Top 10 greatest ODI cricket matches of all time

#2. South Africa vs Australia - 5th ODI at Johannesburg (12 March 2006)

South Africa pulled off a record-breaking chase to win the series

This was the fifth match of a five-match ODI series and it was also the series decider. Australia won the toss and batted first. They became the first team ever to score more than 400 runs in an ODI match and captain Ricky Ponting led from the front by scoring 164 runs off only 105 balls.

Australia ended their innings with 434 runs on the board and broke the previous best score by a team which had lasted for a decade. However, little did they know that their record would be broken in only a matter of hours.

South Africa started their chase poorly and lost their opener Boeta Dippenaar with only three runs on the board. However, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs put on a 187-run partnership for the second wicket in only 127 balls and after Smith’s dismissal, Gibbs went berserk.

For the third wicket, Gibbs and AB de Villiers scored 94 runs out of which Gibbs scored 77 off only 33 balls. When Gibbs departed after scoring 175 runs in only 111 balls, South Africa needed 136 runs from 109 balls. However, Jacques Kallis and Justin Kemp were dismissed after plodding innings and the hosts needed 80 runs from 47 balls.

When it looked like the match was slipping from South Africa’s gasp, Johan van der Wath scored 35 off only 18 balls to give Mark Boucher some support. In the final over, South Africa needed seven runs. Despite losing Andrew Hall in the third ball, Boucher hit a four in the fifth ball to complete his half-century and seal a record-breaking chase for his side.