Teams with Lowest Totals in ODI World Cup History

Teams with lowest totals in ODI World Cup History: The hype created around ODI World Cups is inevitable as it is one of the biggest extravaganzas of Cricket History. Teams & their players just dream of winning ODI World Cups & adding a plethora of trophies in their kitties. A stage where teams put their every effort to reach the heights of success by registering massive wins, there are times when teams fail to post even an average total on board. This results in teams tasting humiliating defeats at the biggest stage of World Cricket. In every edition of the marquee event, there comes a point when a team fails drastically to deliver with the willow & ends up registering the lowest scores of that particular edition of the World Cup.

Just as the highest team totals manage to grab the limelight, the lowest team totals get the attention of fans for all the wrong reasons. In the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 too Sri Lankan team ended up displaying another disappointing show against India suffering a massive 300+ runs defeat. There have been many such incidents in the history of the ODI World Cup that a renowned team has ended up registering meager totals on board. In this post, we will study the top 5 teams who have registered the lowest team totals in the ODI World Cup history & gather attention for all bad reasons.

Top 5 Teams with Lowest Totals in ODI World Cup History

1. Canada 36 all out vs SL, ODI World Cup 2003

What happened as a major turn of events is that the rampaging Sri Lankan unit outclassed associated Canada for just 36 runs in 19 overs in the ODI World Cup 2003. It was Sri Lanka’s standout bowler, Chaminda Vaas who resulted in Canada’s downfall by scalping three wickets in his opening spell. He received much assistance from fellow pacers Prabath Nissanka and Dilhara Fernando.

Canada’s batting order couldn’t face Sri Lanka’s fierce bowling attack as none of their batters could outscore nine-run efforts from opener Desmond Chumney and captain Joe Harris. Their collective tally of 18 & additional baggage of five extras turned out to be a drop of hope in the midst of their dismal batting performance. Sri Lanka justified their reputation & outclassed competitors associated, with Canada for the lowest total of World Cup history without breaking a sweat. That massive win helped them to earn that crucial two points in the Group B stage. On the other hand, Canada was full of disappointment as they couldn’t avoid such a humiliating loss & the unwanted record of ending their innings at a meager total of 36 runs. When the teams with lowest totals in ODI World Cup history are talked about Canada manages to grab a spot on the list.

2. Canada 45 all out vs England, 1979 World Cup

A long time ago before the Canadians were wrapped up for just 36 runs by Sri Lanka in ODI World Cup 20223, their innings was bundled for 45 runs and this time it was England who did the needful & made sure that Canada entered the list of teams with lowest totals in ODI World Cup history for the first time. English pacers Bob Willis and Chris Old tore through Canada’s line-up with identical four-fers while Mike Hendrick & Ian Botham joined the party by scalping a wicket each.

Though Canada could stretch the game over 40 overs but could post just a meager total on board. It was No. 3 batter Franklyn Dennis (21 runs) who contributed 50% of Canada’s total. The next biggest contributor to Canada’s innings was opener Christopher Chappell for his excruciating five as well as five extras. Canada achieved a majority of unwanted records after producing such a dismal show with the willow. For 24 years, Canada’s innings remained in the books of World record for the lowest World Cup score until Canada rewrote their own records by registering another lowest total in ODI World Cup history.

3. Namibia 45 all out vs Australia in ODI World Cup 2003

Canadians & their associates Namibia are one & the same as just a week after the Canadian innings were wrapped for just 36 runs, their associates Namibia were dismissed for 45 runs in Potchefstroom. Namibia’s dismal batting show against the mighty Australian attack resulted in the associates entering the list of teams with the lowest totals in ODI World Cup history.

Dealing with a pace attack comprising Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee & Andy Bichel, the trio scalped 10 Namibian wickets in just 14 combined overs. The fixture witnessed ODI legend McGrath registering his career-best figures 7-15, as Australia registered a massive 256-run win. Surprisingly, Namibia’s batting effort featured 15 runs extras, including six wides & five no balls to emerge as the highest contributor of the innings which featured 10 separate runs from the blade of captain Deon Kotze. But all their efforts went in vain as Namibia became the third team on the list of lowest teams total in ODI World Cup history.

4. Sri Lanka’s 55 vs India in ODI World Cup 2023

The fourth team to record the lowest totals in ODI World Cup history is Sri Lanka. Their innings were wrapped for just 55 runs by India’s pace attack. Batting first the Indian team managed to score 357 runs total on board. And in reply, the injury-hit Sri Lankan team suffered a setback in the chase of 358 runs. Sri Lankans were never in the chase as their in-form opener Pathum Nissanka got dismissed off the very first ball of the innings.

Indian pacers Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj & Jaspirt Bumrah packed Sri Lanka’s run-chase within 20 overs to script a massive 302-run win, a record margin over a Test-playing Nation in World Cups. Notably, Sri Lankan innings featured double-digit scores three in the form of lower-order batters & another 10-run set through extras. This is the second time when Sri Lanka got wrapped at such a meager total. Earlier in the Asia Cup 2023 final Sri Lankan innings were wrapped for a meager 50 runs with India winning the coveted Asia Cup 2023 trophy.

5. Bangladesh 58 all-out against West Indies in ODI World Cup 2011

A strong Bangladeshi unit backed by a home crowd in Mirpur wrapped up for just 58 runs against West Indies in a must-win fixture of the World Cup 2011 Group B game. This meager 58-run defeat made Bangladesh the fifth team on the list of teams with lowest totals in ODI World Cup history. Zunaed Siddique at number three scored a near run-a-ball 25 before becoming one of Kemar Roach’s three victims of the innings. Mohammad Ashraful also breached the double digits mark with West Indies getting rid of Bangla Tigers within 18.5 overs to rattle the entire Bangladeshi lineup.

Moreover, the three West Indies bowlers who displayed their best performance in the innings namely Roach, Sulieman Benn, and Darren Sammy, conceded just two extras, exhibiting thorough professionalism in their nine-wicket win against the tournament co-hosts. However, suffering a massive defeat at their own home ground was nothing less than a shame for the Bangladeshi clan.

These are the top 5 teams who recorded the lowest totals in ODI World Cup history. These teams have suffered major disappointments on the biggest stage of World Cricket & unwillingly entered the book of records for the wrong reasons.

Now coming to the ODI World Cup 2023, which team could make it to the semi-finals stage? With India already qualifying for the knockouts, three slots are vacant to get occupied. Which teams could make it to the knockout stage of the World Cup 2023?

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