Top 5 Slowest Centuries In ODI Cricket

In One Day Internationals, it is not necessarily the fast denturies that end in the limelight, but so many batsmen have shown considerable patience, claiming some of the slowest hundred in the format's history.

David Boon has the record for the slowest ODI century. In December 1991, while playing against India at Hobart, Boon scored his hundred off 166 balls and eventually completed 102* off 168 deliveries. This measured approach saw Australia chase successfully India's target of 175 runs. 

This list has repeated Ramiz Raja. He scored 102* off 157 balls on the West Indies at Melbourne during the World Cup in February 1992 to tack the innings of Pakistan to 220/2. Pakistan never chased that target from the West Indies with all wickets intact. In February 1990, against Sri Lanka in Adelaide, Raja scored 107 off 152 balls to tack the innings of Pakistan up to 315/3 to Pakistan's easy victory by 27 runs.

Geoff Marsh also plays a significant role. In May 1989, while playing against England at Lord's, he made 111* off 162 balls. He reached his century in 156 deliveries. His innings helped Australia chase 279 successfully. In March 1991, against the West Indies in Georgetown, Marsh scored 106* off 158 balls, reaching his century in 150 balls. He led Australia to a six-wicket victory.

Scott Styris, in the April 2007 World Cup against Sri Lanka, made one century to remember. He scored 111* off 157 balls. He took 152 deliveries to reach his hundred. New Zealand could manage only 219/7, which Sri Lanka easily overtook, and it was their victory by six wickets.

These innings reveal tactics flexibility with ODI where they are ensuring stabilization of innings rather than scoring at breakneck speed especially when the game is in a fragile kind of situation.