Even though ODI matches have 50 overs in an innings or 300 balls in an innings, sometimes matches don’t last for the complete 100 overs or 600 balls.
One prime example is the ODI match between Nepal and the USA, which was finished within 104 balls, making it the shortest completed match in ODI cricket.
So, in this article, let’s take a look at the shortest ODI matches in terms of balls bowled.
Shortest Men’s ODI Matches (By Balls Bowled)
| Winning Team | Losing Team | Balls Bowled | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | U.S.A. | 104 | Kirtipur | 12 Feb 2020 |
| Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe | 120 | Colombo (SSC) | 8 Dec 2001 |
| India | Sri Lanka | 129 | Colombo (RPS) | 17 Sep 2023 |
| Sri Lanka | Canada | 140 | Paarl | 19 Feb 2003 |
| Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe | 164 | Harare | 25 Apr 2004 |
| England | India | 180 | Chandigarh | 27 Jan 1985 |
| Australia | West Indies | 186 | Canberra | 6 Feb 2024 |
| West Indies | Bangladesh | 187 | Mirpur | 4 Mar 2011 |
| Australia | U.S.A. | 191 | Southampton | 13 Sep 2004 |
| New Zealand | Kenya | 191 | Chennai | 20 Feb 2011 |
| Pakistan | India | 192 | Gujranwala | 18 Dec 1989 |
| West Indies | Pakistan | 194 | Cape Town | 25 Feb 1993 |
Key Insights
1: The match between India and England played in Chandigarh in 1985 was the first ODI match that finished under 200 balls. The match, originally scheduled to be 50 overs per side, was reduced to 15 overs a side due to a thunderstorm. England posted 121 runs in the allotted overs, while India scored 114 runs, losing the game by 7 runs.
35: In February 2020, Nepal bowled out the USA side for a paltry 35 runs in 12 overs, making it the joint-lowest score by any team in the 50-over format. Later, Nepal chased down the target in 5.2 overs, and the whole match was finished in 104 balls, earning the tag of the shortest match in men’s ODI cricket.
4: The above list contains 4 matches that took place in 2 ICC tournaments. 3 of those matches — Sri Lanka vs. Canada, the West Indies vs. Bangladesh, and New Zealand vs. Kenya — happened during the ICC Cricket World Cup. While the other one, involving Australia and the USA, was part of the ICC Champions Trophy.
Also Read | Top 10: Lowest Team Scores in ODI World Cup History
129: The 2023 Asia Cup final between Sri Lanka and India is the shortest final match played (number of balls bowled) in a multi-national tournament. Sri Lanka decided to bat first, but the overcast conditions helped Indian bowlers, with Mohammad Siraj producing one of the best ODI spells for India (6/21). Out of his 6 wickets, Siraj picked up 4 wickets in one over, becoming the fifth bowler to do so in the 50-over format.
India skittled the Sri Lankan side for 50 runs in 15.2 overs — Sri Lanka’s second-lowest total in ODIs. Then India registered a win by 10 wickets as India’s openers took 6.1 overs to chase down the target.
