Cricket has seen numerous memorable run chases across the three formats. While most of them have come in the limited-overs format, the ones in the One-Day Internationals are extremely memorable ones, especially those that are the highest successful ones.
The ongoing ICC World Cup Qualifiers have also given a glimpse of the same, proving that even in the minor stages, the excitement and thrill of the highest successful run chases and be enjoyed and lived to the fullest, especially how one witnessed during the tie between Windies and Netherlands.
In the same light, we take a look at the five highest successful run chases in the history of ODIs.
#5 India unexpectedly breaks Australian hearts
Australia has to be on the list, no matter what. However, it is surprising that it is mainly on the list for the wrong reason. In 2013, no one ever expected India and Australia to clash in a high-scoring thriller, as on previous occasions, the Indians were battered mercilessly by the Aussies.
As they met at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, the stage was set for a batting show, given the batting-friendly pitch at the venue. Opting to bat, the Kangaroos posted the exact same target that it had handed the Men in Blue a couple of instances before and ended up on the winning side. Thanks to George Bailey’s unbeaten 92, aided by Phillip Hughes’ 83, the Australian put on 359/5.
However, this time, the Indians were determined to pay back, and that too in the most brutal fashion. During the chase, the openers Rohit Sharma (141*) and Shikhar Dhawan (95) engaged in a dominant 176-run stand, followed by Virat Kohli’s unbeaten ton to see India over the line in the most seamless manner as one could imagine, leaving Australia spell-bound, with pacers Clinton McKay and Shane Watson thrashed all across in the nine-wicket beatdown.
#4 Windies on the receiving end for the first time
Jason Roy and Joe Root put together a 114-run partnership
Windies makes it to the list for the second time, as it suffered the challenging fate in high-scoring chases for the first time in 2019 against England at home, at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Deciding to bat, the hosts posted a convincing total of 360//8, with explosive opener Chris Gayle playing one of his most elegant innings of 135, while he was aided by Shai Hope (64).
In reply, it was never going to be easy for the visitors. However, given the conditions were slightly in favour of them, which saw the ball moving, the English batters used their mastery to get after the Caribbean bowlers.
Opening batter Jason Roy (123) and Joe Root (102) engaged in some powerful hitting, with pacer Oshane Thomas and off-spinner John Campbell taken all across the park. England got the job done by six wickets, with ten balls to spare, whereas Windies remains on the list but on the losing side.
#3 South Africa bashes Australia 2.0
Seems like Proteas and Kangaroos have a likeness when it comes to top chases. The two sides clashed at Kngsmead Stadium in Durban in 2016, as it became a high-scoring contest. Opting to bat, Australia put on 371/6, with opener David Warner and skipper Steven Smith scoring 117 and 108, respectively.
With the stage set for another thriller, the fans got exactly what they were looking for. The hosts seemed desperate to repeat history, as they engaged in some brutal hitting show, mainly aided by David Miller’s unbeaten 118 to break the visitors’ heart once again, as they got the job done by four wickets with four deliveries to spare.
At the same time, it turned out to be the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history. The likes of pacer Daniel Worrall and off-spinner Travis Head were the ones on the receiving end, as Australia was left wondering what it would take to make the high-scoring run chases successful in South Africa.
#2 Netherlands gives Windies a reality check
Windies was being considered a favourite to make it to the main round of the ICC World Cup 2023 set to be held in India later this year. Having failed to make the cut automatically, it had to go through the ongoing qualifiers, where it was set to go through a tough test. In the meantime, as fans feared, things have not gone quite well for the former two-time world champion.
In the group stage, it has fared averagely, having won and lost a couple each in four fixtures, while its final group-stage match saw it going down to minnow Netherlands in a high-scoring thriller, which very few imagined so. Although it has sealed its place in the following Super Six stage, the game against the Dutch was pivotal to put itself in a better place in the Super Six, to better its chances of qualifying.
Put to bat first, the Caribbeans managed to post a formidable total of 374/6, thanks to Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten 104. In reply, the Netherlands was both ruthless and relentless with the bat, taking on the Windies bowlers and smacking them all over the park, as it all finished in a tie at the end of the final ball during the chase, with Teja Nidamanuru scoring 111.
As things moved into the Super Over, the Dutch batted first and posted 30/0 in the over, thanks to Logan van Beek’s scary yet clean hitting, while every delivery in the over from experienced pacer Jason Holder travelling to the boundary.
In reply, the Caribbeans could only manage 8/2, handing the Netherlands a monumental victory in the competition, besides nearly snatching the CWC ticket from the Windies and giving it a reality check.
#1 South Africa trounces Australia in the most unthinkable way
South Africa and Australia dominate the highest successful ODI run chase chart, with the former winning in both instances
Speaking of the highest successful run chases in the format, one cannot forget the famous encounter between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg in 2006. The latter had posted a monumental total of 434/4 after electing to bat, thanks to Ricky Ponting’s 164, while it was the first time that a team had scored 400 or more in an ODI innings.
Given the Australians’ stature at the time, it was pretty much taken for granted that they would emerge triumphant. However, the ones who assumed so forgot that South Africa was playing at home.
In reply, the hosts utilised the batting conditions to the fullest, and thanks to Herschelle Gibbs’ exquisite innings of 175 runs, they chased it down with a ball and a wicket each to spare, leaving the visitors stunned.