ODI Cricket has seen both runs marathon and wicket galore. While teams have set presumably unassailable targets, not always have these remained unassailable at the match-end. Chasers have chased these targets for their teams and in the process set records for teams to follow. Here we talk about the highest innings totals while chasing targets. Out of these, outcomes are divided as 4 wins & 6 losses for the chasing teams.
10. 361/7 (Pakistan v England)
Pakistan, on March 12 2006, scored 361/7 against England at The Rose Bowl, Southampton. This is 10th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. Pakistan were chasing a target of 374 set by the host team. Jos Buttler had scored an unbeaten 110 off 55 balls, while Morgan, Roy and Bairstow scored fifties.
Batting second, Pakistan got a decent opening stand of 92 between Imam-ul Haq & Fakhar Zaman. Fakhar would go on to top-score with a 106-ball 138. Pakistan fell short by 13 runs though their win looked possible until they lost their 5th wicket.
9. 362/1 (India v Australia)
India, on October 16 2013, scored 362/1 against Australia at Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur. This is 9th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. India were chasing a target of 360 set by the visiting team. Captain George Bailey had scored an unbeaten 92 off 50 balls, while Maxwell, Hughes, Finch & Watson scored fifties.
Batting second, India got a first wicket partnership of 176 between Shikhar Dhawan & Rohit Sharma. Sharma would go on to top score with an unbeaten 123-ball 141, while number 3 Virat Kohli would score a 52-ball century. This was an emphatic win and India won the match with more than 6 overs to spare.
8. 364/4 (England v West Indies)
England, on February 20 2019, scored 364/4 against West Indies at The Kensington Oval, Barbados. This is 8th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. England were chasing a target of 361 set by the host team. Chris Gayle had scored 135 off 129 balls, while Shai Hope scored 65-ball 64.
Batting second, England got a first wicket partnership of 91 between Jason Roy & Jonny Bairstow. Roy would go on to top score with an 85-ball 123, while number 3 Joe Root would score a 97-ball 102. This was an emphatic win and England won the match with 8 balls to spare.
7. 365 (England v Scotland)
England, on June 10 2018, scored 365 against Scotland at The Grange Cricket Club, Edinburgh. This is 7th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. England were chasing a target of 372 set by the host team. Calum MacLeod had scored an unbeaten 140 off 94 balls, while George Munsey & Kyle Coetzer scored fifties.
Batting second, England got a first wicket partnership of 129 between Jason Roy & Jonny Bairstow. Bairstow would go on to top score with an unbeaten 59-ball 105, while number 3 Alex Hales would score a 56-ball 52. This could be an emphatic win but England were bowled out with 7 runs to win.
6. 365/9 (England v New Zealand)
England, on June 12 2015, scored 365/9 against New Zealand at The Kennington Oval, London. This is 6th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. England were chasing a target of 399 set by the visiting team. Ross Taylor had scored an unbeaten 119 off 96 balls, while Kane Williamson & Martin Guptill scored fifties.
Batting second, England got a first wicket partnership of 85 between Jason Roy & Alex Hales. Hales would go on to score 49-ball 54, while number 4 Eoin Morgan would score a 47-ball 88. England fell short by 14 runs on Duckworth Lewis revised target.
5. 366/8 (England v India)
England, on January 19 2017, scored 366/8 against India at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. This is 5th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. England were chasing a target of 382 set by the host team. Yuvraj Singh had scored 150 off 127 balls, while MS Dhoni scored 122-ball 134.
Batting second, England got a second wicket partnership of 100 between Jason Roy & Joe Root. Roy would go on to score with an 73-ball 82, while number 4 Eoin Morgan would score a 81-ball 102. England fell short by 15 runs as Ashwin took 3/65.
4. 372/6 (South Africa v Australia)
South Africa, on October 5 2016, scored 372/6 against Australia at Kingsmead, Durban. This is 4th on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. South Africa were chasing a target of 361 set by the visiting team. David Warner had scored 117 off 107 balls, while Steve Smith scored 107-ball 108.
Batting second, South Africa got a first wicket partnership of 66 between Quinton de Kock & Hashim Amla. de Kock would go on to score a 49-ball 70, while number 6 David Miller would top score with an unbeaten 79-ball 118. This was an emphatic win and Proteas team won the match with 4 balls to spare.
3. 389 (West Indies v England)
West Indies, on February 27 2019, scored 389 against England at The National Cricket Stadium, St George’s. This is 3rd on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. West Indies were chasing a target of 419 set by the visiting team. Jos Buttler had scored 150 off 77 balls, while Eoin Morgan scored 88-ball 103.
Batting second, Caribbean team got Superman Chris Gayle going who topscored with a 97-ball 162. Darren Bravo & Carlos Brathwaite would then score fifties only to fall short by 29 runs.
2. 411/8 (Sri Lanka v India)
Sri Lanka, on December 15 2009, scored 411/8 against India at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground, Rajkot. This is 2nd on the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. Sri Lanka were chasing a target of 415 set by the host team. Virender Sehwag had scored a 146 off 102 balls, while Sachin Tendulkar & MS Dhoni scored fifties.
Batting second, Sri Lanka got a first wicket partnership of 188 between Upul Tharanga & Tillakaratne Dilshan. Dilshan would go on to top score with a 124-ball 160, while number 3 Kumar Sangakkara would score a 43-ball 90. It was a neck to neck match till the end as Sri Lanka fell short by a mere 3 runs.
1. 438/9 (South Africa v Australia)
South Africa, on March 12 2006, scored 438/9 against Australia at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. This is atop the list of top 10 highest innings totals while chasing in ODIs. Proteas were chasing a target of 435 set by the visiting team. Ricky Ponting had scored 164 off 105 balls, while Mike Hussey, Simon Katich & Gilchrist scored fifties.
Batting second, South Africa got a second wicket partnership of 187 between Graeme Smith & Herschelle Gibbs. Gibbs would go on to top score with an 111-ball 175, while number 6 Mark Boucher would score an unbeaten 43-ball 50 to take his team home. This was a thriller and South Africa won the match with just a ball to spare.