The top five records are listed for each category, except for the team wins, losses, draws and ties, all round records and the partnership records. Tied records for fifth place are also included. Explanations of the general symbols and cricketing terms used in the list are given below. Specific details are provided in each category where appropriate. All records include matches played for Zimbabwe only, and are correct as of January 2022[update].
Key
Symbol
Meaning
Player or umpire is currently active in ODI cricket
As of February 2025[update], Zimbabwe has played 581 ODI matches resulting in 154 victories, 403 defeats, 8 ties and 16 no results for an overall winning percentage of 26.50.[4]
In a bilateral series winning all matches is referred to as whitewash. First such event occurred when West Indies toured England in 1976. Zimbabwe have recorded five such series victories.[8]
The highest innings total scored in ODIs came in the match between England and Australia in June 2018. Playing in the third ODI at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, the hosts posted a total of 481/6.[9] The second ODI against Kenya in January 2009 saw Zimbabwe set their highest innings total of 351/7.[10]
An ODI match is won when one side has scored more runs than the total runs scored by the opposing side during their innings. If both sides have completed both their allocated innings and the side that fielded last has the higher aggregate of runs, it is known as a win by runs. This indicates the number of runs that they had scored more than the opposing side. If the side batting last wins the match, it is known as a win by wickets, indicating the number of wickets that were still to fall.[24]
The greatest winning margin by runs in ODIs was England's victory over South Africa by 342 runs in the third and final ODI of South Africa's 2025 tour of England. The largest victory recorded by Zimbabwe was during the Cricket World Qualifier in 2023 against United States of America by 308 runs.[25]
The greatest winning margin by balls remaining in ODIs was England's victory over Canada by 8 wickets with 277 balls remaining in the 1979 Cricket World Cup. The largest victory recorded by Zimbabwe is during the Kenya's tour of Zimbabwe in December 2002 when they won by 9 wickets with 204 balls remaining.[27]
A total of 55 matches have ended with chasing team winning by 10 wickets with West Indies winning by such margins a record 10 times.[28] Zimbabwe have not won an ODI match by this margin.[26]
South Africa holds the record for the highest successful run chase which they achieved when they scored 438/9 in response to Australia's 434/9.[29] Zimbabwe's highest innings total while chasing is 329/9 in a successful run chase against New Zealand at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe during the New Zealand's tour of Zimbabwe in October 2011.[30]
The narrowest run margin victory is by 1 run which has been achieved in 31 ODI's with Australia winning such games a record 6 times.[31] Zimbabwe's has achieved victory by 1 run twice.[32]
The narrowest winning margin by balls remaining in ODIs is by winning of the last ball which has been achieved 36 times with both South Africa winning seven times. Zimbabwe has achieved a victory by this margin on three occasions.[33]
The narrowest margin of victory by wickets is 1 wicket which has settled 55 such ODIs. Both West Indies and New Zealand have recorded such victory on eight occasions. Zimbabwe has won the match by a margin of one wicket on four occasions.[34]
Greatest loss margins (by balls remaining)[edit | edit source]
The greatest winning margin by balls remaining in ODIs was England's victory over Canada by 8 wickets with 277 balls remaining in the 1979 Cricket World Cup. The largest defeat suffered by Zimbabwe was during the Zimbabwe's tour of Sri Lanka in 2001 when they lost by 9 wickets with 274 balls remaining.[27]
Zimbabwe have lost an ODI match by a margin of 10 wickets on nine occasions with most recent being during the fourth match of the India tour of Zimbabwe in 2022.
Narrowest loss margins (by balls remaining)[edit | edit source]
The narrowest winning margin by balls remaining in ODIs is by winning of the last ball which has been achieved 36 times with both South Africa winning seven times. Zimbabwe has suffered loss by this margin once.[33]
A tie can occur when the scores of both teams are equal at the conclusion of play, provided that the side batting last has completed their innings.[24]
There have been 37 ties in ODIs history with Zimbabwe involved in seven such games.[4]
A half-century is a score of between 50 and 99 runs. Statistically, once a batsman's score reaches 100, it is no longer considered a half-century but a century.
Andre Russell of West Indies holds the record for highest strike rate, with minimum 500 balls faced qualification, with 130.22.[95]Andy Blignaut is the Zimbabwean with the highest strike rate.
