Since the introduction of T20 cricket, the batsmen have gained an enormous edge over the bowlers with many rule changes and the pitches being tailor-made for the batsmen even in the ODI format. Bat has dominated the ball throughout the year and batsmen have piled up bug runs and have set new records. The bowlers have had to find new ways to fool and deceive the batsman but have tasted decidedly less success.
However, there have been instances when the bowlers have had the better of the batsmen in the year in the 50 over format. Teams have tried their best to maintain the consistency, but a match here or there has ended up in their disappointment.
Let’s have a look at some of the lowest ODI scores in the year 2017.
- India (112 all out) vs Sri Lanka, Dharamsala, 10th December
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Team India had a fantastic 2017 as they played 29 ODI’s and lost just seven in the entire year. India also reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy but stumbled against their arch-rivals Pakistan. The team had a great time with the bat as the famed batting order scored bulk of runs. However, they had a rare failure against a team they dominated throughout the year playing nine matches against Sri Lanka. India won seven out of these nine matches. One loss came in the Champions Trophy while the other loss came when the hosts India were bundled out for a mere 112 on a seaming wicket in Dharamsala.
- Afghanistan (111) vs Zimbabwe, Harare, 24th February
2017 was a year for the associate nations as Afghanistan and Ireland earned the much-deserved Test status and are all set to play their first Test in 2018. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, an impressive year as they won the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka 3-2 and almost pulled off a Test victory. Similarly, Afghanistan defeated Zimbabwe 3-2 but had a stutter in the fourth match when they were dismissed for 111 in the fourth match.
- Sri Lanka (103) vs Pakistan, Sharjah, 23rd October
Sri Lanka had a forgettable 2017 in the 50-overs format. They played 29 One Day matches but tasted success in just five of them out of which two were against Zimbabwe. They were white-washed in two consecutive five-match series against India and Pakistan. In the fifth match of the series against Pakistan, Usman Shenwar took a five-wicket haul in just 21 balls and rattled the Sri Lankan top order, and the Lankan side was bundled out for just 103.
- Ireland (100) vs Afghanistan, 5th December
Ireland toured UAE for a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and won the series 2-1. However, the first match was a complete contrast of the series score, and the Afghan was the dominant side. Afghan set the Irish a target of 239 in the first ODI. Ireland were bundled out for a mere 100 runs. Fast bowler Mujeeb and Rashid Khan were the main destroyers for Afghanistan as they picked up four and three wickets respectively.
- Zimbabwe (54) vs Afghanistan, 26th February
After being bundled out for a mere 111 in the fourth match of the series, Afghanistan’s bowling line-up dismantled the Zimbabwean batting line-up for a mere 54 runs in the last match of the series to clinch the series 3-2. Mohammed Nabi and Amir Hamza picked up three wickets each while Rashid Khan picked up two wickets. Zimbabwe’s captain Graeme Creamer was the top scorer for the host with 14 runs.