Lowest score in Test cricket: New Zealand’s 26 still stands

It has stood for 71 years, and the closest anyone has come was in 2025, when West Indies were bowled out for 27 by Australia in Kingston — one run more.

Lowest score in Test cricket: every total under 43

Score	Team	Opponent	Ground	Overs	Date
26	New Zealand	England	Auckland	27.0	Mar 1955
27	West Indies	Australia	Kingston	14.3	Jul 2025
30	South Africa	England	Gqeberha	18.4*	Feb 1896
30	South Africa	England	Birmingham	12.3	Jun 1924
35	South Africa	England	Cape Town	22.4*	Apr 1899
36	Australia	England	Birmingham	23.0	May 1902
36	South Africa	Australia	Melbourne	23.2	Feb 1932
36	India	Australia	Adelaide	21.2	Dec 2020
38	Ireland	England	Lord’s	15.4	Jul 2019
42	Australia	England	Sydney	37.3*	Feb 1888
42	New Zealand	Australia	Wellington	39.0	Mar 1946
42	India	England	Lord’s	17.0	Jun 1974
42	Sri Lanka	South Africa	Durban	13.5	Nov 2024

*The 1888, 1896 and 1899 matches were played with four- and five-ball overs, so those over counts are not comparable with the rest.

England are the bowling side in eight of the thirteen. Australia account for four and South Africa for one. South Africa are the batting side four times, all of them between 1896 and 1932.

New Zealand 26 all out, Auckland, 1955

New Zealand made 200 in the first innings and England replied with 246. New Zealand were then dismissed in 27 overs for 26 — with no extras, so every run in the total came off the bat.

Bert Sutcliffe top-scored with 11 from 33 balls. Five of the eleven did not score at all. Bob Appleyard took 4 for 7 from six overs, Brian Statham 3 for 9, and Frank Tyson 2 for 10. England won by an innings and 20 runs.

West Indies 27 all out, Kingston, 2025

The nearest miss in 71 years came in the third Test against Australia at Sabina Park. West Indies needed 204 to win, were 27 all out in 14.3 overs, and lost by 176 runs.

Mitchell Starc took 6 for 9 from 7.3 overs and Scott Boland 3 for 2 from two. Australia had themselves been bowled out for 121 in the innings before, which is the only reason the target was as small as it was.

India’s 36 at Adelaide, and India’s lowest Test totals

India’s 36 in the day-night Test at Adelaide in December 2020 is the joint-sixth lowest in the format and the lowest India have ever made. It lasted 21.2 overs. Josh Hazlewood took 5 for 8 and Pat Cummins 4 for 21. No India batter reached double figures — Mayank Agarwal’s 9 was the highest score — and, as at Auckland in 1955, there were no extras.

Score	Opponent	Ground	Date
36	Australia	Adelaide	Dec 2020
42	England	Lord’s	Jun 1974
46	New Zealand	Bengaluru	Oct 2024
58	Australia	Brisbane	Nov 1947
58	England	Manchester	Jul 1952
66	South Africa	Durban	Dec 1996
67	Australia	Melbourne	Feb 1948
75	West Indies	Delhi	Nov 1987

The 46 against New Zealand at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in October 2024 is India’s lowest total at home, and the only entry in the top three that was made in India.

This is not only a Victorian record

South Africa own four of the thirteen — 30 and 35 against England at home in 1896 and 1899, 30 at Birmingham in 1924 and 36 at Melbourne in 1932 — and none of them is less than 90 years old. That is the half of the list people expect.

The other half is recent. Four of the thirteen have been made since 2019: Ireland’s 38 at Lord’s that year, India’s 36 at Adelaide in 2020, Sri Lanka’s 42 at Durban in 2024 and West Indies’ 27 in 2025. West Indies’ 27 is the second-lowest total in the format’s history, and India’s 36 is joint-sixth.

For the same record in the 50-over game, see our list of the lowest scores in ODI cricket, and for the other end of the scale, India’s highest Test totals.

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