20 Greatest ODIs (by ESPNCricinfo)

[Marius]

You shouldn't talk about countries you know nothing about , the amount of talent that came through Rhodesia/Zimbabwe back in the day was freaking insane , Colin Bland , Mike Procter , Paddy Clift ,Brian Davison , Duncan Fletcher , Dave Houghton , Graeme Hick etc etc

By no means were they a minnow , a lack of opportunity (Zimbabwe only become a Test nation in 1992) , political instability, and the opportunities that existed in South Africa and abroad (Mostly England) to play cricket has meant that Zimbabwe hasn't hit the heights it should have achieved not because they are an insignificant team.

I get what you're saying but in the context of the time, Zimbabwe was a minnow. In the '83 WC they beat Aus, and should have beaten India, but Kapil rescued India but they were beaten pretty easily in their other four games and they didn't win a match in '87.

Also, Procter isn't from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, he's a Natalian.

 

[Silver Silva]

Yeah, I can actually justify this one (although worth pointing out that no one here mentioned it before it appeared on the list) - the problem is that already included were pointless knocks like Kohli in a JAMODI. I think that's more where the issue lies and has created the annoyance.

What about atleast one game dedicated to associate teams ? The Ireland match vs England 2011 stands out ..

But Netherlands qualifying for this World Cup is really special considering the lack of matches they play. That do or die encounter vs Scotland in the World Cup Qualifying tournament is the best associate match I've seen.

 

[Molehill]

What about atleast one game dedicated to associate teams ? The Ireland match vs England 2011 stands out ..

Should absolutely be on this list - and I say that as an England fan.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

I get what you're saying but in the context of the time, Zimbabwe was a minnow. In the '83 WC they beat Aus, and should have beaten India, but Kapil rescued India but they were beaten pretty easily in their other four games and they didn't win a match in '87.

Also, Procter isn't from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, he's a Natalian.

Yeah my bad , Procter only lived in Rhodesia for a while and played for the Rhodesian team , wouldn't have chosen Zim for Sa though.

 

[Marius]

Yeah my bad , Procter only lived in Rhodesia for a while and played for the Rhodesian team , wouldn't have chosen Zim for Sa though.

In those days Rhodesia played in the Currie Cup, so it was like playing for another province. But I would assume that there would be additional complications with regard to work permits etc.

 

[TheJediBrah]

With each entry, the inclusion of De Villiers' (albeit extraordinary) knock gets more baffling. I assumed - as many of us did - that including that innings set a precedent for the inevitable listing of other even more celebrated individual performances (regardless of the quality of the overall match) such as Viv's 189 and Sachin's 200.

But surely even those two innings have to miss out now that we're into the top five? In which case, leaving them out entirely means that the De Villiers entry makes even less sense than it did at the time.

All this talk demonstrates one thing to me at least: whoever's making the list at cricinfo likely thought about it waaaaay less than any of you guys are.

It was probably some intern that took 4 minutes and chose a bunch of their favourite games and stopped when it got to 20

 

[Jumno]

The 1992 WC SF definitely deserves a mention

 

[Jumno]

It's got to be someone's kid choosing some matches

 

[ma1978]

Yes. This 83 final is justified tho.

The 83 Kapil game isn't nor is the Eng-Ind tie.

I don’t agree with you at all on the Kapil 175, but let’s not rehash the debate

I would have killed the England game. I remember both sides choking and thus the tie.

Also the India / Pak match, 2003 wc was better

Probably even the Kohli chase

 

[subshakerz]

I don’t agree with you at all on the Kapil 175, but let’s not rehash the debate

I would have killed the England game. I remember both sides choking and thus the tie.

Also the India / Pak match, 2003 wc was better

Probably even the Kohli chase

That was an epic match. I have never seen an India Pak game with that level of energy, maybe Bangalore 96 which was another noteworthy game.

 

[Silver Silva]

This was another classic match from 1999 CWC

Zimbabwe beating India by 3 runs , Henry Olonga taking 3 wickets in an over to win the game.

IND vs ZIM Cricket Scorecard, 8th Match at Leicester, May 19, 1999

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get India vs Zimbabwe 8th Match, cricket scorecard, ICC World Cup 1999 dated May 19, 1999.

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[subshakerz]

Also nominate this game. NZ were 4/41 against Australia chasing 346 and win by 1 wicket. Greatest fight back ever.

NZ vs AUS Cricket Scorecard, 3rd ODI at Hamilton, February 20, 2007

Get cricket scorecard of 3rd ODI, NZ vs AUS, Australia tour of New Zealand 2006/07 at Seddon Park, Hamilton dated February 20, 2007.

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[The Sean]

Also nominate this game. NZ were 4/41 against Australia chasing 346 and win by 1 wicket. Greatest fight back ever.

