Lowest Run Totals Successfully Defended In Cricket World Cup History (1975-2023)

The ICC World Cup is the biggest and most revered cricket tournament, and is held once every four years. The top cricket teams compete in the Cricket World Cup to win the coveted title. So far, only six teams have won the World Cup, with Australia winning it the most times (5).

The tournament follows the One-Day International format of playing. It consists of 50 over innings for the two playing teams, and games last for a day. The ODI games lie 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 exhilarating games that finished with razor-close margins and also absolute thrashings with a score difference in triple digits. However, with increasing competition and the calibre of players, fans are witnessing more and more high-scoring games. Teams often cross 350 and even 400 runs in the ICC World Cup. Some teams are dismissed for low run totals as well.

But a rare scenario occurs when teams manage to defend less than 200 run scores. There have been multiple instances when teams have successfully defended low totals. And that’s what we’re here to cover. You can check the list of the lowest totals defended in the ICC Cricket World Cup below.

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Lowest Total Defended in ICC World Cup

#1 Zimbabwe vs England (1992)

Zimbabwe is a full-time member of the International Cricket Council but wasn’t known as a strong team until a few years ago. However, Zimbabwe caused one of the most shocking upsets in ICC World Cup history when it defeated England by 9 runs in the 1992 World Cup.

Batting first, Zimbabwe put up a score of 134, which is less even by T20 standards. But the bowlers rallied and dismissed the England squad for 125 runs. Eddo Brandes registered the match-winning 4/21 bowling figure.

#2 England vs Pakistan (1979)

England and Pakistan clashed in a thrilling game in the 1979 World Cup. England recorded an unimpressive total of 165/9 in 60 overs. But the English bowlers had no plans of giving up. Mike Hendrick ousted the Pakistan top order, and even though the Asian team fought back later on, they ended up losing by 14 runs. It’s now considered one of the most exceptional victories in the World Cup.

#3 Kenya vs West Indies (1996)

The 1996 World Cup also came with many shocking surprises, the biggest of which was the humiliating defeat of West Indies by Kenya. The former champions were dismissed for 93 runs while chasing a low target of 167 runs. Rajab Ali dispatched the top order of West Indies, including the star player Brian Lara. Even though they were massive underdogs, Kenya stunned West Indies in the World Cup, causing an upset for the ages.