Afghanistan's meteoric rise to the world in cricket is the most suspenseful 21st-century story of the sport. A war-torn nation produced a cricket giant that has continued to astound the world with its resolve and unexploited talent. Afghan batsmen, relatively new to the game on the international platform, have evolved into dreaded run-scoring machines who can obliterate even top bowling units. Ibrahim Zadran's recent heroics against England in Lahore are a prime example of such a transition – an indication of Afghanistan's increasing batting prowess. This article delves into the Top 10 Highest Individual Scores for Afghanistan in ODI, pointing out innings that not only created records but also busted myths. All of these performances are milestones in the path of Afghanistan cricket from being a giant in humility to now becoming giant-killers in contemporary world cricket. Top 10 Highest Individual Scores by Afghanistan in ODI Cricket Rank Player Score Opposition Venue Date 1 Ibrahim Zadran 177* England Lahore 26 Feb 2025 2 Ibrahim Zadran 162 Sri Lanka Pallekele 30 Nov 2022 3 Rahmanullah Gurbaz 151 Pakistan Hambantota 24 Aug 2023 4 Azmatullah Omarzai 149* Sri Lanka Pallekele 9 Feb 2024 5 Rahmanullah Gurbaz 145 Bangladesh Chattogram 8 Jul 2023 6 Mohammad Nabi 136 Sri Lanka Pallekele 9 Feb 2024 7 Mohammad Shahzad 131* Zimbabwe Sharjah 29 Dec 2015 8 Ibrahim Zadran 129* Australia Wankhede 7 Nov 2023 9 Nawroz Mangal 129 UAE ICCA Dubai 30 Nov 2014 10 Rahmanullah Gurbaz 127 Ireland Abu Dhabi 21 Jan 2021 Player Profiles of Top 10 Highest Individual Scores for Afghanistan in ODI Ibrahim Zadran (177* vs England) Image Source : Getty Images Ibrahim Zadran's 177* the masterclass against England on February 26, 2025, at Lahore is the pinnacle of Afghan batting in ODIs. Against one of cricket's most lethal bowling attacks, Zadran constructed a monster of an innings that lasted 226 minutes, scoring 12 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 121.23. His grit in the initial phase, along with prudent aggression in the latter phase, destroyed England's bowling strategy step by step. What made this innings all the more brilliant was the pressure of delivering against the former world champions. Zadran 177 not out not only rewrote the Afghan record books but declared Afghanistan a batting nation to be reckoned with on the international platform. Also Read | Top 10 Highest Run Chases in ODI History (2025) Ibrahim Zadran (162 vs Sri Lanka) Image Source : Getty Images Lightning struck twice for Zadran, who also holds the first two spots on Afghanistan's top ODI scores. His 162 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele proved his mettle against spin-bowling attacks. Striking 15 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 117.39, Zadran played a 226-minute knock. Eminent was his elegant footwork against Sri Lankan spinners, disturbing their lengths consistently while being flawless with shot selection. This November 2022 innings was fully the first indication of Zadran's promise to be Afghanistan's batting backbone, displaying exquisite maturity for a player from a nation that is constructing its cricketing infrastructure. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (151 vs Pakistan) Image Source : Getty Images Gurbaz's 151 against Pakistan in Hambantota came at the moment when Afghanistan most needed it.In 197 minutes, he tore apart Pakistan's world-class bowling attack with 14 fours and 3 sixes at a precise strike rate of 100. His method was particularly stunning to watch – starting muted before unfolding contained aggression on both pace and spin. It was an August 24, 2023, match characterized by Gurbaz's trademark inventiveness, running orthodox approach to contemporary finesse. Perhaps most impressive was his mental fortitude, standing tall against a bowling attack featuring some of the world’s premier fast bowlers and delivering a statement performance against Afghanistan’s geopolitical neighbors. Azmatullah Omarzai (149* vs Sri Lanka) Image Source : Getty Images Omarzai’s unbeaten 149 in Pallekele demonstrated his emergence as Afghanistan’s premier middle-order batter.Over 197 minutes, he struck 13 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 129.56 across two innings.What differentiated this February 2024 knock was Omarzai’s intelligent batting against different bowling phases – rotating strike against new bowlers while punishing the familiar ones. His ability to accelerate precisely when required prevented Sri Lanka from ever regaining control. Most notably, Omarzai achieved this batting in the lower order, keeping them safe while scoring big – the signature of a seasoned finisher which Afghanistan had been waiting for years. