The Lowest defended scores in ODIs

Winning a match is foremost important for any captain and his side but to win it by successfully defending a low score is something really special and some achievement. We have seen big totals getting successfully chased down but there are matches in ODI format where teams have managed to put a brake on the opposition and win low-scoring thrillers.

Let’s take a look at the 3 lowest totals defended in ODIs which were a proper 50-overs match:

3. South Africa vs England (1996)

In the sixth of the seven-match ODI series between South Africa and England in South Africa in 1996, the hosts won the toss and opted to bat first at Buffalo Park in East London. Brian McMillan top-scored for them with 45. Darren Gough took three wickets while Dominic Cork, Craig White, and Peter Martin all took two wickets each to bundle out South Africa for just 129 runs in 41.4 overs.

In reply, Graeme Hick scored 39 with Shaun Pollock bowling a terrific spell of 1/15 in 10 overs and Paul Adams picking up three scalps to dismiss England for 115 in 43.4 overs. The hosts who won this thriller by 14 runs to take a staggering 5-1 lead in the series.

2.West Indies vs England (1981)

In the first ODI of England’s tour of West Indies in 1981, the visitors won the toss and elected to bowl first at Arnos Vale Ground at Kingstown in St Vincent. The English side used six bowlers and all six were amongst the wickets as hosts were all out for just 127 runs in 47.2 overs thanks to 62 runs innings from debutant Everton Mattis.

Chasing a small target of 128, Ian Botham scored 60 runs while Colin Croft wreaked havoc by picking up 6/15 in nine overs. England got dismissed for 125 runs in 48.2 overs as the Caribbean side won a thriller of a match by just two runs.

1.India vs Pakistan (1985)

During the first ODI of the Rothmans Four-Nations Cup in 1985 in Sharjah, Pakistan won the toss and opted to field first against arch-rivals India. Mohammad Azharuddin and Kapil Dev scored 47 and 30 runs respectively with Imran Khan destroying the Indian batting line-up by snaring six wickets for just 14 runs in ten overs.

India managed a paltry 125 runs in 42.4 overs against their rivals. Ramiz Raja top-scored for Pakistan with 29 runs but the rest of the batting fell like a pack of cards with all Indian bowlers snaring wickets to bowl Pakistan out for just 87 runs in 32.5 overs. India won the clash by 38 runs as Imran Khan’s magical spell is still the best by a bowler in a losing cause.