Uganda holds the record for the lowest team total in T20 World Cup history, collapsing to just 39 all out against West Indies in Providence in 2024. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has had no shortage of batting disasters over its history, from top-order collapses against quality spin to powerplay meltdowns against elite pace attacks.
Bowling performances have occasionally been so dominant that even batters with strong international experience have crumbled. These innings serve as a reminder of how quickly things can fall apart in T20 cricket. In this article, we look at the top 10 lowest team totals ever recorded in T20 World Cup history.
Top 10 Lowest Team Totals in T20 World Cup History
Let’s take a closer look at the most dramatic batting collapses in the tournament’s history.
| # | Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uganda | 39 | 12.0 | 3.25 | v West Indies | Providence | Lost by 134 runs | 08 Jun 2024 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 39 | 10.3 | 3.71 | v Sri Lanka | Chattogram | Lost by 9 wkts | 24 Mar 2014 |
| 3 | Uganda | 40 | 18.4 | 2.14 | v New Zealand | Tarouba | Lost by 9 wkts | 14 Jun 2024 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 44 | 10.0 | 4.40 | v Sri Lanka | Sharjah | Lost by 8 wkts | 22 Oct 2021 |
| 5 | Oman | 47 | 13.2 | 3.52 | v England | North Sound | Lost by 8 wkts | 13 Jun 2024 |
| 6 | West Indies | 55 | 14.2 | 3.83 | v England | Dubai (DICS) | Lost by 6 wkts | 23 Oct 2021 |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 56 | 11.5 | 4.73 | v South Africa | Tarouba | Lost by 9 wkts | 26 Jun 2024 |
| 8 | Uganda | 58 | 16.0 | 3.62 | v Afghanistan | Providence | Lost by 125 runs | 03 Jun 2024 |
| 9 | New Zealand | 60 | 15.3 | 3.87 | v Sri Lanka | Chattogram | Lost by 59 runs | 31 Mar 2014 |
| 10 | Scotland | 60 | 10.2 | 5.80 | v Afghanistan | Sharjah | Lost by 130 runs | 25 Oct 2021 |
1. Uganda – 39 (vs West Indies, 2024)
Uganda holds the unwanted record for the lowest team total in T20 World Cup history, collapsing to 39 all out against West Indies in their Group C match at Providence Stadium on June 8, 2024.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | 39 | 12.0 | 3.25 | v West Indies | Providence | Lost by 134 runs | 08 Jun 2024 |
West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein was the main destroyer, taking 5/11 in four overs with the arm-ball working perfectly on a slow Providence pitch. His control was complete, almost all of his wickets came from the same delivery, and Uganda’s batters had no answer to it. He reduced Uganda to 23/7 in just seven overs with a four-wicket burst in the middle of his spell.
Alzarri Joseph picked up 2/6 to further dismantle the innings. Only Juma Miyagi reached double figures, remaining unbeaten on 13 off 20 balls. Earlier, the West Indies had posted 173/5, with Johnson Charles contributing 44 off 42 balls and Andre Russell hitting an unbeaten 30 off 17. This was Uganda’s first-ever T20 World Cup edition, and the result stood as the joint-lowest total in tournament history, matching a record set a decade earlier.
2. Netherlands – 39 (vs Sri Lanka, 2014)
The Netherlands were the first team to be bowled out for 39 in T20 World Cup history, falling in just 10.3 overs against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on March 24, 2014, in a Group A match.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 39 | 10.3 | 3.71 | v Sri Lanka | Chattogram | Lost by 9 wkts | 24 Mar 2014 |
Sri Lanka put the Netherlands in to bat and then reduced them to 1/3 inside the powerplay, as Stephan Myburgh, Michael Swart, and Wesley Barresi all fell cheaply. Only Tom Cooper offered any real resistance with 16 off 18 balls, the highest score in the innings. Angelo Mathews and Ajantha Mendis shared six wickets between them, with Lasith Malinga adding two more to complete a total dismantling of the Dutch batting lineup.
Four Dutch batters were dismissed for ducks. Sri Lanka knocked off the target in just five overs, sealing a nine-wicket win with 90 balls left. This record held for a full decade before Uganda equalled it in 2024, making the Netherlands’ 2014 total one of the most notorious collapses in the tournament’s history.