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (145 vs Bangladesh) Image Source : ACB Gurbaz's majestic 145 against Bangladesh in Chattogram was the signature of him as an all-round batsman. He remained unbeaten in his 177-minute innings, scoring 13 fours and 8 sixes at a strike rate of 116.00. What made this July 2023 innings stand out was Gurbaz's astute play against Bangladesh's diverse range of bowlers – namely, his dominance over their spinners on a historically spin-friendly pitch.The innings was defined by his signature big-hitting but also by increased patience and shot choice. The display placed Gurbaz among the most thrilling young cricket stars, with an old-fashioned style of play combined with modern-day aggression, and one that was on par with cricket's veteran greats. Mohammad Nabi (136 vs Sri Lanka) Image Source : Getty Images Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi’s 136 against Sri Lanka in February 2024 demonstrated his enduring value to Afghan cricket. Over 157 minutes, Nabi crafted an innings featuring 15 fours and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 104.61. What made this knock special was Nabi’s experience-driven approach – targeting specific bowlers while respecting others.His innings gained momentum precisely when Afghanistan needed acceleration, showing game awareness developed over decades of international cricket. This performance, coming in the twilight of his career, reinforced Nabi’s status as Afghanistan’s most complete cricketer, capable of delivering match-winning performances even as younger talents emerged around him. Mohammad Shahzad (131* vs Zimbabwe) Image Source : ESPN Shahzad's undefeated 131 versus Zimbabwe in 2015 is one of the historic batting performances by Afghanistan. Though statistics do not account for his residence at crease, his 133 balls had 7 fours and 8 sixes off 98.49 strike rate. Something unique about this Sharjah inning was the historical context – one in which Afghanistan had not yet discovered its cricketing identity. Shahzad's attacking batting style set the tone for Afghanistan's batting approach in the future, combining attacking stroke-play with clever risk-taking. This innings is still remarkable as one of Afghanistan's early dominant batting assertions in ODIs, helping break the myth surrounding Afghan batting capabilities on the global platform. Ibrahim Zadran (129* against Australia) Image Source : Getty Images Zadran not-out 129 against Australia at Wankhede was a demonstration of his adaptation abilities against global standard opposition. Remaining on the crease for 217 minutes, he accumulated 8 fours and 3 sixes from a strike rate of 90.20. The November 2023 innings exposed Zadran's technical prowess in the face of first-class pace bowling – something Afghan batsmen have been deprived of till date. His serenity of mind on a wicket that helped the world-class Australian pace bowling attack stood out in the specific. This innings against the-world champions reaffirmed Afghanistan's growing potential to stand their ground against cricket's best teams, and Zadran cemented himself as their technical cornerstone in demanding moments. Nawroz Mangal (129 against UAE) Image Source : Getty Images Afghanistan's first 129 by former captain Nawroz Mangal on UAE in 2014. Statistics don't indicate his crease time, but his strike rate of 104.87 on 8 fours and 4 sixes.What made this ICCA Dubai innings significant was the timing – the fact that it was when Afghanistan transitioned from Associate to full-member status. Mangal's elegant batting technique was a technical benchmark for Afghan batsmen to adopt, coupling masterful stroke-play with control on their aggression. This innings is Afghanistan's cricketing heritage that was constructed by a player who steered the team through its formative years and set batting benchmarks that are still being constructed upon by the current generation. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (127 vs Ireland) Image Source : ESPN Gurbaz completes the top 10 with his 127 against Ireland in Abu Dhabi, hit in 154 minutes at 8 fours and 9 sixes off a flawless strike rate of 100. That January 2021 showreel saw Gurbaz's regal six-hitting prowess – one of the weapons that have taken him to cricket's most destructive openers. What differentiated this innings was Gurbaz's conservative approach to the well-disciplined Irish bowling attack, systematically disassembling their game plan with a practice of dashing consistency. This was so early in his international career and hinted that Gurbaz could very much be Afghanistan's batting gem, blending raw aggression with acquired technical sophistication to present a more balanced batting package. Also Read | Mohammad Nabi ODI, Test, T20, IPL Stats & Records Conclusion The emergence of Top 10 Highest Individual Scores for Afghanistan in ODI , as seen in these record-breaking innings, is cricket's greatest success story in developing talent.From the pioneering era of Nawroz Mangal and Mohammad Shahzad to the contemporary brilliance of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghan batsmen have shattered stereotypes and rewritten the cricket story of their nation. What adds to these successes, however, is the context by which they have been attained – a nation in which cricketing infrastructure did not so much as exist two years prior. Ibrahim Zadran recent 177* vs England record-breaking score perhaps is the greatest evidence of this tale – an innings inconceivable in the infancy of cricket in Afghanistan. These innings as a whole display technical prowess but incredulous psychological stamina, tempered in the context of circumstances to deter lesser wills.With Afghanistan continuing its rise in cricketing, these batting landmarks are a testament to the human spirit prevailing over circumstance – a sporting parable of a nation perpetually rising above strife on and off it.