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International cricket has three formats, but the top 10 biggest scores in the history of international cricket have only come in test matches. The strange thing about it is not even strange at all. It makes sense because of the length of test cricket. The highest innings by an individual in ODI cricket is 264 runs by India’s Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka in 2014.
The highest score in T20 internationals is by Aaron Finch of Australia against England in 2013. He made 156 runs with the help of 14 sixes and 11 fours in just 63 balls. However, both ODI and T20 top individual scores have not marked their place in top 10 most significant scores in the history of international cricket. All the highest scores of international cricket are above 300 runs in an innings, so it does not seem possible for any player in ODI and T20 international to come even near and close to it in the future.
10 Biggest Scores In The History Of International Cricket
So let’s start with the top ten biggest scores in the history of international cricket. We will do it in a listicle and descending order to keep the suspense until the end.
10. Mark Taylor – 334* Not Out Against Pakistan
Nineteen years ago, Mark Taylor became the fourth Australian batsman to score a triple century in Test format. He was captaining the side; he finished day two of the second test against Pakistan on 334 not out. Taylor equaled the highest score of legendary batsman Sir Donald Bradman and declared the innings on the third day of the test in the morning. He made sure that the two of them linked forever by this number.
He batted for 12 hours within two days in the scorching heat of around 35°. In those innings, he smashed 32 fours and one shot all the way for a six.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Mark Taylor | 334* | 720 | 564 | 32 | 1 | Australia | Pakistan | Peshawar | 15th of October, 1998 |
9. Wally Hammond – 336 Not Out Against New Zealand
After winning the toss, New Zealand decided to bat first but fell quickly on a total of only 158. The pitch was behaving right, and it was expected that England would complete the trail and post a massive lead on the scoreboard for New Zealand. However, no one knew that the one-down and right-handed batsmen Wally Hammond will score a highest ever score of the test match history at that time. The stage was set for him; New Zealand was the favorite country for Wally Hammond, he scored triple and double hundreds before this innings in New Zealand.
Fun Fact: We must share a fun fact here that both tests of the series ended in draws, which is surprising when bearing in mind that both matches consist of three days and eight balls per over at that time.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Wally Hammond | 336* | 318 | No record | 34 | 10 | England | New Zealand | Auckland | 31st of March, 1933 |
8. Hanif Mohammad – 337 Against West Indies
It would not be incorrect if we claim that Hanif Muhammad was one of the top and finest ever batsman of Pakistan. His famous 337 against West Indies in 1958 remains one of the epic innings. He spent more than 16 hours unbelievably at the crease. Today, it is still the most extended innings in the 140 years history of international cricket.
Pakistan was followed-on with the deficit of 473. Everyone was predicting that Pakistan would lose this match. However, Hanif had his own plans and his 337 innings allowed Pakistan to draw the game. It is the only time till now that a batsman scores above 300 runs in the second innings of a test match.
Fun Fact: Muhammad Hanif played for Pakistan in the inaugural match against India in 1952. He was 17 years old at the time.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Hanif Mohammad | 337 | 970 | No record | 24 | 0 | Pakistan | West Indies | Bridgetown | 17th of January, 1958 |
7. Sanath Jayasuriya – 340 Against India
It was test number 1374, India was on tour of Sri Lanka in 1997. The visitors elected to bat first and scored a massive total of 537/8 declared. In reply, Sri Lanka scored 952 runs, the highest score for a team in test cricket. The test match was ended in a draw. But, before that, Sanath Jayasuriya played the gigantic innings of 340 runs in 578 cherries.
India thought they are in a good position of winning the test match. However, 100 then 200 and then 300 did not quench the thirst of Jayasuria. Rajesh Chauhan finally ended Jayasuriya’s innings on 340 runs.
Fun Fact: Sanath Jayasuriya’s 340 overshadowed by 952 runs by Sri Lanka. It is the highest ever score in test cricket by a team.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 340 | 799 | 578 | 36 | 2 | Sri Lanka | India | Colombo (RPS) | 2nd of August, 1997 |
6. Len Hutton – 364 Against Australia
Len Hutton was one of the top batsmen ever produced by England. He caught everyone’s attention when he scored 364 runs at the age of 22 at the Oval against Australia in 1938. His brilliant knock made him a national hero and pushed into the limelight.
Pudsey, a small town in Yorkshire hailed Hutton; people grandly celebrated his feat. The local church in the town rang the bell 364 times to honor Hutton’s 364 great knocks.
Fun fact: In 1939, police caught Hutton for parking in the wrong spot. However, his companion Cyril Turner told the policeman about Hutton’s identity. The police dropped the idea of charging him and requested Hutton’s autograph.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Len Hutton | 364 | 797 | 847 | 35 | 0 | England | Australia | The Oval | 20th of August, 1938 |
5. Garfield Sobers – 365 Not Out Against Pakistan
On 26th of February 1958, 21-year-old Garfield Sobers made a world record of 365 runs not out against Pakistan in Kingston. It was a record-breaking day for Garry Sobers. It was the match where Sobers made his maiden test century, but later he turned it into unbeaten 365 runs. It remained a world record for 36 years. He spent more than 10 hours on the crease. Therefore, West Indies made 790 runs for the loss of only three wickets. It has been West Indies highest score and fourth highest in the history of international cricket.
