Top 5 teams with most 300+ successful chases in ODI cricket

It is a time when Test cricket is being played at ODI pace and ODI cricket has suddenly reached the pace of T20 cricket. Over the last one decade, 300 has become the new norm as opposed to 250 which in the 1990s was considered an impressive total.The ongoing India-Australia ODI series has belied expectations in more ways than one. Thanks to the flat decks provided, all three ODIs have almost completely followed the same script.India bat first, post a total around 300 and Australia chase it down with relative ease. The nerveless fashion in which Australia is chasing down 300 on their home grounds where the pitches are offering very little help to the bowlers shows how good batsmen have gotten at scoring runs especially when conditions are in their favour.With that in mind, we take a look now at teams that have successfully chased down totals in excess of 300 in ODI cricket, with the most consistency. Australia is pushing its stock higher up but, surprisingly, it is not the team with most number of 300+ chases. 

#5 South Africa - 6

They are the record-holders for the highest successful run-chase in ODI cricket, an unbelievable 438 for 9 against Australia in Johannesburg, thanks to a Gibbs’ special. South Africa have been reasonably successful when it comes to chasing mammoth totals although their famous ‘choker’ tag hardly suggests that.

In fact, South Africa have a W/L ratio of 1.673 with 164 wins and 98 losses batting second, a ratio next only to Australia’s 1.8 – hardly the sign of a team that cannot chase well. Sadly, it is the stage of their most remembered defeats that has stamped the tag on them.

South Africa have scored in excess of 300 batting second 8 times, of which they ended on the winning side 6 times. Most recently, they chased down 371 against Australia in Durban, riding on a superb hundred by David Miller.

South Africa have lost against India and England despite crossing the 300 mark in the chase but the stat also suggests that they rarely have big scores to chase thanks to an excellent bowling unit that has maintained its quality ever since South Africa were given a re-entry into world cricket.