5 Lowest Powerplay Totals in IPL 2021

The second leg of IPL 2021 is currently underway in the United Arab Emirates. The first leg of the tournament was held in India before it was put to hold in May due to Covid-19 cases being reported in different bio-bubbles.

Delhi Capitals have booked their place for the playoffs, while Chennai Super Kings are just one win away from confirming the same. Kolkata Knight Riders have made a blistering start to their second leg as consecutive wins have helped them climb to number four position. Teams like RCB and MI are yet to win a single game in the second leg.

Due to the slowness of the surface, the teams have struggled to put on big scores on the board. Be it the wicket at Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the ball hasn’t come on nicely to the bat and batsmen have struggled to get going right from the onset.

One could assess the pitches by looking at how the teams have started their innings so far in IPL 2021. There haven’t been a lot of games when the teams have made a blistering start to their innings. The openers have at times struggled to get their team to a great start and on that note let’s take a look at the lowest powerplay totals in IPL 2021:

5 Lowest Powerplay Totals in IPL 2021

25 runs- Kolkata Knight Riders vs RR at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

The fifth lowest powerplay total in IPL 2021 was actually scored at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It was the 18^th match played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill opened the innings for KKR in the first innings. Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya bowed at the right areas and gave just 14 runs in the first three overs before Muztafizur Rahman came into the attack in the fourth over.

He also bowled the sixth over and gave away just one run. Shubman Gill also got run out in that over. Both Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill didn’t found a way to score a lot of boundaries in the first six. Only two boundaries were scored in the first 36 balls.

24 runs- Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians at Dubai International Cricket Stadium

Chennai Super Kings have been brilliant this season in IPL 2021. Out of 9 matches, they have managed to win 7 games and currently find themselves at the number two position. CSK began their second leg campaign with a 20-run win over Mumbai Indians. They didn’t start that game on a great note, though.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Chennai Super Kings made a horror start to their innings. Adam Milne and Trent Boult opened the bowling for the defending champions. Boult sent Faf du Plessis back into the hut in his very first over of the innings.

Milne then accounted for the wicket of Moeen Ali in the next over before Boult removed Raina in the third over. On the last ball of the powerplay over, MS Dhoni pulled Adam Milne straight to the man at deep square only to leave CSK reeling at 24 for 4. This is currently the fourth lowest powerplay score in IPL 2021.

21 runs- Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals at Abu Dhabi

Rajasthan Royals have blown hot and cold this season in IPL 2021. They showed nerves to pick up wins from the jaws of defeat against Punjab. However, a disappointing batting performance in the next game didn’t help them secure consecutive wins. In their last game against Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals did well to restrict the opposition to 154 runs.

However, Liam Livingstone and Yashasvi Jaiswal didn’t give the start that they were looking for. Avesh Khan and Anrich Nortje both picked a wicket in their very first overs, sending the openers back to the hut. David Miller never looked at ease as he got out stumped off Ravi Ashwin in the fifth over while trying to up the ante. By the end of the powerplay, Rajasthan had lost 3 wickets for just 28 runs.

21 runs- Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings at Chennai

The second-lowest score in powerplay was scored at Chennai during the first leg of IPL 2021. Mumbai’s batsmen struggled to put the balls away on the slow track of MA Chidambaram Stadium. Their first five games were played over there and they could only manage to secure two wins.

In their last game at Chepauk stadium against Punjab Kings, Rohit Sharma and Co. made the worst possible start in the powerplay overs. Punjab attacked with Deepak Hooda and Moises Henriques. The duo bowled at great areas and didn’t allow the openers to free their arms easily. Hooda, in fact, sent Quinton de Kock back to the hut, on the last ball of his first over.

Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma took little risk thereafter as MI managed to score only 21 runs in the first six overs for the loss of one wicket. They ended their innings on 131 for 6. Punjab chased down the score in 17.4 overs.

20 runs- Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings at Sharjah Cricket Stadium

The 37^th match of IPL 2021 was played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on Saturday. Despite the shorter boundaries at Sharjah, all Punjab managed in the first innings was 125 runs on the board. They needed early wickets in the second innings and Mohammad Shami gave them just that.

The Indian fast bowler sent both Warner and Kane Williamson back to the hut in his first two overs. Mohammed Shami bowled three overs out of the first six and gave away just 5 runs, including a maiden over.

At the end of the powerplay, SRH managed to score 20 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. This is currently the lowest powerplay score in IPL 2021 and also SRH’s lowest powerplay score in the history of IPL.