Stats: Teams that have played most ODIs against each other
With yet another India-Sri Lanka ODI series coming up, it’s the common complain of cricket fans that the increasing number of matches between the two teams have made the matches between the two neighbours quite dull. The numbers back the fact that India-Sri Lanka are the most frequent opponents in ODI cricket’s history.
India and Sri Lanka have played the most number of ODIs against each other than any other pair of opponents.
The Asian neighbours have faced off in 144 matches in the 50-over format with India coming out victorious on 78 occasions.
Notably, the two teams played the last ICC World Cup final in 2011 at Mumbai. With the love for limited overs cricket in the sub-continent, it’s not surprising that Pakistan and Sri Lanka grab the second spot in the all-time list. If the political scenario was favourable between the two nations, India and Pakistan, who are the 5th most frequent opponents in ODIs, would have played many more matches, especially in the 21st century.
India have played the most ODIs by a team ever – 863 – and Australia are the next highest, with 838 ODIs played by them.
Outside the sub-continent, Australia-West Indies is the most frequent rivalry in ODI cricket, with 135 matches played between the two teams.
Australia and England, the oldest rivals in cricket, have the old Ashes history between them, but have only played 127 matches in ODIs. Trans-Tasmanian rivals Australia and New Zealand have battled it out on 125 games.
Most matches played between two teams in the history of ODI cricket:
| Teams | ODIs played | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India – Sri Lanka | 144 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka – Pakistan | 142 |
| 3 | Australia – West Indies | 135 |
| 4 | Australia – England | 127 |
| 5 | India – Pakistan | 126 |
| 6 | Pakistan – West Indies | 126 |
| 7 | Australia – New Zealand | 125 |
| 8 | Australia – India | 115 |
| 9 | India – West Indies | 115 |
| 10 | India – New Zealand | 93 |
*Stats updated till 30 October, 2014