, A.B. A.B. De becomes the most dangerous opponent in death overs. With a strike rate of 275, he has excellent results. To confuse the bowler, he scores six backsides by causing him to panic.
Virat Kohli is unquestionably the best batsman in all three formats of cricket. Among his closest followers are Rohit Sharma, a fellow Indian, and Babar Azam, a fellow Pakistani.
Conclusions
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