Rohit Sharma 264 Runs: The Highest Individual Score in ODI Cricket History

Rohit Sharma 264 Runs—A record in cricket history that has not been broken even after more than a decade. On November 13, 2014, Rohit Sharma’s incredible innings of 264 runs against Sri Lanka at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata was not just a big score; it was a unique masterclass in batting in modern ODI cricket. Patience, perfect timing, explosive power hitting and extraordinary innings building everything was seen in this historic innings.

264 runs in just 173 balls, 33 fours, 9 sixes and a strike rate of 152.60 these statistics explain why Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is still one of the most talked about records in the cricket world. What is even more incredible is that Rohit single-handedly scored 13 more runs than the entire innings of the Sri Lankan team. His contribution alone was almost 65 percent of India’s huge collection of 404/5, a rare feat in One Day International cricket.

Another special aspect of this innings was Rohit Sharma’s incredible ability to change pace. Although he took his time to score the first 50 runs, he then became a devastating figure and scored the next 214 runs in just 101 balls. The price he made Sri Lanka pay after a simple catch was missed early on became one of the most memorable innings in cricket history.

This article will detail the complete history of Rohit Sharma 264 Runs, key moments of the match, record-breaking statistics, why this innings is so special and why it still stands as the highest individual score in ODI cricket.

Match Overview

Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is not just a record, it is one of the most memorable chapters in the history of ODI cricket. In the fourth ODI of the series against Sri Lanka held at the historic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday, November 13, 2014, Rohit Sharma played an innings that no batsman in the world has been able to touch.

That day, India batted first and scored 404 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 50 overs. The main architect of that huge score was Rohit Sharma. While playing a devastating innings of 264 runs off just 173 balls, he hit 33 fours and 9 sixes. This innings, played at a strike rate of 152.60, not only laid the foundation for India’s victory, but also created a new history of the highest individual score in One Day International cricket. That is why Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is still a unique record for cricket lovers.

Chasing a tough target of 405, Sri Lanka were all out for 251 in 43.1 overs. As a result, India won the match by a huge margin of 153 runs. Incredibly, the entire Sri Lankan team’s score was 13 runs less than Rohit Sharma’s 264. This statistic proves that Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs was not just a great innings; it was a historical example of complete dominance over the opponent.

Rohit Sharma was adjudged the Player of the Match for this extraordinary performance. Even today, Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs is a milestone in the history of cricket, which is considered to be a symbol of the perfect combination of batting skills, patience and explosive attacking mentality.

How Rohit Sharma Built His Historic Innings

Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is not just a record, it is a story of a perfectly constructed innings. Patience at the beginning, controlled aggression in the middle overs and devastating batting at the end – these three chapters combined to create the highest individual score in the history of ODI cricket. At each stage, Rohit Sharma built his innings in a way that is still considered an ideal example of batting in the cricket world.

Rohit Sharma returned to the team in this match after being out of the field due to injury for almost three months. So from the beginning, he decided to build his innings with patience and not take risks. It took him 72 balls to score his first 50 runs. During this time, he mainly kept the wickets in check, kept the scoreboard moving with singles and doubles and gradually handled the Sri Lankan pace attack.

However, luck was also on his side that day. Thisara Perera missed an easy catch when he was only 4 runs. That single chance later turned into one of the most expensive dropped catches in cricket history.

After the half-century, Rohit’s batting changed. He became more confident and started putting pressure on the bowlers. The next 50 runs came in just 28 balls. His signature cover drive, pull shot and perfectly timed boundaries kept impressing the audience one after another.

Rohit completed his century in just 100 balls. It became clear then that Rohit Sharma 264 Runs was not just a big innings, but also the preparation to write something new in cricket history.

After completing the century, Rohit Sharma did not look back. It took him just 25 balls to reach 100 to 150 runs. His batting was especially remarkable against the Sri Lankan spinners. He took complete control of the match with lofted shots leaving the wicket, powerful drives with a straight bat and perfect boundaries in the gaps.

At this time, his important partnership with Virat Kohli also gave India’s innings a stronger foundation. The understanding between the two and the ability to score quickly took India’s score to a huge collection.

After 150 runs, Rohit Sharma’s bat seemed to only produce boundaries. He took just 26 balls to score the next 50 runs. He played shots effortlessly all around the field, completely disorienting the Sri Lankan bowling attack.

By reaching the milestone of 200 runs in 151 balls, Rohit became the first batsman in cricket history to score two ODI double centuries. From that moment, Rohit Sharma 264 Runs became immortal in the pages of history.

The last part of the innings was a display of complete one-sided dominance. Rohit played just 22 balls to reach 200 from 264 runs. At this time, his strike rate was around 291, which is a rare feat in limited-overs cricket. He stunned Eden Gardens with consecutive fours and sixes and did not give any chance to the Sri Lankan bowlers.

