Looking back at the most forgettable moments for the top 8 teams since the turn of the millennium

The theory that one bad deed can outweigh multiple good ones is perhaps more applicable to politics than it is to sport. Ultimately, the sorrow of a failure can be quickly banished with an impromptu win - and with the glut of matches in the cricket calendar, no side can protest about a lack of opportunities.

But what about when a slight discrepancy mutates into a more pressing problem? Sporadic losses turn into common defeats and all of a sudden you haven't won a match for month, or in English county Leicestershire's case, nearly three years (their last first-class victory came back in September 2012).

Frustration turns into humiliation and no team is immune. It's an unwelcome guest that visits everybody, and regularly.

Hence, here are the most forgettable moments for each of the top eight cricketing nations since the turn of the millennium:

#1 India - Early exit from 2007 World Cup

A Super 8 match at the 2007 World Cup was supposed to have been contested between India and Pakistan in the end, Ireland and Bangladesh were the two nations that battled it out. The underperformance of the subcontinent's two old foes meant both suffered early exits at the competition, but for India, it was one of their lowest moments for over a decade.

Condemned to defeat by Bangladesh in their opening match, India bounced back with a monstrous win over Bermuda, but it only served to tape over the problems as in their final group encounter with Sri Lanka they failed to track down 255 once again it was the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni who let them down.

Although the blow was slightly softened by Pakistans elimination at the hands of Ireland, Indias campaign had left them exposed to the media, and the scars were perhaps not healed until they lifted the trophy four years later on home soil.

#2 Australia - 3-0 Ashes defeat in England

Australia haven't really been associated with embarrassment over the past few decades - particularly under the Waugh and Ponting eras - with their ruthlessness commonly proving an overpowering factor.

Hence, it was quite a contrast when a bunch of unruly troops - led by coach Mickey Arthur - rocked up in England in 2013 with a rather flawed plan to recapture the Ashes. Fresh off the back of homework gate on their tour of India, which saw a quartet of players (Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja) left out in the cold following a breach of discipline, it was a miserable build-up.

Upon arriving, David Warner then proceeded to punch Joe Root in a bar before the Aussies capsized once more on the field, beaten 3-0 in the five-Test series. It was a dreadful few months. However, Arthur's sacking and Darren Lehmann's appointment just before the series had started ensured the slump wouldn't last for long.

#3 Sri Lanka - Opportunity to win the World T20 on home soil missed

The stage was set. At home and with fans fervent, Sri Lanka had reached the final of the 2012 World Twenty20, and only West Indies stood in the way of them claiming a maiden title. The consensus was that this was to be their date with destiny.

And as the match began to unfold the final battle appeared won, it seemed to be a coronation rather than a contest - a confused West Indies had bumbled haplessly, managing a paltry 32 from their opening 10 overs after being put into bat.

But then it changed. Marlon Samuels crafted 78, but even so, a mammoth second-half of the innings still left them shy of 140. Sri Lanka had only the pressure of a trophy-winning chase to stop them. Yet stop them it did. Confused, and overwhelmed, they combusted to 101 all-out with just three batsmen getting past five. West Indies rejoiced in typical calypso manner, revelling in their fortune.

It was the ultimate case of being jilted at the altar, as Sri Lanka were made to look inferior on the global stage. But they only had themselves to blame.

#4 England - Whitewashed 5-0 in Ashes 2013/14

When a lost Jonathan Trott pulled aimlessly off Mitchell Johnson's short deliveries in the first Test of the 2013/14 Ashes, any knowledgeable fan could foresee trouble ahead for England. The scale of that trouble though would have stunned even the most pessimistic.

Weary, without direction and riddled with infighting, Alastair Cook's men imploded as they were beaten in all five Tests - matching their efforts from the series seven years prior. In addition, the tour also saw the end of Kevin Pietersen's career in an England shirt, after he was told he was not part of the team's future plans.

The rut continued with just a solitary win in the limited-overs matches that followed, before an early exit at the World Twenty20 - which included a defeat to the Netherlands - completed a horrendous few months and one of England's worst patches ever.

#5 New Zealand - Battered 4-0 by Bangladesh

New Zealand rocked up in Bangladesh late in 2010, and the bilateral ODI series was a golden chance to acclimatise themselves with conditions and record a few wins ahead of the World Cup due to take place early the next year.

Possibly surprisingly, but not shockingly the tour ended in a whitewash. However, that the Black Caps were the team subject to a 4-0 battering was unprecedented. A nerveless Bangladesh prevailed three times by fewer than 10 runs, often carried by Shakib Al Hasan - the all-rounder topped both batting and bowling charts on his way to being awarded the Man of the Series trophy.

For New Zealand, it was utter humiliation. Their defeat meant they became the first full strength top eight side to lose a series to Bangladesh. They soon righted their wrongs though, with another strong tournament showing which saw them reach the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup.

#6 West Indies - Lost both Test & ODI series to Bangladesh

A dispute left West Indies with no first team players when Bangladesh toured the Caribbean in 2009, leaving Floyd Reifer to captain a second-string side for two Tests, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match.

Sensing an opportunity to capture some major wins - despite the strange circumstances - a clinical Bangladesh easily overpowered the West Indies, sweeping the Test and ODI series without a loss. The five-day triumphs marked their first - and so far only - victories in the format against the top 8 nations. Nine of the West Indies team who competed in the first Test were making their debut and Darren Sammy was arguably the sides biggest name.

Tensions between players and the board were eventually resolved, but six years on, issues are still rearing their heads.

#7 Pakistan - The spot-fixing saga

It should have been the summer that left everyone mesmerised over Pakistans newest fast-bowling superstar, Mohammad Amir. Instead, the staining memory of cricket in 2010 was of a spot-fixing scandal that left the image of the game dirtied, possibly beyond repair.

The fourth and final Test at Lords saw a rejuvenated Pakistan coming off the back of a win at The Oval looking to tie the series and they looked en route to doing so until Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broads record-breaking eighth-wicket partnership of 332 put England in a commanding position. Pakistan were then skittled for 74 and 147 as they lost by over an innings but by then scorelines were irrelevant.

Deliberate no balls from Amir and Mohammad Asif were uncovered in a newspaper sting, leading to a five-year ban for the former and a 10-year punishment for the latter. Captain Salman Butt also received a 10-year ban. It was an embarrassment not just for cricket, but for sport too.

#8 South Africa - Infamous exit from home World Cup in 2003

Hosting the World Cup in 2003, South Africa were under increased pressure to finally do their abilities justice and deliver at a knockout tournament. What unfolded was another gem for cricketing folklore, featuring the infamous Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) system.

A century from Marvan Atapattu set the Proteas an imposing 269 a target that was then adjusted to 230 in 45 overs after a rain delay. And they should have got there, had they not read the charts incorrectly. Interpreting the 229 figure displayed on the D/L chart as the target required, when it actually was the total needed to tie.

Subsequently, instead of pinching a single off the final ball, Mark Boucher merely nudged it away, in order not to lose his wicket. The tie was not enough, and the Proteas were eliminated

The picture of a distraught Shaun Pollock remains as a vivid memory 12 years on one that pains all South African fans, but sends a wry smile through the faces of almost everyone else.