The exciting deadlock between hosts Zimbabwe and a spirited Scotland in the group stage of the World Cup Qualifier at Bulawayo was the 35th instance of an ODI ending in a tie, across a history spanning more than 47 years and 3,996 games. Thus, on an average, about one in every 114 ODIs has ended in a tie. Here is a look at a few facts and figures involving the occasions when there was nothing to separate the two teams after the final ball of the match was bowled.
The first tied ODI
It took 13 years and 247 matches for ODI cricket to record its first tie. The match in question was the second final of the 1983-84 Benson and Hedges World Series Cup, played between Australia and the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Vivian Richards’ 59 in 70 balls helped the West Indies overcome a sluggish start and post 222/5 in the allotted 50 overs. Australia were well placed for victory at 132/1, but soon lost their way and could only finish with 222/9.
Teams involved in the most number of tied ODIs
Australia and the West Indies have each been a part of nine tied ODIs, meaning that every second tie has featured at least one of these teams. Australia’s nine ties include three each against South Africa – all of which came within a span of three years between 1999 and 2001-02 - and the West Indies, two against England and one against Pakistan; while the Windies have tied thrice against Australia and Pakistan, and once each against India, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Most tied ODIs in a single cricketing nation and at a single ground
Australia, England and the West Indies have played host to five tied ODIs each. But the ground that has seen the most tied ODIs (three) is the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo – Zimbabwe v New Zealand in 1997-98, Zimbabwe v West Indies in 2016-17 and Zimbabwe v Scotland in 2017-18. Trent Bridge in Nottingham, Lord’s in London, Bourda in Georgetown, Eden Park in Auckland, McLean Park in Napier and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium follow with two ties each.
Tied ODIs in which both sides were bowled out
Zimbabwe and Scotland were both bowled out for 210 in their tie at Bulawayo, making it only the fifth instance of both teams losing all ten wickets in a tied ODI. The previous four instances were: India v West Indies (126 each) at Perth in 1991-92, Australia v South Africa (213 each) at Edgbaston in 1999, Pakistan v Sri Lanka (196 each) at Sharjah in 1999-00 and West Indies v Australia (220 each) at Kingston in 2011-12.
Highest and lowest totals in a tied ODI
The highest team total in a tied ODI was recorded at Napier, in the fourth ODI between England (340/6) and New Zealand (340/7) in 2007-08, closely followed by the 2011 World Cup game between India (338) and England (338/8) at Bangalore. At the other end of the spectrum, the opening match of the 1991-92 Benson and Hedges World Series at Perth witnessed the lowest team total in a tied ODI, with India and the West Indies both getting bowled out for 126.
Scores level, but not a tie
Besides the 35 tied ODIs thus far, there have been two other occasions of an ODI finishing with the scores level. However, these two games have not been considered “tied” in the record books, as according to the rules of the concerned bilateral series, the team that lost fewer wickets was to be declared the winner in case the scores were equal: India (212/6) beat Pakistan (212/7) at Hyderabad in 1986-87, and Pakistan (229/7) beat Australia (229/8) at Lahore in 1988-89.
Hitting a six to tie
There have been three instances of a team managing to tie an ODI when seven runs were required to win off the last ball, i.e. by hitting a six to level the scores: the batsmen were Asif Mujtaba (off Steve Waugh) for Pakistan against Australia at Hobart in 1992-93, Michael Rippon (off John Mooney) for the Netherlands against Ireland at Amstelveen in 2013 and Liam Plunkett (off Nuwan Pradeep) for England against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in 2016.
Ties at the World Cup
The first six editions of the World Cup did not produce a single tie, but the following four editions all featured one each. Australia and South Africa contested the first World Cup tie in the 1999 semifinal at Edgbaston, with both teams ending on 213. Australia snuck into the final as they finished higher in the Super Six round. South Africa were also at the receiving end of the next World Cup tie, due to which they were knocked out of the 2003 edition at home.
Chasing a rain-revised target of 230 from 45 overs in their last group match against Sri Lanka (who made 268/9) at Durban, the Proteas miscalculated the D/L par score to finish at 229/6 and bow out in bizarre fashion. The third World Cup tie was between Ireland (221/9) and Zimbabwe (221) at Kingston in 2007, in what was Ireland’s very first World Cup match, while the fourth was a see-sawing run fest at Bangalore in 2011, between hosts India (338) and England (338/8).
Associates and tied ODIs
Four tied ODIs have featured at least one Associate nation: Ireland v Zimbabwe at Kingston in 2006-07, Ireland v Pakistan at Dublin in 2013, Ireland v Netherlands at Amstelveen in 2013 (the only instance of two Associates being involved in a tied ODI) and Zimbabwe v Scotland at Bulawayo in 2017-18.
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