‘Yes! No! Oh #@$%!’: The 9 most run-out batters in ODI cricket

Jonhenry Wilson 11 Sep 2025

India's Rahul Dravid was involved in too many run-outs.

It is fair to say that white-ball cricket is about taking risks. The shots that are played may come with high returns, but there is plenty of risk involved as well.

The same applies to running between the wickets where the goal is always to keep the fielders under pressure and to turn ones into twos and twos into threes.

Sometimes the risks involved in pushing the limits of running between the wickets result in dismissal… and in some instances it’s not about risk, it is simply the case of a batsman being bad between the wickets.

Let’s take a moment to look at which batters have been dismissed most by run outs in ODI cricket.

1. Wasim Akram (Pakistan): 38 run-outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 13.57%

For a man regarded as one of the greatest left-arm bowlers in cricket history, Pakistan‘s Wasim Akram also had a curious batting record – particularly when it came to running between the wickets.

Akram’s career spanned two decades, and while he was a valuable lower-order hitter who could change games with cameos, his running often let him down. His 38 run outs remain a record in ODIs, and it was partly due to his aggressive but sometimes reckless approach.

Lower-order batsmen are often caught in tricky situations when batting with tailenders, which may partly explain his numbers, but Akram’s reputation as a poor judge of quick singles stuck throughout his career.

He was a big man, quick when he got going, but like an oil-tanker it took him a while to get up to top speed and he didn’t turn easily.

2. Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan): 38 run-outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 11.80%

Inzamam-ul-Haq shares the top spot with Akram, and unlike Akram, Inzamam was a top-order batsman who often had time and partners to construct innings. Yet his running was famously poor.

Stories of Inzamam’s sluggish calling and lack of urgency have become part of cricket folklore. Quite simply, Inzamam never really seemed to like running, preferring to deal in boundaries or casual walks from crease to crease.

Despite his immense batting talent – more than 11,000 ODI runs – he seemed perpetually at risk of being stranded mid-pitch. Teammates occasionally joked that batting with Inzamam required a strong pair of lungs to shout “yes” or “no” repeatedly.

His run-out tally is a reminder that even the most stylish batsmen can falter in the basics.

Inzamam was on the wrong end of perhaps the most famous run out of all time, when South African Jonty Rhodes gathered the ball at point, sprinted and dived full-length into the stumps to affect his removal during the 1992 World Cup.

3. Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka): 37 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 16.09%

Marvan Atapattu’s story is one of resilience. After famously beginning his Test career with five ducks in his first six innings, he went on to establish himself as a mainstay of Sri Lanka’s top order.

In ODIs, though, he had a peculiar record of being run out 37 times – a remarkably high 16% of his dismissals. Atapattu was not known for lightning speed between the wickets, and in the hustle of the one-day format, he was regularly caught short.

This high percentage suggests that while he was technically sound at the crease, his running awareness lagged behind his batting ability.

Also read: Ranked – The 7 most immense knocks at No.6 in Test cricket

4. Mohammad Azharuddin (India): 32 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 10.39%

A batsman of grace and timing, Mohammad Azharuddin was one of India’s finest in the 1980s and 1990s. His wristy stroke-play made him a joy to watch, but his judgement when pushing quick singles occasionally betrayed him.

With 32 run outs, Azharuddin was far from the most cumbersome mover, but his tendency to push his luck left him vulnerable. Running mix-ups with teammates became a recurrent theme, particularly when batting with younger partners keen to impress.

Yet despite this flaw, Azharuddin’s place in India’s one-day history remains significant, with over 9,000 runs to his name.

5. Mark Waugh (Australia) – 32 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 13.56%

Mark Waugh, one half of the famous Waugh twins, was a stylish top-order batsman for Australia who often took the attack to bowlers in the first 15 overs. Despite his elegance, Waugh was not immune to lapses in running.

With 32 run outs, his percentage mirrors that of Wasim Akram, a testament to how frequently he was caught short despite being a specialist batsman.

Waugh’s ability to place the ball into gaps was unquestioned, but his eagerness to convert those placements into quick singles sometimes left him vulnerable. He was a master stroke player, but not always a master of the quick dash for Australia.

6. Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka): 30 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 11.76%

Arjuna Ranatunga was the heart and soul of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning team, a captain who led with tactical nous and stubborn resilience. But running between the wickets was never his strong suit.

Stocky and on the heavier side, he was rarely in a hurry. Ranatunga was infamous for preferring boundaries over quick singles. He was run out 30 times, a reflection of both his unwillingness to sprint and his opponents’ awareness of his limitations.

Still, his ability to guide Sri Lanka to victory with a calm head often overshadowed his shortcomings in the field of running.

7. Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan): 30 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 15.71%

Mohammad Yousuf, formerly known as Yousuf Youhana, was among Pakistan’s most elegant stroke-makers. His calmness at the crease often contrasted with the chaos that sometimes unfolded when he tried to steal singles.

With 30 run outs from just 191 matches, Yousuf has one of the highest run-out percentages on this list at nearly 16%. His tendency to ball-watch rather than partner-watch meant he was occasionally caught off guard.

Despite this, Yousuf’s batting class was never in doubt, with more than 9,000 ODI runs to his name.

8. Rahul Dravid (India): 29 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 11.65%

Rahul Dravid, ‘The Wall’ of Indian cricket, was renowned for his composure and technique. In ODIs, however, his running between the wickets wasn’t flawless.

Dravid was dismissed 29 times by run out, and while he was not particularly slow, he sometimes fell victim to hesitation.

Running with aggressive partners like Virender Sehwag or Sourav Ganguly occasionally led to mix-ups, with Dravid paying the price. Nevertheless, his tally of more than 10,000 ODI runs demonstrates how his consistency and temperament outweighed any running struggles.

9. Allan Border (Australia): 28 run outs

Percentage of dismissals by run out: 11.11%

Allan Border was Australia’s rock through the 1980s, leading a generation from mediocrity to competitiveness. His running record, though, was less than perfect. With 28 run outs, Border joins this list as another captain whose calling and speed were not always aligned.

The Australian batting line-up often revolved around him, which may have forced him into taking risks to maintain the tempo. While his run-out record does not inspire admiration, his legacy as a captain and batsman is unquestioned.