Primary Keyword: csk lowest score against which team
If you are searching for “CSK lowest score against which team”, the answer is Mumbai Indians. Chennai Super Kings recorded their lowest-ever IPL total of 79 runs against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on 5 May 2013. Mumbai Indians won that match by 60 runs, defending a total of 139/5.
The 79-run collapse remains one of the most memorable low-scoring performances in Chennai Super Kings’ IPL history. CSK were bowled out in just 15.2 overs, with Mumbai’s bowlers taking advantage of a dramatic batting collapse.
In this article, we will look at CSK’s lowest score, the team they faced, complete match details, the major reasons behind the collapse, other low CSK totals, and what makes the 2013 Wankhede match so memorable.
CSK Lowest Score Against Which Team?
The answer is Mumbai Indians.
Chennai Super Kings scored 79 all out against Mumbai Indians in the 2013 IPL at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This was officially recorded by the IPL as CSK’s lowest total in the tournament at that time.
CSK’s Lowest IPL Score
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Team | Chennai Super Kings |
| Lowest Score | 79 all out |
| Opponent | Mumbai Indians |
| Season | IPL 2013 |
| Date | 5 May 2013 |
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Mumbai Indians Score | 139/5 |
| CSK Score | 79 all out |
| Result | Mumbai Indians won by 60 runs |
| CSK Overs | 15.2 overs |
| Top CSK Scorer | Michael Hussey – 22 |
| MI’s Leading Bowler | Pragyan Ojha – 3/11 |
| Player of the Match | Mitchell Johnson |
The official IPL match report confirms that Mumbai Indians restricted CSK to 79, their lowest IPL total, and won by 60 runs.
CSK vs Mumbai Indians: The Match Behind the Record
The match took place on 5 May 2013 at Wankhede Stadium. At that stage of the tournament, Chennai Super Kings were in excellent form and had won seven matches in a row.
Mumbai Indians, however, produced a superb bowling performance that brought CSK’s winning momentum to an abrupt end. The official IPL preview noted that CSK had equalled the IPL record for consecutive victories before the match.
Mumbai Indians batted first after winning the toss and posted 139/5 in 20 overs.
That score did not initially appear overwhelming. On a T20 pitch, 139 was a target that CSK’s strong batting lineup could reasonably have expected to chase.
But what happened next was completely different.
Mumbai Indians Score 139/5
Mumbai Indians’ innings was built around contributions from several players.
Sachin Tendulkar and Dwayne Smith opened the innings, while Rohit Sharma provided an important unbeaten contribution later in the innings.
Tendulkar scored 15 before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja. Dwayne Smith made 22, while Dinesh Karthik contributed 23.
Rohit Sharma remained unbeaten on 39, and Harbhajan Singh added an unbeaten 25. Their late partnership helped Mumbai Indians finish at 139/5.
For CSK, Ravindra Jadeja was the standout bowler, finishing with 3/29.
At the end of the first innings, CSK needed 140 runs to win.
Considering their batting strength and the fact that they had been in excellent form, the target looked achievable.
Then came one of the biggest batting collapses in CSK’s IPL history.
CSK’s Batting Collapse
Chasing 140, Chennai Super Kings suffered an extraordinary collapse.
Michael Hussey was given several early opportunities, but CSK could not capitalize on them.
Mitchell Johnson then made the decisive impact.
He dismissed Murali Vijay for 2, followed by Suresh Raina for a duck and S Badrinath for a duck. Within a short period, CSK were in serious trouble.
Dwayne Bravo attempted to counterattack but was dismissed after scoring 9.
That left CSK at 18/4.
The situation became even worse when Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed for 2.
Pragyan Ojha then removed Michael Hussey, who had scored 22.
At the halfway stage, CSK were only 48/6.
The required target was still 92 runs away.
MS Dhoni Could Not Rescue CSK
MS Dhoni was one of the most important batters in the CSK lineup, and his presence offered some hope of a recovery.
