Two giants of the modern era clash in our round of 64 - who gets your vote?
ODI GOAT: Inzamam v Kallis
The #ODIGOAT is cricket.com.au's knockout competition to determine the greatest ODI player of all time. We've selected our top 64 ODI players and now we're asking YOU to do the hard work – that is, narrow it down to one. Set up in much the same way as a tennis tournament, each day you'll see head-to-head match-ups, with the winner of those progressing to the next round to square off with their next challenger. From 64, we'll go to 32, to 16, 8, 4 and ultimately our final. So cast your VOTE and decide just who is the greatest ODI player in history!
JACQUES KALLIS (SOUTH AFRICA)
Matches: 328 | Runs: 11,579 | Average: 44.36 | SR: 72.89 | 100s: 17 | HS: 139
Wickets: 273 | Average: 31.79 | SR: 39.3 | Economy: 4.84 | BB: 5.30 | 5fa's: 2
Why he makes the list: Perhaps the most complete player since legendary West Indies allrounder Sir Garfield Sobers, Jacques Kallis was the ultimate cricketer. An allrounder who genuinely merited selection for either his prolific batting or potent bowling, Kallis provided an irreplaceable balance to the Proteas XI that was only fully appreciated when he was no longer in it. A master technician with the blade, he was never more destructive when lifting that front elbow nice and high and hitting over cover with ease. As a seam bowler he was crafty, able to hit the mid-140kph region in his pomp while clever enough to know when to pull it back. He is one of five players with more than 5,000 runs and 200 wickets. He averaged a man-of-the-match performance every 10 games. And for an allrounder whose broad frame shouldered an unthinkable workload, perhaps his greatest attribute was his longevity, tabling an 18-year career that defied sports science and had his peers seriously asking the question: is he the greatest player of all time?
Performance we loved: His first century came in 1998 against New Zealand. His last century came against India 12 years later. Somewhere in the middle, right around November 22, 2006, Kallis produced a splendid ton and chipped in with a few wickets for good measure. His unbeaten 119 guided South Africa to 8-248 against Rahul Dravid's India. The run chase never got going - India faltering under the pressure and pace of Shaun Pollock and Andre Nel. Kallis swooped in towards the end, taking 3 for 3 from 25 deliveries as the Proteas dismissed the tourists for 91.
INZAMAM-UL-HAQ (PAKISTAN)
Matches: 378 | Runs: 11,739 | Average: 39.52 | SR: 74.24 | 100s: 10 | HS: 137no
Why he makes the list: A batting pillar in every sense, Inzamam-ul-Haq was a roadblock in Pakistan's middle-order few could easily overcome. Debuting as a lean 21-year-old in 1991, Inzamam was an explosive hitter capable of quick-fire cameos at the back-end of an innings. Those traits were never more evident than in the 1992 World Cup, where his late charges propelled Pakistan through to the title. As the years and runs added up so did his girth, transforming him into a colossus at the crease while never losing his fleet feet. It did however contribute to his dire running between the wickets and the downfall of many of his batting partners. Imran Khan called 'Inzy' the "the best batsman in the world against pace" but he was also sublime against spin, scoring more ODI runs than any other Pakistani. His career ended at the conclusion of the forgettable 2007 World Cup, but not before cementing his place as one of Pakistan's greats.
Performance we loved: Against tournament co-hosts New Zealand in the '92 World Cup semi, Inzy pulled out a gem of an innings to lift Pakistan into the final. The then lanky right-hander used all his leverage to whip the Black Caps to all parts of Auckland's Eden Park, registering seven fours and a six in his whirlwind 37-ball 60. It was a magical innings for a batsman whose star was on the rise, and the momentum Inzamam helped create was carried into the tournament decider and ultimately victory.
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