5 worst defeats for New Zealand in ODIs

#2 210 run loss to England at Edgbaston, 2015

Jos Buttler

After their superb show in the 2015 World Cup, New Zealand were the favourites when they travelled to England and took on the hosts in the 1st ODI of the series at Edgbaston. Considering England’s horror show at the World Cup, it was widely expected that the Kiwis would have a prosperous time. However, England showed that things had changed with a display of brutal power-hitting that has now become their calling card in ODI cricket. Joe Root scored 104 (78 balls) and Jos Buttler plundered a brutal 129 off 77 balls to take England to an incredible total of 408 in 50 overs.

Conceding that sort of a total is always embarrassing but that was not the end of New Zealand’s predicament. While many must have expected them to go hammer and tongs at the target, as they normally used to do in those days, it did not materialize. They did decently to get to 160 for 3 in the 23rd over but Grant Elliott was dismissed at the same score and from then on, the Kiwis collapsed in a heap. Adil Rashid’s leg-spin did most of the damage as they went from 185 for 4 to 198 all out in 31.1 overs to lose by a mammoth 210 runs.