![South Africa's lowest T20I totals [Source: AFP Photos]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1765300468062_sky_markram.jpg?type=hq)
South Africa's lowest T20I totals [Source: AFP Photos]
The India vs South Africa 1st T20I at Barabati Stadium on December 9, 2025, saw the visitors record their lowest total in T20I cricket. As India posted a solid 175 runs on board, South Africa bundled out for just 74 runs in reply.
However, this was not their sole voyage of embarrassment, as the Proteas also had earlier contests where they recorded their lowest totals in the shortest format of the game. Let's take a look at all of those.
5) 96 runs vs Australia
In the third T20I, during Australia's tour of South Africa back in 2020, the hosts managed to retort with only 96 runs in reply to a 194-run chase. Mitchell Starc and Ashton Agar were the heroes for Australia with the ball, who took 3 wickets each. Adam Zampa also chipped in with 2 wickets as South Africa started to collapse early from the very first over.
Inside 10 overs, South Africa was down 5 wickets for just 65 runs, as the highest scorer of the team remained Rassie van der Dussen, who scored 24 runs off 19 deliveries.
4) 95 runs vs India
In the 3rd T20I at Johannesburg back in 2023, South Africa registered a shameful loss against India, where the visitors won by 106 runs. Riding on the back of Suryakumar Yadav's glorious 100 off 56 balls, India posted 201 runs from their 20 overs.
In reply, under pressure, the top order collapsed quickly as only David Miller managed to rack up 35 runs, which was not enough as South Africa just pushed to a total of 95 runs, with Kuldeep Yadav being the destroyer with his 5-wicket haul in the match.
3) 89 runs vs Australia
The third record of embarrassment for South Africa was against Australia again, as they met for the 2020 tour in the first T20I where Australia posted 196 on board for South Africa to chase, and the Quinton de Kock-led team collapsed for just 89 runs.
Ashton Agar was the wrecker-in-chief for Australia this time with his five-wicket haul, while Adam Zampa and Pat Cummins scalped two wickets each. Mitchell Starc also contributed with his sole wicket, with South Africa's Faf du Plessis only scoring 24 runs to be the top scorer from their side.
Notably, South Africa was down seven wickets inside eight overs and were wrapped up inside 14.3 overs to give Australia a massive win by 107 runs.
2) 87 runs vs India
Just 3 years back in 2022, South Africa recorded just 87 runs in their chase of 170 against India in Rajkot. After India’s solid knocks from Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock failed inside the first 5 overs as Dwaine Pretorius and Heinrich Klaasen followed.
Avesh Khan was the chief destroyer of wickets with his 4-wicket haul, as Yuzvendra Chahal also bagged 2 wickets to destroy South Africa's lineup inside 16.5 overs and back a win by 82 runs.
1) 74 runs vs India
On December 9, 2025, South Africa recorded their lowest ever T20I score, which was just 74 runs against India. India came into bat first after losing the toss, and after an early scare of Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav's wickets, Hardik Pandya steadied the ship with his 28-ball 59.
In return, South Africa collapsed from the very beginning with Arshdeep Singh taking sharp wickets from the very first over. Quinton de Kock went for a duck. David Miller also managed only one run with the bat, as the highest scorer of the lot was Dewald Brevis. This gave India a massive win margin of 101 runs as they booked their first win in the five-match T20I series.
