Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, commonly known as Viv Richards, is considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He was a dominant batsman who played for the West Indies cricket team from 1974 to 1991. He was known for his aggressive batting style and was feared by bowlers around the world. Richards played a total of 187 One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 6,721 runs with an average of 47. During his career, he played many memorable innings that earned him a place in cricket history. In this article, we will look at the seven best innings of Viv Richards in ODI cricket.
189* vs England, Manchester, 1984
This is arguably the best innings played by Viv Richards in his ODI career. In this match, Richards scored an unbeaten 189 runs off just 170 balls. This inning included 21 boundaries and 5 sixes, and he single-handedly led the West Indies to a score of 272/9. The England team, in response, was bowled out for just 168, giving the West Indies a comfortable victory.
138* vs England, The Oval, 1979
This was another impressive innings played by Viv Richards against England. In this match, Richards scored an unbeaten 138 runs off 157 balls, which included 11 boundaries and 3 sixes. The West Indies team won the match by 2 wickets, and Richards was awarded the Man of the Match award for his outstanding performance.
119 vs England, Lord’s, 1984
In this match, Viv Richards played a crucial inning of 119 runs off 129 balls, which included 11 boundaries and 2 sixes. This inning helped the West Indies to post a total of 278/8, which proved too much for the England team to chase down. The West Indies team won the match by 104 runs, and Richards was once again awarded the Man of the Match award.
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146 vs India, Delhi, 1987
In this match, Viv Richards played one of his best innings against India. He scored a magnificent 146 runs off just 150 balls, which included 16 boundaries and 3 sixes. This inning helped the West Indies to post a total of 276/5, which proved to be enough as they won the match by 38 runs.
138 vs Australia, Melbourne, 1984
This was another memorable innings played by Viv Richards in his career. In this match, he scored 138 runs off just 157 balls, which included 11 boundaries and 3 sixes. His innings helped the West Indies to post a total of 276/7, which proved too much for the Australian team to chase down. The West Indies won the match by 38 runs, and Richards was awarded the Man of the Match award for his performance.
119* vs New Zealand, Dunedin, 1987
In this match, Viv Richards played match-winning innings of 119 not out off just 148 balls. This inning included 10 boundaries and 1 six, and he led the West Indies to a total of 260/4. The New Zealand team, in response, was bowled out for just 189, giving the West Indies a comfortable victory.
110 vs England, Lord’s, 1979
This inning was played by Viv Richards in the final of the 1979 World Cup against England. He scored 110 runs off just 126 balls, which included 5 boundaries and 7 sixes. His innings helped the West Indies to post a total of 286/9, which proved to be too much for the England team as they were bowled out for just 194 runs, giving the West Indies their second consecutive World Cup title.
Viv Richards was undoubtedly one of the greatest cricketers of all time, and his performances in ODI cricket were exceptional. The innings mentioned above showcase his aggressive batting style, his ability to play under pressure, and his sheer dominance over opposition bowlers. His contributions to the West Indies cricket team were immense, and he played a significant role in their success during the 1970s and 1980s. Viv Richards will always be remembered as one of the all-time greats of the game, and his ODI performances will continue to inspire future generations of cricketers.