On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Matthew Breetzke scored 34 off 28 balls in the second ODI against Australia, extending his career total to 856 runs from 15 innings at an average of 61.14, continuing his incredible start to ODI cricket. His own world record for the most runs scored in the first 15 innings of an ODI career was further extended by the six boundaries included in the effort.
On September 24, 2026, at Kingsmead in Durban, Matthew Breetzke smashed the previous world record by hitting 112 off 106 balls in the first ODI of this series against Australia. Imam-ul-Haq, the opener for Pakistan, had scored 759 runs in his first 14 ODI innings, but that innings, which included 14 fours and two sixes, increased his total to 822 runs from 14 innings. His most recent performance in the second ODI has made it much more impossible to meet that standard.
How did Matthew Breetzke swiftly amass his record-breaking total?
With 710 runs from 13 innings, Matthew Breetzke was within striking distance of Imam-ul-Haq’s record going into the first ODI against Australia. His century at Kingsmead on September 24, 2026, adding 112 runs in a single game to break the record, and his contribution of 34 runs in the second ODI on September 27, 2026, increased the total.
Prior to the second ODI, Matthew Breetzke had struck two hundreds and six fifties in his 14 innings in the format, demonstrating a level of consistency that supports his high average. On February 10, 2025, he made his ODI debut against New Zealand, setting the tone right away. He struck 150, the highest score ever achieved by a batter on an ODI debut, surpassing West Indian Desmond Haynes’ 148 from 1978. Born on November 3, 1998, Matthew Breetzke broke Imam-ul-Haq’s record in the first ODI at the age of 27.
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Breetzke now holds the record for the most runs scored by a batsman in their first 15 ODI innings. This benchmark captures both volume and consistency during the early stages of an international career. With 856 runs at an average of 61.14 after just 15 innings, he surpasses the former record holder, Imam-ul-Haq, who had established the previous record with 759 runs from 14 innings.
Most runs in the first 15 ODI innings
856 – Matthew Breetzke (Avg: 61.14)
803 – Imam-ul-Haq (61.77)
789 – Janneman Malan (60.69)
786 – Kevin Pietersen (87.33)
769 – Aqib Ilyas (59.15)
