The IPL is famous because of its explosive batting and great scoring matches, but what really makes it interesting is that it is unpredictable. While most balls are hit for sixes or boundaries, there have been a few instances which have gone against the tide – these are the matches which demonstrate the importance of good bowling and fielding.
Let’s say that a team in their first innings scores only 116 runs. They should lose this match, shouldn’t they? Well, not always! The Chennai Super Kings who are five-time IPL champions made this possible in 2009 when they defended the lowest total in IPL history against Kings XI Punjab. Their bowlers were very disciplined; they managed to restrict Punjab to just 92 runs thereby winning a famous match.
There are low-scoring games amid high-scoring ones during an edition of IPL. But, such events where teams defend themself from scoring lowest totals bring out its true character as a tournament. Even Wankhede Stadium, known for being lively and helpful for batsmen had experienced Sunrisers Hyderabad shocking Mumbai Indians with similar tactics back in 2018 by bowling them out on 87 having scored just 118 themselves.
What do these moments show us? The lowest scores defended in IPL history are not uncommon.! You don’t need to score huge runs; all you require is exceptional discipline backed up by capitalization on key moments which often come once every over at least twice per game if not more frequently.
Who has the record of lowest totals defended in Indian Premier League
The IPL has a reputation for being characterized by explosive batting and high scores, but there have also been some incredible cases in which teams have defended ridiculously low totals. Below are a few of the most exciting examples of the lowest score defended in IPL:
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 116 vs Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in 2009: It is still the lowest score ever defended in IPL. They made only 116 runs, but their bowlers took up the challenge and restricted KXIP to 92 runs thereby achieving a famous win. This is why they are five time champions and know how to win with low scores in second innings apart from high scoring matches.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – 118 vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2018: SRH scored a below-par total of just 118, however it was enough as their bowlers crushed star-studded MI batting line-up to record an unexpected victory with them all out for just 87.
- Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) – 119 vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2009: In another thriller against MI that same season, KXIP could manage only 119 runs. But MI paid the price for not showing respect to such modest target when they were bowled out for one run less thus demonstrating why IPL is so unpredictable.
These examples accentuate the role played by bowling and fielding in T20 cricket. A team can defend even small totals if it bowls exceptionally well and seizes key moments in the game which shows how important these aspects are within this format.
Now let’s look at other records of the lowest score defended in IPL.
Lowest score defended in IPL scorecard
Chennai Super Kings
| BATTING | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | |
| George Bailey | run out (Yuvraj Singh) | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 125 |
| Parthiv Patel | b Powar | 32 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 139.13 |
| Suresh Raina | c Lee b Mota | 20 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 95.23 |
| S Badrinath | c Pathan b Sreesanth | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 |
| MS Dhoni (c) | b Sreesanth | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Jacob Oram | c & b Pathan | 17 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 80.95 |
| Manpreet Gony | b Chawla | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 140 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | c Pomersbach b Pathan | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 53.33 |
| Thilan Thushara | run out (Katich/†Sangakkara) | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Lakshmipathy Balaji | not out | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Extras | (b 3, lb 2, w 2) | 7 |
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| BOWLING | Overs | Maiden | Runs | Wickets | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | Wide | No Ball |
| Brett Lee | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Irfan Pathan | 4 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ramesh Powar | 4 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 4.75 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sreesanth | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 5.75 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Piyush Chawla | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 6.5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wilkin Mota | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kings XI Punjab
| BATTING | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | |
| Sunny Sohal | c Patel b Thushara | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Simon Katich | b Muralidaran | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 61.53 |
| Luke Pomersbach | c Raina b Muralidaran | 26 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 81.25 |
| Yuvraj Singh (c) | b Raina | 6 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 31.57 |
| Kumar Sangakkara (WK) | c & b Ashwin | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 77.77 |
| Wilkin Mota | lbw b Ashwin | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Irfan Pathan | c Oram b Thushara | 14 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 116.66 |
| Brett Lee | c Oram b Raina | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Piyush Chawla | not out | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Ramesh Powar | not out | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140 |
| Extras | (lb 3, w 3) | 6 | ||||
| TOTAL | 20 Ov (RR: 4.60) | 92/8 |
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| BOWLING | Overs | Maiden | Runs | Wickets | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | Wide | No Ball |
| Manpreet Gony | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4.5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thilan Thushara | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 4 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 3.25 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suresh Raina | 4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 4.25 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lakshmipathy Balaji | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Top 10 lowest Score defended in IPL
Below we will see the lowest score defended in IPL history:
- Chennai Super Kings – 116/9 vs Kings XI Punjab (2009): CSK holds the record for the lowest score ever defended, winning by 24 runs.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – 118 vs Mumbai Indians (2018): SRH stunned MI by 31 runs despite a below-par score.
- Kings XI Punjab – 119/8 vs Mumbai Indians (2009): KXIP edged out MI by a mere 1 run in another thrilling encounter.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – 119/8 vs Pune Warriors (2013): SRH defeated Pune Warriors by 11 runs in a low-scoring match.
- Mumbai Indians – 120/9 vs Pune Warriors (2012): MI secured a narrow 1-run victory against Pune Warriors.
- Punjab Kings – 125/7 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (2021): PBKS emerged victorious by 5 runs in a close contest.
- Royal Challengers Bangalore – 126/8 vs Chennai Super Kings (2008): RCB defeated CSK by 14 runs despite a modest total.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – 126/6 vs Pune Warriors (2013): SRH prevailed over Pune Warriors by 22 runs.
- Kings XI Punjab – 126/7 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (2020): KXIP outplayed SRH by 12 runs in another low-scoring thriller.
- Royal Challengers Bangalore – 126/9 vs Lucknow Super Giants (2023): RCB secured an 18-run win against LSG.
So these were the lowest score defended in IPL all time.
FAQs
Q: What is the lowest score ever defended in the IPL?
A: The lowest score ever defended in the IPL is 116 runs, achieved by Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab in 2009.
Q: Which teams have successfully defended the lowest totals in the IPL?
A: Several teams have pulled off this feat, including Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab, and Mumbai Indians.
Q: Are there any famous instances of low scores being defended in the IPL?
A: Yes! CSK’s victory with 116 runs in 2009 and SRH’s win over Mumbai Indians with just 118 runs in 2018 are some remarkable examples.
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