Stats: Lowest totals in T20 World Cup history

Sri Lanka put up a bowling exhibition against Netherlands and bundled them out for mere 44 runs. This is the second-lowest team score in T20I history and the Lankan Lions would be ecstatic with their performance. This batting failure occurred in the 12th and last preliminary-stage match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. None of the Dutch batters could make an impact and lost wickets at regular intervals.

Speaking of how the game unfolded, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In-form opener Max ODowd got out on the fourth ball and it was one-way traffic since then. Young off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana made the ball talk in the initial overs and took a couple of wickets in the first over itself.

The offie passed on the baton to leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and he couldn’t have done anything wrong in such stellar form. He made optimum utilization of the Sharjah conditions and spun his web around. As a result, the likes of Colin Ackermann and Bas de Leede couldn’t make a mark. Right-arm pacer Lahiru Kumara showed his blitzes in the end overs and wrapped up the tale.

For the Men in Orange, only Colin Ackermann (11) crossed the double figures while Ben Cooper made nine runs. Besides Hasaranga, Kumara and Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera took a solitary wicket, helping his side script history in the gulf nation.

Lowest totals in T20 World Cups:

It has to be noted that Netherlands also recorded the second-lowest total in T20 World Cup history. Interestingly, the Dutch side also tops this unfortunate list, having got bundled out for 39 against none other than Sri Lanka in the 2014 event. New Zealand, Ireland, and Hong Kong occupy the third, fourth and fifth position on this list. Notably, three of the five lowest totals have been recorded at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram during the 2014 T20 World Cup. Apart from Sharjah, Providence Stadium in Guyana is the other venue on this list.