In a league built for big hitting, the hardest trick in the book is winning with a small total on the board. Punjab Kings have made a habit of it. No IPL team has defended more totals below 150 than the Punjab Kings, who have pulled it off five times in full length matches, including the famous 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Mullanpur in 2025, which is the lowest total ever successfully defended in the league.
This record is not about one magical night. It is about a bowling culture that keeps producing wins from losing positions. Mumbai Indians sit next with four below 150 defenses, and their record is built on finals: they defended 129 in the 2017 final, 148 in the 2013 final and 149 in the 2019 final. Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the now defunct Deccan Chargers have done it three times each.
Below is the full verified list of below 150 totals defended in IPL history, the team by team count, and how this record moved from 2008 to 2025.
Most Below 150 Totals Defended in IPL Overview
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Record | Most totals below 150 successfully defended by a team in the IPL |
| Holder | Punjab Kings with 5 successful defenses |
| Lowest total ever defended | 111 by Punjab Kings against Kolkata Knight Riders, Mullanpur, 2025 |
| Closest team | Mumbai Indians with 4 successful defenses |
| Span | 2008 to 2025, full length matches only |
Top Teams With the Most Below 150 Totals Defended
| Rank | Team | Below 150 totals defended | Lowest total defended | Standout defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punjab Kings | 5 | 111 | 111 vs KKR, Mullanpur 2025, won by 16 runs |
| 2 | Mumbai Indians | 4 | 120 | 129/8 vs Rising Pune Supergiant, 2017 final, won by 1 run |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 3 | 118 | 118 vs MI, Wankhede Stadium, 2018, won by 31 runs |
| 4 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 3 | 126 | 126/8 vs CSK, Chennai 2008, won by 14 runs |
| 5 | Deccan Chargers | 3 | 129 | 143/6 vs RCB, 2009 final, won by 6 runs |
| 6 | Chennai Super Kings | 2 | 116 | 116/9 vs Kings XI Punjab, Durban 2009, won by 24 runs |
| 7 | Rajasthan Royals | 2 | 144 | 144/6 vs KKR, Jaipur 2013 |
| 8 | Pune Warriors India | 1 | 129 | 129/9 vs MI, Pune 2012, won by 28 runs |
| 9 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 1 | 129 | 129/7 vs RCB, Eden Gardens 2008, won by 5 runs |
| 10 | Delhi Capitals | 1 | 130 | 130 vs Gujarat Titans, Ahmedabad 2023, won by 5 runs |
| 11 | Gujarat Titans | 1 | 135 | 135 vs Lucknow Super Giants, Lucknow 2023, won by 7 runs |
Deccan Chargers played only from 2008 to 2012 before the franchise was wound up. They are a different franchise from the Delhi Capitals, who were earlier known as Delhi Daredevils.
Every Verified Below 150 Total Defended in IPL History
The table below lists every full length IPL match in which a team successfully defended a total below 150, from 2008 to 2025. Rain shortened games are not included.
| Total | Defending team | Opponent | Venue, Season | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | Punjab Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | Mullanpur, 2025 | Won by 16 runs |
| 116/9 | Chennai Super Kings | Kings XI Punjab | Durban, 2009 | Won by 24 runs |
| 118 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mumbai Indians | Mumbai, 2018 | Won by 31 runs |
| 119/8 | Kings XI Punjab | Mumbai Indians | Durban, 2009 | Won by 3 runs |
| 119/8 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pune Warriors India | Pune, 2013 | Won by 11 runs |
| 120/9 | Mumbai Indians | Pune Warriors India | Pune, 2012 | Won by 1 run |
| 125/7 | Punjab Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Sharjah, 2021 | Won by 5 runs |
| 126/8 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Chennai Super Kings | Chennai, 2008 | Won by 14 runs |
| 126/6 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pune Warriors India | Hyderabad, 2013 | Won by 22 runs |
| 126/7 | Kings XI Punjab | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Dubai, 2020 | Won by 12 runs |
| 126/9 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Lucknow Super Giants | 2023 | Won by 18 runs |
| 129/7 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Eden Gardens, 2008 | Won by 5 runs |
| 129/7 | Deccan Chargers | Kochi Tuskers Kerala | 2011 | Won by 55 runs |
| 129/9 | Pune Warriors India | Mumbai Indians | Pune, 2012 | Won by 28 runs |
| 129/8 | Mumbai Indians | Rising Pune Supergiant | Hyderabad, 2017 final | Won by 1 run |
| 130 | Delhi Capitals | Gujarat Titans | Ahmedabad, 2023 | Won by 5 runs |
| 132 | Punjab Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2014 | Won by 23 runs |
| 135 | Gujarat Titans | Lucknow Super Giants | Lucknow, 2023 | Won by 7 runs |
| 142/6 | Chennai Super Kings | Pune Warriors India | Chennai, 2011 | Not officially confirmed |
| 143/6 | Deccan Chargers | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Johannesburg, 2009 final | Won by 6 runs |
| 143/8 | Kings XI Punjab | Delhi Daredevils | Delhi, 2018 | Not officially confirmed |
| 144/6 | Rajasthan Royals | Kolkata Knight Riders | Jaipur, 2013 | Not officially confirmed |
| 145/9 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Kings XI Punjab | Durban, 2009 | Not officially confirmed |
| 145/6 | Deccan Chargers | Mumbai Indians | Centurion, 2009 | Not officially confirmed |
| 145/7 | Rajasthan Royals | Mumbai Indians | Durban, 2009 | Not officially confirmed |
| 148/9 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | 2013 final | Won by 23 runs |
| 149/8 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Hyderabad, 2019 final | Won by 1 run |
How the Record Moved From 2008 to 2025
The story of low totals defended starts in the very first IPL season. In 2008, Royal Challengers Bangalore defended 126 against Chennai Super Kings at Chennai, and Kolkata Knight Riders defended 129 against Bangalore at Eden Gardens. Those two games showed early that no total was too small to fight for.
