Lowest Score in ODI—From Zimbabwe to India and More
Ever wondered which is the lowest score in ODI? Time to find out! In an era of cricket where batters are creating records every day, there are several instances when bowlers have torn apart the whole batting lineup. Today, we look forward to informing our readers of some surprisingly low scoring ODI team totals.
Table of Contents
Lowest Score in ODI Cricket—Full Scorecard
| Match | 3rd ODI, Harare, April 25, 2004 |
| Series | Sri Lanka tour of Zimbabwe |
| Result | Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets (with 244 balls remaining) |
| Zimbabwe (Batting First) | 35 all out (18 overs) |
| Sri Lanka (Batting Second) | 40/1 (9.2 overs, Target: 36) |
| Player of the Match | Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) |
| Bowling Figures (Chaminda Vaas) | 4/11 (9 overs) |
On 25th April 2004, Zimbabwe registered the lowest score in ODI history. It was the third match of the bilateral series between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Marvan Atapattu won the toss and elected to bowl. Batting first, the entire Zimbabwean team was bundled out for just 35 runs. They batted for 18 overs, and none of the batters were able to reach a double-digit score.
In response, Sri Lanka chased down the lowest score in ODI match with ease. They scored 40 runs in under 10 overs. The opening batter, Saman Jayantha, scored 26 of them.
Lowest ODI Score in Cricket History—List of Top 20
As of January 2025, 35 is the lowest team score in an ODI. However, there have been many other instances when the batting team failed miserably.
Following the US and Zimbabwe’s lowest scores in ODI, Canada is number two. In 2003, they scored 36 runs against Sri Lanka. Take a look at the table below to figure out the lowest score in ODI by team.
| Rank | Match Date | Team | Score | Overs | RR | Inns | Opposition | Result |
| 2 | 19 Feb 2003 | Canada | 36 | 18.4 | 1.92 | First | v Sri Lanka | lost |
| 3 | 8 Dec 2001 | Zimbabwe | 38 | 15.4 | 2.42 | First | v Sri Lanka | lost |
| 4 | 11 Jan 2012 | Sri Lanka | 43 | 20.1 | 2.13 | Second | v South Africa | lost |
| 5 | 25 Feb 1993 | Pakistan | 43 | 19.5 | 2.16 | First | v West Indies | lost |
| 6 | 3 Nov 2009 | Zimbabwe | 44 | 24.5 | 1.77 | First | v Bangladesh | lost |
| 7 | 13 Jun 1979 | Canada | 45 | 40.3 | 1.11 | First | v England | lost |
| 8 | 27 Feb 2003 | Namibia | 45 | 14 | 3.21 | Second | v Australia | lost |
| 9 | 17 Sep 2023 | Sri Lanka | 50 | 15.2 | 3.26 | First | v India | lost |
| 10 | 29 Oct 2000 | India | 54 | 26.3 | 2.03 | Second | v Sri Lanka | lost |
| 11 | 25 Jan 2004 | West Indies | 54 | 23.2 | 2.31 | Second | v South Africa | lost |
| 12 | 19 Dec 2024 | Zimbabwe | 54 | 17.5 | 3.02 | Second | v Afghanistan | lost |
| 13 | 26 Feb 2017 | Zimbabwe | 54 | 13.5 | 3.9 | Second | v Afghanistan | lost |
| 14 | 3 Dec 1986 | Sri Lanka | 55 | 28.3 | 1.92 | Second | v West Indies | lost |
| 15 | 2 Nov 2023 | Sri Lanka | 55 | 19.4 | 2.79 | Second | v India | lost |
| 16 | 4 Mar 2011 | Bangladesh | 58 | 18.5 | 3.07 | First | v West Indies | lost |
