Defending low targets in the IPL is a rare occurrence, showcasing exceptional bowling and tactical expertise. From SRH defending 119 against Pune Warriors in 2013 to PBKS defending 111 against KKR in 2025, these matches stand as prime examples of remarkable comebacks under immense pressure.
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SRH – 119 vs Pune Warriors (IPL 2013)
In the 22nd match of IPL 2013, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) successfully defended a target of 119 against the now-defunct Pune Warriors. Batting first at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, SRH managed only 119/8. The top four batsmen – Parthiv Patel (12), Quinton de Kock (2), Hanuma Vihari (1), and Cameron White (0) – were all dismissed for low scores. However, Biplab Samantray scored 37, and Amit Mishra added 30 runs at the end to take SRH to 119/8.
In reply, SRH, led by Cameron White, bowled out Pune Warriors for just 108 runs. After contributing 30 with the bat, Amit Mishra took 4 wickets, while former Sri Lankan spinner Thisara Perera took 3 wickets, and SRH won the match by 11 runs.
PBKS – 119 vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2009)
In IPL 2009, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) successfully defended a target of 119 against Mumbai Indians (MI). In the 20th match of the tournament, KXIP batted first in Durban and scored only 119/8. Kumar Sangakkara was the top scorer with 45 runs, but the rest of the batsmen failed to perform.
However, PBKS came back strongly with the ball, as Irfan Pathan (2 wickets), Yusuf Abdullah (2 wickets), Vikramjeet Malik (1 wicket), Ramesh Powar (1 wicket), and Piyush Chawla (1 wicket) restricted MI to 116/7. Punjab, led by Yuvraj Singh, won by 3 runs, with Abdullah defending 12 runs in the final over to seal the victory.
SRH – 118 vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2018)
In IPL 2018, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defended a target of 118 against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium. Batting first, SRH posted a poor total of 118 all out, with openers Kane Williamson and Yusuf Pathan contributing the most with 29 runs each.
MI’s bowlers Hardik Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, and Mayank Markande each took 2 wickets, and Mumbai was expected to chase the target easily. However, MI suffered one of their worst batting collapses in IPL history. Suryakumar Yadav and Krunal Pandya scored 34 and 24, respectively, but the other batsmen were dismissed for single-digit scores.
CSK – 116 vs Kings XI Punjab (IPL 2009)
In IPL 2009, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) successfully defended a target of 116 against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) by 24 runs. Batting first at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban, CSK could only score 116/9. Parthiv Patel was the top scorer with 32 runs, while none of the other batsmen managed to score over 20.
For Punjab, Irfan Pathan and Shreesanth took 2 wickets each, while Ramesh Powar, Piyush Chawla, and Wilkin Mota took 1 wicket each. Despite a poor total, CSK’s bowlers Thilan Thushara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Suresh Raina each took 2 wickets, restricting Punjab to just 92/8 in their chase. CSK, led by MS Dhoni, won the match comfortably.
PBKS – 111 vs Kolkata Knight Riders (IPL 2025)
In IPL 2025, the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has claimed the top spot on this list. In the 31st match of the tournament, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bat first. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh made 22 and 30 runs respectively, but Iyer was dismissed for a duck, and Josh Inglis was out for 2. PBKS was eventually all out for just 111 runs.
KKR bowlers Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, and Sunil Narine combined to take 7 wickets, destroying PBKS’ batting. However, in the second innings, PBKS made a remarkable comeback and successfully defended the lowest target in IPL history. Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 wickets, while pacer Marco Jansen grabbed 3 wickets, bowling KKR out for just 95 runs. PBKS won by 16 runs, with Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, and Glenn Maxwell each taking a wicket.
