Top 5 lowest totals by India in T20I cricket
India have faced embarrassing batting collapses in a few T20I matches.
India are the strongest side in T20I cricket currently, having won the most ICC T20 World Cup titles (3). Under MS Dhoni’s leadership, India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
Later in 2024, Rohit Sharma led India to their second trophy in Barbados, while Suryakumar Yadav helped the team to defend their title in the 2026 edition by defeating New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
T20I cricket is all about mammoth totals, and the Men in Blue have posted and chased gigantic scores on numerous occasions in the past. On the contrary, India lost their wickets like a house of cards on a few occasions and registered low totals in some of these encounters.
On that note, below are the Indian Team’s top five lowest totals in the shortest format.
India’s lowest totals in T20I cricket (Top 5)
5. 92/10 vs South Africa (Oct 2015)
India and South Africa clashed in a three-match T20I series in October 2015. In the 2nd T20I in Cuttack, India were bowled out for just 92 runs in the first innings. With 22 runs each, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina were the highest run-scorers for the hosts.
Albie Morkel clinched a three-wicket haul, while Imran Tahir and Chris Morris bagged two scalps each to dismantle the home team.
South Africa lost four wickets while chasing the target, but ultimately secured a six-wicket victory in 18 overs. Then, it was the Men in Blue’s second-lowest total in the shortest format.
4. 81/8 vs Sri Lanka (Jul 2021)
The Men in Blue toured Sri Lanka in July 2021, when the BCCI sent a second-string squad. In the three-match series, both sides won one game each at the start. In the series-decider in Colombo, the Shikhar Dhawan-led India were short of many key players as they contracted COVID.
Despite this, India’s then-head coach Rahul Dravid proceeded to play the third match with the available players. However, this decision proved to be wrong, as the visiting team suffered one of their worst defeats in T20Is.
In the 1st innings, the Men in Blue could only add 81/8 on the board with a highest score by spinner Kuldeep Yadav (23*). Sri Lanka chased down the target like a walk in the park by seven wickets to win the series (2-1), and Wanindu Hasaranga was adjudged Player of the Match for his four-fer.
3. 79/10 vs New Zealand (Mar 2016)
New Zealand have handed India their third-lowest total in T20I cricket, and too at the latter’s home. In the 2016 T20 World Cup, New Zealand and India clashed at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur in the Super 10 Round.
In a low-scoring thriller, India restricted the Kiwis to 126/7 in the first innings, with brilliant teamwork in bowling. However, Indian batters made a big goof-up in the chase, getting bowled out for just 79 runs.
Captain MS Dhoni (30) scored the most runs, but the hosts were too short of victory. Spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi clinched four and three wickets respectively to crush India’s batting line-up and propel New Zealand to victory by 47 runs.
2. 76/10 vs England (July 2026)
India’s second-lowest total in the shortest format came just a few months after winning the T20 World Cup 2026. Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, India are touring England in July for a five-match T20I series.
In the third T20I at Trent Bridge on July 7, the hosts posted 201/7 in the 1st innings, thanks to a brilliant half-century by opener Phil Salt. In the chase, the visitors lost their batters like a house of cards, with none of them crossing the 15-run mark.
Eventually, Shreyas Iyer & Co. were bowled out for 76 to lose by a big margin of 125 runs, facing their biggest defeat in T20I cricket. Indian batters looked totally helpless against the pace duo of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, who bagged three and four wickets, respectively.
1. 74/10 vs Australia (Feb 2008)
India recorded their lowest score in the shortest format in 2008, and even after one and a half decades, it remains at the top of the list. During India’s tour of Australia in 2008, both sides clashed in a one-off T20I game in Melbourne.
The hosts bowled out India for just 74 runs in the 1st innings, with Irfan Pathan (26) being the only player to score in double digits. Nathan Bracken led the Kangaroos’ bowling attack with his three-wicket haul, while all five other bowlers bagged at least one wicket.
The home team reached the target in just 11.2 overs and bagged a big win, while India witnessed their worst batting collapse.
What is India’s lowest total in T20I cricket?
India’s lowest total in T20I cricket is 74/10. They registered this total against Australia in February 2008.
What is India’s lowest total in T20I cricket against England?
India’s lowest total in T20I cricket against England is 76/10, which came in July 2026 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.