The 2009 season, played in South Africa, became the golden year for low total defenses. Chennai Super Kings defended 116/9 against Kings XI Punjab at Durban, a record that stood for almost 16 years. Kings XI Punjab defended 119 against Mumbai Indians at the same venue. Deccan Chargers won the final at Johannesburg by defending 143 against Bangalore.
From 2012 to 2013, spin friendly tracks in Pune and Hyderabad gave us three more: Mumbai defended 120 against Pune Warriors in 2012, Sunrisers Hyderabad defended 119 and 126 against Pune Warriors in 2013, and Chennai defended 142 against Pune Warriors at Chennai in 2011.
The finals record belongs to Mumbai Indians alone. They defended 148 against Chennai in the 2013 final at Chennai, 129 against Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 final at Hyderabad by a single run, and 149 against Chennai in the 2019 final at Hyderabad, again by one run. No other team has defended a below 150 total in more than one IPL final.
The modern peak came in the 2020s. Sunrisers Hyderabad bowled out Mumbai for 87 to defend 118 in 2018. Punjab defended 125 against Hyderabad in Sharjah in 2021 and 126 against Hyderabad in Dubai in 2020. Gujarat Titans defended 135 against Lucknow in 2023, and Delhi Capitals defended 130 against Gujarat the same year.
Then came 15 April 2025 at Mullanpur. Punjab Kings were bowled out for 111 by Kolkata Knight Riders, with only the openers crossing 20. Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 for 28 and Marco Jansen took 3 for 17 as Kolkata collapsed to 95 all out. The 16 run win broke Chennai’s long standing record and gave Punjab the outright lead in this team record too. You can read more about that season’s best bowling figures of IPL 2025 and the full Punjab Kings season by season results on this site.
Fans who enjoy these close finishes also follow the official IPL website for live scores and the low totals in IPL playoff matches, where pressure produces the most dramatic bowling figures in finals.
What This Record Tells Us
The teams at the top of this list share one trait: strong bowling attacks that stay calm when the game looks lost. Punjab Kings lead not because of one season but because their bowlers have defended small totals in 2009, 2014, 2020, 2021 and 2025, across three different decades of the league and in four different countries.
The numbers also show that defending low totals has become harder, not easier. Batting lineups now go deeper and scoring rates keep rising, so a sub 130 defense in the Impact Player era is far rarer than it was in 2008 and 2009. The 2025 record of 111 stands out precisely because it came in a season of record batting.
Finals produce the most famous entries. Mumbai’s three below 150 defenses in finals, all won by 23 runs or fewer, show that pressure changes chasing completely. A total that looks chaseable on paper becomes a mountain when a trophy is on the line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team has defended the most below 150 totals in the IPL?
Punjab Kings, with 5 successful defenses in full length matches: 111 against KKR in 2025, 119 against MI in 2009, 125 against SRH in 2021, 126 against SRH in 2020, and 132 against KKR in 2014.
What is the lowest total ever defended in IPL history?
111 by Punjab Kings against Kolkata Knight Riders at Mullanpur on 15 April 2025. Kolkata were bowled out for 95, and Punjab won by 16 runs. It broke the old record of 116/9 by Chennai Super Kings from 2009.
Which team has defended the lowest total in an IPL final?
Mumbai Indians, who defended 129/8 against Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 final at Hyderabad, winning by 1 run. It is the only below 130 defense in an IPL final.
How many times has a total below 120 been defended in the IPL?
Six times in full length matches: 111 by Punjab Kings, 116 by Chennai Super Kings, 118 by Sunrisers Hyderabad, 119 by Kings XI Punjab, 119 by Sunrisers Hyderabad, and 120 by Mumbai Indians. Punjab Kings are the only team to do it twice.
Which bowlers starred in the record 111 defense in 2025?
Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 for 28 and Marco Jansen took 3 for 17 as Kolkata Knight Riders were bowled out for 95 at Mullanpur.
Has any team defended a below 150 total in more than one IPL final?
Yes, Mumbai Indians have done it three times: 148 against Chennai Super Kings in 2013, 129 against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017, and 149 against Chennai Super Kings in 2019.
Why are low totals harder to defend in recent seasons?
Batting lineups bat deeper now, scoring rates are higher, and the Impact Player rule lets teams add an extra batter. A total that was defendable in 2009 is rarely enough in the modern game, which is why the 2025 record of 111 is so remarkable.
Statistics updated through: 23 October 2026
