List of Lowest Totals Defended in IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad Defend 118 Runs Against Mumbai Indians
Rashid Khan’s four over included a massive 16 dot balls and his maiden over in the 17th over of the game was complete gold dust.
Mumbai Indians (MI) put in a horror show in front of a capacity crowd at the Wankhede Stadium as it failed to chase a paltry score of 118 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match 23 of VIVO Indian Premier League 2018. The defeat meant Hyderabad defended the second lowest total in IPL history. The Rohit Sharma led side is going through a torrid form and their display points to low confidence and morale in the side. SRH was done and dusted going into the break and it took valiant efforts from skipper Kane Williamson and Yusuf Pathan with the bat to take their side past 100. Spinner Rashid Khan and pacer Siddarth Kaul though had other ideas as they took 5 wickets between them to bring the Mumbai Indians innings to a complete halt. Rashid Khan’s four over included a massive 16 dot balls and his maiden over in the 17th over of the game was complete gold dust. MI vs SRH Video Highlights IPL 2018: Siddarth Kaul, Rashid Khan Shine as Sunrisers Hyderabad Stun Mumbai Indians in a Low-Scoring Contest.
Kunal Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav did try and salvage the Mumbai pride but with a solid partnership of 40 but the joy was short lived as wickets continued to tumble. The talking point of the match will definitely have to be Hardik Pandya’s 19-ball 3 runs which cannot be justified in a T20 match, however, grave the situation is. We look back at some of the other successful defense of low scores in previous seasons of the IPL.
Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2008, Score: 126
If ever there is an instance showcasing an absolute change in fortunes of a side midway through an innings, this match has to be up there at the top. Chasing a score of 126 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Chennai Super Kings were 85-2, and the win was within sight. But we know what Anil Kumble is all about, and his quick three-wicket hall ensured the CSK lose the momentum, getting bundled out for 112 with Suresh Raina watching in disbelief. This after Stephen Fleming and Parthiv Patel had put on a 60 run opening stand. This win was also one of the highlights of Rahul Dravid's stint as RCB’s skipper.
Mumbai Indians beat Pune Warriors, IPL 2012, Score: 120
The Maharashtra derby in its time often used to be a close affair, and this match went down to the wire with Pune failing to be victorious by a meager one run. Mumbai who had a below par day with the bat needed some smart display from master blaster Sachin Tendulkar who top scored with 34 to set a target of 120. But skipper Harbhajan Singh (2/18) and Lasith Malinga (2/25) had other as they grabbed important wickets at a crucial juncture to knock Pune out of the game.
Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Pune Warriors, IPL 2013, Score: 119
Hyderabad and Pune in the 2013 season of the IPL had this knack of raising the heartbeat of the fans with close encounters. Batting first the Sunrisers Hyderabad scored a 119, and with Pune needing 19 runs from 19balls with six wickets remaining, there were not many people who would have bet on Hyderabad to win the match. But an astonishing hat-trick from spinner Amit Mishra saw the capitulation of Pune Warrior. The home side lost six wickets in 13 balls to gift an unlikely victory to the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Kings XI Punjab beat Mumbai Indians, Durban 2009, Score: 119
Imagine defending a score of 119 against a team with the likes of hard-hitting batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Bravo and JP Duminy. But the kings from Punjab pulled out this eventuality with some tight bowling and excellent fielding. Yusuf Abdullah and Irfan Pathan were the pick of the bowlers for Punjab picking up four scalps and as hard as JP Duminy tried for the MI boys, the damage done was beyond repairs. At one point, MI needed 26 in the last three with six wickets in hand, but the pressure cooker they were put into was just too hot to handle.
Chennai Super Kings defeat Kings XI Punjab, Durban 2009, Score 116
The title of the lowest total defended in IPL is held by the evergreen giants of the competition-the Chennai Super Kings. Kings 11 Punjab were at the receiving end of perfect humiliation at the hands of MSD and his boys as they stopped out the Punjab lads for 92-8 defending 116. While the CSK struggled with the bat with Parthiv Patel’s 32 the only saving grace, it was the spinners of CSK who were in a mood for the kill. R Ashwin, Muttiah Muralidharan and Suresh Raina all got into the act with two wickets each, and a very miser economy rate meant the Kings 11 Punjab batted at snail pace finally succumbing to a 24 run defeat.
These highlights depict the close nature of T20 matches were even with such strong batting lineups, and presence of wickets in hands sometimes does not mean you convert it into a win. While for the fans, such matches are a thrill a minute action.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2018 01:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).