Credit: England Cricket/BCCI
Truth be told one day cricket is still very much thriving in an age of fast paced cricketing entrainment where everyone is perhaps singularly glorifying T20 cricket. While we still miss the days of the 90s where besides Test match cricket only ODI cricket was the big saviour of the day, cricket is still served with boundless excitement by the 50-over format where some teams have so mightily lorded over their opponents.
Some unique batting heroics and complete team results have not only upped the ante of popularity of ODI cricket but brought much relief to fans who may have been complaining about the format not being palpable enough especially in comparison to T20Is.
Here's a look at the five biggest win margins by runs in ODI cricket history
1. England beat South Africa by 342 runs in 2025
England most recently lost a white ball series to the Proteas in one day cricket with the hosts losing two back-to-back games on home soil. However, in the third and final game of that series that was just recently completed in England, the hosts came all guns firing against the Proteas to register a mega, world record breaking 342-run win over the visiting South Africans. Helped massively by timely and glorious hundreds by Joe Root, such a class act and Jacob Bethe;l, England registered the table topper on the list of biggest win margins in ODI matches history. Archer took a useful four for and restricted the visitors to just 72 in the end.
2. India beat Sri Lanka by 317 runs in 2023
India's highest ever margin of victory over any team in one day international cricket happened in the year 2023, wherein they completed a 317-run victory over the Sri Lankans in what became an utterly one-sided game.
In the 3rd one day of the series that year during Sri Lanka's visit to India, Virat Kohli smashed a kingly 166 with Shubman Gill making 116 to help India compile a massive order of 390 runs at Kerala. In reply, Sri Lankans were just not up to the mark and India achieved a dominant win.
3. Australia beat The Netherlands by 309 runs in 2023
In the majestic ODI World Cup contest held in the year 2023, the dominant Australians, who would eventually reign supreme, crushed the Dutch in an important contest by a huge margin of 309 runs to register a victory that is counted among the biggest win margins in ODI history. Australia had tasked the Dutch to score 400 runs in their run chase and it ultimately resulted in a mega win for the usually brilliant Aussies.
4. Zimbabwe beat The USA by 304 runs in 2023
2023 was a unique year for one day cricket and a memorable one in that it was the very year where the ODI World Cup, a successful high octane event took place in the beating heart of the subcontinent in the form of India. But in the great buildup to that year’s mega ICC event, the ODI World Cup qualifiers were talking place in Zimbabwe. And the hosts Zimbabwe crushed the United States of America in what was a dominant show with both bat and ball as the American team were bundled out for a paltry 104, which is when their opponents had smashed 408 runs on the board. That time around, Sean Williams was the star of the contest smashing 174 runs, taking just 101 odd deliveries in doing so.
5. India beat Sri Lanka by 302 runs in 2023
In the year 2023, Team India displayed a dominant, clinical and aggressive display of cricket playing all departments of the game with pure excellence to complete a smattering win over Sri Lanka in a one dayer played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Part of that year’s ICC ODI World Cup, India batted first and made a brilliant and mammoth 357-run score with half centuries from Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer. In reply, thanks to a sublime bowling effort on the part of Mohammed Shami, India bowled out Sri Lanka for a pitiable 55 all out. This 302-run win was part of victories in the list of biggest win margins in ODI matches history.
FAQs
What is Team India's biggest margin of an ODI win over an opponent?
India beat Sri Lanka by 317 runs in 2023.
Which team has the record of the highest run margin win over its ODI opponent?
That honour goes to England who beat the Proteas in an ODI recently by 342 runs.