With this stormy batting, he broke Virender Sehwag’s record of 219 runs and made the highest individual score in ODI cricket. He batted till the last ball of the innings and was dismissed for 264 runs off 173 balls. His innings contained 33 fours and 9 sixes, which is still recognized as one of the best batting performances in One Day International cricket.

All in all, Rohit Sharma 264 Runs was a perfect combination of patience, planning, confidence and explosive batting. Caution at the beginning, controlled aggression in the middle overs and a devastating finish at the end, these three steps made this innings not just a record, but one of the greatest batting masterclasses in the history of cricket.

Key Moments That Changed the Match

Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs was not just a result of his outstanding batting; there were a few key moments behind this innings that changed the course of the entire match. A dropped catch, a great partnership with Virat Kohli, a timely change of gear and a devastating batting at the end – all of them combined to create the highest individual score in ODI cricket history. Let’s take a look at the most important moments of that match.

Rohit Sharma was batting for just 4 runs. In the fifth over of the innings, he played an aggressive shot off a ball from Shaminda Eranga and hit the ball on the outside edge. The ball went straight to Thisara Perera, who was standing at third man, but he took an easy catch.

This one mistake later became the biggest turning point of the match. Because after getting that opportunity, Rohit never looked back. Later, he added another 260 runs and created the immortal history of Rohit Sharma 264 Runs. It is still considered one of the most expensive dropped catches in cricket history.

India were under some pressure early on after losing a few crucial wickets. At that time, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli put on a remarkable partnership of 201 runs for the third wicket. This partnership stabilized India’s innings and laid the foundation for a big score.

Although Kohli was run out for 66 runs, the impact of this pair was huge. This partnership gave Rohit enough time and confidence to build his innings. Later, Rohit Sharma built on that foundation to create a world record of 264 Runs.

Rohit was a bit uneasy at the beginning of the innings due to his recovery from injury. He needed 72 balls to get his first 50 runs. But after that, the picture of the match changed.

Especially after Nuwan Kulasekara hit two consecutive fours and a huge six in an over, Rohit went into a completely different rhythm. After completing his century, it seemed that only boundaries started coming out of his bat. Finally, he scored the next 164 runs in just 73 balls. This explosive batting made Rohit Sharma 264 Runs one of the greatest innings in history.

Rohit Sharma’s batting in the second half of the innings was a remarkable blend of aesthetics and power. Inside-out lofted drives against spinners, perfect boundaries in the cover zone and effortless big shots played impressed the audience.

The moment of completing the double century was also special. As soon as he touched 200 runs with a wonderful cover drive, the thousands of spectators present at Eden Gardens burst into joy. He then broke Virender Sehwag’s record of 219 runs to set a new world record, which still stands.

India, riding on Rohit Sharma’s innings of 264 runs off 173 balls, posted a huge total of 404 runs for 5 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka were all out for 251 runs and India won by 153 runs.

The most incredible thing is that Rohit Sharma alone scored 13 more runs than the entire Sri Lankan team. This statistic proves that Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is not just a personal record; it was a rare example of single-handedly dominating the match.

Even today, every important moment of this match is remembered in the history of cricket. Because Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is not just a story of numbers, but a unique story of patience, seizing opportunities, increasing speed at the right time and ultimately creating history.

Complete Batting Breakdown

Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is not just a record, but a perfect example of how to build an ODI innings step by step. Rohit Sharma showed patience at the beginning against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 13, 2014, but his batting became more destructive as the innings progressed. Analyzing the entire innings, it is clear that it was a perfect combination of planning, control and perfect timing.

The biggest feature of Rohit’s innings was his extraordinary pace control. After coming back to life for just 4 runs, he took 72 balls to score his first 50 runs. At that time, his main goal was to survive on the wicket and handle the new ball. But after the half-century, the picture of the match started to change.

The next 50 runs came in just 28 balls. Then it took 25 balls to go from 100 to 150 runs and just 26 balls to reach 150 to 200 runs. Even after completing his double century, he did not stop. He went from 200 to 250 in just 15 balls, and added the last 14 runs in just 7 balls. In total, he scored an incredible 164 runs in the last 73 balls. This great change of pace has made Rohit Sharma 264 Runs one of the greatest innings of all time in ODI cricket.

In this innings, Rohit Sharma hit a total of 42 boundaries, which is still the most in an innings in ODI cricket. Out of these, 33 were fours and 9 sixes. He scored 186 runs from boundaries alone, which is a world record in itself.

