5 highest scores by a batsman in ODI run chases

Scoring a century in a run chase isn't easy. The pressure of a target is always on the back of a batsman's mind whenever he is scoring and that is why runs scored in the second innings is always valued higher, especially if the target is steep.

Virat Kohli, who has established himself as one of the greatest chasers in the history of ODIs has made it an art form and unsurprisingly features on this list. As does another Indian stalwart in MS Dhoni.

The latest to join the list of 5 highest scores in an ODI run chase is Martin Guptill, who got there courtesy of his unbeaten 180 against South Africa in the fourth ODI, which helped his side level the series.

Here are the 5 highest scores by a batsman in ODI run chases:

#5 Quinton de Kock - 178 vs Australia, Centurion, 2016

There can be little doubt that Quinton de Kock is one of the finest openers in limited-overs cricket at the moment. Australia got first-hand experience of that in the first ODI of what would turn out to be a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of the Proteas.

Chasing 295 for victory, the Proteas needed to get off to a good start and Quinton de Kock gave them just that as he added 145 for the opening wicket along with Rilee Rossouw in just 17.1 overs. The wicketkeeper simply carved the Australian bowling to all corners of Centurion as he registered his career-best ODI score.

He was eventually dismissed for an 113-ball 178 which included 16 fours and 11 sixes. He fell just short of the target but the Proteas got there with 13.4 overs and six wickets to spare. Although he would have been disappointed to miss out on breaking Gary Kirsten's national record of highest ODI score which still stands to this day.

#4 Martin Guptill - 180* vs South Africa, Hamilton, 2017

With the series on the line, New Zealand would have been jumping with joy after news of Martin Guptill's return to the side was made official. And playing in his first game back from injury, chasing 280 to level the series, Guptill showed just why as he smashed a 138-ball 180* to help his side win with five overs to spare and level the series.

Fifties from Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers, coupled with some lower-order cameos from Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell helped the Proteas post 279/8. In response, Martin Guptill opened the batting along with Dean Brownlie and proceeded to show the Kiwi supporters just what they were missing.

Over the course of his unbeaten 180, Guptill broke a slew of records. He became the first player to have three ODI scores of 180 or more, registered his third consecutive fifty-plus score in ODIs, got the fourth-highest percentage of runs in an ODI innings.

Despite all his heroics, he is only fourth on this list, although he is the only player whose score in this list is not his highest ODI score.

#3 Virat Kohli - 183 vs Pakistan, Dhaka, 2012

Ask any Indian batsman and they will tell you that a century against Pakistan is worth so much more than just the runs that they get. Virat Kohli has made a habit of making Pakistan pay and in the 2012 Asia Cup was one such instance as he registered his career-best ODI score.

After openers Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Hafeez had both scored centuries, Pakistan had scored 329 and set India a stiff target to chase. Kohli, who is undoubtedly the best chaser in the world, took it upon himself to scale the target.

Walking into bat in just the third ball of the run chase after Gautam Gambhir was dismissed for a duck, Kohli just took control of the game. His partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, both of whom got fifties, got India close but it was Kohli who was doing the bulk of the scoring. In the end, he finished with 183 off just 148 balls, an innings which included 22 fours and just one six as India got home with 13 balls to spare.

#2 MS Dhoni - 183* vs Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005

His 183* against Sri Lanka remains his highest ODI score

Despite having an ODI average in excess of 50 and over 9,000 runs in the format, MS Dhoni will begrudgingly admit that he would have had a whole lot more if they batted up the order. One of the best finishers that the game has ever seen also had the knack of scoring big and early in his ODI career, he did that whenever he was promoted up the order.

One such instance of him doing the business after being promoted came against Sri Lanka in Jaipur. On the back of a brilliant century by Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka posted 298/4 in the third ODI. After Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the first over of the run chase, Dhoni walked in and what happened next is pure Dhoni magic.

Not only did Dhoni register his career-best ODI score of 183* but also looked certain to break the world record for highest score in an ODI, only to fall short of runs and achieve the required target with 23 balls to spare. Dhoni's 145-ball knock comprised of 15 fours and 10 sixes and showed just how lethal he can be if he bats in the top-order, something he has seldom done throughout his career.

#1 Shane Watson - 185* vs Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2011

For six years, MS Dhoni held the record for the highest score in an ODI run chase for his 183* against Sri Lanka, before it was broken during the second ODI of the three-match series between Bangladesh and Australia. Shane Watson broke it after registering his career-best ODI score.

Chasing just 230 for victory, the chances of Watson beating his previous best of 161* in an ODI, that was set earlier in 2011 looked slim. But the all-rounder was a man on a mission and not only beat that personal milestone but also broke MS Dhoni's record and scored the highest score in an ODI run chase.

He finished with 185* off just 96 balls and his incredible knock included15 boundaries and 15 sixes. His efforts meant Australia got to the target in just 26 overs and inside two hours, winning by nine wickets.