Fun Fact: In 1968, Garry Sobers hit six sixes in just one over of six consecutive deliveries in a first-class game in Swansea against Glamorgan. He became the first cricketer ever to achieve this milestone. Malcolm Nash was the unfortunate bowler.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Garfield Sobers | 365* | 614 | No Record | 38 | 0 | West Indies | Pakistan | Kingston | 26th of February, 1958 |
4. Mahela Jayawardene– 374 Against South Africa
Mahela Jayawardene made 374 runs, and Kumar Sangakkara, unfortunately, fell short of 13 runs from his triple century. Both put on the highest partnership ever for any wicket in first-class or Test cricket by scoring 624 runs.It was a fantastic day for cricket. The records were tumbling with every passing hour. There was a shared sigh of regret from the Sri Lankan critics and fans. Jayawardene fell some runs short from breaking the world record.
However, on his way to 374 runs, he left behind many all-time greats, including the likes of Len Hutton, Garry Sobers, and Don Bradman. The innings was great for the composure and serenity with which he gathered runs. The great thing of that inning was his trademark flowing drives and especially the inside-out shots on the cover region.
Fun Fact: After the match, Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama presented a memento to Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara respectively. Jayawardene also received an award for playing the highest ever innings Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 374 | 752 | 572 | 43 | 1 | Sri Lanka | South Africa | Colombo (SSC) | 27th of July 2006 |
3. Brian Lara – 375 Against England
Brian Lara scored a magnificent 375 runs against England in 1994. He surpassed legendary batsman Garry Sober and became the highest scorer ever in the test arena. It was a day when one legend’s highest score was broken by a player who would become a legend in upcoming years.
Lara smashed 375 runs on 538 cherries. He spent 766 minutes in an innings where he slammed 45 fours. He played some brilliant knocks after that inning, but evidently, the 375 runs innings proved the most important innings of one of the most excellent batsmen the world has ever witness.
Fun Fact: A pull shot by Lara seized his place in the history books. Right after the pull shot, there was a pitch invasion from the excited fans. Gary Sobers also came out and congratulated Lara.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| BC Lara | 375 | 766 | 538 | 45 | 0 | West Indies | England | St John’s | 16th of April, 1994 |
2. Mathew Hayden – 380 Against Zimbabwe
Gary Sobers made 365 runs in 1958, but eventually, Lara broke it in 1994 by scoring 375 runs. The record by Lara broke by Mathew Hayden when he played an innings of 380 runs against Zimbabwe.
Hayden utterly destroyed the Zimbabwe bowling attack by playing a knock of his lifetime. The powerfully built and tall Mathew Hayden stormed past the 334 runs by legendary batsman Don Bradman and former captain Mark Taylor. Don Bradman made 334 against England in 1930, and Mark Taylor made 334 against Pakistan in 1998.
The comparison of 380 by Mathew Hayden with (11 sixes and 38 fours) against Zimbabwe, 375 by Brian Lara against England, and 365 not out by Garry Sobers against Pakistan gives an engrossing study. All three batsmen made the world records on their home soil. Hayden broke Lara’s record in Perth, Lara scored 375 in Antigua, and Sobers made 365 not out in Jamaica.
It is a fact that all three innings came against a weak bowling opposition. Hayden smashed all over the park, Lara had only Andrew Caddick and Angus Fraser to contend with from England. However, the innings by Garry Sobers was the best one as it results in victory for West Indies. The matches in which Hayden and Lara made a world record were ended in a draw.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Mathew Hayden | 380 | 622 | 437 | 38 | 11 | Australia | Zimbabwe | Perth | 9th of October, 2003 |
1. Brian Lara – 400 Not Out Against England
Mathew Hayden broke the record of Brian Lara, but the legend took it back. Lara played a 400 runs not out innings against England team in 2004 and the highest ever individual Test score bagged again by him. It is still the world record to date.A legendary accomplishment by a legendary batsman.
He is the only batter in the cricket history to create the highest individual score twice in a career. He also became the first batsman in the history of international cricket to make a quadruple century. It was the comeback of Test cricket King to his enthrone. He dethroned Mathew Hayden and took the entire cricket brethren by storm.
From the start of his career, he had an exceptional hunger for playing big innings. He created headlines by smashing a 277 runs innings in 1993 against Australia, at the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground).The innings came against a top bowling side comprised of Craig McDermott and Shane Warne. It was pretty clear after the knock that Brian Charles Lara was a special talent. Lara looked to dominate bowlers and used to score runs very quickly. It allowed him to achieve significant scores in Test format. The high backlift of Lara allowed him to play shots with immense power all over the ground. He was capable of tearing apart any bowling side on his day.
| Player | Runs | Minutes | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Brian Lara | 400* | 778 | 582 | 43 | 4 | West Indies | England | St John’s | 10th of April 2004 |
Wrapping It Up
So, it was our article about the 10 biggest scores in the history of international cricket. Can we witness another Lara-esque knockin the future?
As a cricket fan, it is exciting to think about the probability of someone else breaking Lara’s record and 400 runs barrier again. Amongst the current players, Virat Kohli and Hashim Amla are a couple of players that come to our mind when we think that who can break this record. If it happens, then it will be surely a moment to witness.