However, the Mumbai Indians bowling attack continued to apply pressure.
Pragyan Ojha dismissed Dhoni for 10.
Chris Morris then fell for 1, while Mohit Sharma was dismissed without scoring.
Ravindra Jadeja remained CSK’s last significant contributor and scored 20.
But Ojha eventually dismissed Jadeja, bringing the innings to an end.
CSK were bowled out for 79 in 15.2 overs.
Why Was CSK Bowled Out for 79?
Several factors contributed to the collapse.
1. Mitchell Johnson’s Explosive Opening Spell
Mitchell Johnson was particularly effective with the new ball.
He removed three important CSK batters and created pressure immediately.
His wickets of Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina and S Badrinath meant CSK lost three important players before they could establish a partnership.
2. CSK Lost Too Many Early Wickets
The biggest problem was the rapid fall of wickets.
From a potentially manageable chase, CSK quickly slipped to 18/4.
In T20 cricket, losing four wickets for 18 runs puts enormous pressure on the remaining batting lineup.
3. Mumbai’s Spinners Continued the Pressure
Pragyan Ojha played an important role in the middle overs.
He finished with excellent figures of 3/11, including the wickets of Michael Hussey, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
4. CSK Failed to Build a Partnership
Successful T20 chases generally require at least one substantial partnership.
CSK never managed to build one.
Michael Hussey’s 22 was the highest score, while Jadeja made 20.
Those contributions were not enough to prevent the collapse.
CSK Lowest Score in IPL History: 79
The 79-run total was officially described by the IPL as CSK’s lowest score in the IPL. At the time, it was also the fourth-lowest team total in IPL history.
The record was particularly surprising because CSK had one of the strongest batting units in the tournament.
The team included players such as:
- Michael Hussey
- Murali Vijay
- Suresh Raina
- S Badrinath
- Dwayne Bravo
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- MS Dhoni
- Ravindra Jadeja
Yet the entire team could manage only 79 runs.
CSK Lowest Scores in IPL History
The 79 against Mumbai Indians is the lowest total listed for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL records. Other particularly low CSK totals include 82/6 against Rajasthan Royals in 2013, 97 all out against Mumbai Indians in 2022, and 71/3 against Rajasthan Royals in 2019.
It is important to distinguish between a team’s lowest all-out score and a low score in which the team did not lose all ten wickets.
Notable Low CSK Totals
| CSK Score | Opponent | Season | Result/Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79 all out | Mumbai Indians | 2013 | Lowest CSK IPL total |
| 82/6 | Rajasthan Royals | 2013 | Low completed innings |
| 97 all out | Mumbai Indians | 2022 | Another major CSK batting collapse |
| 71/3 | Rajasthan Royals | 2019 | Very low score in a rain-affected match context |
The IPL’s current records page lists CSK’s 79/10 in 2013 as the team’s lowest score, while also recording other low CSK totals.
Was 79 CSK’s Lowest Score Against Mumbai Indians?
Yes.
The 79-run innings against Mumbai Indians in 2013 remains the key answer to the question “CSK lowest score against which team?”
Interestingly, Mumbai Indians have been involved in several of CSK’s lowest-scoring matches.
In 2022, CSK were dismissed for 97, another very low total, also against Mumbai Indians. The current IPL team-lowest-score records list CSK’s 97 all out in 2022.
This makes Mumbai Indians a particularly notable opponent when looking at CSK’s lowest totals.
Mumbai Indians’ 60-Run Victory
Mumbai Indians eventually won the match by 60 runs.
Their score was 139/5, while CSK managed only 79.
The difference between the two teams was therefore exactly 60 runs.
The IPL report described it as Mumbai Indians’ biggest victory by runs against Chennai Super Kings at that point.
For Mumbai Indians, the victory was especially significant because it ended CSK’s seven-match winning streak.
Key Performers in the Match
Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson played a crucial role with the ball and was named Player of the Match.
