4 players who came close to score double ton before Sachin

The master blaster Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for scoring the first ever double hundred inlimited overs format. He achieved the milestone in the year 2010 against South Africa at Gwalior. Tendulkar previously had a best individual score of 186*. The classy stroke player treated all the Proteas’ bowlers in a brutal fashion scoring this astonishing double ton to register his name in the history books yet another time. But there are players who would have achieved this fate before Sachin Tendulkar.

Saeed Anwar (Pakistan) - 194 vs India

Saeed Anwar always had a “critical” love affair with the Indian bowlers. However, on this very occasion he was in no mood to let go the Indian bowlers. It was an usually fluent Saeed Anwar inning filled with several of his trademark cover drives and flicks and the occasional hit into the stands. By the time he finally fell to a tired looking shot and a superb catch by Sourav Ganguly off Tendulkar’s bowling, he had amassed 194 from only 146 deliveries with 22 fours and 5 maximums against his name.
Anwar’s epic innings remained the highest score in One Day Internationals for more than 12 years.

Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies) - 189 not out vs England

Another merciless batsman was Viv Richards. The Calypso willow holder was a strong as well as a power hitter of the red cherry. In an One Day International against England in 1984, he scored 189 not out to save the mighty West Indies from humiliation and single-handedly took them to a total of 272 for 9.

Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) - 189 vs India

Former Sri Lankan skipper and opener Sanath Jayasuriya was someone who could easily destruct a bowler’s economy rate when he started with his knockings. This time he was up against the Men in Blue bowlers in the final of the 2000 Coca Cola Champions Trophy played in Sharjah and what they saw next was nothing but a nightmare. He scored 189 to register a win for Sri Lankan lions.

Gary Kirsten (South Africa) - 188 not out vs UAE

Kristen’s prolific career added another feather when he scored an exciting 188* against UAE in a World cup match. It was a then highest individual score in a World cup encounter before Martin Guptill of New Zealand surpassed it during his unbeaten 237 against West Indies in the 2015 World Cup.