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Top Five Lowest Totals By South Africa In ODI World Cup History

image-lolrt1s9South Africa's World Cup 2023 captain Temba Bavuma after his cheap dismissal vs IND (AP)

At the grand stage of ODI World Cups, where the world’s finest batting powerhouses converge to test their mettle, South Africa has often emerged as a formidable force. Yet, like a majestic ship navigating treacherous waters, their batting order, too, occasionally encounters tempestuous seas, leading to unforeseen shipwrecks.

On the backdrop of South Africa’s latest batting debacle against Team India at the 2023 World Cup, here at OneCricket, we dive through the cricketing archives to unveil their five lowest totals at the sports’ biggest carnival.

Five Lowest Team Totals By South Africa in World Cup matches:


1. South Africa 83 all out vs IND, 2023 World Cup

image-lolsnyh2Aiden Markram reacts to his dismissal vs IND at the 2023 World Cup (AP)

One of the most-hyped teams of the 2023 World Cup, Temba Bavuma-led South Africa took field against tournament hosts India for a potential blockbuster thriller at the Eden Gardens in their penultimate group fixture. Heading into the contest off the back of five 300-plus totals in the competition, the in-form Proteas batters fancied themselves to make a match out of India’s 326-run total.

However, their entire top-order, including leading run-scorer Quinton de Kock, crumbled in front of Indian speedsters with the new ball. Ravindra Jadeja, India’s ace spinner, later piled on South Africa’s pain by scything through their middle-order to finish with a five-fer, dismantling Bavuma’s high-flying unit for just 83 in 27.1 overs.

Marco Jansen’s mere 14 turned out to be the biggest benefactor of South Africa’s sorry-looking scorecard, one which became their lowest-ever team total in an ODI World Cup game. Moreover, the 243-run drubbing they received in the game also marked their biggest-ever margin of defeat in any ODI match since their introduction to the format in 1991.


2. South Africa 149 all out vs AUS, 2007 World Cup

image-lolspkwpJacques Kallis cleaned up at the 2007 World Cup semi-final (x.com)

Prior to their 2023 World Cup debacle against India, the mighty South Africans were dusted up for just 149 by a rampaging Australian unit in perhaps one of their biggest ODI outings in history, the semi-final of the 2007 World Cup.

Then Proteas skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and had confidently opted to bat first, only to see his side stumble in their big game against the eventual winners. Moreover, South Africa even slumped to 27-5 at one stage, before Justin Kemp’s 49* guided them to a respectable 149.

Australian bowling legend Glenn McGrath and tearaway speedster Shaun Tait shared seven wickets between them, with the former bagging away the ‘Player of the Match’ rights in his side’s comfortable win in Gros Islet.


3. South Africa 165 all out vs ENG, 2011 World Cup

image-lolsqzfjStuart Broad celebrating a SA wicket at the 2011 World Cup (x.com)

Prior to taking field against England in Chennai at the 2011 World Cup, South Africa routed West Indies and Netherlands in successive games to start out as favourites to make it three in three. The stars aligned perfectly for the Proteas at the halfway stage, considering their ace spinners Imran Tahir and Robin Peterson had blown away England’s entire line-up for just 171.

Poised to collect their two points at 124-3, the South Africans in their run-chase were overpowered by a spirited English fightback, led by the ever-charismatic Stuart Broad. The legendary fast bowler struck four times in his seven-over spell to extinguish Graeme Smith and co. for just 165 to secure a six-run morale-boosting win for his side.


4. South Africa 172 all out vs NZ, 2011 World Cup

image-lolssypkJacob Oram celebrating Faf du Plessis wicket at the 2011 World Cup (AP)

Barely three weeks after surrendering to England, South Africa “choked” their way into yet another defeat in a World Cup knockout game, this time against New Zealand at the 2011 quarter-final. Chasing New Zealand’s 221 in Mirpur to book a place in the semi-finals, Graeme Smith and co. managed just 172 to fall 49 runs short of their target.

Smith listed 28, while middle-order legends Jacques Kallis, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers slapped notable knocks to steady their side for a comfortable win at one stage. However, 108-2 soon became 132-7, which itself became 146-8 before the penultimate batting pair punched above its weight to stretch their total to 172.

The result ensured that South Africa crashed out of the tournament, despite having topped the Group B points table with five wins from their initial six fixtures.


5. South Africa 177 all out vs IND, 2015 World Cup

image-lolsvt1uIndian players sharing customary handshakes with SA after the match (AP)

Playing against tournament favourites India in front of nearly 90,000 spectators at the MCG in 2015, the South African bowlers conceded over 300 runs upfront after losing the toss. Employing the likes of batting icons Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and JP Duminy in their ranks, one expected them to make a match out of India’s 307-run total to the very least, if not overcome it.

Such was not the case as they found themselves 130 runs short of their task by the end of the proceedings, considering they were folded up for just 177 in 40.2 overs by the collective efforts of Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Interestingly, the innings featured a fighting 55 from number three Faf du Plessis, a 30 from captain AB de Villiers and a couple of 20s from Amla and Miller, as none of the other managed to go past 20 in their challenging run-chase.