The biggest loss in ODI cricket has just been rewritten. On September 7, 2025, in the third ODI at Southampton, England crushed South Africa by an astonishing 342-run margin (England 414/5 vs South Africa 72 all out). This result now stands as the heaviest defeat by runs in ODI history, overtaking India’s 317-run win against Sri Lanka in 2023.
England’s batting dominance was set up by centuries from Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, before Jofra Archer tore through South Africa’s top order in a devastating spell. The visitors, who had already secured the series 2-0, folded in under 25 overs to suffer their worst ODI defeat ever. The scale of this collapse underlined just how one-sided the game was and reset the benchmark for the largest margin of victory in ODIs.
To put England’s 342-run rout into perspective, here’s a breakdown of the top eight biggest losses in ODIs, featuring some of the most lopsided thrashings in the format’s history. These matches saw mammoth totals and hapless chases, producing the largest victory margins by runs in ODI cricket (as of September 7, 2025).
| Winning Team | Margin (runs) | Opposition | Venue (Date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 342 | vs South Africa | Southampton (7 Sep 2025) |
| India | 317 | vs Sri Lanka | Thiruvananthapuram (15 Jan 2023) |
| Australia | 309 | vs Netherlands | Delhi (25 Oct 2023) |
| Zimbabwe | 304 | vs USA | Harare (26 Jun 2023) |
| India | 302 | vs Sri Lanka | Mumbai (2 Nov 2023) |
| New Zealand | 290 | vs Ireland | Aberdeen (1 Jul 2008) |
| Australia | 276 | vs South Africa | Mackay (24 Aug 2025) |
| Australia | 275 | vs Afghanistan | Perth (4 Mar 2015) |
England’s annihilation of South Africa in September 2025 now tops the list of largest ODI winning margins. Batting first, England amassed 414/5 – one of their highest ODI totals – powered by Jacob Bethell’s 110 (his maiden international century) and Joe Root’s 100. They feasted on a jaded South African bowling attack, bringing up 400+ for the second game in a row of the series. South Africa, already lacking intensity after clinching the series early, collapsed spectacularly. Pacer Jofra Archer’s fiery spell reduced the visitors to 24/6, as South Africa’s top order was blown away in a matter of overs. With Temba Bavuma injured and not batting, South Africa’s innings never recovered. They were bundled out for 72, sealing a defeat on the order of 342 runs. This margin breaks the all-time ODI record, overtaking India’s 317-run win in 2023. It’s also a new personal low for South Africa – far worse than their 276-run loss to Australia just days prior.
Prior to England’s new feat, the record for biggest ODI victory was India’s 317-run thrashing of Sri Lanka on January 15, 2023. India posted a towering 390/5 in 50 overs, thanks to Virat Kohli’s majestic 166 off 110 balls and Shubman Gill’s 116. Kohli’s knock propelled India to a mammoth total, after which the Indian bowlers absolutely decimated Sri Lanka. The visitors were shot out for just 73 runs in 22 overs. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj wrecked the top order, taking 4/32 and reducing Sri Lanka to 39/6 by the 12th over. Sri Lanka’s innings disintegrated, with only three batters reaching double figures. The result was a 317-run margin – at the time, the largest victory by runs in ODI history.
Australia handed the Netherlands one of the biggest loss in ODI history during the 2023 ICC World Cup. On October 25, 2023 in Delhi, Australia crushed the Netherlands by 309 runs, setting a record for the largest margin of victory in any World Cup match. Batting first, Australia racked up 399/8, led by an astonishing 106 off 44 balls by Glenn Maxwell – the fastest century in World Cup history – and a 91-ball 104 by David Warner. Maxwell’s power-hitting lifted Australia to just one run shy of 400. In reply, the Dutch collapsed for just 90 runs in 21 overs, unable to handle Australia’s bowling. The 309-run margin was Australia’s biggest ever ODI win and the second-largest overall at the time.
In the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers, Zimbabwe routed the United States by 304 runs. Zimbabwe amassed 408/6 – their highest ODI total ever – with Sean Williams smashing 174 and Sikandar Raza adding 102*. Faced with a daunting 409 target, the USA crumbled in 25.1 overs for just 104. The 304-run victory is Zimbabwe’s largest ever and was the second-biggest ODI win by runs at the time.