| 17 | 17 Jun 2014 | Bangladesh | 58 | 17.4 | 3.28 | Second | v India | lost |
| 18 | 2 Jan 2016 | Afghanistan | 58 | 16.1 | 3.58 | Second | v Zimbabwe | lost |
| 19 | 22 Aug 2023 | Afghanistan | 59 | 19.2 | 3.05 | Second | v Pakistan | lost |
| 20 | 18 Oct 2011 | West Indies | 61 | 22 | 2.77 | First | v Bangladesh | lost |
| 21 | 8 Jan 1981 | India | 63 | 25.5 | 2.43 | First | v Australia | lost |
Lowest Score Defended in ODI—Full Scorecard
| Match | 1st Match, Sharjah, March 22, 1985 |
| Series | Rothmans Four-Nations Cup |
| Result | India won by 38 runs |
| India | 125 all out (50 overs) |
| Pakistan | 87 all out (32.5 overs, Target: 126) |
| Player of the Match | Imran Khan (Pakistan) |
| Bowling Figures | Imran Khan: 6/14 (9.5 overs) |
On March 22, 1985, India played against Pakistan at Sharjah Cricket Stadium for the Rothmans Four-Nations Cup. India batted first and scored 126 runs. Mohammad Azharuddin was the top scorer for India (47). Imran Khan took 6/14, which helped Pakistan restrict India for such a low score.
In response, Pakistan scored 87 runs. Kapil Dev took three wickets, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Ravi Shastri took two wickets each, Roger Binny took 1, and Madan Lal took one wicket as India won the match by 38 runs. In the history of ODI cricket, 126 remains the lowest total ever defended successfully.
Lowest Score in ODI World Cup—Top 10
Canada’s 36 against Sri Lanka is the lowest score in World Cup ODI. It was followed by Canada’s 45 and Namibia’s 45 against England and Australia in 1979 and 2003, respectively. Check the complete list below:
| World Cup Edition | Team | Match Date | Score | Overs | RR | Inns | Opposition | Venue | Result |
| 2003 | Canada | 19 Feb 2003 | 36 | 18.4 | 1.92 | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Paarl | lost |
| 1979 | Canada | 13 Jun 1979 | 45 | 40.3 | 1.11 | 1 | v England | Manchester | lost |
| 2003 | Namibia | 27 Feb 2003 | 45 | 14 | 3.21 | 2 | v Australia | Potchefstroom | lost |
| 2023 | Sri Lanka | 2 Nov 2023 | 55 | 19.4 | 2.79 | 2 | v India | Wankhede | lost |
| 2011 | Bangladesh | 4 Mar 2011 | 58 | 18.5 | 3.07 | 1 | v West Indies | Mirpur | lost |
| 1999 | Scotland | 27 May 1999 | 68 | 31.3 | 2.15 | 1 | v West Indies | Leicester | lost |
| 2011 | Kenya | 20 Feb 2011 | 69 | 23.5 | 2.89 | 1 | v New Zealand | Chennai | lost |
| 1992 | Pakistan | 1 Mar 1992 | 74 | 40.2 | 1.83 | 1 | v England | Adelaide | n/r |
| 2007 | Ireland | 18 Apr 2007 | 77 | 27.4 | 2.78 | 1 | v Sri Lanka | St George’s | lost |
| 2011 | Bangladesh | 19 Mar 2011 | 78 | 28 | 2.78 | 2 | v South Africa | Mirpur | lost |
India Lowest Score in ODI—List of Top 10
| Match Date | Score | Overs | RR | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Result |
| 29 Oct 2000 | 54 | 26.3 | 2.03 | 2 | v Sri Lanka | Sharjah | lost |
| 8 Jan 1981 | 63 | 25.5 | 2.43 | 1 | v Australia | Sydney | lost |
| 24 Dec 1986 | 78 | 24.1 | 3.22 | 2 | v Sri Lanka | Kanpur | lost |
| 13 Oct 1978 | 79 | 34.2 | 2.3 | 1 | v Pakistan | Sialkot | lost |
| 10 Aug 2010 | 88 | 29.3 | 2.98 | 2 | v New Zealand | Dambulla | lost |
| 22 Nov 2006 | 91 | 29.1 | 3.12 | 2 | v South Africa | Durban | lost |
