While we know that in ODI cricket, the goal is to score high in a match, sometimes teams end up with low or even the lowest score, making them the most dramatic collapses in cricket history. No team wants that, but if there is a winner in a game, defeat is inevitable.
In this blog, we are going to explore Zimbabwe’s rare collapse against India in the lowest ODI score of 2025. Let’s get started!
The real question here is, why don’t they? Low scores help highlight the behavior of the pitch, the dominance of the bowling, and the pressure. As a cricket fan, you must have experienced it yourself that there is always a high-pressure atmosphere where every run and every wicket is important when your favorite team is scoring low. Even a good over or a great catch can dramatically change the momentum of the game, making a low-scoring match unpredictable yet exciting.
Low scores make matches a brutal test for captains and bowlers because without strategic decisions, adjustments to plans can cost their team the game. In one way it is brutal, but in another way, it forces players to dig deep to show their hidden skills and character under pressure. Low-scoring games often develop into thrilling contests, which keep fans on edge until the last ball.
In sports, wins and losses are inevitable. If one wins, the other loses, but that doesn’t stop them from playing more games. Here is a historical table of the ten lowest ODI scores, which includes Zimbabwe, India and a few other countries.
Rank |
Team |
Score |
Opponent |
Year |
1 |
Zimbabwe |
35 |
Sri Lanka |
2004 |
2 |
Canada |
36 |
Sri Lanka |
2003 |
3 |
Zimbabwe |
38 |
Sri Lanka |
2001 |
4 |
Sri Lanka |
43 |
South Africa |
2012 |
5 |
Pakistan |
43 |
West Indies |
1993 |
6 |
India |
54 |
Sri Lanka |
2000 |
From the above table, we can see that India’s lowest ODI score was 54 runs against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 2000. But 25 years have passed and India has made significant progress with its practice and gaming strategy. Past mistakes have also helped in improving a lot. Just as top-level batting teams once collapsed and learned to adapt themselves to unpredictable match situations.
Now let’s look at the recent lowest ODI scores in 2025 which shows that even low-scoring games remain consistent.
Team |
Score |
Overs |
Opponent |
Date |
Australia |
107 |
24.2 |
Sri Lanka |
14 Feb 2025 |
Sri Lanka |
142 |
30.2 |
New Zealand |
8 Jan 2025 |
New Zealand |
150 |
29.4 |
Sri Lanka |
11 Jan 2025 |
West Indies |
162 |
26.2 |
England |
29 May 2025 |
From the above data, we can see that the low scores range from Australia’s 107 to West Indies’ 162. This decline is likely to have been largely influenced by conditions favourable to bowlers, such as green pitches, cloudy weather or early seam and swing movements.
Speaking of managers or captains, these matches remind them that:
Bowlers dominate in low-scoring games, often outscoring batsmen in points.
Pitch and weather reports are important for predicting match results and team selection.
All-rounders offer dual scoring capabilities, which makes them valuable choices in such situations.
Further Reading: List of Double Centuries in ODI Cricket: Highest Individual Scores in ODI
From the historic low scores to the recent collapse, ODI cricket has never stopped surprising fans. However, the surprises are not over yet, in the coming years, new tournaments are set to be held again! So all cricket fans, your favorite players are coming to your TV or city soon, so there is no time to waste.
Australia scored 107 runs against Sri Lanka on 14 February 2025.
Both Sri Lanka and New Zealand registered low scores in January 2025.
Mostly due to bowler-friendly pitches, weather conditions or exceptional bowling spells.
They make bowlers and all-rounders more valuable than the team’s top-order batsmen in the upcoming match.
Pitch report, weather forecast and the latest match of the opposing team.