3 Lowest totals defended in Indian T20 League

In 2023, the Indian T20 League (IPL) will be in its 16th season. It has been played in three different nations and has experienced a wide range of playing surfaces, scoring methods, and weather patterns. While some of the contests have had a lot of scoring, others have not seen many runs scored. The excitement of T20 cricket hasn’t, however, been diminished during the competition.

Some of the games with low scores have seen bowlers win both innings. If low totals from the first innings are successfully defended in the second, it gets better. Every dot ball increases the tension and suspense, which puts more strain on both the players and the spectators. Certain totals under 120 have also been designated as safe. Let’s take a look at some of the lowest totals defended in the ITL.

3) Punjab vs Mumbai (2009)

During the second edition of the Indian T20 League, the Punjab team outlasted the Mumbai franchise while holding them to a very low total. With Kumar Sangakkara scoring 45 runs off 44 balls, they scored 119/8 in 20 overs. Mumbai Indians were only able to respond with a total of 116/7, losing the match by 3 runs. 

The pitch was a tricky one, to say the least as Mumbai’s top order lost their wickets and also consumed a lot of balls which led to their defeat. JP Duminy, scored 59 runs for them while also taking 63 balls.

2) Hyderabad vs Mumbai (2018)

The Mumbai team were outclassed for 87 runs in their attempt to score 119 runs, making this game’s outcome one of the most unexpected in IPL history. Yusuf Pathan led Hyderabad’s batting with 29 runs scored in the first innings. But this score was well below par for any sort of pitch 

Siddarth Kaul, Rashid Khan, and Basil Thampy made up the Hyderabad bowling attack, and they bowled brilliantly to assist their team win the match. MI had 61/3 at one point in their innings but quickly ran out of steam as the opposition bowlers bowled to their strengths and won their side the game.

1) Chennai vs Punjab (2010)

The lowest total ever defended was by one of the most successful teams in Indian T20 League history, Chennai and they were led by one of the most promising captains in history, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. 

Parthiv Patel scored 32 runs off 23 balls as they recorded a score of 116/9 in 20 overs. The Punjab team appeared under strain right away in reply to this low total. They lost the game by 24 runs after scoring only 92/8 in 20 overs. Four of CSK’s bowlers each took two wickets to aid in the team’s victory.