Top 20 Lowest team totals in One Day Internationals
Highest team totals or lowest team totals, modern day limited overs cricket never lets you not surprised. As stated in a previous article on a given day cricket can be anybody’s game. It might witness a single player piling up over 250 runs in just 50 overs or a whole side crashing down to a mere 35. Rohit Sharma holds the world record of highest individual total in ODI cricket for his 264, while Zimbabwe cricket team holds the record of lowest team total in history with a score of 35. Yes, you heard it right, on top of the lowest team totals in One Day International matches list is number 35 – a score put on by Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka on 25 April 2004. Some might argue that 35 runs in a 50 over game from Zimbabwe is not a big surprise as the side is not a world class side often bowed down with ease. Well, what about Sri Lanka and Pakistan then? Both South Asian giants, have been reduced to a mere 43 runs in their cricket life. And as for Zimbabwe and the world class criterion is concerned, the side has a much better ODI victory percentage than Bangladesh, Ireland and the rest of cricketing newbies.
The lowest team totals in ODI list goes on to find India as well, not with so much impressive record of their own. The side considered to be almost invincible while playing at home turf and very tough limited overs opponent all over the world, also holds the unwanted past of getting bowled to a score of 54. In fact no major test playing team has managed to escape the lowest total curse once in their careers except England. The authors of this beautiful game have never fallen under the mark of 80 runs till now. Their lowest total in an ODI game till this day is 86, a well reputed figure in fact, keeping in view the lowest ever ODI runs margin.
The most recent incident of putting up one of lowest team totals in ODI history occurred at the beginning of the year 2016. A latest entry into the international cricket arena Afghanistan was bowled out by Zimbabwe for 58 runs during a game at Sharjah on 2nd of January 2016. However with many cricketing plans yet to be met, with some of the best sides playing against rookies, anything is expected to come. Top 20 Lowest team totals in ODIs are as under.
Top 20 Lowest team totals in One Day Internationals
| Team | Score | Overs | Opposition | Ground | Date |
| Zimbabwe | 35 | 18.0 | Sri Lanka | Harare | 25 Apr 2004 |
| Canada | 36 | 18.4 | Sri Lanka | Paarl | 19 Feb 2003 |
| Zimbabwe | 38 | 15.4 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 8 Dec 2001 |
| Sri Lanka | 43 | 20.1 | South Africa | Paarl | 11 Jan 2012 |
| Pakistan | 43 | 19.5 | West Indies | Cape Town | 25 Feb 1993 |
| Zimbabwe | 44 | 24.5 | Bangladesh | Chittagong | 3 Nov 2009 |
| Canada | 45 | 40.3 | England | Manchester | 13 Jun 1979 |
| Namibia | 45 | 14.0 | Australia | Potchefstroom | 27 Feb 2003 |
| India | 54 | 26.3 | Sri Lanka | Sharjah | 29 Oct 2000 |
| West Indies | 54 | 23.2 | South Africa | Cape Town | 25 Jan 2004 |
| Sri Lanka | 55 | 28.3 | West Indies | Sharjah | 3 Dec 1986 |
| Bangladesh | 58 | 18.5 | West Indies | Dhaka | 4 Mar 2011 |
| Bangladesh | 58 | 17.4 | India | Dhaka | 17 Jun 2014 |
| Afghanistan | 58 | 16.1 | Zimbabwe | Sharjah | 2 Jan 2016 |
| West Indies | 61 | 22.0 | Bangladesh | Chittagong | 18 Oct 2011 |
| India | 63 | 25.5 | Australia | Sydney | 8 Jan 1981 |
| Afghanistan | 63 | 18.3 | Scotland | Abu Dhabi | 14 Jan 2015 |
| New Zealand | 64 | 35.5 | Pakistan | Sharjah | 15 Apr 1986 |
| Zimbabwe | 65 | 24.3 | India | Harare | 29 Aug 2005 |
| U.S.A. | 65 | 24.0 | Australia | Southampton | 13 Sep 2004 |
