Twenty times in ODI cricket, there have been team totals in excess of 400 runs. The format has seen several high-scoring games, some of which were chased down by the team batting second. Here we take a look at the top 10 highest run-chases in history of ODI cricket.
List of Highest Run Chases in ODI history
| Position | Team | Runs | Target | Vs Opponent |
| 1 | South Africa | 438/9 | 435 | Australia |
| 2 | South Africa | 372/6 | 372 | Australia |
| 3 | England | 364/4 | 361 | West Indies |
| 4 | India | 362/1 | 360 | Australia |
| 5 | Australia | 359/6 | 359 | India |
| 6 | England | 359/4 | 359 | Pakistan |
| 7 | India | 356/7 | 351 | England |
| 8 | India | 351/4 | 351 | Australia |
| 9 | England | 350/3 | 250 | New Zealand |
| 10 | England | 350/3 | 349/7 | New Zealand |
1) Australia vs South Africa – 438 runs, Johannesburg 2006
One of the greatest ODI games of all time was played between Australia and South Africa in Johannesburg in March 2006. Batting first, Australia put up 434-6 on the board, after riding on a 105-ball 164 from captain Ricky Ponting. Not many would have thought that South Africa would be able to chase such a mammoth target, but they did. Herschelle Gibbs’ 111-ball 175 and captain Graeme Smith’s 55-ball 90 helped the hosts chase down the target with one wicket and one ball remaining. South Africa became the first team ever to successfully chase more than 400 runs in ODI cricket. Their score of 438/9 is still the highest second innings total posted by any team in the format.
Man of the match – Ricky Ponting
2) Australia vs South Africa – 372 runs, 2016
The second biggest chase in ODIs was also scripted by South Africa, and against the same opponents as in their biggest run-chase, Australia. This was the third ODI of Australia’s tour of South Africa in October 2016. Centuries from David Warner and Steve Smith helped the visitors post a target of 371 runs on the board. But the Proteas chased down the target with four balls to spare, thanks to David Miller’s 79-ball 118, Quinton de Kock’s 49-ball 70 and Hashim Amla’s 30-ball 45. Miller hit 10 fours and six sixes during what was his third one-day international century.
Man of the match – David Miller
Also Read: Highest Individual Score in ODI cricket
3) England vs West Indies – 364 runs, 2019
In the first ODI of England’s tour of West Indies in 2019, the hosts put up 360 runs on the board. Chris Gayle’s 135, Shai Hope’s 64 and Darren Bravo’s 40 took the Windies to a total beyond 300 runs. This was Gayle’s first match after the end of his six-month exile, and he smashed 12 sixes during his century. But Jason Roy and Joe Root’s centuries powered England to a comfortable chase, beating the West Indies by six wickets. This remains the third highest chase in ODI cricket till date.
Man of the match – Jason Roy
4) India vs Australia – 362 runs, Jaipur 2013
In 2013, Australia toured India for seven ODIs and a solitary T20I. In the second ODI played at Jaipur, India registered their highest-ever run-chase in ODIs, gunning down 360 runs with three balls to spare. Batting first, Australia put up 359 runs on the board with the help of a half-century each by their top five batters in the line-up. In reply, Rohit Sharma’s majestic 123-ball 141 and Virat Kohli’s 52-ball 100 took India over the line. Shikhar Dhawan fell short of a century by five runs as India finished the game with eight wickets in hand.
Man of the match – Rohit Sharma
5) India vs Australia – 359 runs, 2019
In the fourth ODI of Australia’s tour of India in 2019, Australia recorded their highest-run chase in ODIs – 359 runs. After winning the toss, India elected to bat first and put up a total of 358 runs in Mohali. Openers Rohit Sharma (92-ball 95) and Shikhar Dhawan (115-ball 143) scored most of the runs, while Rishabh Pant chipped in with a 24-ball 36. Australia started their chase poorly, with David Warner being dismissed for a golden duck by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. But Peter Handscomb’s century, helped by a 91 from Usman Khawaja and 84 from Ahston Turner stunned the Indian fans as Australia won by four wickets and with 13 balls remaining.
Man of the match – Ashton Turner
6) England vs Pakistan – 359 runs, 2019
In the third ODI of Pakistan’s tour of England in 2019, the hosts chose to field first after winning the toss. Pakistan, on the back of Imam ul Haq’s 131-ball 151 and Asif Ali’s 43-ball 52, put up a target of 358 runs on a flat pitch in Bristol. But Jason Roy (55-ball 76), Jonny Bairstow (93-ball 128) Joe Root (36-ball 43) and Moeen Ali (36-ball 46) helped England gun down the target with 31 balls to spare. Roy struck four sixes in his half-century, while Bairstow hit 15 fours and five sixes before being bowled by Junaid Khan. The win helped Eoin Morgan’s men clinch a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Man of the match – Jonny Bairstow
7) India vs England – 356 runs
In 2017, England toured India for a three-match ODI series, the first of which in Pune was a run fest. Batting first, England put up 350 runs on the board. Joe Root top-scored with 78 runs, while opener Jason Roy contributed with a 73-run knock. But stunning centuries from Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav led India to a three-wicket win in the game and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Kohli’s 105-ball 122 was laced with eight fours and five sixes, while Jadhav’s 76-ball 120 came at a strike rate of 157.89. India’s 356 was their second highest score against England in ODIs.
Man of the match – Kedar Jadhav
Also Read: 7 Records in ODI cricket that will never be broken
8) India vs Australia – 351 runs
In the sixth of the seven-match ODI series in 2013 played at Nagpur, India chased down 351 runs against Australia with three balls to spare. Centuries from Shane Watson and George Bailey went in vain as India’s top three played a superb brand of cricket. While Rohit Sharma scored a 79, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan hit a century each. India became the first team to chase down 350 or more twice, both in the same series. Also, this was their third-highest score against Australia in ODIs.
Man of the match – Virat Kohli
9) New Zealand vs Australia – 350 runs
The third ODI between New Zealand and Australia in February 2007 was a cracker of a game won on the last ball. A fine knock of 181 runs from Matthew Hayden and a half-century from Shane Watson guided Australia to a total of 346 runs. On the back of Craig McMilan’s 96-ball 117 and Brendon McCullum’s 86, the Kiwis chased the total with three balls to spare. McMilan’s stupendous knock included 13 fours and five sixes.
Man of the match – Matthew Hayden
10) England vs New Zealand – 350 runs
An Eoin Morgan masterclass helped England beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the fourth ODI of New Zealand’s tour of England in 2015. Batting first, the Kiwis put up 349 runs on the board. Kane Williamson’s 70-ball 90, along with half-centuries from Martin Guptill and Grant Elliott, took the side to a score in excess of 300. But the England middle-order came out all guns blazing to chase down the target 44 overs. The chase was spearheaded by centuries from Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, and a half-century from Alex Hales.
Man of the match – Eoin Morgan
Build your fantasy dream team on MPL while watching live ODI matches and win daily cash prizes.