But not only big shots, he filled the remaining 78 runs with runs. Especially towards the end of the innings, his strike rotation was extraordinary. During the last 101 runs, he scored runs from almost every ball, playing very few dot balls. This proves that Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is a unique example of not only power hitting, but also smart batting.

Another special aspect of Rohit Sharma’s innings was his ability to score runs with equal skill in every part of the field. His cover drives on the off-side, shots played over extra cover and perfect cut shots to the third man region repeatedly brought boundaries.

On the other hand, his powerful shots on the leg side to midwicket, cow corner, square leg and long-on regions made the Sri Lankan bowlers completely helpless. Against every bowler, be it spinner or pacer, he selected shots according to the situation. That is why Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is an extraordinary example of not only power but also perfect batting technique.

Rohit Sharma’s innings was not only limited to a personal record, but also touched several historical milestones. In India’s innings of 404/5, he scored 264 runs alone, which is more than 65 percent of the team’s total score. What is even more incredible is that the entire Sri Lankan team was all out for just 251 runs. That is, Rohit alone scored 13 runs more than the opposition team.

Rohit almost single-handedly scored runs in the crucial partnership with Robin Uthappa towards the end. His dominance in that part too was evident, which made the innings even more memorable.

All in all, Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is an innings where patience, planning, shot selection, strike rotation and explosive finishing all come together perfectly. That is why, even after more than a decade, this innings is equally acclaimed as one of the greatest individual batting displays in ODI cricket.

Can Anyone Break Rohit Sharma’s 264-Run Record?

Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs is a record in ODI cricket that still poses a huge challenge for the world’s best batsmen. No record in cricket is permanent, so it is not impossible to break this record in the future. However, the reality is that to cross 264 runs, a batsman does not only have to be exceptionally talented; he also has to play a near-perfect innings. Although big scores are more common in modern cricket due to power hitting, short boundaries and batting-friendly wickets, **Rohit Sharma 264 Runs** still stands as a unique benchmark.

Few batsmen in current cricket are considered as potential contenders to break this record. Australia’s Travis Head has been known for his aggressive batting from the start. If he gets a chance to bat for the full 50 overs, he has the potential to score huge scores.

India’s Shubman Gill has already scored a double century in ODIs. He has the ability to build innings from the crease for a long time and also score runs quickly towards the end. Similarly, Ishan Kishan set the record for the fastest ODI double century by playing an innings of 210 runs off 131 balls. If he can bat the entire innings, he can also move towards a big record.

Apart from this, Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka and England’s Jos Buttler and Phil Salt are also batsmen who are capable of making huge individual scores in favorable conditions. However, having potential and breaking a record like Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs are not the same thing.

To score 264 runs, a batsman usually has to play 150 to 170 balls. That is, he has to be at the crease from the beginning to the end of the innings and at the same time maintain a high strike rate throughout. Even after batting for such a long time, it is very difficult, both physically and mentally, to continue the same violence in the last 10 overs.

Another important factor is luck. Rohit Sharma came back to life with just 4 runs at the start of his historic innings. An opportunity like this, a batting-friendly wicket, a long strike and a consistent dominance over the opposition – all of these things combined together make an innings like Rohit Sharma 264 Runs possible.

According to many cricket experts, while it is much more possible to score 450 or more runs as a team these days than it was before, it is still incredibly difficult for a batsman to score 264 runs alone. Because such an innings requires both the patience of classic ODI batting and the explosive power of modern T20 cricket equally.

After Rohit Sharma’s historic innings, Virat Kohli also commented that this record will not be broken easily. Many cricket analysts also expressed the same opinion. They believe that Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is a rare feat that is not only a combination of talent, but also a combination of proper planning, excellent fitness, perfect innings construction and a bit of luck.

All things considered, it is possible that a batsman will one day break this record. But that day will require an exceptional innings. Until then, Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs will remain in history as one of the greatest individual batting records in ODI cricket.

Conclusion

Some records are not just limited to numbers, they become part of history. Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is just such a feat. That incredible innings of 264 runs off 173 balls not only set a world record, but also showed how patience, confidence and aggressive batting at the right time can make the impossible possible.

Even today, many star batsmen in the world are playing big innings, setting new records. Yet Rohit Sharma 264 Runs is still unbroken. Because behind this record was not only the skill of playing extraordinary shots, but also the ability to build perfect innings, extraordinary fitness, mental toughness and the rare ability to utilize opportunities 100 percent. That is why 264 runs is still considered one of the most difficult milestones in ODI cricket.

One day, this record may also be broken in cricket. Some new batsman may play an even bigger innings. But the importance of Rohit Sharma writing history that day at Eden Gardens will never diminish. Rohit Sharma’s 264 Runs is not just a record, it is a memory for cricket lovers that reminds them every time – sometimes things happen on the cricket field that are remembered with amazement for generations after generations.