Breetzke is tearing up ODI cricket

Matthew Breetzke is wasting little time making his mark in ODIs, with the Proteas batter continuing his remarkable start with a brilliant century against Australia at Kingsmead in Durban.

Breetzke struck 112 off 106 balls, hammering 14 fours and two sixes as South Africa posted 297/8 in the opening ODI. His knock also included a crucial 107-run sixth-wicket partnership with Marco Jansen, who blasted 75 from 59 balls.

But Breetzke’s latest century carries even greater significance.

The 27-year-old has now amassed 822 runs from his first 14 ODI innings, giving him an average of 63.23, as shown in the supplied graphic. His tally puts him comfortably ahead of the leading South African batters at the same stage of their careers.

Arms aloft 🙌

Matthew Breetzke has his second ODI century 👏💯

📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/aARa8o2wo2 — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) September 24, 2026

Janneman Malan is next with 763 runs, followed by Rassie van der Dussen with 664, Temba Bavuma with 644 and Hashim Amla with 567.

Even more impressively, Breetzke’s 822 runs are a world record for the most runs scored after a batter’s first 14 ODI innings, surpassing Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq, who had 759.

Breetzke’s extraordinary ODI journey began with a bang when he smashed 150 against New Zealand on debut in February 2025, the highest score by a men’s ODI debutant.

He followed that with four consecutive half-centuries, quickly establishing a reputation for consistency at international level.

Now, after 14 innings, Breetzke has two centuries and six fifties to his name.

It remains early days, but the numbers are becoming impossible to ignore.

Breetzke is not simply knocking on the door of ODI cricket. He has kicked it down and is rewriting the record books.