India produced another thumping of Sri Lanka – a 302-run demolition during the 2023 ICC World Cup. On November 2, 2023 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, India posted 357/8 and bowled out Sri Lanka for a mere 55. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj triggered the collapse, and Mohammed Shami’s 5/18 mopped up the rest. Sri Lanka lasted only 19.4 overs, suffering an utter rout. The result was a 302-run victory – India’s largest ever World Cup win and one of the most one-sided ODI matches ever.
New Zealand’s 290-run victory over Ireland in July 2008 was the ODI record-holder for over a decade. In Aberdeen, New Zealand piled up 402/2 in 50 overs – their then-highest ODI total – and bowled Ireland out for 112. Brendon McCullum smashed 166 and James Marshall added 161*, putting on a 274-run opening partnership. The 290-run margin was the largest victory in ODI history at the time, surpassing India’s previous record.
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Australia’s 276-run victory over South Africa on August 24, 2025 saw them post 431/2 before dismissing South Africa for 155. Travis Head (142) and Mitchell Marsh (100) led the batting onslaught, while Cooper Connolly took 5/22 with the ball. This was South Africa’s worst ODI defeat at the time – though quickly overtaken by England’s 342-run hammering just weeks later.
At the 2015 World Cup, Australia beat Afghanistan by 275 runs, then the largest victory margin in World Cup history. Australia racked up 417/6, with David Warner hammering 178. Afghanistan managed only 142 in reply, with Mitchell Johnson taking 4/22. The 275-run win was Australia’s biggest ODI victory at that time.
The biggest margins of victory in ODIs have been increasing rapidly in recent years, with several new entries – 317, 309, 304, 302, and now 342 – all coming since 2023. The heaviest defeat in ODI cricket as of now is England’s 342-run obliteration of South Africa in 2025, underlining how one-sided limited-overs contests can become when a team fires on all cylinders.
If you’re still wondering “what is the biggest loss in ODI” or “most runs win in ODI,” the answer in 2025 is clear: England by 342 runs against South Africa.
| Winner | Margin | Target | Opposition | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England New Record | 342 runs | 415 | South Africa | 7 Sep 2025 |
| India | 317 runs | 391 | Sri Lanka | 15 Jan 2023 |
| Australia | 309 runs | 400 | Netherlands | 25 Oct 2023 |
| Zimbabwe | 304 runs | 409 | USA | 26 Jun 2023 |
| India | 302 runs | 358 | Sri Lanka | 2 Nov 2023 |
| New Zealand | 290 runs | 403 | Ireland | 1 Jul 2008 |
| Australia | 276 runs | 432 | South Africa | 24 Aug 2025 |
| Australia | 275 runs | 418 | Afghanistan | 4 Mar 2015 |
| South Africa | 272 runs | 400 | Zimbabwe | 22 Oct 2010 |
| South Africa | 258 runs | 302 | Sri Lanka | 11 Jan 2012 |
The biggest loss in ODI cricket history is England’s 342-run victory against South Africa at Southampton on September 7, 2025. England scored 414/5 and bowled South Africa out for just 72 to seal the heaviest defeat by runs ever in ODIs.
The largest margin of victory by runs in ODIs is 342 runs, set by England against South Africa in 2025. This overtook India’s 317-run win over Sri Lanka in 2023.
South Africa holds the record after their 342-run loss to England in 2025. Previously, Sri Lanka had suffered some of the worst defeats, including a 317-run loss and a 302-run loss to India in 2023.
As of 2025, there have been five ODI defeats by more than 300 runs:
In the ENG vs SA 3rd ODI at Southampton, England dominated with centuries from Jacob Bethell and Joe Root to post 414/5. Jofra Archer then produced a fiery spell, taking 4 wickets, as South Africa collapsed to 72 all out, losing by 342 runs — the biggest loss in ODI history.
South Africa’s heaviest ODI defeat is the 342-run loss to England in 2025. Their previous worst was a 276-run loss to Australia in Mackay just weeks earlier.
India and Australia have both inflicted multiple 300+ run defeats. India beat Sri Lanka by 317 runs and 302 runs in 2023, while Australia thrashed the Netherlands by 309 runs (2023) and Afghanistan by 275 runs (2015).
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