| 31 Jan 2019 | 92 | 30.5 | 2.98 | 1 | v New Zealand | Hamilton | lost |
| 14 Jan 2000 | 100 | 36.3 | 2.73 | 1 | v Australia | Sydney | lost |
| 16 Nov 1993 | 100 | 28.3 | 3.5 | 2 | v West Indies | Ahmedabad | lost |
| 22 Aug 2010 | 103 | 33.4 | 3.05 | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Dambulla | lost |
India’s Lowest Score in ODI—Full Scorecard (vs Sri Lanka)
Here is India lowest score in ODI vs Sri Lanka scorecard:
| Match | Sharjah, October 29, 2000 |
| Series/Tournament | Coca-Cola Champions Trophy |
| Match Type | Final |
| Result | Sri Lanka won by 245 runs |
| Sri Lanka (Batting First) | 299/5 (50 overs) |
| India (Batting Second) | 54 (26.3 overs) |
| Player of the Match | Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) |
| Bowling Figures (Chaminda Vaas) | 5/14 (9.3 overs) |
54 is the lowest score of India in ODI cricket. It was during the 2000 Coca-Cola Champions Trophy match between India and Sri Lanka. After winning the toss at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka chose to bat. Thanks to Sanath Jayasuriya’s blistering knock of 189 (161), the Lankan tigers posted a mammoth target of 300.
In response, the Indian batting line up collapsed miserably. Chaminda Vaas took 5 for 14 as India was bundled out for 54 runs in 26.3 overs.
Dhoni Lowest Score in ODI
The great MS Dhoni started with the lowest ODI career score. In his very first match, on December 23, 2004, during the 1st ODI of India’s tour of Bangladesh in Chattogram, Dhoni was run out for a duck (0). He was dismissed after a mix-up between him and his batting partner.
Lowest Team Scores in ODI (2023-24)
| Match Date | Team | Score | Overs | RR | Inns | Opposition | Venue | Result |
| 17 Sep 2023 | Sri Lanka | 50 | 15.2 | 3.26 | 1 | v India | Colombo (RPS) | lost |
| 2 Nov 2023 | Sri Lanka | 55 | 19.4 | 2.79 | 2 | v India | Wankhede | lost |
| 22 Aug 2023 | Afghanistan | 59 | 19.2 | 3.05 | 2 | v Pakistan | Hambantota | lost |
| 12 Mar 2023 | U.A.E. | 71 | 22.5 | 3.1 | 2 | v Nepal | Kirtipur | lost |
| 15 Jan 2023 | Sri Lanka | 73 | 22 | 3.31 | 2 | v India | Thiruvananthapuram | lost |
| 25 Mar 2023 | Sri Lanka | 76 | 19.5 | 3.83 | 2 | v New Zealand | Auckland | lost |
| 7 Nov 2024 | U.A.E. | 78 | 25.3 | 3.05 | 1 | v Oman | Al Amerat | lost |
| 19 Dec 2024 | Zimbabwe | 54 | 17.5 | 3.02 | 2 | v Afghanistan | Harare | lost |
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FAQs
What is the lowest score in ODI?
The lowest score in an ODI match is 35 by Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in 2004.
What is the lowest score of India in ODI?
India’s lowest score in an ODI is 54 against Sri Lanka in 2000.
Which team lowest score in ODI?
Zimbabwe holds the record for the lowest team score in an ODI match (35)
When was the lowest ODI score in cricket history registered?
Zimbabwe registered the lowest ODI score in cricket history on 25th April 2004 against Sri Lanka.
Which country did India score their lowest total against in the history of the ODI World Cup?
India scored their lowest total of 125 runs against Australia in the 2003 ODI World Cup.