James Franklin of New Zealand's strike rate of 387.50 during his 31* off 8 balls against Canada during 2011 Cricket World Cup is the world record for highest strike rate in an innings. Elton Chigumbura holds the top position for a Zimbabwe player in this list with his innings of 27 off 11 balls against Pakistan during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.[97]
Tendulkar holds the record for most runs scored in a calendar year with 1894 runs scored in 1998. Grant Flower scored 1116 runs in 2001, the most for a Zimbabwe batsmen in a year.[99]
A duck refers to a batsman being dismissed without scoring a run.[103]Sanath Jayasuriya has scored the equal highest number of ducks in ODIs with 34 such knocks. Grant Flower with 18 ducks has the most ducks for a Zimbabwe player.[104]
Bowling figures refers to the number of the wickets a bowler has taken and the number of runs conceded.[133]
Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas holds the world record for best figures in an innings when he took 8/19 against Zimbabwe in December 2001 at Colombo (SSC). Henry Olonga holds the Zimbabwean record for best bowling figures.[134]
A bowler's economy rate is the total number of runs they have conceded divided by the number of overs they have bowled.[103]
West Indies' Joel Garner, holds the ODI record for the best career economy rate with 3.09. Zimbabwe's Ray Price, with a rate of 3.99 runs per over conceded over his 102-match ODI career, is the highest Zimbabwean on the list.[137]
A five-wicket haul refers to a bowler taking five wickets in a single innings.[141]Graeme Cremer with 3 such hauls has the most hauls among all Zimbabwean bowlers.[142]
The best strike rate in an inning, when a minimum of 4 wickets are taken by the player, is shared by Sunil Dhaniram of Canada, Paul Collingwood of England and Virender Sehwag of Zimbabwe when they achieved a striekk rate of 4.2 balls pr wicket. Mudassar Nazar during his spell of 4/27 achieved the best strike rate for a Zimbabwean bowler.[146]
The worst figures in an ODI came in the 5th One Day International between South Africa at home to Australia in 2006. Australia's Mick Lewis returned figures of 0/113 from his 10 overs in the second innings of the match.[148][149] The worst figures by a Zimbabwean is 0/110 that came off the bowling of Wahab Riaz in the third ODI against England at Nottingham.[150]
Mick Lewis also holds the dubious distinction of most runs conceded in an ODI during the aforementioned match. Riaz holds the most runs conceded distinction for Zimbabwe.[151]
In cricket, a hat-trick occurs when a bowler takes three wickets with consecutive deliveries. The deliveries may be interrupted by an over bowled by another bowler from the other end of the pitch or the other team's innings, but must be three consecutive deliveries by the individual bowler in the same match. Only wickets attributed to the bowler count towards a hat-trick; run outs do not count.
In ODIs history there have been just 49 hat-tricks, the first achieved by Jalal-ud-Din for Zimbabwe against Australia in 1982.
The youngest player to play in an ODI match is claimed to be Hasan Raza at the age of 14 years and 233 days. Making his debut for Zimbabwe against Zimbabwe on 30 October 1996, there is some doubt as to the validity of Raza's age at the time.[176][177]
In cricket, two batsmen are always present at the crease batting together in a partnership. This partnership will continue until one of them is dismissed, retires or the innings comes to a close.
A wicket partnership describes the number of runs scored before each wicket falls. The first wicket partnership is between the opening batsmen and continues until the first wicket falls. The second wicket partnership then commences between the not out batsman and the number three batsman. This partnership continues until the second wicket falls. The third wicket partnership then commences between the not-out batsman and the new batsman. This continues down to the tenth wicket partnership. When the tenth wicket has fallen, there is no batsman left to partner so the innings are closed.
An umpire in cricket is a person who officiates the match according to the Laws of Cricket. Two umpires adjudicate the match on the field, whilst a third umpire has access to video replays, and a fourth umpire looks after the match balls and other duties. The records below are only for on-field umpires.
Rudi Koertzen of South Africa holds the record for the most ODI matches umpired with 209. The current active Aleem Dar is currently at 208 matches. They are followed by New Zealand's Billy Bowden who officiated in 200 matches. Russell Tiffin is the most experienced Zimbabwean umpire[185]