The Indian Premier League has produced some of the most explosive batting performances the sport has ever seen. But for every Chris Gayle century and every record partnership, there have also been days when the best batting lineups in the world have simply crumbled. These are the moments that remind fans how brutally unforgiving T20 cricket can be. These matches highlight how quickly a batting lineup can collapse in T20 cricket. Here is a definitive look at the five lowest team totals in IPL history.
Table of Contents
Top Five Lowest Team Totals in IPL History
| Rank | Team | Score | Overs | Opponent | Venue | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 49 | 9.4 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 2017 |
| 2 | Rajasthan Royals | 58 | 17.1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Newlands, Cape Town | 2009 |
| 3 | Rajasthan Royals | 59 | — | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | 2023 |
| 4 | Delhi Capitals | 66 | 13.4 | Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 2017 |
| 5 | Delhi Daredevils | 67 | 17.1 | Punjab Kings | PCA Stadium, Mohali | 2017 |
1. Royal Challengers Bengaluru – 49 All Out vs KKR (2017)
On April 23, 2017, RCB was bowled out for just 49 runs in 9.4 overs, which remains the lowest score in IPL history. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 49 all out against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on 23 April 2017 remains the lowest team total in IPL history, bowled out in 9.4 overs while chasing 132 after slipping to 3/2 inside 1.2 overs.
RCB’s chase unraveled within the first three overs. Kohli fell for 0 off 1 ball, Mandeep and de Villiers were removed by 2.3 overs, and the top four combined for 16 runs. KKR’s Nathan Coulter-Nile and Chris Woakes were the main tormentors, picking up three wickets each. KKR chased down the target easily in just 5.2 overs with 10 wickets in hand. They lost all the batsmen for single digits, and it’s the lone game in the IPL where a team got all-out under 50 runs on the board. Ironically, this came exactly four years after RCB posted the then-highest IPL total of 263/5, led by Chris Gayle’s historic 175 against Pune Warriors India.
2. Rajasthan Royals – 58 All Out vs RCB (2009)
In the opening match of IPL 2009, Rajasthan Royals were bowled out for just 58 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Cape Town, South Africa. Chasing 133, Rajasthan was bowled out for just 58 runs in 17.1 overs, with leg spinner Anil Kumble picking up a fifer for just five runs in 3.1 overs. Barring Yusuf Pathan and Tyron Henderson, each scoring 11, none of their batsmen could get to double digits. RCB won the match by 75 runs, with Rahul Dravid bagging the Man of the Match award for his 66 off 48 deliveries.
3. Rajasthan Royals – 59 All Out vs RCB (2023)
On May 14, 2023, Rajasthan Royals suffered another batting collapse, getting bowled out for just 59 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. Nobody apart from Joe Root and Shimron Hetmyer reached double figures and if it was not for Hetmyer, the Royals might have registered the lowest total ever in IPL.
The collapse was made more shocking by the fact that Rajasthan were batting at their home ground. The innings was a complete systemic failure from top to bottom, with the lower middle order providing the only resistance against a relentless RCB bowling attack.
4. Delhi Capitals – 66 All Out vs Mumbai Indians (2017)
On May 6, 2017, Delhi Daredevils were bowled out for just 66 runs against Mumbai Indians at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi. Batting first, MI set up a mammoth total of 212, courtesy of Lendl Simmons, Parthiv Patel, and Kieron Pollard. In response, Delhi lost Sanju Samson on the very first ball and ultimately capitulated for just 66 in 13.4 overs. Harbhajan Singh and Karn Sharma picked up three wickets each and were the pick of the bowlers of MI. It was the first of two sub-70 collapses that Delhi endured within the same week, marking an almost unprecedented week of batting failure.
5. Delhi Daredevils – 67 All Out vs Punjab Kings (2017)
Just days before their 66-run disaster, Delhi Daredevils were dismissed for 67 runs against Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on April 30, 2017. Delhi Daredevils lost their openers early and never really recovered from the early blows, being eventually bowled out for a paltry 67 runs in just 17.1 overs. Sandeep Sharma was the chief destroyer for Kings XI Punjab, picking up four wickets for just 20 runs. In response, Kings XI Punjab chased down the target with ease, winning the match by 10 wickets in just 7.5 overs.
The RCB Paradox and Notable Trends
While Royal Challengers Bengaluru famously holds the record for the lowest score ever (49), they have also been the bowling side that dismissed the opposition for four of the totals on this list (58, 59, 70, and 75). Across the ten lowest totals, six came in 2017, and seven innings lost at least four wickets within the first six overs. In five cases, teams were five down before the eighth over.
The pattern is consistent: new-ball strikes inside the first 15 balls followed by middle-overs scoring rates under five, eliminating any structural recovery phase. The Delhi franchise now appears three times in the top 12 lowest score list, with two of those instances occurring at their home ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
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FAQs
What is the lowest team total in IPL history?
RCB’s 49 all-out against KKR at Eden Gardens on April 23, 2017, is the lowest total in IPL history and the only time a team has been dismissed for under 50 runs.
Which team has appeared most often in the lowest totals list?
Delhi (Daredevils/Capitals) appears three times in the all-time low scores list, while RCB holds the unwanted record for the lowest total ever.
Which bowler was the biggest destroyer in these collapses
Anil Kumble’s 5-wicket haul for just 5 runs against Rajasthan Royals in 2009 stands as the most devastating individual bowling performance in any of these collapses.
Why did 2017 produce so many low scores?
Six of the ten lowest IPL totals came in 2017, attributed to early new-ball striking by quality bowlers and aggressive field placements that put batting teams under extreme pressure from the first over.
Has any team recently come close to breaking RCB’s record low of 49?
In IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals were bowled out for 75 against RCB, recording the lowest Powerplay score in IPL history (8/6), but ultimately avoided breaking RCB’s all-time record.
