Lowest Scores in IPL History
The shortest format of the game is generally a nightmarish trip for the bowlers, a ‘cloud nine’ for the batters, and three hours of action-packed unadulterated entertainment for the audience. But even in the format which is often very cruel on the bowlers, many world-class bowling attacks have left their marks with their magical bowling.
Pundits often claim that low-scoring matches are more exciting than the high-scoring ones, and in Indian Premier League, we have had plenty of low-scoring encounters. But having said that, there have some scored which were way beyond the general description of ‘low-scoring’. To describe those batting efforts, the perfect word should possibly be ‘calamity’.
While the annual cricket festival of India has seen plenty of big scores, the likes of Andre Russell and Chris Gayle hitting the ball all around the park, it also has its fair share of way too low scores. The bowling team must have made DVDs of those matches and would like to cherish it over the next decade, whereas the batting team must have had numerous nightmares about it. Let us now have a look at the 5 Lowest Team Totals in IPL:
Top 5 Lowest score in IPL
# Royal Challengers Bangalore (2017) – 49 vs Kolkata Knight Riders
It is perhaps an irony that the team which holds the record for the highest all-time total of IPL, also owns the record of the lowest ever score of IPL. Such has been the journey of Royal Challengers Bangalore thus far that they have seen all extremities.
When Kolkata Knight Riders put up a total of meager 131 against RCB back in 2017, not many expected them to win. But Gautam Gambhir’s team had some other plans. They managed to rattle up the entire super-explosive batting order for just 49 runs. No batsman from Virat Kohli’s team managed to get into double digits. This is the only entry in the list of five lowest scores in IPL, where the team couldn’t even cross the 50-run mark.
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# Rajasthan Royals (2009) – 58 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
This time, Royal Challengers Bangalore were the inflictors of humiliation, with Rajasthan Royals on the receiving end. This incident happened in 2009, and was the first occurrence of a team getting bundled out for under 60 runs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore scored just 133 runs in this match, with Dimitri Mascernhas leaving the RCB batters spellbound. In reply, all that Royals could manage was 58. Only three batters crossed the 10-run mark, with the highest score being 11. Anil Kumble showed his class in this match, picking up five wickets for as many runs and subsequently making Rajasthan Royals the second entrant on this list.
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# Delhi Capitals (2017) – 66 vs Mumbai Indians
Delhi Capitals are one of the three sides who have not won an IPL, and they are the only side to feature twice in our list of five lowest scores in IPL. In their first mention, we are talking about the match against Mumbai Indians in 2017.
Batting first, Mumbai Indians put up a humongous total of 212 runs, thanks to a 43-ball 66 ball from Lendl Simmons and an unbeaten 63 from Kieron Pollard. In response, Delhi could only manage 66 runs. Karun Nair was the only batsman to score over 10 runs. Karn Sharma and Harbhajan Singh took three wickets apiece.
Read More: Highest Partnerships by Runs In IPL
# Delhi Capitals (2017) – 67 vs Kings XI Punjab
Delhi Capitals’ second mention in this list of five lowest scores in IPL also features a match from the 2017 edition of the tournament. This time, Kings XI Punjab were the beneficiary. Batting first, Karun Nair’s team were wrapped up for just 67 runs.
Sandeep Sharma ran riots against the Capitals’ batters, picking up four wickets by conceding just 20 runs. While Nair scored 21 in the match against Mumbai Indians, no batsman managed to reach the 20-run mark in this match. Corey Anderson was the highest scorer of the match with 18 points.
Read More: Most Consecutive Losses in IPL
# Kolkata Knight Riders (2008) – 67 vs Mumbai Indians
Kolkata Knight Riders started IPL with a hammer blow, scoring 222 runs in the very first game of the tournament. While that record was broken in the very next match, KKR managed to own another unwanted record, courtesy of which they feature in this list of five lowest scores in IPL.
In the match against Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders managed to accumulate only 67 runs. No batsman failed to surpass the 15-run mark, and had it not been for Ajit Agarkar’s 15, things could have been worse. Shaun Pollock was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai Indians, with 3 wickets for just 12 runs.
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