Winning and losing are part and parcel of the game. Cricket is an exciting sport; defending a low-scoring game is not a piece of cake. It needs the combined efforts of the entire team to defend a low total. Sometimes, it feels like the team will surely lose, but then something happens that nobody could have imagined; this is the beauty of this game. Here, we are presenting "Top 10 Lowest Run Total Defended In Cricket History".
1. 163 By Netherlands Vs. Scotland, 2021
Netherlands managed to score 163 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Scotland needed 164 runs to win in 50 overs. Scotland's players' performance was not up to the mark. The Netherlands team played exceptionally well and won the game by 14 runs.
2. 162 By India Vs. New Zealand, 1980
India achieved this milestone under the leadership of Sunil Gavaskar. India managed to set a total of 162 runs. The Kiwi team was bundled out for 162 runs. Sandeep Patil was the top scorer of the match. Paul McEwan's efforts were not enough to secure a win for his team. The New Zealand team was not able to chase down the target.
3. 105 By India Vs. Bangladesh, 2014
India successfully defended the target of 106 runs against Bangladesh in Mirpur. India managed to set 105 runs on the scoreboard. Bangladesh players were bowled out on just 58 runs. India secured the victory by 47 runs by DLS method.
4. 162 By India Vs. West Indies, 2006
India won a low-scoring thriller against the West Indies by 14 runs. The star batter, Sachin Tendulkar, was the top scorer for India. West Indies were not able to chase down the target. India bowled out the Windies on the score of 146 runs and secured a remarkable victory over the Windies.
5. 146 By India Vs. Bangladesh, 2016
India managed to set the target of 147 runs against Bangladesh. Bangladesh needs 11 runs in 6 balls. The batters even hit two boundaries in the final over. This match was in Bangladesh's pocket! But cricket is a game of uncertainties. They needed to score just 2 runs in 3 balls, but they followed a naive approach and wanted to finish the game with a six. They lost three crucial wickets on the last three balls. The last wicket was an amazing run-out by MS Dhoni. At last, India had a great comeback, and team India registered a magical victory over Bangladesh.
6. 138 By India Vs. Zimbabwe, 2016
India won the last-ball thriller match against Zimbabwe by 3 runs. Kedhar Jadhav played a crucial knock of 58 runs. Zimbabwe managed to score just 135 runs for the loss of 6 wickets within the allotted 20 overs. Indian bowlers turned the game in their favor with their impressive bowling performances. Kedhar Jadhav won the Man of the Match award.
7. 129 By South Africa Vs. England, 1996
Defending a target of 130 runs in an ODI match is not an easy task. South Africa managed to score a low total of 129 runs. Brian McMillan's crucial knock of 45 runs helped South Africa. Bowlers from both teams impressed with their bowling performance. South Africa clearly outplayed England and secured the victory by 14 runs.
8. 134 By Zimbabwe Vs. England, 1992
Zimbabwe managed to score 134 runs for the loss of 10 wickets. England needed 135 runs to win in 50 overs. England's players were bowled out by Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe won the game by 9 runs. Eddo Brandes won the Man of the Match award for his phenomenal bowling performance.
9. 127 By West Indies Vs. England, 1981
West Indies won the low-scoring thriller match by 2 runs against England. Everton Mattis played a crucial knock of 62 runs for West Indies. England had a challenging start and struggled to gain momentum throughout the game. Windies secured the victory in a low-scoring thriller by 2 runs.
10. 125 By India Vs. Pakistan, 1985
An India versus Pakistan match is an absolute blockbuster game. India set a low total of 125 runs on the board. It seemed like Pakistan could easily chase it. Mohammad Azharuddin was the top scorer for Team India. Indian bowlers did a great job in the second innings and bowled out Pakistan for just 87 runs at Sharjah Stadium. It was truly a great low-scoring epic thriller match.
