India will have to defend their lowest T20I innings total if they are to continue with their unbeaten streak in the ongoing eighth edition of ICC T20 World Cup. Having failed as a batting unit in their third Super 12 match against South Africa in Perth tonight, the bowlers have no option than to do the heavy lifting in the second innings to not let the opposition chase down a 134-run target.
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Electing to bat first on a pace-friendly surface at the Optus Stadium, India captain Rohit Sharma (15) was part of a top-order failure which saw them getting reduce to 49/5 even before the 10th over started.
In addition to Sharma, vice-captain KL Rahul (9), former captain Virat Kohli (12), all-rounders Deepak Hooda (0) and Hardik Pandya (2) and wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik (6) were all part of a collective batting collapse on a Sunday night.
Had it not been for batter Suryakumar Yadav’s counterattacking 11th T20I half-century, India would’ve struggled to reach the 100-run mark primarily due to a lack of depth in their batting department. Coming in to bat at No. 4 in the last over of the powerplay, Yadav scored a hard-hitting 68 (40) at a strike rate of 170 to impress one and all with a much-needed devil-may-case approach.
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Included in the South African Playing XI in place of spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was the pick of their bowlers with figures of 4-0-29-4. Ngidi, who picked all four wickets in his first three overs, dismissed the likes of Sharma, Rahul, Kohli and Pandya.
In addition to Ngidi, pacers Wayne Parnell and Anrich Nortje also made optimum use of the conditions to pick three and one wicket respectively.
Lowest score in T20 international defended by India
| Score | Overs | Opposition | Ground | Year |
| 138/6 | 20 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 2016 |
| 144/8 | 20 | England | Nagpur | 2017 |
| 146/7 | 20 | Bangladesh | Bengaluru | 2016 |
| 152/6 | 20 | South Africa | Colombo (RPS) | 2012 |
| 153/2 | 20 | South Africa | Durban | 2007 |
Lowest total defended in T20 World Cup history
As far as T20 World Cups are concerned, six innings totals lower than 133 have been successfully defended in the past. Speaking particularly about India, the third-lowest innings total in the above mentioned table is their lowest in a World Cup. In fact, the fourth and fifth-lowest in that table have also come in T20 World Cup matches.
| Score | Overs | Team | Opposition | Ground | Year |
| 119 | 19.2 | Sri Lanka | Ireland | Dharamsala | 2016 |
| 123/7 | 20 | Afghanistan | West Indies | Nagpur | 2016 |
| 126/7 | 20 | New Zealand | India | Nagpur | 2016 |
| 128/7 | 20 | South Africa | New Zealand | London (Lord’s) | 2009 |
| 130/5 | 20 | South Africa | India | Nottingham | 2009 |
The record for lowest T20I innings total defended in Australia lies with Papua New Guinea for successfully defending 116 runs against Ireland in Townsville six years ago. If India manage to win this match, it will become the fourth-lowest innings total defended in a T20I played in Australia.
NOTE: Rain-affected matches reduced to less than 20 overs per innings haven’t been considered in this story.
