Nepal recorded their first ODI win when they beat the Netherlands by one run off the last ball in a thrilling finish at Amstelveen on Friday. It came on only their second attempt after securing ODI status earlier this year in the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Following their triumph, we look back at the first ODI wins of the other 15 nations in the current ICC ODI Championship.
AFGHANISTAN
BEAT SCOTLAND BY 89 RUNS, APRIL 2009
Afghanistan already played a number a 50-over games but it was towards the end of the 2009 World Cup Qualifier where they made their ODI debut. It came against Scotland in the fifth place-off with Mohammad Nabi’s half-century giving them victory in Benoni, South Africa.
Mohammad Nabi starred for Afghanistan
AUSTRALIA
BEAT ENGLAND BY FIVE WICKETS, JANUARY 1971
The day when one-day international cricket was born and quite ironic considering it was two arch rivals to clash in the 50-over format. In Melbourne, John Edrich top-scored with 82 as England posted 190 but Ian Chappell’s 60 saw the Australians home in 34 overs.
BANGLADESH
BEAT KENYA BY SIX WICKETS, MAY 1998
The Tigers had to wait more than a decade (played their first ODI in 1985) to finally seal their maiden ODI victory after failing in all their previous attempts.
Kenya, who had beaten them so many times before, were the unfortunate victims as Mohammad Rafique’s 77 saw Bangladesh reach their 236-run target in the 48th over.
Bangladeshi bowler Mohammad Rafique impressed with the bat.
ENGLAND
BEAT AUSTRALIA BY SIX WICKETS, AUGUST 1972
After clashing 18 months earlier, the famous rivalry was renewed the following summer, this time on English soil. England had never played an ODI in front of their home crowd but they gave them plenty to cheer about as Dennis Amiss’ century registered their first win in only their second match.
INDIA
BEAT EAST AFRICA BY 10 WICKETS, JUNE 1975
After losing both their games on tour against England a year earlier, the Indians made it count on the biggest stage of them all – the World Cup.
Against an East Africa side in Leeds, half-centuries from Farokh Engineer and Sunil Gavaskar meant they got their ODI record up and running.
Sunil Gavaskar played a vital role for India.
IRELAND
BEAT SCOTLAND BY 85 RUNS, AUGUST 2006
The Irish made their ODI debut against England earlier in the summer but fell to a loss. There was no repeat on their second attempt as Eoin Morgan’s 99 sealed victory in a European Championship Division One encounter.
Eoin Morgan was a star player for Ireland before switching to England.
NETHERLANDS
BEAT NAMIBIA BY 64 RUNS, MARCH 2003
Having played ODIs in 1996 and 2002, it was in 2003 when the Dutch ended their losing streak with a 64-run triumph against Namibia at the World Cup. Klass-Jan van Noortwijk was one of two centurions as the Netherlands were too strong for their opponents.
NEW ZEALAND
BEAT PAKISTAN BY 22 RUNS, FEBRUARY 1973
Christchurch made history by hosting New Zealand’s first ODI and the hosts marked the occasion in style. Dayle Hadlee took four wickets as the Black Caps defended their 188 target.
PAKISTAN
BEAT ENGLAND BY SEVEN WICKETS, AUGUST 1974
Pakistan’s ODI debut didn’t go according to plan after a 22-run defeat to New Zealand but on their tour of England, the Men in Green soon got the hang of playing 50-over cricket.
Set a competitive total of 245, Majid Khan struck his maiden ODI ton to see Pakistan seal an easy win.
SCOTLAND
BEAT THE NETHERLANDS BY FOUR WICKETS, AUGUST 2006
After going through the 1999 World Cup winless, the Scots had to wait seven years to get their first win in the ODI arena, beating the Netherlands by four wickets.
SOUTH AFRICA
BEAT INDIA BY EIGHT WICKETS, NOVEMBER 1991
Surprisingly, it was almost two decades before South Africa first got to grips with ODI cricket. It was on their tour of India but despite having lost the series, the Proteas stunned the Indians as Kepler Wessels (90), Peter Kirsten (86no) and Adrian Kuiper (63) combined to reach their 288-run target.
Kepler Wessels top-scored for South Africa.
SRI LANKA
BEAT ENGLAND BY THREE RUNS, FEBRUARY 1982
After losing all six games in the 1975 and 1979 World Cup editions, finally there was something to celebrate as they defeated a much-fancied England side by three runs in Colombo to level the two-match series.
WEST INDIES
BEAT ENGLAND BY EIGHT WICKETS, SEPTEMBER 1973
The Caribbean side suffered a one-wicket loss in their first ODI but the West Indians ensured there was no mistake this time as Roy Fredericks ran riot with the bat, his 105-run knock setting the platform for victory.
ZIMBABWE
BEAT AUSTRALIA BY 13 RUNS, JUNE 1983
The Zimbabweans could not have asked for a better start to ODI cricket after stunning Australia in Nottingham. The target for the Aussies was 240 thanks to Duncan Fletcher’s 69.
That wasn’t the end of the former England and India coach with the all-rounder taking four wickets to complete a historic win.
UAE
BEAT THE NETHERLANDS BY SEVEN WICKETS, MARCH 1996
After losing to India and Pakistan in Sharjah, the UAE had to wait two more years before they played another ODI. That came in the 1996 World Cup, rubbing shoulders with the elite.
It was not until their final game of the tournament they managed to secure their maiden ODI triumph when Saleem Raza’s 84 did the job in Lahore against the Dutch.
