Top 10 ODI innings of 2014

1. Rohit Sharma (264 off 173 balls vs Sri Lanka, Kolkata):

Rohit Sharma, returning from finger and shoulder injuries that kept him out of international cricket for almost two-and-a half months, smashed the highest individual score in ODI history at the Eden Gardens on November 13. The 27-year-old, who opened the innings, took 72 balls to reach his fifty but after that hit top gear and his next four fifties came off 28, 25, 26 and 15 balls. In all, he hit 33 fours and nine sixes. Not only did he become the first batsman to score two ODI double-hundreds, Rohit also broke Virender Sehwag's record of highest individual score (219) as India posted a mammoth 404 in pursuit of which Sri Lanka could only manage 251 all out.

2. Corey Anderson (131* off 47 balls vs West Indies, Queenstown:

The first international match of the year took place on January 1 and it was a landmark one. Playing his seventh ODI - which was reduced to 21 overs-a-side after rain, New Zealand's Anderson took 36 balls to hit the fastest ODI ton, thus breaking Shahid Afridi's record set in 1996 by one ball. Jesse Ryder also scored 104 off 51 balls but star billing went to Anderson who hit six fours and 14 sixes, as New Zealand (283) beat West Indies by 159 runs.

3. AB de Villiers (136* off 106 balls vs Australia, Harare):

When South Africa, chasing 328 against the hosts during the tri-series in the latter half of 2014, were reduced to 51 for 2 in nine overs, it appeared the match was out of their reach. However, de Villiers played a blinder of an innings, hitting 11 fours and two sixes to help his team convincingly go over the line in 46.4 overs with seven wickets in hand.

4. Faf du Plessis (106 off 98 balls vs Australia):

In the same series, Du Plessis played a big hand. With de Villiers, he added 251 off 174 balls for the third wicket to annihilate the Australian bowling. du Plessis, who went on to score two more hundreds in South Africa's triumph, hit 11 fours and one six during the course of his innings.

5. James Faulkner (69* off 47 vs England, Brisbane):

Chasing 301 to win the second ODI, when Australia found themselves 244/9 in 44 overs, it looked like it was all over bar the shouting. In such a hopeless situation, Faulkner rose to the occasion and in an unbeaten 33-ball 57-run stand with Clint McKay scored 55 to lead his team to a famous win. Australia needed 12 runs from the last over bowled by Tim Bresnan and Faulkner hit three fours off the first three balls to seal victory. Besides those fours, the allrounder also hit five sixes.

6. Suresh Raina (100 off 75 balls vs England, Cardiff):

After a 3-1 thrashing in the preceding Test series and a wash-out in the ODI series opener, India found their saviour on August 27 in Suresh Raina who joined Rohit Sharma at the crease with India at 110 for 3. Raina batted with flair and thanks to his innings - studded with 12 fours and three sixes - India posted 304 for 6 in the chase of which England could only manage 161 all out. The tourists went on to win the five-game series 3-1 and Raina's innings went a long way towards achieving that.

7. Jos Buttler (121* off 74 balls vs Sri Lanka, Lord's):

The wicketkeeper-batsman scored the fastest ODI hundred for England - off just 61 balls. However, despite Buttler's heroic efforts the hosts, chasing 301 to win, fell short by seven runs. They needed 12 runs in the last over bowled by Lasith Malinga and the fast bowler removed Buttler, who hit 11 fours and four sixes, and Chris Jordan to stop England. But Buttler had made an impact, and it was that innings that earned him a Test debut later in the summer.

8. Mitchell Marsh (86* off 51 balls vs South Africa, Harare):

This was the match that brought the big-hitting allrounder to prominence. Marsh joined George Bailey at the fall of the late Phillip Hughes at 152 for 4 in 34.4 overs and after scoring his first 29 runs off 31 balls, cut loose against Dale Steyn with three consecutive sixes. His next 57 runs came off just 20 balls to drive Australia to 282 for 7. South Africa could only manage 220 in reply.

9. Sohaib Maqsood (89* off 73 balls vs Sri Lanka, Hambantota):

Chasing 276 to win in 45 overs, Pakistan were staring at defeat at 106 for 5 in 22.3 overs and needed a special innings to turn things around. Maqsood played that innings and his 147-run stand with Fawad Alam laid the foundations of a four-wicket win with one ball to spare. The 27-year-old hit nine fours but his ability to judge singles and doubles to perfection was what particularly striking.

10. Marlon Samuels (126* off 116 balls vs India, Kochi):

West Indies managed to beat India in the first ODI largely because of Samuels' innings which was laced with 11 fours and four sixes. Samuels displayed his brutal power and led visiting team to 321 after which India were dismissed for 197 in 41 overs. West Indies pulled out of the tour after the fourth ODI on account of a salary dispute with their home board but Samuels' innings was one of the most abiding memories from the controversial tour.