5 batsmen with most ODI centuries at a single venue

All sportsmen have had stadiums where they have performed at a high level, and the script is the same for cricketers, who have taken a liking to certain grounds by either accumulating massive runs or claiming a bagful of wickets. To take up a few examples in Test cricket, Mahela Jayawardene seemed unstoppable at the SSC in Colombo while the great Don Bradman ruled the MCG in Melbourne like no other.

But Sportskeeda traces batsmen who have dominated certain grounds in ODI cricket, holding the record for most centuries in the format at that particular venue. Expectedly, the list is full of big names, including the Little Master.

#5 Tillakaratne Dilshan

5 hundreds: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

One of Sri Lanka's most rampaging batsmen, Tillakaratne Dilshan accepted the baton of pinch-hitting perfectly. In fact, during the World T20 in England in 2009, his repeated success with the scoop over the wicket-keeper or short fine leg's head earned the shot the name “Dil-scoop”. Promoted to open after starting in the middle-order, Dilshan adapted to the role finely and found a special liking for the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

In his very first match there – against Zimbabwe during the 2011 World Cup – he hammered 144, with Sri Lanka winning comfortably. The following year came a 119* against Pakistan, with yet another easy win. Later in 2012 and early next year, Dilshan smacked 102*, 125 and 115* in four innings at the ground. Also, two half-centuries in only 15 ODIs at the ground took his average to 78.25.

#4 Hashim Amla

At Centurion, Hashim Amla smacked centuries in four consecutive ODIs from 2015, including 154 against Sri Lanka

5 hundreds: SuperSport Park, Centurion

One of South Africa's batting stalwarts in the modern era, the composed Hashim Amla quietly hit big runs at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. In a total of 14 ODIs at the stadium thus far, Amla has aggregated 879 runs at a fantastic average of 67.62. The technically sound right-hander began unimpressively at the ground renowned for its threatening pace and bounce, having scored 2 and 38; but his next two innings brought him 57 and 116*, with the latter coming in a winning cause against India in 2011.

But Amla's real romance with Centurion started in 2015. In four consecutive ODIs there, he smacked 133 against West Indies and 124 against New Zealand that year, 127 against England in 2016 and 154 against Sri Lanka the following year, all of them resulting in victories for South Africa.

#3 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar hit back-to-back hundreds against Australia at Sharjah during the Coca-Cola Cup in 1998

7 hundreds: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

Sachin Tendulkar taking Sharjah by storm, especially during the Coca-Cola Cup in 1998, is a sight few Indian fans will forget. Damien Fleming and Michael Kasprowicz were treated with disdain as memorable knocks of 143 – in vain – and then 134 in the final against Australia proved to be lone efforts to take India past the finishing line, which did happen in the series decider.

In total, Tendulkar played 42 ODIs at the ground and struck 1,778 runs, including innings of 112* and 101 against Sri Lanka; 118* and 124* against Zimbabwe; and 118 against Pakistan. Out of his seven centuries, six resulted in India wins, while astonishingly, he was chosen as the Man of the Match in each of those seven games in which he reached triple figures.

#2 Saeed Anwar

Saeed Anwar played 51 ODIs at Sharjah, more than at any other ground, and hit 7 centuries

7 hundreds: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

Perhaps one-day cricket's most under-appreciated batsmen, former Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar adopted the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, consistently planting big innings on the ground where he ended up playing 51 ODIs. The southpaw hit a massive 2,179 runs at the ground, averaging 45.40 with 7 centuries.

Anwar commenced his string of hundreds with the first one against Sri Lanka – a 110 at over a run a ball – in 1993, and later that year, smacked three consecutive centuries with innings of 107, 131 and 111, also against Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Come 1996, Anwar managed two successive hundreds at Sharjah with unbeaten knocks of 104 and 112, his final century coming against India in 1997. To go with that, he also hit 11 half-centuries at the stadium where he played the most number of ODIs.

#1 Ricky Ponting

In just 41 ODIs at the MCG, Ricky Ponting hit 7 centuries and 15 half-centuries

7 hundreds: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

The greatest Australian batsman since the legendary Sir Don Bradman, former captain Ricky Ponting amassed ODI runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at will. A total of 7 centuries and 15 fifties in merely 41 ODIs at the MCG proves his love for the ground, where he got a century in just his second match. Ponting hit two centuries on the trot there during the 2001-02 home season, first getting 119 against England and then 106* against Sri Lanka.

While representing the ICC World XI against the ACC Asian XI in 2005, he got 115 as captain with the likes of Zaheer Khan, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble in the opposition. His final hundred at the MCG came against New Zealand in 2007, finishing as the Man of the Match for his 104 in a winning cause.