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Strike rate refers to two different statistics in the sport of cricket. Batting strike rate is a measure of how quickly a batter achieves the primary goal of batting, namely scoring runs, measured in runs per 100 balls; higher is better. Bowling strike rate is a measure of how quickly a bowler achieves the primary goal of bowling, namely taking wickets (i.e. getting batters out), measured in balls per wicket; lower is better. For bowlers, economy rate is a more frequently discussed statistic.

Both strike rates are relatively new statistics, having only been invented and considered of importance after the introduction of One Day International cricket in the 1970s.

Batting strike rate

Batting strike rate (s/r) is defined for a batter as the average number of runs scored per 100 balls faced. The higher the strike rate, the more effective a batter is at scoring quickly.

In Test cricket, a batter's strike rate is of secondary importance to ability to score runs without getting out. This means a Test batter's most important statistic is generally considered to be batting average, rather than strike rate.

In limited overs cricket, strike rates are of considerably more importance. Since each team only faces a limited number of balls in an innings, the faster a batter scores, the more runs the team will be able to accumulate. Strike rates of over 150 are becoming common in Twenty20 cricket. Strike rate is probably considered by most as the key factor in a batter in one day cricket. Accordingly, the batters with higher strike rates, especially in Twenty20 matches, are more valued than those with a lesser strike rate. Strike rate is also used to compare a batter’s ability to score runs against differing forms of bowling (eg spin bowling, fast bowling), often giving an indication to the bowling team as to how successfully to limit a batter's ability to score.

Highest career strike rate (T20I)

Strike rate	Runs scored	Balls faced	Batter	Span
177.29	656	370	Kayron Stagno†	2022–2024
176.01	477	271	Bilal Zalmai†	2019–2024
172.02	1,402	815	Faisal Khan†	2019–2024
170.42	438	257	Oli Hairs†	2019–2024
167.86	2,570	1,531	Suryakumar Yadav†	2021–2024
Qualification: 250 balls. Updated: 19 December 2024

Highest career strike rate (ODI)

Men's One Day Internationals:

Rank	Strike rate	Player	Team	Runs	Balls faced	Period
1	130.22	Andre Russell	West Indies	1034	794	2011–2019
2	126.35	Glenn Maxwell	Australia	3950	3126	2012–2024
3	117.11	Jos Buttler	England	5022	4288	2012–2023
4	117.06	Lionel Cann	Bermuda	590	504	2006–2009
5	117.00	Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	8064	6892	1996–2015
Last updated: 10 November 2024
Qualification: Faced at least 500 balls.

Women's One Day Internationals:

Strike rate	Player	Runs	Balls faced	Period
108.35	Ashleigh Gardner	1,050	969	2017–2024
99.52	Chloe Tryon	1,871	1,880	2011–2024
98.06	Alyssa Healy	3,045	3,105	2010–2024
95.38	Nat Sciver-Brunt	3,696	3,875	2013–2024
93.51	Annabel Sutherland	692	740	2011–2023
Qualification: 500 balls faced. Last updated: 21 December 2024.

Bowling strike rate

Bowling strike rate is defined for a bowler as the average number of balls bowled per wicket taken. The lower the strike rate, the more effective a bowler is at taking wickets quickly.

Although introduced as a statistic complementary to the batting strike rate during the ascension of one-day cricket in the 1980s, bowling strike rates are arguably of more importance in Test cricket than One-day Internationals. This is because the primary goal of a bowler in Test cricket is to take wickets, whereas in a one-day match it is often sufficient to bowl economically - giving away as few runs as possible even if this means taking fewer wickets.

Best career strike rate (ODI and T20I)

Best career strike rate (Tests)

Retired players (Men) Strike rate Player Country Balls Wickets 34.19 George Lohmann  ENG 3830 112 37.73 J. J. Ferris  AUS /  ENG 2302 61 38.75 Shane Bond  NZ 3372 87 41.65 Sydney Barnes  ENG 7873 189 42.38 Dale Steyn  RSA 18608 439 Qualification: 2,000 balls Last updated: 27 July 2023

Retired players (Women) Strike rate Player Country Balls Wickets 38.7 Julia Greenwood  ENG 1123 29 42.4 Betty Wilson  AUS 2885 68 48.4 Mary Duggan  ENG 3734 77 50.4 Patricia Whittaker  WIN 1260 25 51.1 Katherine Sciver-Brunt  ENG 2611 51 Qualification: 1,000 balls Last updated: 27 July 2023

Active players (Men) Strike rate Player Country Balls Wickets 37.37 Kuldeep Yadav  India 2,093 56 37.49 Marco Jansen  South Africa 2,362 63 38.79 Jayden Seales  West Indies 2,793 72 38.84 Duanne Olivier  South Africa 2,292 59 39.11 Kagiso Rabada  South Africa 12,477 319 Qualification: 2,000 balls

Active players (Women) Strike rate Player Country Balls Wickets 47.30 Ashleigh Gardner  AUS 1088 23 52.84 Ellyse Perry  AUS 2061 39 58.56 Kate Cross  ENG 1464 25 64.50 Sophie Ecclestone  ENG 2064 32 Qualification: 1000 balls Last updated: 27 July 2023

References

1. "T20I matches | Batting records | Highest career strike rate | ESPNcricinfo".
2. "Twenty20 Internationals | Batting records | Highest career strike rate". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
3. "Highest strike rate in One Day International cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
4. "Batting records / Women's One-Day Internationals / Cricinfo Statsguru / ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
5. ^ "Test matches – Bowling records – Best career strike rate". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
6. "Women Test matches | Bowling records | Best career strike rate". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
7. "Bowling records | Women's Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo.

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