T20 is a format of scoring big runs, and the fireworks from the bat give everyone wholesome entertainment. But at the same time, the balancing act between the bat and the ball is the aspect that makes cricket an unpredictable game.
Yes, there will be games that largely favour the batters, and runs will come aplenty, but there will be fixtures that test the skill of the batsmen. Usually, the second type of game sees the chasing side being put under a lot of pressure.
Chasing, as we all know, is an art, and many a time these games turn into an edge-of-the-seat thriller. This results in not-so-high totals (in accordance with the modern T20 game) being successfully defended and it has happened quite a few times in the brief history of SA20.
So here is the list of lowest scores successfully defended in SA20.
Lowest Scores Successfully Defended in SA20
| Winning Team | Batting 1st Score | Opposition | Batting 2nd Score | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pretoria Capitals | 125/10 | Sunrisers Eastern Cape | 122/9 | Centurion | 25 Jan 2024 |
| MI Cape Town | 142/9 | Paarl Royals | 129/6 | Paarl | 21 Jan 2023 |
| Durban’s Super Giants | 145/8 | Joburg Super Kings | 108/9 | Durban | 15 Jan 2024 |
| Pretoria Capitals | 153/8 | Paarl Royals | 124/10 | Johannesburg | 8 Feb 2023 |
| Durban’s Super Giants | 157/6 | MI Cape Town | 121/9 | Cape Town | 23 Jan 2024 |
| Sunrisers Eastern Cape | 157/8 | Durban’s Super Giants | 106/10 | Cape Town | 7 Feb 2024 |
| Joburg Super Kings | 160/6 | Sunrisers Eastern Cape | 136/9 | Johannesburg | 5 Feb 2023 |
| Paarl Royals | 160/7 | Pretoria Capitals | 133/7 | Paarl | 12 Jan 2024 |
| Paarl Royals | 162/3 | MI Cape Town | 103/10 | Paarl | 21 Jan 2024 |
| Joburg Super Kings | 168/6 | Pretoria Capitals | 162/10 | Johannesburg | 17 Jan 2023 |
(You can check out other stats related to SA20 here.)
Key Stats
143: This is the lowest defended score in the history of SA20 in the 2 seasons combined and it was achieved by MICT when they successfully defeated Paarl Royals by 13 runs in the latter’s pursuit of 143.
4: Joburg Super Kings appear in the top 10 a record 4 times. However, all these 4 successful defences happened when their first innings scores were over 150.
Also, Johannesburg is the venue that has appeared most times in this list (4) followed by Boland Park in Paarl (3 times). So it is evident these venues suit sides batting first more often than not.
2: Only 2 scores of below 150 have been successfully defended in SA20 history. While one was achieved by MICT, the 2nd one came in the 2024 contest between DSG and JSK.
15: There were 15 instances of a side defending the total successfully out of the 31 completed games in the first season.
Paarl Royals and Pretoria Capitals have had a habit of defending low scores against one other in the inaugural edition. While the Royals did it at their home in a group stage fixture, the Capitals reversed the result in a Semi-final clash later in the tourney.
