Top 5 highest successful chases in ODI World Cup history ft. Pakistan

A 300-plus run chase in ODI cricket is a demanding task and doing that in a tournament like the World Cup deserves plaudits for any team. Only nine times has a side successfully chased down such a target in the quadrennial showpiece.

This includes the recent match between Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup 2023 concluded on October 10 in Hyderabad.

Ireland, who played their last World Cup competition in 2015, is the only men’s cricket team involved in three 300-plus chases. Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have achieved the feat twice in the men’s ODI World Cup.

Let’s take a quick look at the five highest successful chases scripted in the history of the ICC World Cup.

#1 Pakistan 345/4 vs Sri Lanka, October 8, 2023 - Hyderabad

Pakistan rode on the sheer brilliance of Mohammad Rizwan backed by the top-drawer start from World Cup debutant Abdullah Shafique.

After being given a daunting 345-run target following scintillating tons from Kusal Mendis (122) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (108), Pakistan lost two wickets in the powerplay overs. That's when Rizwan and Shafique joined forces.

The duo rotated the strike firmly with boundaries coming occasionally to reduce the pressure of the asking rate, though they accelerated in the middle overs. Shafique completed his century in 97 balls, his maiden ODI century in five innings.

With Shafique’s departure in the 34th over, Rizwan continued to take calculative risks even though he endured a few moments of pain on the pitch.

The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter was unbeaten on 131 when his team scripted the highest run-chase in the ODI World Cup. This was also the first instance of four centurions in a single World Cup game.

#2 Ireland 329/7 vs England, March 2, 2011 - Bengaluru

This was one of the biggest upsets in the 2011 World Cup. Ireland middle-order batter Kevin O’Brien struck a sensational century to lead his team’s charge in an improbable three-wicket win against neighbors England.

O’Brien scored 113 off 63 balls, his innings laced with 13 boundaries and six sixes and at an astonishing strike rate of 179.37. He reached his century in just 50 balls, shattering the record set by Matthew Hayden (66 balls) for the quickest century in the World Cup.

Ireland were reeling at 111 for 5 at one point before O’Brien put on an impressive stand of 162 runs with Alex Cusack. Though the Irish star was run out in the penultimate over, John Mooney and Trent Johnston ensured they didn’t bottle the chase. Ireland went on to etch the record for the highest successful chase in the World Cup at that point.

#3 Bangladesh 322/3 vs West Indies, June 17, 2019 - Taunton

Bangladesh was the only team to hunt down a 300-plus target in the 2019 World Cup edition. Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das responded to the fireworks from the West Indies in the first innings.

Shakib registered his second century of the tournament, steering Bangladesh to their highest successful chase in the World Cup. The left-handed batter was involved in an unbroken 189-run partnership with Litton Das (94*).

The latter was the aggressor among the duo, hammering eight boundaries and four sixes as Bangladesh got home with 51 balls to spare.

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#4 Bangladesh 322/4 vs Scotland, March 4, 2015 - Nelson

Scotland were powered in this match by Kyle Coetzer’s marvelous 156 to post 318 for 8 in 50 overs. Bangladesh’s chase saw an early dent with regular opener Anamul Haque injuring his right shoulder while fielding in the 31st over of the Scotland innings.

However, that didn’t stop the Tigers from registering their highest successful ODI chase in history. Senior players Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah scored fifties while Sabbir Rahman was unbeaten on 42. Tamim missed his century by just five runs, though Bangladesh completed the chase in 48.1 overs.

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#5 Sri Lanka 313/7 vs Zimbabwe, February 23, 1992 - New Plymouth

Sri Lanka is the first cricket team in the history of cricket to chase a 300-plus score in the ODI World Cup. On February 23, 1992, it was a big day of fearless batting when the Lankans defeated Zimbabwe by three wickets while chasing 313 with four balls to spare.

Andy Flower scored a splendorous 115 backed by Andy Waller’s power-fired 45-ball 83 to propel the African side to a huge score of 312 at Pukekura Park.

For Sri Lanka, openers Roshan Mahanama (59) and Athula Samarasekara (75) provided a rollicking start to the daunting chase before Arjuna Ranatunga accelerated in the middle. Ranatunga smashed nine fours and a six in his unbeaten knock of 88. Sri Lanka got through the finishing line in the final over.