Ricky Ponting 164 vs South Africa 2005
This was one of the greatest matches ever played in ODI cricket when for the first time a team managed to score above 400 in ODI. As people were wondering about this mammoth total, the indexpected happened. The total was chased down by SA and for the first time we say a score of 434 chased down successfully.
For Australia, Ricky Ponting played a masterclass innings of 164 runs off 105 balls with 13 fours and 9 sixes ably supported by Gilchrist, Katich and Hussey who all scored fifties. But this outstanding innings was topped by Herschelle Gibbs who scored 175 runs off 111 balls with 21 fours and 7 sixes making another record - highest number of runs scored with boundaries - 126 (record at that time). He was able supported by Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher who scored fifties to end in the last ball chase and SA won over Australia. We saw two great centuries in the same match.
Charles Coventry 194 not out, Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh
Before this match hardly anyone knew who Charles Coventry was. And to be honest his record is pretty poor with only one century and 3 fifties across all formats. He has a batting avergof 24 despite having a not out innings of 194* to his credit. So when he scored these many runs, people were amazed. He broke the record of Saeed Anwar of 194 (Anwar got out while Coventry remained not out so superseding him on the chart). But alas his great innings couldn't seal victory for Zimbabwe as Bangladesh won the match courtesy another major century by Tamim Iqbal who scored 154 runs in the match. Interestingly, except these two players, no other player from both the teams scored a 50 in this match. Both the players were collectively awarded the Man of the Match award but Charles Coventry’s innings remains the highest individual score in a losing cause. Also Tamim Iqbal’s 154 was the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi player at that time (broken by Litton Das now) so in the same match both the teams scored their highest individual scores by a player.
Kumar Sangakara 138* vs India, 2005
Kumar Sangakara scored a brilliant century against India in the 3rd ODI against India, which helped Srilanka post a very good total of 298 runs. In the response India had a poor start as Sachin Tendulkar got out for just 2 runs. And then entered MS DHONI. He was promoted up the order to accelerate the innings. And then we saw the carnage of Dhoni as he belted the Srilankan bowlers out of the park and out of the game. India won the match by 6 wickets and Dhoni sealed the victory with a six. MS Dhoni scored 183* which became the highest score by a wicketkeeper batsman and second highest Individual score from India at that time. The match is remembered for Dhoni’s heroics and Sangakara’s century got overshadowed by Dhoni’s century. Interestingly this was one of the first instances when the wicketkeeper batsman of both the teams scored centuries in the same match.