Cricket has a long history, in which all teams have played against each other quite a number of times. However, a few teams have particularly been dominant against one nation compared to the others. Of course, a few superior squads have enjoyed dominance against more than one country. On that note, in this article, we take a look at teams with the most wins vs a single opponent in ODIs.
5) Australia – 80 wins vs India
Total Games: 143 || Australia: 80 || India: 53 || Tied: 0 || NR:10
Australia is the most successful ODI team in the history of the game. The country has played 958 games so far and has won 582 of them, maintaining a healthy win percentage of 63.36. With five World Cups in their cabinet, no other team is even close to bettering this record.
Australia and India have been involved in some fierce games in the past. However, the Indians have always underperformed when they have played the Aussies. We could as well define that India’s performance in the final of the 2003 World Cup is a mirror of the India-Australia rivalry. Of the 143 games played between the two sides, Australia has won 80 of them.
4) Australia – 84 wins vs England
Total Games: 152 || Australia: 84 || England: 62 || Tied: 2 || NR:3
Australia and England’s rivalry in the five-day format is well-known. However, the sides have also been involved in various intensely competed ODI games. In fact, the first-ever ODI game that was held in 1971 was between the two sides. Australia had won that game by five wickets.
Talking about important occasions when the two sides met in an ODI encounter, the final of the 1987 World Cup is worth remembering here. Both the competitors had made it to the summit clash and no one was yet to lift the trophy till then. Australia won the game and held its first World Cup trophy.
3) Pakistan – 92 wins vs Sri Lanka
Total Games: 155 || Pakistan: 92 || Sri Lanka: 58 || Tied: 1 || NR:4
Winning the first away series in Sri Lanka in 1986, Pakistan has been a traditionally superior team over their subcontinent neighbours. Pakistan has also accounted for two ODI series whitewashes against Sri Lanka, one in 1985 and then in 2017.
For Pakistan, Sri Lanka is the most common ODI opponent. They have been involved in 155 ODI fixtures with the island nation, with the next being against West Indies at 134 games. Sri Lanka, though, has managed to win only 58 of these matches.
2) Australia – 92 wins vs New Zealand
Total Games: 138 || Australia: 92 || New Zealand: 39 || Tied: 0 || NR:7
Belonging to the same continent, Australia and New Zealand are arch-rivals not only in cricket but also in every other sport. However, it is the Aussies who have been dominant over their neighbours in cricket. Hence, they are one of the teams with the most wins vs a single opponent in ODIs.
It is only recently that New Zealand is starting to give a tough fight to the Aussies. Both squads met in the final of the 2015 World Cup, and it was the men in yellow, who came out victorious. Although Kiwis are performing better now, it will take a lot of time to reduce the deficit.
1) India – 94 wins vs Sri Lanka
Total Games: 162 || India: 94 || Sri Lanka: 56 || Tied: 1 || NR:11
India has played 995 matches so far and has won more than half of them. It is a terrific achievement considering the state of affairs in the country when cricket was first introduced. In these 995 games, 165 encounters have involved Sri Lanka as the opponent. This is more frequent than any other opposition for Team India.
There was a brief period when Sri Lanka was the dominant side, but it is Team India that takes the honours. The most famous meeting between the sides was the 2011 World Cup final, which India won. Hence, India is one of the teams with the most wins vs a single opponent in ODIs.
