In the world of cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup is without a doubt one of the most eagerly awaited and joyous occasions. Throughout its history, this esteemed tournament has seen innumerable exhilarating matches, amazing performances, and memorable moments. While the World Cup is frequently linked to the excitement of high-scoring games and amazing individual skill displays, there is a less glamorous aspect to the competition: the times when teams find it difficult to score runs. Scroll down to read Top 10 Lowest Team Totals in ICC ODI World Cup History.
The sport of cricket is renowned for its unpredictable nature. It is possible for the pitch, the opposition, the players’ mindset, and the weather to combine on any given day to produce a difficult batting situation.
The pressure increases during the World Cup when teams are put to the test in front of a global audience. We shall thus examine the top ten lowest team totals in ODI World Cup history in this blog.
Top 10 Lowest Team Totals in ICC ODI World Cup History
Canada vs Sri Lanka
In the 2003 ODI World Cup, Canada’s score against Sri Lanka was the lowest in the history of the tournament. Canada batted first at Paarl and was dismissed for 36 runs in 18.4 overs. With nine runs each, Desmond Chumney and skipper Joe Harris led Canada in scoring. With four wickets, Prabath Nissanka was Sri Lanka’s main wrecker. After that, Sri Lanka won by nine wickets after scoring the necessary run in 4.4 overs.
Canada vs England
Canada had the record for the lowest total in ODI World Cup history before this. England bowled out Canada for 45 runs in the 1979 Prudential World Cup in Manchester. With 21 points, Franklyn Dennis led Canada in scoring. Bob Willis and Chris Old of England both claimed four wickets. In the end, the English won by eight wickets. The second-lowest score in the history of the ODI Cricket World Cup is 45 runs, scored by Canada.
Namibia vs Australia
In the ODI World Cup, Namibia’s cricket team is ranked third among teams with the lowest totals. Australia, the defending champions, bowled Namibia out for forty-five during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in Potchefstroom. With ten goals, skipper Deon Kotze led Namibia in scoring. Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath claimed seven wickets. Earlier, Darren Lehmann’s unbroken fifty, Andrew Symonds’ sixty-nine, and Matthew Hayden’s eighty-eight helped Australia to 301/6 in fifty overs.
Sri Lanka vs India
India scored 357/8 in their allotted 50 overs thanks to their potent batting display against Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match played in Mumbai on November 2, 2023. On the other hand, Sri Lanka could not establish a rhythm, managing just 55 runs in 19.4 overs. India outperformed the other team, winning by a margin of 302 runs. Mohammed Shami was declared Man of the Match for his outstanding performance, which included taking five wickets for just eighteen runs in five overs and greatly aiding India’s victory. With 55 runs, Sri Lanka has the fourth-lowest total in the history of the ODI World Cup.
Bangladesh vs West Indies
In the history of the ICC World Cup, Bangladesh’s 2011 total against the West Indies was the lowest by a hosting nation. The Caribbean squad led by Darren Sammy bowled first in this match in Mirpur. The home audience was furious as the Tigers were bowled out for 58 runs in 18.5 overs. Captain Sammy and Kemar Roach both took three wickets, while Sulieman Benn got four. Nevertheless, Roach’s 3/19 effort—which included significant wickets from Mohammed Ashraful, Tamil Iqbal, and Mayaid Siddique—was deemed the player of the match.
Scotland Vs West Indies
In the 1999 edition, the West Indies performed poorly, finishing outside the semi-finals. Nonetheless, they did win a significant match against Scotland in Leicester thanks to some excellent bowling performances. Scotland was bowled out for 68 runs in 31.3 overs after they had batted first. Curtley Ambrose, Hendy Bryan, and Reon King all claimed two wickets apiece, but Courtney Walsh stole the show for the Caribbean team with a 3/7 session. After needing 10.1 overs to chase the total, they prevailed by eight wickets.
Kenya vs New Zealand
In an ICC Cricket World Cup group stage match in 2011, Kenya faced New Zealand. Kenya was bowled out for their lowest World Cup score of 69 in just 23.5 overs after electing to bat first, and the Kiwis smashed the mark in eight overs. New Zealand emerged victorious in the World Cup for the second-fastest time ever, needing just 31.5 overs to win the match overall.
Pakistan vs England
History changed in 1992 when Pakistan emerged victorious in the World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. They had a difficult start to the season, though, winning just one of their first five games. In their encounter against England, Pakistan’s batting performance was poor. Still, the incessant rain saved them from a disastrous loss. In the overcast conditions of Adelaide, Pakistan batted for 40.2 overs but only scored 74 runs.
Ireland vs Sri Lanka
In 2007, Sri Lanka made it to the World Cup finals and won a silver medal, among other notable triumphs. One such instance was when they bowled the European squad out for 77 runs in 27.4 overs against Ireland. Farveez Maharoof eliminated Eoin Morgan, the captain of England, in the 2019 World Cup with his 4/25. Muralitharan claimed four wickets in the eight-wick victory for Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh vs South Africa
In the group stages, Bangladesh’s first opportunity to host produced two sub-100 scores. In the second game, they were trounced by 206 runs despite only scoring 78 runs in the second inning against South Africa. The Proteas batters scored 284/8 in the first inning, with 50s from Hashim Amla, Jaques Kallis, and Faf du Plessis leading the way. To secure an overwhelming victory, Lonwabo Tsotsobe (3/14) and Robin Peterson (4/12) destroyed Bangladesh’s batting order in response.
Also read, The Art Of Cricket Batting Decoded
