Top five highest powerplay totals in ODI cricket
Australia scored 112 in the first ten overs against India in Visakhapatnam in March 2023 during the second ODI, a performance featured among the top five highest powerplay totals in One-Day International cricket. This itemised list collates the five most productive opening ten-over periods from the matches described in the source material.
ODI cricket combines elements of Test and T20 formats, and the advent of T20 has encouraged faster scoring rates in 50-over matches. The powerplay comprises the first ten overs when only two fielders are permitted outside the circle, making it the primary phase for rapid scoring. A first-ten-over return of about 80-85 runs is regarded as strong in ODIs, but there have been occasions when teams exceeded 110 runs in that period.
In the second ODI at Visakhapatnam in March 2023, India were all out for 117 in 26 overs and Australia replied aggressively, scoring 112 in the first ten overs and reaching 121/0 in 11 overs to win by ten wickets and 234 balls to spare. Travis Head made 51 off 30 balls and Mitchell Marsh scored 66 off 36 as the Australian openers completed the chase without loss.
At Port of Spain in August 2019, a rain-reduced 35-over fixture saw West Indies post 240/7 after choosing to bat, with both openers combining for 114 in the first ten overs. Chris Gayle scored 73 off 41 and Evin Lewis 43 off 29; India replied with 256/4 in 32.3 overs and won courtesy of a Virat Kohli century.
During the 2015 World Cup in Wellington, England were dismissed for 123 in the first innings with Tim Southee taking seven wickets. Brendon McCullum reached 50 in 18 balls on the way to an unbeaten 77 off 25, including eight fours and seven sixes, and New Zealand accumulated 116/2 in the first ten overs before finishing 125/2 in 12.3 overs to secure victory.
In the 27th game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Dharamsala, Australia recorded a joint-highest powerplay total when David Warner and Travis Head put on 118 without loss in the opening ten overs; the pair reached 50 in 4.1 overs, with Warner registering a 27-ball fifty and Head a 25-ball half-century.
New Zealand matched that top mark at Christchurch in December 2015 after bowling Sri Lanka out for 117; New Zealand required 8.2 overs to reach 118/0, winning by ten wickets and 250 balls to spare, with Martin Guptill unbeaten on 93 off 30 (nine fours and eight sixes) and Tom Latham making 17 off 20.
New Zealand and Australia jointly hold the record for the highest powerplay score in ODI cricket, each having posted 118 in the first ten overs in the matches cited above.