5 most embarrassing defeats for Pakistan in ODIs

S Sam
Benson and Hedges Cup Final - Derbyshire v Lancashire
Wasim Akram tried gamely

Pakistan is one of the most successful ODI cricket teams in the game’s history and although they have won only one World Cup, they have historically been a force to reckon with in the second shortest format of the game. They have produced some of the finest cricketers to have played the game and over the years and have recorded some remarkable victories.

However, they are also one of the most unpredictable sides in the game and can often deliver a shocking performance, right after a brilliant one. Due to this penchant of swinging wildly from the sublime to the ridiculous, Pakistan have had their fair share of embarrassing defeats in ODI cricket over the past few decades.

From embarrassing defeats to arch-rivals to shocking reverses against the minnows of the day, Pakistan have experienced them all and here is a look at 5 of the most embarrassing defeats it has suffered in its ODI history.


#5 7 wicket loss to West Indies at Cape Town, 1993

The West Indian pace battery of the early 1990s was still among the best in the world and while there is no shame if a team gets overwhelmed by them, one does not quite expect the reigning world champions to be flattened in the way Pakistan were back in 1993.

In the 2nd game of the tri-series at Cape Town, Pakistan were put in to bat and before long they had been reduced to 11 for 3. However, far worse was to follow as no one was quite able to stand up to the pace and fury of Courtney Walsh, Patrick Patterson and Anderson Cummings.

Only Zahid Fazal scored 21 and the next highest score was 5, as Pakistan’s innings folded for 43 in 19.5 overs. Pakistan’s own fast bowling attack wasn’t too bad either and Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis soon reduced West Indies to 11 for 3, but a total of 43 was never going to enough.

Brian Lara and Richie Richardson steered West Indies home without any alarms to hand Pakistan one of their most sobering defeats.

#4 62 run loss to Bangladesh in World Cup league game at Northampton, 1999

Cricket/Bangladesh fans celebrate
Bangladesh fans celebrate the momentous victory

Bangladesh are a far more accomplished cricketing nation now but back in 1999 they were firmly regarded as one of the whipping boys and when they came up against Pakistan in the league stage, everyone was expecting only one outcome.

They were playing brilliantly that year and had made it into the Super Sixes already when they came up against Bangladesh. Pakistan rested a few players but were still able to restrict their opponents to 223 in 50 overs and no one doubted that they were going to knock off the target with ease.

However, things started going awry right from the start as Shahid Afridi went in the 1st over and Ijaz Ahmed followed in the 2nd. Soon Pakistan found themselves at 29 for 4 and from then on it was a struggle. Some contributions from the middle-order saw them crawl to 161 but they were dismissed for that score in only 44.3 overs. It remains one of the most embarrassing defeats in Pakistan’s history.

#3 3 wicket loss to Ireland in World Cup group game at Jamaica, 2007

Group D, Ireland v Pakistan - Cricket World Cup 2007
Ireland players celebrate the fall of yet another wicket

This was a loss that is perhaps still deeply embedded into the Pakistan team's conscience since they crashed out of the 2007 World Cup due to their loss to massive underdogs Ireland and the death of their coach Bob Woolmer after the game, further plunged them into turmoil. Ireland put Pakistan in to bat and their seam bowlers, led by Boyd Ranking completely overwhelmed the 1992 World Cup winners.

Before long Pakistan had been reduced to 66 for 5 and in the end, they were dismissed for only 132 in the 46th overs. It was a shocking performance and after a bit of a rain delay, Ireland reached the target in the 42nd over. Pakistan did give them a bit of a scare after having reduced them to 15 for 2 but Ireland seemed to be in control from thereon in and handed the Inzamam-ul-Haq-led team a shattering defeat.

#2 8 wicket defeat to Australia in World Cup final at Lord’s, 1999

1999 Cricket World Cup Final. Lords. 20th June, 1999. Australia beat Pakistan by 8 wickets. Australia's Shane Warne celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Wasim Akram, the first of four.
Shane Warne celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Wasim Akram, the first of four

Pakistan, led by the legendary Wasim Akram, played brilliant cricket throughout the 1999 World Cup and when they reached the final, there was widespread optimism that they would go all the way. It was their first final since 1992 and considering the fact that they had beaten Australia in the group stage, Pakistan fans and the team must have felt confident about becoming world champions. However, everything went wrong for them once they won the toss and chose to bat first.

On a decent Lord’s pitch, the Pakistani batsmen suffered from stage fright and after losing the openers (Wajahuttlah Wasti and Saeed Anwar) for only 15, Abdur Razzaq and Ijaz Ahmed strung a partnership. However, that proved to be a false dawn as Pakistan collapsed from 68 for 2 to be all out for 132, thanks to Shane Warne’s brilliant spell (4-33). Australia then reached the target in only 20.1 overs and completed a rout.

#1 38 run loss to India in Sharjah Cup final at Sharjah, 1985

BT Sport, Cricket, pic: July 1987, 4th Cornhill Test Match at Edgbaston, England v Pakistan, Imran Khan, Pakistan, Imran Khan played in 88 Test matches for Pakistan between 1971-1992
Imran Khan

Truth be told, Pakistan used to dominate India in all forms of the game back in the 1980s and 1990s and that is probably the reason why their failure to chase 126 in a final against the eternal enemies remains the most embarrassing defeat in their ODI history. Javed Miandad’s decision to put India in to bat first proved to be a masterstroke as Imran Khan removed Ravi Shastri off the first ball of the match and then the Pakistani legend took 5 more wickets (6 for 14 in 10 overs) to trigger the collapse. Mohammad Azharuddin top scored with 47 as India somehow managed to cross 100 and posted 125.

There was not much hope for India against a batting line-up of the class of Pakistan’s and once they reached 35 for 1, it looked like a cakewalk. However, that is when the collapse started. Mudassar Nazar was dismissed by Roger Binny and then Javed Miandad, Ashraf Ali and Imran Khan were all dismissed for ducks.

Suddenly Pakistan were 5 down for 41. India kept chipping away and eventually dismissed them for 87, to hand Pakistan their most embarrassing ODI defeat ever.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava