Top 5 lowest powerplay scores in IPL history

Several teams have registered slow starts in powerplay in the IPL.

Unlike ODIs and tests, T20 cricket cannot afford slow starts by openers. The top-order batsmen usually start slowly and can gear up pace later in ODIs and tests; however, they have to adopt an aggressive batting approach in the shortest format right from the start.

Therefore, T20 games usually witness big scores in the powerplay overs, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) is no different. Over the years, many IPL matches have seen openers give explosive starts and create records by scoring big in the powerplay, i.e. the first six overs.

On the contrary, in some matches, the top-order batsmen lost their wickets cheaply early on, leading to low scores in the powerplay. In this listicle, we take a glance at the top 5 lowest powerplay scores in the IPL.

Lowest powerplay scores in the IPL (Top 5)

Chennai Super Kings – 16/1 vs DC, 2015

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take the fifth spot on this list. In 2015, they could only score 16/1 in the powerplay against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).

The 49th game took place at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith opened the batting for CSK, but they failed to provide a solid start.

Chennai Super Kings – 15/2 vs KKR, 2011

CSK also have the record for the fourth-lowest total in IPL history, registered against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2011 season.

In the tournament opener, CSK could only add 15 runs after losing two wickets in the powerplay overs. Despite a slow start, they later reached 153/4 and outplayed KKR by just two runs in a low-scoring thriller.

Sunrisers Hyderabad – 14/3 vs RR, 2022

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) locked horns in the 5th match of IPL 2022 at the MCA Stadium in Pune. RR posted a gigantic total of 210/6 in the first innings.

In response, SRH suffered their worst start in the tournament’s history, piling up just 14 runs in the powerplay. They also lost the top three batters within the first six overs and eventually lost the clash by 61 runs.

Rajasthan Royals -14/2 vs RCB, 2009

The second spot on this list is held by Rajasthan Royals, who could only reach 14/2 in the powerplay against RCB in IPL 2009. The 2nd match of the tournament took place at Newlands in Cape Town.

RCB posted 133/8 in the first innings, and RR lost their top-order batters like a house of cards. Reaching 14/2, Royals recorded the second-lowest powerplay score in the tournament and were bowled out for just 58 runs later, losing by 75 runs.

Delhi Capitals- 13/6 vs RCB, IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals have the unwanted record for the lowest-ever powerplay total in IPL history. In the 39th match of IPL 2026 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Capitals suffered a big batting collapse in the first innings.

After being asked to bat first, they were stranded at 13/6 in the first six overs, completely struggling against the pace duo of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. DC were bowled out for 75 runs, and RCB won by 9 wickets, chasing down the target within 7 overs.

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