5 ODI teams with the most destructive power hitters

In limited overs cricket where teams out muscle each other by piling on mammoth totals, power hitting down the order provides teams with the cutting edge to swing matches in their favor.

While the openers lay the foundation, the middle order plays the sheet anchor’s role and provides stability, it eventually comes down to the firepower down the order to deliver the final blow in chasing down daunting targets.

In a batting dominated game, it often comes down to the heavy artillery unleashed down the order which changes the tide of a match in favour of a team.

So let us look at which batting line-ups have the most destructive hitters in their batting armoury to decimate the opposition’s bowling attack.

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#5 India

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI

India is known to have one of the most potent batting units in limited overs cricket. With a dependable opening pair in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan which provides the quick-fire starts to the prolific run-getter in Virat Kohli who is the lynch-pin of the middle order, the ‘Men in Blue’ have power hitters in the form of MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Hardik Pandya.

While Dhoni needs no introduction with his calm and calculated approach in taking games by the whisker, Pandya has catapulted to the international stage with his immaculate ball striking ability.

Pandya has carried on his hitting prowess from the IPL to the international stage like a duck takes to water. India also has the likes of Manish Pandey, Kedhar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja who can pack a punch with the bat and close out games for the side.

Suresh Raina deserves a special mention as the hard hitting southpaw has partnered with MS Dhoni in winning India many nerve wracking games with their belligerent hitting.

#4 Australia

MARCUS STOINIS

The Australians boast of a power packed batting unit. The formidable opening duo of David Warner and Aaron Finch get the Aussies to a flier with their attacking stroke play. Meanwhile, Steven Smith who has an unorthodox yet effective style is a busy bee in the middle overs scoring run for the Kangaroos at a brisk pace.

Down the order, the Aussies have some heavy artillery in the form of Glen Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh who can blow away any attack on their day. The ‘Big Show’ Maxwell has showcased his destructive abilities with the willow by producing some whirlwind innings. Mitchell Marsh brings in an element of freshness to the Aussie batting with his clean ball striking.

In the last season, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis showcased his ball striking ability finishing off some close games for the Aussies. Meanwhile, James Faulkner and Mitchell Starc can use the long handle to great effect in stepping up the scoring rate at the end of an innings.

The Aussies have to be thankful to George Bailey who played some fruitful innings with utmost composure to close out tense game which could swing either way.

#3 England

JOS BUTTLER

England’s aggressive approach in ODI cricket since the 2015 World Cup has largely revolved around their heavy batting arsenal. Right from destructive openers in Alex Hales and Jason Roy, the English can take apart the best of bowling units in the world with power hitters in Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan.

Over the last decade, Eoin Morgan has been England’s most dangerous middle order batsman in the limited overs format. Morgan is a bludgeoner of the red cherry with his wide array of shots.

Jos Buttler is arguably the most destructive wicket-keeper batsman in the world at present. Buttler has built a reputation of a proven match winner with his late flourish at the end of innings.

Meanwhile, all-rounder, Ben Stokes is another power hitter who can take the game away in a blink of an eye. Besides them, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow have also delivered the goods in ODIs by stepping up the gas as and when required.

#2 South Africa

David Miller

The Proteas are second to none in power hitting with a battery of entertaining stroke makers. The South Africans are well served by the dashing stroke play of Quinton De Kock and the refined aggression of Hashim Amla with his elegant shot making.

AB De Villiers with his 360-degree hitting has simply been a batting genius who can produce some breath-taking knocks and leave the opposition in awe of his talent.

The South Africans can unleash some brute force down the order with David Miller, JP Duminy and Chris Morris. Miller has produced whirlwind cameos which turned out to be match-winning knocks. His clinical hitting is an exhibition of his enormous strength and brute force.

Miller has good company in the form of all-rounder Chris Morris who can hit the ball a mile. The South Africans have been served well by wicket-keeper batsman Farhaan Behardien who could step on the acceleration button with his sublime hitting.

#1 West Indies

EVIN

LEWIS

The Caribbean Kings are second to none when it comes to showcasing some swag and power with the willow. The Calypso Kings certainly pack a punch when it comes to the shorter format of the game.

The Windies have the Jamaican strongman Chris Gayle in their ranks who can destroy the best of attacks with his scintillating power hitting. Evin Lewis is another pocket dynamite who has produced some scintillating knocks in his relatively new stint as an opener for the Windies.

The Windies have been successful in the shorter format courtesy of a plethora of power hitters who are a bagful for any side in international cricket. The Maroon Brigade has Keiron Pollard, Andre Russel, Darren Sammy, Rowman Powell and Carlos Brathwaite who all can flay attacks with utter disdain. Hence Windies have the ammunition to hurt any big gun on their day.

Before we conclude, there are other international sides who have a couple of power hitters who deserve a notable mention -

Pakistan - Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfaraz Ahmed

New Zealand - Colin Munro, Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi

Sri Lanka - Thisara Perera

Bangladesh - Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rehman

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