The ICC World Cup is the biggest and most prestigious cricket tournament and is held every four years. The best cricket teams compete in the Cricket World Cup to win the coveted title. So far, only six national teams have won the World Cup, and Australia has won it the most times (5).
The tournament follows a one-day international playing format. It consists of 50 over innings for two teams playing, and the matches last for one day. ODI games sit between the Test and Twenty20 formats in terms of entertainment and display of skill. ODI matches are slower than T20 but much more intense than Test games.
The Cricket World Cup has seen some exciting matches that ended with almost narrow margins and also absolute defeats by triple digit score difference. However, with the increase in competition and caliber of players, fans are witnessing more and more high-scoring matches. Teams often cross 350 and even 400 runs in the ICC World Cup. Some teams were also dismissed due to low overall scores.
But a rare scenario occurs when teams manage to defend less than 200 scores. There have been several instances where teams have successfully defended low totals. And that’s what we’re here to cover. Below you can check the list of lowest totals defended in ICC Cricket World Cup.
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#1 Zimbabwe v England (1992)
Zimbabwe is a permanent member of the International Cricket Council but was not known as a strong team until a few years ago. However, Zimbabwe pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in ICC World Cup history when they beat England by 9 points in the 1992 World Cup.
Batting first, Zimbabwe posted a score of 134, which is low even by T20 standards. But the bowlers rallied and dismissed the English team for 125 runs. Eddo Brandes recorded the winning score of 4/21 in the bowling alley.
#2 England v Pakistan (1979)
England and Pakistan clashed in a thrilling match at the 1979 World Cup. England posted an unimpressive total of 165/9 in 60 overs. But the English bowlers were not going to give up. Mike Hendrick knocked out Pakistan’s first-place finish, and although the Asian team later hit back, they ended up losing by 14 points. It is now regarded as one of the most exceptional victories in the World Cup.
#3 Kenya vs West Indies (1996)
The 1996 World Cup also produced many shocking surprises, the biggest of which was West Indies’ humiliating defeat by Kenya. The former champions were dismissed for 93 runs while chasing a lowly target of 167 runs. Rajab Ali dispatched the West Indies top, including star Brian Lara. Despite being huge underdogs, Kenya surprised the West Indies at the World Cup, causing an all-time upset.
The lowest score successfully defended at the World Championship | |||||
Position | Earth | Goal defended | Opposition | Achieve | Date |
1 | Zimbabwe | 135 | England | 125 | 18.3.1992 |
2 | England | 166 | Pakistan | 151 | 16.6.1979 |
3 | Kenya | 167 | West Indies | 93 | 29.02.1996 |
4 | England | 172 | South Africa | 165 | 03.06.2011 |
5 | Canada | 181 | Bangladesh | 120 | 2.11.2003 |
6 | India | 184 | West Indies | 140 | 25.6.1983 |
7 | Pakistan | 185 | Canada | 138 | 03.03.2011 |
8 | Bangladesh | 186 | Scotland | 163 | 24.5.1999 |
9 | South Africa | 200 | Sri Lanka | 110 | 19.5.1999 |
10 | South Africa | 201 | West Indies | 136 | 03.05.1992 |
11 | India | 205 | Netherlands | 136 | 02.12.2003 |
12 | Bangladesh | 206 | Ireland | 178 | February 25, 2011 |
13 | Australia | 208 | West Indies | 202 | 14.3.1996 |
14 | Australia | 209 | New Zealand | 112 | 03.11.2003 |
15 | Kenya | 211 | Sri Lanka | 157 | 24/02/2003 |
16 | Australia | 217 | West Indies | 159 | 18.3.1992 |
17 | India | 217 | Pakistan | 173 | 04/03/1992 |
18 | Kenya | 218 | Bangladesh | 185 | 03.01.2003 |
19 | Pakistan | 221 | Australia | 172 | 03.11.1992 |
20 | New Zealand | 222 | South Africa | 172 | 25.3.2011 |
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education