The 1996 World Cup winners and 2007 and 2011 runners-up, Sri Lanka, is going through a transition period. They have seen many ups and downs in the history of the game. At some moments, they were unbeatable, and at some points, they underperformed. But overall, we see that Sri Lanka has a rich history in the game of cricket.
Well, Sri Lanka holds many records in cricket, from holding the highest total in Test match to holding the fourth highest score in ODI. They have always given fans all those memorable moments over the years. However, in this article we will discuss the highest total achieved by Sri Lanka in ODI cricket.
List of Highest Team Score in ODI By Sri Lanka
| Score | Overs | Inns | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 443/9 | 50.0 | 1 | Netherlands | Amstelveen | 4 Jul 2006 |
| 411/8 | 50.0 | 2 | India | Rajkot | 15 Dec 2009 |
| 398/5 | 50.0 | 1 | Kenya | Kandy | 6 Mar 1996 |
| 377/8 | 50.0 | 1 | Ireland | Dublin (Malahide) | 18 Jun 2016 |
| 368/4 | 50.0 | 1 | Pakistan | Hambantota | 26 Jul 2015 |
| 366/6 | 50.0 | 1 | England | Colombo (RPS) | 23 Oct 2018 |
| 363/9 | 50.0 | 1 | Scotland | Hobart | 11 Mar 2015 |
| 357/9 | 50.0 | 1 | Bangladesh | Lahore | 25 Jun 2008 |
| 355/6 | 50 | 1 | UAE | Bulawayo | 19 Jun 2023 |
| 349/9 | 50.0 | 1 | Pakistan | Singapore | 2 Apr 1996 |
| 348/1 | 50.0 | 1 | India | Kingston | 2 Jul 2013 |
3. Sri Lanka (398/5) against Kevya at Kandy
The third highest total for Sri Lanka came against Kenya at Kandy in the 1996 World Cup. It was Kenya that won the toss and elected to bowl first. Sri Lanka had a decent start with an 83-run opening partnership, but then they lost two wickets for five runs. But after that, a massive third wicket partnership of 183 runs between Asanka Gurusinha (84) and Aravinda de Silva helped them to reach near the 300-run mark.
And then a 106-run stand for the fourth wicket between De Silva and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (75*) helped Sri Lanka to reach a huge total of 398/5 in their 50 overs. Aravinda de Silva scored 145 runs off 115 balls. Kanye tried their level best but couldn’t reach anywhere near this huge total. They scored 254/7 and lost the match by 144 runs in the end.
2. Sri Lanka (411/8) against India at Rajkot
This match saw a total of 825 runs scored in 100 overs. This was the first match of the five-match ODI series. Batting first, India scored a huge total of 414/7 in their 50 overs. Virender Sehwag scored 146 runs, while Sachin Tendulkar (69) and MS Dhoni (72) also contributed. This was India’s second highest total in ODIs. And with such a huge total, not many gave Sri Lanka a chance to be in the game. But Sri Lanka didn’t let the game go so easily. In fact, they outplayed India in most of the match.
Sri Lanka had an opening stand of 188 runs in 23.6 overs between Upul Tharanga (67) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (160). Then another 128 runs for the second wicket between Dilshan and Sangakkara (90), which took them close to India’s target. At one point, it looked like they would chase down this target. But in the middle, they lost the momentum and fell short by just three runs to this huge total. Sri Lanka scored 411/8 and still lost the match.
1. Sri Lanka (443/9) against Netherlands (Fourth highest overall in ODI cricket)
Sri Lanka’s highest and fourth highest totals overall came against the Netherlands at Amstelveen. Winning the toss, Sri Lanka opted to bat first. They started really well and had a few decent partnerships. Sanath Jayasuriya totally went berserk and scored his century. He made 157 off 104 balls, including 24 fours and one six. On the other hand, Tillakaratne Dilshan also struck his hundred and made 117 runs off 78 balls with 15 fours and two sixes.
Both batters scored runs quickly and helped Sri Lanka reach the highest total in an ODI ever. However, England broke this record ten years later in 2016. Sri Lanka scored 443/9, which remained the highest total for 10 years. In reply, the Netherlands scored 248 and got all. They lost the match by 195 runs.