Longest ODI careers: Zimbabwe’s Brendan Taylor enters all-time top 3, breaks 21st century world record in ZIM-SL match | Cricket News

Veteran Zimbabwe batter Brendan Taylor continues to extend the boundaries of his successful comeback to international cricket following his lengthy absence from the sport after his suspension on the grounds of corruption.
The 39-year-old Taylor recently completed his three-and-a-half-year ban the International Cricket Council (ICC), returning with scores of 44 and 7 in his first match since 2021, facing up against New Zealand in a Test in Harare earlier in August. Taylor then became the man with the longest Test career among all those who have debuted in the 21st century, and standing among the highest-ever in the hory of the longest format.
Taylor breaks 21st century ODI record
Gearing up his first ODI match in four years in Harare on Friday, Taylor also broke the 21st century record for the longest ODI career among all batters who have debuted in the 50-over game since January 1, 2001.
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Taylor, who made his ODI debut in Bulawayo against Sri Lanka on April 20, 2004, returned for Zimbabwe against the same opposition in Harare to achieve the landmark. Taylor surpassed compatriot Sean Williams (19y 300d) for the longest ODI careers among players to have debuted in this century. The right-handed wicketkeeper-batter also broke into the top 3 of all time, surpassing Pakan legend Javed Miandad (20y 272d). Interestingly, only Sachin Tendulkar (22y 91d) and Sanath Jayasuriya (21y 184d) now stand ahead of Taylor in terms of longevity in men’s ODI cricket.
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Since 1989, only India legend Tendulkar has recorded a longer Test career than Taylor, having appeared in 200 Tests spanning across 24 years and 1 day.
Zimbabwean heavyweight
Taylor remains one of Zimbabwe’s most prolific batters and has recorded the most centuries for the country (11) in the format. A hero at the 2015 ODI World Cup with 433 runs and two centuries in six innings, Taylor is only 103 runs short of surpassing Andy Flower as Zimbabwe’s highest run-scorer in ODIs.Story continues below this ad
Brendan Taylor ODI record: Matches – 206; Runs – 6684; HS: 145*; Ave: 35.55; 100s – 11; 50s – 39.
Longest ODI careers

Player
From
To
Span
Mat

Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
18 Dec 1989
18 Mar 2012
22y 91d
463

Sanath Jayasuriya (Asia/SL)
26 Dec 1989
28 Jun 2011
21y 184d
445

Brendan Taylor (ZIM)
20 Apr 2004
29 Aug 2025*
21y 132d
206

Javed Miandad (PAK)
11 Jun 1975
9 Mar 1996
20y 272d
233

Chris Gayle (ICC/WI)
11 Sep 1999
14 Aug 2019
19y 337d
301

Sean Williams (ZIM)
25 Feb 2005
21 Dec 2024
19y 300d
162

Shoaib Malik (PAK)
14 Oct 1999
16 Jun 2019
19y 245d
287

Aravinda de Silva (SL)
31 Mar 1984
18 Mar 2003
18y 352d
308

Mushfiqur Rahim (BAN)
6 Aug 2006
24 Feb 2025
18y 202d
274

Jacques Kallis (Afr/ICC/SA)
9 Jan 1996
12 Jul 2014
18y 184d
328

Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/PAK)
2 Oct 1996
20 Mar 2015
18y 169d
398