Top 6 impactful unbeaten 90s in Tests and ODIs

#2 Kevin Pietersen: 91* – Bristol, 2005

Pietersen flew his way to 91 essential runs from a mere 65 deliveries

The County Ground in Bristol witnessed absolute destruction of Australia’s bowling line-up from a rising English star when he insulted the opposition bowlers to gallantly steer England’s ship in a tricky run chase. In pursuit of 253, Kevin Pietersen arrived at 119/4, with his captain Michael Vaughan standing.

Vaughan’s patient 57 played second fiddle to Pietersen’s cataclysmic knock, as the latter, after a sedate start which saw him score only 25 from his first 34 balls, flew his way to 91 essential runs from a mere 65 deliveries. He tonked eight fours and four dreadful leg-side sixes in an astonishing display of power-hitting missing from English cricket in those days, and ensured that Stephen Harmison’s maiden – and only – ODI five-for didn’t go down the drain.

The outstanding effort earned Pietersen his third Man of the Match award inside four months in one-day cricket, while England gained five vital points for a three-wicket win in a tri-series – also involving Bangladesh – whose final, contested between these two arch-rivals, turned out to be a tie.