27 all out! West Indies register their lowest score in Tests; full list

Despite being dismissed for a forgettable total of just 27 against Australia, the West Indies still ranks second in the list of teams with the lowest Test totals

Modern-day Test cricket is known for exceptionally high-scoring matches, with teams regularly posting totals of 300–400 and above. But on Tuesday morning, West Indies, while chasing a 204-run target against Australia in the third Test at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica, did the exact opposite. The Caribbean side recorded an unwanted milestone in red-ball cricket after being dismissed for just 27 runs and losing the match by 176 runs. This is the West Indies’ lowest total ever in Test cricket. Their previous lowest was 47, recorded against England in 2004 at the same venue. 

 

However, despite being dismissed for a forgettable 27 against Australia, West Indies still ranks second on the list of teams with the lowest Test totals. The record belongs to New Zealand, who were bundled out for just 26 against England at Auckland in 1955.

 

West Indies’ 27 all out is the 26th instance of a team being dismissed for under 50 in Test cricket—and only the second time a side has lost all 10 wickets for fewer than 30 runs.

 

Full list of lowest team totals in Test cricket: 

Rank	Team	Score	Opposition	Ground	Match Date
1	New Zealand	26	v England	Auckland	25 Mar 1955
2	West Indies	27	v Australia	Kingston	12 Jul 2025
3	South Africa	30	v England	Gqeberha	13 Feb 1896
4	South Africa	30	v England	Birmingham	14 Jun 1924
5	South Africa	35	v England	Cape Town	1 Apr 1899
6	South Africa	36	v Australia	Melbourne	12 Feb 1932
7	Australia	36	v England	Birmingham	29 May 1902
8	India	36	v Australia	Adelaide	17 Dec 2020
9	Ireland	38	v England	Lord's	24 Jul 2019
10	New Zealand	42	v Australia	Wellington	29 Mar 1946
11	Australia	42	v England	Sydney	10 Feb 1888
12	India	42	v England	Lord's	20 Jun 1974
13	Sri Lanka	42	v South Africa	Durban	27 Nov 2024
14	South Africa	43	v England	Cape Town	25 Mar 1889
15	Bangladesh	43	v West Indies	North Sound	4 Jul 2018
16	Australia	44	v England	The Oval	10 Aug 1896
17	South Africa	45	v Australia	Melbourne	12 Feb 1932
18	England	45	v Australia	Sydney	28 Jan 1887
19	New Zealand	45	v South Africa	Cape Town	2 Jan 2013
20	India	46	v New Zealand	Bengaluru	16 Oct 2024

Starc sinks West Indies in Kingston

Australia crushed West Indies by 176 runs in the third Test at Sabina Park, completing a 3-0 series sweep in dramatic fashion. Chasing 204, the hosts crumbled for just 27—the second-lowest total in Test history—thanks to a devastating display of fast bowling by Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.

 

Starc tore through the top order with a five-wicket haul in his first 15 deliveries, including a triple-wicket maiden in the opening over. He finished with sensational figures of 6 for 9 in 8 overs, marking his 15th five-wicket haul and his 400th Test wicket in his 100th appearance.

 

Scott Boland added to the carnage with a hat-trick—removing Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, and Jomel Warrican—and finished with 3 for 2. West Indies narrowly avoided the all-time lowest score of 26, set by New Zealand in 1955, thanks to a misfield.

 

Earlier, Alzarri Joseph had given West Indies a glimmer of hope with 5 for 27, dismissing Australia for 121 in their second innings. However, their batting failed once again. With only four players getting off the mark and the top six managing just six runs combined, Australia sealed one of the most dominant wins in recent Test history.