Football and cricket have a lot of things in common. While the former is a lot simpler, the latter has its own share of quirks. One of the similarities between the two sports is that unlike many other sports where there is a winner and a loser in every game, they even have a result where neither wins or loses.
A draw in football and a tie in cricket are the same but their frequency aren't the same. While a draw is almost as common as a win or a loss, a tie in cricket is almost as rare of a goalkeeper scoring a goal. 33 tied matches in the history of ODIs are a testament to that. So when they do happen, they are memorable.
So here are the five highest scoring tied matches in ODI history:
5) England vs India - fourth ODI, Lord's 2011
Going into the fourth match of the five-match series 2-0 down, India knew that nothing less than a victory would keep their hopes of avoiding a series defeat alive. So when they were put into bat by England, they needed a good total on the board.
Despite the top-order failing to provide a solid platform, India put 280 on the board. It was all courtesy of a 169-run fifth wicket partnership between Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni. Both players notched up a fifty and gave the hosts a stiff task, if there to claim the series.
Courtesy of an Ian Bell fifty and Ravi Bopara steadying the ship, England needed 48 from the last six overs with four wickets in hand,when the rain first made its presence felt. When they went off for the first time, India were runs ahead, but they came back and left again by which time England had sneaked ahead by 2 runs.
With 19 needed from 18 balls, a batsman batting in his 90s and still four wickets in hand, England looked in cruise control. But a tight over from RP Singh and two wickets in two balls by Munaf Patel, who removed both Bopara and Swann meant when they went off for the final time, the scores were level on D/L and the game finished as a tie.
4) England vs Sri Lanka - first ODI, Trent Bridge 2016
After England won the toss and elected to field, Sri Lanka didn't get off to a great start. At 56/3 in the ninth over, Sri Lanka looked as though they might struggle to get a par score. But a couple of sensible innings from Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews and another Seekuge Prasanna special helped them post a competitive total.
While Sri Lanka would have been disappointed with 286, especially after the 28-ball 59 from Prasanna, they would have been delighted to have dug themselves out of a hole. And the Sri Lankan captain would have been over the moon to see England four-down within the first 10 overs.
Despite Jos Buttler's heroics and Chris Woakes still batting 11 short of his hundred, England needed 14 off the last over. Just four runs were scored off the first four balls and with 10 needed off 2 balls, England's task just got that much harder. But poor fielding off the fifth ball gave them three and Liam Plunkett plonked one over long-off and just like that England had tied a game that they looked destined to lose. It was also the fourth-highest total scored in a tied match.
3) New Zealand vs India - third ODI, Auckland 2014
It was another ODI overseas tour and again India were 2-0 down. This time, having lost the first two matches and needed a win in the third ODI to keep the series alive against New Zealand. After winning the toss and electing to field, India wouldn't have been happy that the hosts put on 314 in their quota of overs.
In response, India lost their top-order before any progress could be made with the chase. But when Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni were batting there was still hope. But the former was dismissed for 31 and Dhoni was gone soon after he got to his fifty and by then, the visitors still needed 131 from 14.2 overs.
But Ravindra Jadeja, who had earlier bowled brilliantly was done with the game yet. After putting on 85 runs for the seventh wicket with Ashwin, Jadeja batted brilliantly with the tail to bring it down to 18 needed off the last over. 12 was required off the last three balls and Jadeja hit a four and a six but could only get 1 off the last ball and the game was tied.
Jadeja was rightfully given the Man of the Match as he was the one who claimed a tie from the jaws of defeat and kept them alive in the series.
2) India vs England - ICC World Cup, Bangalore 2011
On the way to their second World Cup triumph, India were involved in the second-highest scoring tied game in the history of ODIs. And it all happened during their clash against England in the group game at Bangalore.
On the back of Sachin Tendulkar's century and fifties from Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh, India posted 338. Although it would have been a much better total had the lower-middle order contributed. Still, India would have been confident of defending that total.
But with Andrew Strauss scoring a century and Ian Bell giving him great company with a fifty, India's chances looked slim. But Zaheer Khan came back with the old ball and picked up three wickets in six balls to put the cat amongst the pigeons. But with 14 needed off the last over, the pendulum had swung again but Graeme Swann couldn't get the 2 needed off the last ball and both sides had to settle for a point.
1) New Zealand vs England - fourth ODI, Napier 2008
And the record for the highest-scoring tied game goes to England and New Zealand, who combined for 680 runs in the fourth ODI at Napier. England's domination of this list is evident as this is the fourth time they appear on this list.
After winning the toss and electing to field, New Zealand didn't get the start they were look for as Phil Mustard and Alastair Cook both scored fifties and added a 158-run opening partnership. Although Jesse Ryder removed both openers in successive balls, fifties from Kevin Pietersen and captain Paul Collingwood helped England post 340/6.
In response, the Kiwis got off to a flyer thanks to Jesse Ryder and were looking on course for an unlikely win at the halfway stage. Even though wickets were falling at the other end at regular intervals, Jamie How was batting sensibly on a century.
When the centurion was run-out off the penultimate ball of the innings, they needed two more off the last ball but they could only manage one and what could have been a series-clinching victory turned into a tie.
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