This year, the ICC Champions Trophy will be contested in the United Kingdom for the third time.
With Australia aiming to capture a record third Champions Trophy, a feat which has never been done in cricketing history, the question has to be asked.
Is Australia the greatest ODI cricketing nation?
The statistics certainly suggest just that, with the Australians holding 554 wins in 898 ODI appearances.
Not only the most appearances for one day internationals, but also the best winning percentage, at 64.49 per cent.
The closest cricketing nation to that is South Africa, with a 64.24 winning percentage.
Australia’s Test record isn’t too shabby either, with a winning percentage of 47.06 per cent, the highest ever. Yet this is a one-day cricket article, so we’ll keep it at that.
Coming with their incredible win percentage, the Aussies have also won five ICC World Cups, achieved on the five continents of Africa, Asia, America, Oceania and Europe.
(Photo: AAP)
The second most World Cups won by a team is two, with both India and West Indies holding that achievement.
As well as that, Australia has also made two other World Cup finals, giving them seven appearances in the final of the big dance.
The World Cup’s younger brother, the Champions Trophy, has seen the Australians grab two trophies at the tournament. Only one other team has won two Champions Trophy’s, India, and they captured their second as co-champions in a washed out final in 2002.
The Aussies have also made the finals six out of seven times, again a record.
The most consecutive wins without being defeated comes from the Australians, with 34 victories (ties and no-results don’t count). The next closest are the Indians, with 11 in a row.
They also did not drop a match in the 2003 or 2007 World Cups, just for good measure.
While individual records may be dominated by the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakarra, there is no doubting that Australia has been the most successful cricketing nation in ODI cricket, with phenomenal talent scattered throughout their squads.
If Australia is able to capture a historic third Champions Trophy title, they will easily cement themselves as the greatest ODI nation, if there is any reason to doubt them now.
With so many records pointing in their favour, it is hard to deny Australia as the best ever.
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