3. Uganda – 40 (vs New Zealand, 2024)
Uganda’s second appearance on this list came in the same 2024 edition, when they were bowled out for 40 in 18.4 overs against New Zealand in Tarouba on June 14, 2024.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | 40 | 18.4 | 2.14 | v New Zealand | Tarouba | Lost by 9 wkts | 14 Jun 2024 |
Trent Boult removed both Uganda openers, Simon Ssesazi and Robinson Obuya, in the very first over to put the match beyond doubt almost immediately. Tim Southee backed him up with 3/14 in four overs, while Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson chipped in to dismantle the lower order. The powerplay produced just 9 runs, losing 3 wickets.
Kenneth Waiswa was Uganda’s most resilient batter with 11 off 18 balls, while Fred Achelam managed 9. New Zealand chased the tiny target in just 5.2 overs, with Devon Conway remaining unbeaten on 22. The fact that Uganda batted their full 18.4 overs before being dismissed shows how fragile their innings was throughout, unable to hit boundaries but also unwilling to throw their wickets away.
4. Netherlands – 44 (vs Sri Lanka, 2021)
The Netherlands fell to 44 all out against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on October 22, 2021, repeating their painful history of collapses against the same opposition in the T20 World Cup.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 44 | 10.0 | 4.40 | v Sri Lanka | Sharjah | Lost by 8 wkts | 22 Oct 2021 |
Sri Lanka dismissed the Netherlands in exactly 10 overs, with Lahiru Kumara and Wanindu Hasaranga each taking three wickets. Maheesh Theekshana added 2/3 in just one over to make it four bowlers with multiple wickets. Colin Ackermann top-scored with 11 off 9 balls, but no other batter passed double figures.
Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, and Roelof van der Merwe all departed without scoring. Sri Lanka chased the target in 7.1 overs, with Kusal Perera’s unbeaten 33 guiding them home by eight wickets. This was the fourth time Sri Lanka had bowled out a team for under 50 in the T20 World Cup, and the second time the Netherlands had been their victim. Seven years on from the 2014 humbling, little had changed for the Dutch against Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.
5. Oman – 47 (vs England, 2024)
Oman collapsed to 47 all out in 13.2 overs against England in a Group B match at North Sound, Antigua, on June 13, 2024, in one of the most one-sided results of the 2024 edition.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oman | 47 | 13.2 | 3.52 | v England | North Sound | Lost by 8 wkts | 13 Jun 2024 |
Adil Rashid was unplayable, finishing with 4/11 in four overs, including 30 dot balls as he tore through the Oman lineup with leg-spin and googlies. Jofra Archer and Mark Wood both claimed three wickets each, generating fierce pace on a lively surface. Oman slipped to 25/5 in the powerplay after losing their top four for single figures. Shoaib Khan was the only batter to put up a fight with 11 off 23 balls.
England completed the chase in just 3.1 overs, reaching 50/2 with Jos Buttler unbeaten on 24 off 8 balls. The margin of 99 balls remaining made it one of the most comprehensive wins in tournament history. England, the defending champions at the time, treated the match as a warm-up and still found it over before they had time to break into a sweat.
6. West Indies – 55 (vs England, 2021)
West Indies, the defending champions at the time, suffered a stunning batting meltdown and were dismissed for just 55 in 14.2 overs against England in a Super 12 match at Dubai on October 23, 2021.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | 55 | 14.2 | 3.83 | v England | Dubai (DICS) | Lost by 6 wkts | 23 Oct 2021 |
Adil Rashid delivered what became one of the most celebrated bowling spells in T20 World Cup history, taking 4/2 in just 2.2 overs as the West Indies middle order crumbled. Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, and Kieron Pollard all departed without making any meaningful contribution. Chris Gayle top-scored with 13 off 13 balls at the top of the order, but once Rashid got to work with his leg-spin, the innings fell apart completely.
Moeen Ali added 2/17 to seal the devastation. England chased the target in 8.2 overs, winning by six wickets. The result was a major shock, given that the West Indies arrived in the tournament as two-time champions. It was the lowest total ever recorded by a full ICC member nation in the tournament’s history and a result that effectively knocked West Indies out of the Super 12 stage.
7. Afghanistan – 56 (vs South Africa, 2024)
Afghanistan was bowled out for just 56 in 11.5 overs against South Africa in the first semi-final of the 2024 T20 World Cup at Tarouba on June 26, 2024, in arguably the biggest collapse on the biggest stage.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 56 | 11.5 | 4.73 | v South Africa | Tarouba | Lost by 9 wkts | 26 Jun 2024 |
Afghanistan had thrilled cricket fans throughout the tournament and knocked out Australia, but in the semi-final, they ran into a South Africa side at the peak of their T20 powers. Marco Jansen struck three times with pace and bounce, while Tabraiz Shamsi’s wrist-spin brought 3/6 in just 1.5 overs on a pitch that had little to offer bowlers.
Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje also took two wickets each. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran both fell for under five runs, and Mohammad Nabi was dismissed without scoring. Azmatullah Omarzai top-scored with just 10. The powerplay yielded only 28 runs for the loss of five wickets, and the innings never recovered. South Africa chased down the target in 8.5 overs by nine wickets. Considering Afghanistan had finished the group stage unbeaten, the scale of the collapse was stunning.
8. Uganda – 58 (vs Afghanistan, 2024)
Uganda recorded an all-out of 58 in 16 overs against Afghanistan in their opening match of the 2024 T20 World Cup at Providence on June 3, 2024. It was their first-ever T20 World Cup match.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | 58 | 16.0 | 3.62 | v Afghanistan | Providence | Lost by 125 runs | 03 Jun 2024 |
Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed a five-wicket haul, finishing with 5/9 in four overs, which was the best figures by any bowler in the 2024 tournament at that point. He cleaned up both openers in the first over and reduced Uganda to 25/5 by the end of the powerplay. Naveen-ul-Haq took 2/4, and Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also contributed.
Robinson Obuya was the top scorer with 14 off 25 balls, and Riazat Ali Shah battled for 11 off 34. Afghanistan had earlier posted 183/5, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashing 76 off 45 balls and Ibrahim Zadran contributing 70 off 46. Afghanistan won by 125 runs. This match became notable as Uganda’s World Cup debut, and their batting struggles would continue throughout the 2024 edition, with this 58-run total later becoming part of a trio of collapses they suffered across the group stage.
9. New Zealand – 60 (vs Sri Lanka, 2014)
New Zealand were bowled out for 60 in 15.3 overs by Sri Lanka in Chattogram on March 31, 2014, in one of the most remarkable upsets in T20 World Cup history, given the quality of the batters involved.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 60 | 15.3 | 3.87 | v Sri Lanka | Chattogram | Lost by 59 runs | 31 Mar 2014 |
Sri Lanka had posted just 119 all out in 19.2 overs, which seemed a below-par score on a turning pitch. But the surface became increasingly difficult to bat on as the match progressed. Rangana Herath delivered one of the finest bowling spells in T20 World Cup history, taking 5/3 in 3.5 overs, with four of his wickets coming clean-bowled or lbw.
Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, James Neesham, and Luke Ronchi were all dismissed for under five runs. Kane Williamson alone offered genuine resistance with 42 off 43 balls, which accounted for over two-thirds of the total. Sachithra Senanayake added 2/3 to support Herath’s brilliance. The 59-run win was the first time in the tournament’s history that a team had defended a score under 120 in a full 20-over match, making it a result that defied the format’s expectations.
10. Scotland – 60 (vs Afghanistan, 2021)
Scotland were dismissed for 60 in 10.2 overs against Afghanistan in a Super 12 match at Sharjah on October 25, 2021, in another comprehensive defeat for an associate nation against a rising Full Member side.
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 60 | 10.2 | 5.80 | v Afghanistan | Sharjah | Lost by 130 runs | 25 Oct 2021 |
Afghanistan had posted a commanding 190/4, with Najibullah Zadran blazing 59 off 34 balls and Rahmanullah Gurbaz hitting 46 off 37. The target of 191 was always going to be a tall ask, but Scotland’s collapse was worse than expected. Rashid Khan finished with 4/9 in 2.2 overs, using his leg-breaks and googlies on a surface that suited his style perfectly. Mujeeb Ur Rahman also claimed 4/20 in four overs to bowl Afghanistan to a crushing 130-run win.
George Munsey top-scored with 25 off 18 balls, but no other Scottish batter passed 12. Kyle Coetzer, Calum MacLeod, and Richie Berrington were dismissed in quick succession once Scotland reached 28, ending any hope of recovery. The result confirmed the gap between associate nations like Scotland and an Afghanistan side that had developed into a genuine threat at the highest level of T20 cricket.
Also Read:
- Highest Team Totals in ICC T20 World Cup (Records)
- Highest Partnerships In T20 World Cup (2026 Stats)
Conclusion: Uganda holds the Unwanted Record with 39
Uganda holds the unwanted record for the lowest team total in T20 World Cup history, with 39 against West Indies in 2024, a score they share with the Netherlands, who also made 39 against Sri Lanka in 2014.
Uganda appears three times in the top 10, reflecting the difficulty nations face when coming up against top bowling attacks for the first time on the world stage. Sri Lanka’s bowlers are responsible for the most appearances on this list as an opposition, having dismantled both the Netherlands and New Zealand in back-to-back editions in 2014.