NZ vs AUS Cricket Scorecard, 3rd ODI at Hamilton, February 20, 2007

Get cricket scorecard of 3rd ODI, NZ vs AUS, Australia tour of New Zealand 2006/07 at Seddon Park, Hamilton dated February 20, 2007.

www.espncricinfo.com

Great one. There were a few around then I think where Australia racked up huge scores and NZ kept chasing them down. That was the best of them though - I'd actually forgotten how much trouble the Kiwis were in during the early stages of that chase. Definitely a better game than quite a few of the ones we've had on the list.

 

[ma1978]

I assumed it would get a place, and it may well still do. Basically, there are three we know are locked in which means there are two spots still up for grabs in the top five.

It/ got

That was an epic match. I have never seen an India Pak game with that level of energy, maybe Bangalore 96 which was another noteworthy game.

I have great memories of both games; the 1996 match was the summer before I left India for college in the US. During the Aamer Sohail innings my then girlfriend kept calling me asking about our relationship and I blew her off. I knew that one was done.

In 2003, I was living in NY and had jacked up an illegal satellite connection to my flat. I had 10 people over (mix of Indians and Pakistanis). The match started at 3am and we were pretty sauced. After the Anwar innings, the Pakistanis were pretty confident esp because Shoaib was kryptonite to the Indians. Then Tendulkar flicked the four square and hit the six over third man and had this insanely intense look on his face and you knew where that match was going. Going to work after without sleeping was hellish.

Youth…

 

[Marius]

All this talk demonstrates one thing to me at least: whoever's making the list at cricinfo likely thought about it waaaaay less than any of you guys are.

It was probably some intern that took 4 minutes and chose a bunch of their favourite games and stopped when it got to 20

 

[Ali TT]

I don't disagree that these games involving India weren't great, nor that Kohli's innings was amazing, but it's the assumption that these games are more great than others when fans of each country could easily reel of an equivalent list of great individual performances, back to the wall comebacks, nail-biters, WC wins etc.

If Kapil's 175 and the the subsequent final get in, why not England's win-or-die victory against India in 2019 and the final; Bichel's victory over England and the sheer dominance of the final win over India? Kohli smashing Sri Lanka everywhere as his emergence innings, why not find a similar one for Buttler/Gilchrist/Malinga etc who have all been equally important ODI cricketers? (This could equally apply to the Bevan innings inclusion too).

There's also an implicit assumption in the list that the narrative of ODI cricket is mostly a narrative about the emergence of Indian cricket. As the world cup is in India this time, they could've just had "ten ODIs that defined Indian cricket" and that would've been fine. That would've also excluded the AB innings, which we'd all be happy with.

 

[smash84]

It/ got

I have great memories of both games; the 1996 match was the summer before I left India for college in the US. During the Aamer Sohail innings my then girlfriend kept calling me asking about our relationship and I blew her off. I knew that one was done.

In 2003, I was living in NY and had jacked up an illegal satellite connection to my flat. I had 10 people over (mix of Indians and Pakistanis). The match started at 3am and we were pretty sauced. After the Anwar innings, the Pakistanis were pretty confident esp because Shoaib was kryptonite to the Indians. Then Tendulkar flicked the four square and hit the six over third man and had this insanely intense look on his face and you knew where that match was going. Going to work after without sleeping was hellish.

Youth…

I won't ever forgive Razzaq for dropping Sachin off of Wasim in that 2003 match. It was an epic match indeed.

 

[subshakerz]

I won't ever forgive Razzaq for dropping Sachin off of Wasim in that 2003 match. It was an epic match indeed.

That was 100 percent the game there. Waqar had just taken two wickets the over before. Getting Sachin would have sealed the match and Pakistan would go on to win the cup and dominate cricket for the next decade. Unforgivable from Razzaq.

 

[ma1978]

I don't disagree that these games involving India weren't great, nor that Kohli's innings was amazing, but it's the assumption that these games are more great than others when fans of each country could easily reel of an equivalent list of great individual performances, back to the wall comebacks, nail-biters, WC wins etc.

If Kapil's 175 and the the subsequent final get in, why not England's win-or-die victory against India in 2019 and the final; Bichel's victory over England and the sheer dominance of the final win over India? Kohli smashing Sri Lanka everywhere as his emergence innings, why not find a similar one for Buttler/Gilchrist/Malinga etc who have all been equally important ODI cricketers? (This could equally apply to the Bevan innings inclusion too).

There's also an implicit assumption in the list that the narrative of ODI cricket is mostly a narrative about the emergence of Indian cricket. As the world cup is in India this time, they could've just had "ten ODIs that defined Indian cricket" and that would've been fine. That would've also excluded the AB innings, which we'd all be happy with.

I agree with this, there’s too much India here.

That said, the Kapil innings is the wrong one to knock. I think it’s a strong case to be the best World Cup innings ever.

 

[subshakerz]

I agree with this, there’s too much India here.

That said, the Kapil innings is the wrong one to knock. I think it’s a strong case to be the best World Cup innings ever.

Sigh...we are talking about matches not innings...