Top 5 ODI teams at home in recent times

Bangladesh’s recent performances are not enough to take them into the Top 5Certain interesting aspects come out when you look at the performance of teams, home and away. Four of the top 5 teams with the best record at home feature amongst the top 5 teams with the best record away from home or in neutral venues. That shows that the strong teams have been reasonably consistent. For the sake of good sample size, we have considered only Test playing nations and have left out the likes of UAE, Ireland, Scotland and Kenya, each of which has hosted less than half the number of home games as Test playing nations – something ICC needs to look at.The performance of teams has varied with very few teams being consistent over the entire 5-year period considered. The best teams aren’t the ones with most wins, obviously because some teams have been playing a lot more ODI cricket than others. In fact, Sri Lanka has played 58 ODIs at home compared to New Zealand, which has played just 44.It is obvious why Australia and India have dominated the ICC ODI rankings for such a long time – they are amongst top 3 teams both home and away. Bangladesh doesn’t make it to the Top 5 considering a 5 year timeline, where their W/L ratio is 1.148 (eighth position) but they have been one of the best teams at home in the last 12 months (third behind Australia and India)Factually speaking, Pakistan don’t play at home, but technically, UAE is their home for cricketing purposes. Yet, they don’t make it to the top 5 because even for games played in UAE over the last five years, Pakistan have a W/L ratio of less than one.So here is a look at the teams with the best 5 ODI records at home in recent times.

#5 Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s home record is on a declining trend

Though they feature in the list, Sri Lanka wouldn’t like the direction they are headed in. Over a 5-year time frame, Sri Lanka have a W/L ratio of 1.642 with 32 wins and 20 losses in 58 games. Over a three-year timeframe, Sri Lanka have a W/L ratio of 1.727, better than that of South Africa, with 19 wins and 11 losses.

However, in the last 12 months, Sri Lanka’s W/L ratio drops to 1.4 as they lost 5 games, winning 7 out of a total of 12 games. Sri Lanka are also 5th placed when it comes to performances away from home, where they have lost more than they have won, unlike the top 4.

#4 South Africa

South Africa have an impressive ODI record in the past year

South Africa only marginally edges out Sri Lanka to take the No.4 spot on this list. South Africa has 23 wins and 14 losses in 38 games in the last five years for a W/L ratio of 1.642. It clearly shows that they play better away than at home as they are the No.1 team away from home with a W/L ratio of 1.583, 0.1 more than India’s 1.483 which is placed second.

South Africa are marginally behind Sri Lanka in a three-year time-frame with 13 wins and 8 losses in 22 games for a W/L ratio of 1.625.

In the last one year though, South Africa are clearly ahead of Sri Lanka, clinching the deal. They have 6 wins and 2 losses in 8 games for a W/L ratio of 3.000, which is joint fifth, way better than Sri Lanka who have had an unimpressive 12 months at home.

#3 New Zealand

New Zealand’s run to the 2015 World Cup final has propelled them to the 3^rd spot

New Zealand’s claim to a podium finish on this list has been bolstered by the fact that they won all their games at home in the recently concluded World Cup – 8 out of 8. Over the last five years, New Zealand have won 26 and lost 14 for a W/L ratio of 1.857 in 44 matches.

Over the last three years, New Zealand have been even better, jumping to second spot over India, with 21 wins and 8 losses in 32 games for a W/L ratio of 2.625, still way behind Australia and yet, marginally ahead of India.

New Zealand have been reasonably consistent as well, winning 14 and losing just 4 in 20 games, with a W/L ratio of 3.5 in the last 12 months, fourth behind Australia, India and Bangladesh.

New Zealand’s ODI record has suffered though because they travelled poorly, with 22 wins and 36 losses including a couple of white-washed series.

#2 India

India has the best ODI record over the past five years

India has been the best ODI team at home in the last 5 years based on stats and second best over the last three. During the 5-year period, India won 37 of their 49 ODIs and lost just 10, with a stupendous W/L ratio of 3.700. India’s win percentage over 5 years is 75.5%.

In terms of Win-Loss ratio, India is second on the list of Top 5 teams away from home. With 46 wins and 31 losses in 84 matches, India’s 1.4 W/L ratio is only next to South Africa’s 1.583, showing that India travels well, unlike the popular perception based on their Test performances. The 5-year time period also saw India taking the 2011 World Cup, a time when the team was impregnable at home.

Interestingly, the performance has dropped a wee bit in the last three years. Over the last three years, India has the third best W/L ratio at home, of 2.000, winning 16 and losing 8 matches. During that period, Australia has been the dominant force.

Over the last 1 year, India has won 7 and lost just 1 at home, a W/L ratio of 7.00, only next to Australia.

#1 Australia

Australia have lost one only one ODI at home in the past year

Australia tops the list of best ODI teams at home in recent times because firstly, Australia are the reigning World Cup champions, a tournament they hosted and secondly, their performance has been consistent across a 5-year timeline.

Australia are next only to India with a W/L ratio of 3.250, winning 39 and losing 12 matches, with 53 games played in all. We picked Australia as the best ODI team at home in recent times, because when you consider a 5-year time frame, Australia is only marginally behind India but when you consider a three-year time-frame, Australia is substantially ahead of India. That shows they are on the way up.

In fact, Australia have won 26 and lost only 4 games, of the 32 played at home in the last three years. That gives them a W/L ratio of 6.000, the next best being New Zealand’s 2.625, a big gap. Australia are next to South Africa and India away from home, with a W/L ratio of 1.240 over the last 5 years.

It gets even better for Australia when you consider their performance at home in the last one year, where they have won 15 and lost just 1 game of a total of 17.