As India gets ready to face New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, all eyes turn to the numbers at this ground. The venue has a reputation for big scores and powerful hitting, but its history also shows how hard it can be to defend a target in different formats of the game.
From T20 internationals to IPL, ODIs and Tests, the pattern is clear: teams often need a strong total and very smart bowling to keep the opposition behind. Looking at the lowest totals that have been successfully defended here gives a clear picture of what kind of score might be needed in a World Cup final.
T20I records: Lowest total defended is 186
In T20 internationals at Narendra Modi Stadium, batting sides have enjoyed the conditions, with several games crossing 180 and even 200. On such a ground, the lowest target that has been defended is 186, when India made 185/8 and bowled out England to win on 18 March 2021.
In that match, India’s bowlers backed up a solid batting effort with tight lines and clever changes of pace, turning what looked like a chaseable total into a comfortable win. Since then, most successful defences at the venue have come when teams have crossed or gone close to the 190 mark.
South Africa added to this trend when they defended 187/7 against India on 22 February 2026, again showing that anything under around 185 is very hard to protect here. India have also defended 192/5 against Pakistan (28 December 2012) and 193/6 against the Netherlands (18 February 2026), both times using scoreboard pressure and strong bowling in the middle and death overs.
Big totals like India’s 224/2 against England on 20 March 2021 and 234/4 against New Zealand on 1 February 2023 show how quickly the game can run away from the chasing side once a team goes past 200 at this ground. Overall, the T20I history of the venue suggests that a team defending here usually needs to be close to or above 185–190 to feel safe.
IPL records: When 130 was enough
The Indian Premier League has offered a slightly different story at the same ground, even though it is also known for high scores and attacking batting. The lowest total defended at Narendra Modi Stadium in IPL history is just 130/8, by Delhi Capitals against Gujarat Titans on 2 May 2023.
In that low-scoring thriller, Delhi’s bowlers, led by Ishant Sharma, held their nerve to stop Gujarat from chasing a target that would normally be considered well below par on this surface. Islamabad-lengths, wicket-to-wicket bowling and smart use of slower balls turned 130 into a winning score, proving that even on a batting-friendly ground, discipline with the ball can change the game.
There are other examples where teams have defended scores under 170 at this venue. Sunrisers Hyderabad once defended 134/9 against Rajasthan Royals on 8 May 2014, while Rajasthan Royals themselves have protected 168/7 and 170/6 against Kolkata Knight Riders in different seasons. More recently, Gujarat Titans defended 168/6 against Mumbai Indians on 24 March 2024, using local knowledge and well-planned bowling changes.
Even so, these matches are exceptions rather than the rule. Most IPL games in Ahmedabad still favor teams that either post big totals or chase them down, and the average first-innings score in the league here sits in the mid-170s or higher. The low total defences simply show that if bowlers stick to their plans and fielders support them, even a modest score can be protected on the right day.
ODI records: Chasing often feels easier
In one-day internationals, Narendra Modi Stadium has a long history, including its earlier phase as Sardar Patel Stadium. Over the years, many captains have preferred chasing here, especially with how pitches have played in the modern era and with dew often helping teams batting second under lights.
The lowest totals defended in ODIs at this venue come mostly from older matches. India defended 193 against Australia on 5 October 1986, and West Indies defended 196 and 202/7 against India in January 1988 and November 1993 respectively. South Africa also successfully protected 219/9 against Sri Lanka on 24 October 2006, while India defended 227/8 against Sri Lanka on 22 October 1989.
In the 2020s, scoring trends have changed, and teams now expect higher par scores. The lowest total successfully defended in this decade at the ground is India’s 237/9 against West Indies on 9 February 2022, roughly in the 238-run range mentioned in recent analyses. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, several matches in Ahmedabad saw teams chasing strong totals, which again underlined how often batting second can be an advantage here when the surface stays true.
These numbers show that in ODIs, while scores around 190–240 have been defended at this ground, such games are relatively rare when compared with successful chases, particularly in the modern, attacking era.
Test records: Only three successful defences
Test cricket at Narendra Modi Stadium paints another clear picture about defending targets. Since the ground first hosted Tests in the 1980s, only three matches have seen a team successfully defend a target.
West Indies defended 201 against India on 12 November 1983, using strong pace bowling and discipline on a helpful pitch. India then defended 190 against South Africa on 20 November 1996, in a match where their bowlers held control across the final innings. The third successful defence came in 2005, when India declared at 316/9 and then bowled out Sri Lanka to win.
However, in the last twenty years, there has not been a single successful defence in Tests at this venue. This underlines how modern batting styles, improved chasing methods, and pitches that often flatten out have shifted the balance towards teams batting last, provided the surface does not break up too much.
What the numbers say about defending in Ahmedabad
Putting all these formats together, a strong pattern emerges for Narendra Modi Stadium. It is a ground where batting units can score big, and chasing sides are rarely out of the contest, especially under lights.
In T20Is, anything below 185 has simply not been enough to defend so far, with the lowest successful target being 186 when India protected 185/8 against England. In the IPL, on the other hand, there have been a few unusual games like Delhi Capitals defending 130/8 against Gujarat Titans, showing that on some days, tight bowling and calm nerves can pull off wins with even very low scores.
In ODIs, mid-range totals around 190–240 have been defended, but these matches are limited when compared to successful chases at the same ground, especially in recent years. Tests have seen only three successful defences overall and none in the last two decades, which again highlights how tough sustained defending can be at this venue.
Across T20Is, IPL, ODIs, and Tests, the numbers show that while defending is possible, it usually needs either a strong total, a helpful pitch, or almost perfect execution with the ball.
Setting the stage for India vs New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final
As India and New Zealand head into the T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium, the ground’s defending records give both teams clear reference points. In T20Is here, teams that have defended successfully have mostly crossed 185 or been close to 190, like India’s 185/8 against England and 192/5 against Pakistan, and South Africa’s 187/7 against India.
In the IPL, Delhi Capitals’ defence of 130/8 against Gujarat Titans in 2023 stands out as a rare example of a very low score being enough when bowlers stick to precise plans and control the run flow across all phases. At the same time, many other matches in both IPL and international cricket at this ground have shown that once a side goes over 200, the pressure on the chasing team increases very quickly.
India and New Zealand have both seen first-hand how this surface can play in T20s. In February 2023, India scored 234/4 against New Zealand at this venue, one of the highest team totals in T20Is at the ground, underlining how quickly runs can flow if batters get set. For a final, where every over and every small phase can swing momentum, the past numbers at Narendra Modi Stadium offer a clear guide on what kind of targets tend to be safe and how strong the bowling needs to be to defend them.
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