5 batters who scored the most ODI runs in 2021

It was not a memorable year for fans of ODI cricket. The format was ignored by most top-tier nations in 2021 because of the ICC World Test Championship and the ICC T20 World Cup.

Interestingly, the most successful team in 50-over World Cup history Australia, played only three ODIs this year. Even 2011 World Cup winners India played only six ODIs in 2021, with three of these games not featuring many of their star players.

Only Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Ireland played more than ten ODI games in 2021. The Pakistan vs West Indies and Ireland vs USA ODI series scheduled in December were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On that note, here's a look at the five players with the most runs in ODIs this year:

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#5 Andy Balbirnie (Ireland) - 421

Andy Balbirnie led Ireland from the front in the one-day format.

Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was in good touch this year. He scored 421 runs in 14 ODI innings, registering one century and three half-centuries. The right-handed batter has had a batting average of 32.38 in 2021.

Balbirnie will look to improve his scoring rate, though. In 14 ODI innings this year, Balbirnie had a strike rate of 71.96, the lowest among players who scored at least 300 ODI runs this year.

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#4 Harry Tector (Ireland) - 454

Harry Tector scored runs consistently for his country this year.

Harry Tector did not score an ODI century in 2021, but still managed to finish in the top four of the run-scoring leaderboard. The 22-year-old from Dublin played 14 ODI games for Ireland, aggregating 454 runs at a strike rate of 75.66.

Tector's highest score this year was 79. The middle-order batter will look forward to registering big scores for his country next year.

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#3 Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) - 464

Tamim Iqbal was the most successful Asian batter in one-day internationals this year.

Among Asian players, Tamim Iqbal scored the most ODI runs in 2021. The left-hander scored 464 runs in 12 innings for Bangladesh at an average of 38.66.

Iqbal recorded one century and four ODI fifties during the year. With the World Cup Super League underway, Bangladesh fans will expect their opener to continue in the same vein.

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#2 Janneman Malan (South Africa) - 509

Sri Lanka vs South Africa - One Day International

South Africa's rising star Janneman Malan was quite impressive in one-day international games this year. The 25-year-old amassed 509 runs in just seven innings at a magnificent average of 84.83.

Malan scored two hundreds and two fifties for the Proteas this year. He will be keen to continue his good form in the series against India scheduled in early 2022.

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#1 Paul Stirling (Ireland) - 705

Northamptonshire Steelbacks vs Birmingham Bears - T20 Vitality Blast 2020

Ireland all-rounder Paul Stirling batted with consistency in ODI cricket this year. The right-handed batter scored 705 runs in 14 innings at an average of 54.23.

The Irishman is the only batter to register three tons in one-day international cricket this year. He could have scored more runs had the series against USA happened as originally scheduled.