His early wickets put CSK under enormous pressure.
The Australian fast bowler’s ability to generate pace and bounce made life difficult for the CSK top order.
Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha finished with 3/11, making him one of the most effective bowlers of the innings.
His wickets of Hussey, Dhoni and Jadeja helped complete the CSK collapse.
Michael Hussey
Hussey was CSK’s top scorer with 22 runs.
Despite being given early chances, he could not stay long enough to rebuild the innings.
Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja scored 20 runs, making him the second-highest CSK scorer.
He also contributed with the ball earlier, taking 3/29.
How Rare Was a Score of 79 in IPL History?
A total of 79 is extremely low in T20 cricket.
The IPL’s current records page lists several famous low totals, including RCB’s 49 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017 and Rajasthan Royals’ 58 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009. The same records list CSK’s 79 from 2013.
This puts CSK’s 79 among the tournament’s historically low team totals.
However, the broader IPL record has changed over time as other teams have produced even lower scores.
That means CSK’s 79 is best understood as the lowest score in CSK’s own IPL history, rather than the lowest score ever recorded in the IPL.
CSK’s Recent Low Score in 2026
CSK’s low-score history has continued to attract attention in recent IPL seasons.
In the 2026 IPL season, Chennai Super Kings scored 127 against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on 30 March 2026. Rajasthan Royals won by eight wickets.
CSK were reduced to 19/3 early in that innings before Jamie Overton’s 43 helped them reach 127.
Rajasthan’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Nandre Burger, Jofra Archer and Ravindra Jadeja each taking two wickets.
Although 127 was nowhere near CSK’s historic 79, the match demonstrated how quickly a strong T20 batting lineup can come under pressure.
CSK vs MI: A Rivalry Full of Memorable Matches
The 2013 match was just one chapter in the long CSK-MI rivalry.
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have repeatedly produced important IPL matches, including league games, playoff encounters and finals.
Earlier in IPL 2013, Mumbai Indians had already defeated CSK by nine runs in Chennai after posting 148/6 and restricting CSK to 139/9.
Later that season, CSK defeated Mumbai Indians in the first qualifier to reach the final. IPL records from that qualifier highlight Michael Hussey’s 86 and Ravindra Jadeja’s three wickets.
These results show why individual matches should be viewed within the larger rivalry rather than treated as a complete representation of either team’s overall performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
CSK lowest score against which team?
Chennai Super Kings’ lowest IPL score came against Mumbai Indians. CSK were bowled out for 79 at Wankhede Stadium on 5 May 2013.
What is CSK’s lowest score in IPL?
CSK’s lowest IPL total is 79 all out against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2013.
When did CSK score 79 in IPL?
CSK scored 79 against Mumbai Indians on 5 May 2013 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Who defeated CSK for 79?
Mumbai Indians defeated CSK after restricting them to 79 all out.
By how many runs did Mumbai Indians beat CSK in that match?
Mumbai Indians won by 60 runs, scoring 139/5 before bowling CSK out for 79.
Who was CSK’s highest scorer?
Michael Hussey was CSK’s highest scorer with 22 runs in the 2013 match.
Who took the most wickets for Mumbai Indians?
Pragyan Ojha took 3 wickets for 11 runs, while Mitchell Johnson also played a major role with his early wickets.
Final Takeaway
So, CSK’s lowest IPL score came against Mumbai Indians.
On 5 May 2013, Chennai Super Kings were bowled out for just 79 runs at Wankhede Stadium while chasing Mumbai Indians’ 139/5. Mumbai Indians won the match by 60 runs, with Mitchell Johnson making a major impact and Pragyan Ojha finishing with 3/11.
The match remains an important part of CSK’s IPL record because the 79-run total represents their lowest team score in the tournament. It is also a reminder that even an established T20 batting lineup can collapse when early wickets fall and the opposition maintains sustained bowling pressure.
