In certain IPL matches, the teams have successfully defended even extremely low totals.
It’s well knowledge that T20 cricket is a high-scoring format with plenty of fours and sixes. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), supporters get great pleasure from watching the ball cross the boundary ropes. Batters have been very inventive in creating innovative strategies that have made bowlers’ lives more difficult. Additionally, it has made it challenging for teams to even defend large totals. Nonetheless, in a few IPL games, the teams have successfully defended even extremely low totals. The five IPL matches with the lowest totals ever defended will be covered in this article.
5. 120 by Mumbai Indians vs Pune Warriors India, 2012
In terms of low scores, this is one of the closest matches in IPL history. In their innings, the Mumbai Indians side, batting first, could only muster 120/9. Sachin Tendulkar led them in scoring, hitting 34 runs off 35 balls. Mumbai’s hitters were restrained by the two wickets apiece that Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashish Nehra took.
The Pune squad failed to get going while chasing this goal and continued to drop wickets often. They lost their sixth wicket for 105 runs on the second ball of the 19th over; they now needed to get 15 runs off the final 10 balls. With his 42 runs off 34 balls, Mithun Manhas gave it his all to help the team win the match, but he was unable to get them over the finish line. Mumbai gave the crowd a real run for their money, winning this nailbiter by only one run.
4. 119 by Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Pune Warriors India, 2013
In this particular game, Pune Warriors’ batting performance in a 120-run chase left much to be desired. With crucial contributions from Ashish Reddy (19) and Biplab Samantray (37), SRH had amassed 119/8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets. But Pune Warriors lost the game by 11 runs after being bowled out for 108.
Amit Mishra, the master of spin, demonstrated his skill with the ball by taking four wickets for 19 runs. Mishra, who is more well-known for his bowling, nevertheless, made a significant contribution with the blade as well, hitting 30 off 24. In a low-scoring thriller, the leggie was rightfully named Player of the Match for his overall outstanding effort.
3. 119 by Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians, 2009
In the 2009 edition, Yuvraj Singh’s Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings) fielded a strong lineup. They batted first against the Mumbai Indians in the 20th game of the season at Durban, but could only muster a pitiful 119/8 in the opening session, led by wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Sangakkara’s 45(44).
Mumbai’s hitters did not start the chase well, losing three wickets in the first five overs. Jean Paul Duminy, an all-rounder for Proteas, kept Mumbai in the game, nevertheless. Duminy made 59 (63), but with little to no help from the other end, his innings were in vain, and after 20 overs, the pursuit could only reach 116/7. The team captained by Sachin Tendulkar ultimately lost by a margin of three runs.
2. 118 by Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians, 2018
The legendary Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai played host to another low-scoring thriller between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians in the 23rd game of the 2018 edition. Mumbai, headed by Rohit Sharma, managed to bundle out the visiting team in 18.4 overs, limiting them to a pitiful score of 118. But throughout the chase, a not-so-daunting Hyderabad team delivered some excellent bowling spells that gave the hosts a taste of their own medicine.
Basil Thampi’s 2/4 in 1.5 overs provided sturdy assistance for Siddarth Kaul’s four-over burst of 3/23. Veteran spinner Rashid Khan, who also got the number of two batters, kept things tight for MI, giving up only 11 runs in his session. The Hyderabad-based team made a tremendous comeback in the game and easily defeated the opponent at a score of 87, becoming one of the league’s most memorable games.
1. 116 by Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, 2009
In the second iteration of the renowned competition, the Chennai Super Kings managed to hold the record for the lowest score ever defended in IPL history. In 20 overs, the five-time champions amassed 116/9, with 32 runs off of 23 balls from Parthiv Patel.
The CSK bowlers humiliated Punjab’s response, as captain MS Dhoni executed an unbelievable heist with his bowlers. The chance to relax and complete the game as they saw fit was denied to the batsmen from Punjab. CSK won the match by a margin of 24 runs as a consequence, limiting Punjab to 92/8 in the second innings. Nearly fifteen years later, CSK continues to prove their dominance in the lucrative league by defending the lowest total in league history.
