England saved their best for the last. In the final ODI at Southampton, the hosts blew South Africa away with a thumping 342-run win, the biggest victories ever recorded in the format.
The series may have gone to South Africa 2–1, but the final word was written in bold by the England.
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It was a complete show from start to finish- the batters piling up runs for fun, followed by bowlers who gave the Proteas no chance of survival.
Let's take a look at the list of the top 10 heaviest wins by runs in cricket history.
How did England beat South Africa in the Final ODI?
England’s batting was on fire today. After being sent in by South Africa, the openers gave a quick start with a 59-run stand. Jamie Smith added a solid 62.
The real damage came from Joe Root and Jacob Bethell, who both scored classy hundreds. South Africa lost control as the innings went on and bowled 19 wides and looked sloppy in the field.
Jos Buttler then smashed a 27-ball fifty, while Will Jacks chipped in with a quick cameo. England’s scoring never slowed down and they piled up a huge 414. South Africa’s bowlers had no answers and looked completely flat.
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Then came the turn of England’s bowlers, and they completely destroyed South Africa’s chase. Jofra Archer was unplayable with the new ball and took four wickets inside the powerplay while giving away almost nothing.
He removed Markram, Rickelton, Breetzke and Stubbs in quick time, leaving South Africa reeling. Adil Rashid also chipped in with three wickets. The Proteas never recovered and were bundled out for just 72 runs.
It was total dominance from England, who backed up their huge batting effort with ruthless bowling to seal an easy win.
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Top 10 biggest margins of wins in ODI by runs listed
Here’s a look at the Top 10 largest ODI wins by runs in cricket history:
| Winner | Margin | Target | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 342 runs | 415 | South Africa | Southampton | 7 Sep 2025 |
| India | 317 runs | 391 | Sri Lanka | Thiruvananthapuram | 15 Jan 2023 |
| Australia | 309 runs | 400 | Netherlands | Delhi | 25 Oct 2023 |
| Zimbabwe | 304 runs | 409 | U.S.A. | Harare | 26 Jun 2023 |
| India | 302 runs | 358 | Sri Lanka | Wankhede | 2 Nov 2023 |
| New Zealand | 290 runs | 403 | Ireland | Aberdeen | 1 Jul 2008 |
| Australia | 276 runs | 432 | South Africa | Mackay | 24 Aug 2025 |
| Australia | 275 runs | 418 | Afghanistan | W.A.C.A | 4 Mar 2015 |
| South Africa | 272 runs | 400 | Zimbabwe | Benoni | 22 Oct 2010 |
| South Africa | 258 runs | 302 | Sri Lanka | Paarl | 11 Jan 2012 |