The World Test Championship 2025–2027 has become increasingly dramatic and entertaining, highlighted by thrilling encounters like India vs England at Lord’s and West Indies vs Australia at Sabina Park. We just witnessed a historic low during the third Test between West Indies and Australia on July 14, 2025, at Sabina Park in Kingston. In a shocking collapse, West Indies were bowled out for just 27 runs in their second innings—marking the second-lowest total in Test cricket history. Australia went on to complete a 3-0 series whitewash, but the West Indies’ dismal batting performance will be remembered as one of the most dramatic collapses the format has ever seen.
Understanding Test Cricket’s Lowest Scores
Test cricket has seen some incredible batting collapses over the years. When a team gets bowled out for a very low score, it usually means the bowlers were absolutely brilliant, the pitch was extremely difficult to bat on, or the batters had a really bad day. Sometimes it’s a combination of all three.
These low scores become part of cricket history because they show just how tough Test cricket can be. Even the best teams in the world can struggle when conditions are against them or when they face top-quality bowling.
The All-Time Lowest: New Zealand’s 26
The record for the lowest Test innings total still belongs to New Zealand, who managed just 26 runs against England in Auckland back in 1955. That was nearly 70 years ago, and no team has gone lower since then. It shows just how rare it is for a team to collapse so completely in Test cricket.
Recent Additions to the List
The West Indies’ score of 27 runs now sits as the second-lowest total ever. What makes this even more remarkable is that it happened in modern cricket, where batters are generally considered to be more skilled and pitches are usually more batting-friendly than in the past.
Other recent low scores include India’s 36 all out against Australia in Adelaide in 2020, and Sri Lanka’s 42 against South Africa in Durban just last year. These scores remind us that even in today’s game, batting collapses can happen to any team.
The Complete List of Lowest Test Innings Totals
| Team | Score | Overs | Run Rate | Innings | Opposition | Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 26 | 27.0 | 0.96 | 3 | v England | Auckland | 25 Mar 1955 |
| West Indies | 27 | 14.3 | 1.86 | 4 | v Australia | Kingston | 12 Jul 2025 |
| South Africa | 30 | 18.4 | 1.91 | 4 | v England | Gqeberha | 13 Feb 1896 |
| South Africa | 30 | 12.3 | 2.40 | 2 | v England | Birmingham | 14 Jun 1924 |
| South Africa | 35 | 22.4 | 1.84 | 4 | v England | Cape Town | 1 Apr 1899 |
| South Africa | 36 | 23.2 | 1.54 | 1 | v Australia | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
| Australia | 36 | 23.0 | 1.56 | 2 | v England | Birmingham | 29 May 1902 |
| India | 36 | 21.2 | 1.68 | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 17 Dec 2020 |
| Ireland | 38 | 15.4 | 2.42 | 4 | v England | Lord’s | 24 Jul 2019 |
| New Zealand | 42 | 39.0 | 1.07 | 1 | v Australia | Wellington | 29 Mar 1946 |
| Australia | 42 | 37.3 | 1.66 | 2 | v England | Sydney | 10 Feb 1888 |
| India | 42 | 17.0 | 2.47 | 3 | v England | Lord’s | 20 Jun 1974 |
| Sri Lanka | 42 | 13.5 | 3.03 | 2 | v South Africa | Durban | 27 Nov 2024 |
| South Africa | 43 | 28.2 | 2.26 | 3 | v England | Cape Town | 25 Mar 1889 |
| Bangladesh | 43 | 18.4 | 2.30 | 1 | v West Indies | North Sound | 4 Jul 2018 |
| Australia | 44 | 26.0 | 2.03 | 4 | v England | The Oval | 10 Aug 1896 |
| South Africa | 45 | 31.3 | 1.42 | 3 | v Australia | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
| England | 45 | 35.3 | 1.88 | 1 | v Australia | Sydney | 28 Jan 1887 |
| New Zealand | 45 | 19.2 | 2.32 | 1 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 2 Jan 2013 |
| India | 46 | 31.2 | 1.46 | 1 | v New Zealand | Bengaluru | 16 Oct 2024 |
| England | 46 | 19.1 | 2.40 | 4 | v West Indies | Port of Spain | 25 Mar 1994 |
What These Numbers Tell Us
Looking at this list, a few things stand out. First, most of these low scores happened a long time ago, when cricket was very different. The pitches were often much more difficult to bat on, and the equipment wasn’t as good as it is today.
Second, South Africa appears on this list more than any other team, with five different innings. This is partly because they played a lot of cricket in the early days when conditions were tougher, and partly because they went through some very difficult periods in their cricket history.
Third, it’s interesting to see that even strong cricket nations like Australia, England, and India have had their share of batting collapses. This shows that no team is immune to having a really bad day with the bat.
The Human Side of These Collapses
Behind every low score are real players who experienced one of the worst days of their careers. Getting bowled out for under 50 runs in a Test match is something that stays with cricketers forever. These scores represent not just statistics, but moments of intense pressure, skill, and sometimes sheer bad luck.
For the West Indies players who scored 27 runs against Australia, it would have been a painful experience. But it’s also part of what makes cricket so unpredictable and exciting. On any given day, anything can happen in Test cricket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the lowest Test innings total ever recorded?
A: The lowest Test innings total ever is 26 runs, scored by New Zealand against England in Auckland on March 25, 1955. This record has stood for nearly 70 years.
Q: When did the West Indies score 27 runs against Australia?
A: The West Indies scored 27 runs in their second innings against Australia on July 14, 2025, during the third Test match at Kingston’s Sabina Park. This became the second-lowest Test innings total in history.
Q: Which team appears most frequently in the list of lowest Test scores?
A: South Africa appears five times in the list of lowest Test innings totals, with scores of 30, 30, 35, 36, and 43 runs in different matches between 1896 and 1932.
Q: How long did it take for the West Indies to get bowled out for 27 runs?
A: The West Indies were bowled out for 27 runs in just 14.3 overs, which is quite fast even for such a low total. This shows how quickly the collapse happened.
Q: Are low scores becoming more common in modern cricket?
A: While low scores are still rare, we have seen several dramatic collapses in recent years, including India’s 36 in 2020, Sri Lanka’s 42 in 2024, and the West Indies’ 27 in 2025. However, these remain exceptional events rather than a trend.
Q: What usually causes such low scores in Test cricket?
A: Low scores typically result from a combination of factors: excellent bowling, difficult pitch conditions, poor shot selection by batsmen, pressure situations, or sometimes just a really bad day for the batting team.
Q: Has any team ever been bowled out for less than 26 runs?
A: No, New Zealand’s 26 runs against England in 1955 remains the lowest Test innings total ever recorded. No team has scored fewer runs in a Test innings.
Q: Which ground has witnessed the most low scores?
A: Looking at the list, no single ground stands out as having multiple extremely low scores. These collapses have happened at various venues around the world, showing that it can happen anywhere.
Q: What was the result of the West Indies vs Australia series where the 27-run collapse happened?
A: Australia won the series 3-0, with the West Indies’ batting collapse in the third Test being one of the key moments that sealed Australia’s series victory.
Q: Are there any low scores where the team still won the match?
A: Yes, England scored 45 runs against Australia in Sydney in 1887 and still won the match. This is quite rare, as teams that get bowled out for very low scores usually lose the game.
Last updated: July 2025