Top 10 lowest team totals in ODI cricket

Zimbabwe have recorded three of the 10 lowest totals in ODI cricket.

ODI cricket comes with many surprises for the fans as it sometimes seems like a longer version of T20 cricket and a shorter version of test cricket. Over the years, fans have witnessed some very unexpected things in this format – like England reaching almost 500 and South Africa chasing down 435.

While batters have been dominating white-ball cricket, some innings have ended with shockingly low scores. That’s what we will discuss here.

In this article, we will talk about the top ten lowest team totals in ODI cricket. In history, nine times a team has been dismissed for fewer runs than 60!

List of the 10 lowest team totals in ODI cricket:

10. Sri Lanka – 50 All out vs India, 2023

Who can forget the spell of Mohammed Siraj in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 when he rattled the Sri Lankan batting order in Colombo?

Batting first, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 50 runs in 15.2 overs, with only two batters reaching double figures. Siraj took 6/21 in that game. India made 51/0 to win the game by ten wickets and 263 balls to spare. This was Sri Lanka’s second-lowest ODI total.

9. Namibia – 45 All out vs Australia, 2003

The lowest team total against Australia in ODI cricket was registered by Namibia during the 2003 Cricket World Cup in Potchefstroom. This was the 31st game of the tournament when Glenn McGrath registered the best bowling figures in men’s ODI World Cup history.

Australia posted a big total of 301/6, with Matthew Hayden (88 off 73), Andrew Symonds (59 off 63), and Darren Lehmann (50* off 31) scoring half-centuries. In reply, Namibia couldn’t survive McGrath’s spell and were bowled out for 45 runs. McGrath took 7/15 in 7 overs.

8. Canada – 45 All out vs England, 1979

Canada made their international debut during the 1979 ODI World Cup and competed against other established teams. There, they registered a low score of 45 runs in Manchester against England.

Canada were bowled out in 40.3 overs for 45 runs. Franklyn Dennis (21 off 99) was the top scorer. For England, Bob Wills (4/11) and Chris Old (4/8) took four wickets each. In reply, England made 46/2 in 13.5 overs and won the game.

7. Zimbabwe – 44 All out vs Bangladesh, 2009

Zimbabwe have recorded many low scores in ODI cricket. One of them came against Bangladesh during their tour in November 2009. It was the fourth ODI of the series in Chattogram, where Zimbabwe had a horrible batting collapse.

They got all out for 44 runs in 24.5 overs, with only two batters scoring in double digits. Enamul Haque jnr (3/16) and Shakib Al Hasan (3/8) took three wickets each. Bangladesh also lost early wickets, but reached 49/4 in 11.5 overs to win the game.

6. Pakistan – 43 All out vs West Indies, 1993

Pakistan’s lowest team total in ODI cricket came in a game against West Indies during a tri-series in South Africa in February 1993. This was the ninth game of the series, and Pakistan put up a poor batting display.

They were all-out for 43 runs in 19.5 overs, with Zahid Fazal (21) scoring the most runs. Courtney Walsh (4/16) and Anderson Cummins (3/11) demolished Pakistan’s batting. West Indies took 12.5 overs to score 45/3 and won by seven wickets.

5. Sri Lanka – 43 All out vs South Africa, 2012

Sri Lanka’s lowest total in ODI cricket came against South Africa in their tour in 2012. This was the first game in Paarl where South Africa made 301/8. Hashim Amla made 112 and Jacques Kallis scored 72.

In reply, Sri Lanka lost seven wickets in the first ten overs and got bowled out for 43 runs in 20.1 overs, losing the game by 258 runs. Morne Morkel (4/10) and Lonwabo Tsotsobe (3/19) were the stars with the ball.

4. Zimbabwe – 38 All out vs Sri Lanka, 2001

Chaminda Vaas holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODI history. He registered that against Zimbabwe in December 2001 in Colombo when he took 8/19 and became the first bowler with an 8-wicket haul in ODI cricket.

In that game, Zimbabwe got all out for just 38 runs in 15.4 overs and recorded the fourth-lowest ODI total. Sri Lanka made 40/1 in 4.2 overs and won with 274 balls to spare.

3. Canada – 36 All out vs Sri Lanka, 2003

The lowest total in the history of the ODI World Cup belongs to Canada. This came during the 2003 edition against Sri Lanka in Paarl. Sri Lanka won the toss and asked Canada to bat first. Prabath Nissanka (4/12) and Chaminda Vaas (3/15) bowled a superb opening spell and dismissed five batters within the powerplay.

Canada couldn’t recover from that position and were bowled out for 36 runs. Sri Lanka made 37/1 in 4.4 overs.

2. USA – 35 All out vs Nepal, 2020

USA have the joint-lowest total in ODI cricket under their belt, which they managed during the Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2020 against Nepal in Kirtipur. Sandeep Lamichhane bowled an incredible spell of spin bowling and took 6/16 in six overs.

USA batters couldn’t read him, and the whole team got dismissed for 35 runs in 12 overs. Nepal chased down the target in 5.2 overs and won the game by 8 wickets.

1. Zimbabwe – 35 All out vs Sri Lanka, 2004

There might not be many scorecards in ODI cricket where the extras made the most contribution to the innings. One rare instance of this was recorded between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in April 2004 in Harare. The first innings in the match saw none of the 11 batters from Zimbabwe reach double digits.

They were bowled out for 35 runs, which included seven extras. Chaminda Vaas (4/11) and Fraveez Maharoof (3/3) bowled superbly. Sri Lanka made 40/1 in 9.2 overs and won the match by nine wickets.

(All stats updated till 19th September, 2024)

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