The Australians are powerful forces in the great game of cricket and theirs is an aura that, quite frankly, raises the level of competition. They are hard, not impossible to beat but they keep coming hard at you
and that is what makes them spectacular. They've given numbers and players, and ultimately, added to the sport in a way that is legendary and that has to be and must be saluted. Whether you talk of the way in which Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden used to smash bowlers, sending them into a tizzy, to ultimately creating a threatening coterie of talents including David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Shane Watson and company to the current generation's names - the Aussies have glittered in gold in the T20I format.
But have they also been found out and shown the mirror? Perhaps the greatest thing about the sport is that it humbles you, and humbles even its most dedicated pursuers of excellence. Which is why the lowest T20I totals for Australia at home is a glaring evidence of supposedly the 'best' team faltering too. But hey, it's no crime to fumble, after all!
Lowest T20I totals for Australia at home
111 vs New Zealand in Sydney, 2022
Against Trans-Tasman rivals BlackCaps, the Australians would only manage 111 at the world famous Syndey Cricket Ground in their pursuit of 201. The Australians were reduced to shreds by a Devon Conway special that got the Kiwis flying. The hugely understated and charismatic Kiwi scored an unbeaten 92 off 58 deliveries along with 2 catches in the end, thereby making a mockery of the mighty hosts who could last not even 18 full overs.
119 vs India in Carrara, 2025
As seen very recently at Carrara against India, Australia were able to make just 119 runs and that's about it in a T20 International in which the usually powerful hosts were hung out to dry by none other than Axar Patel. In a comprehensive win for India, wherein the tourists claimed the 4th T20I by 48 runs, Axar Patel's 2 for 20 off 4 overs got the top order down to its knees. Matthew Short and Josh Inglis, 37 runs between them, ran into Axar Patel's tightly-controlled and watchful spell.
It was a so-called Bapu special that canned the often over-the-top offerer of lip service at their own backyard.
127 vs Pakistan in Melbourne, 2010
Australia didn't have a great day versus Pakistan at home in 2010, when playing an important T20 international in which their batting would let them down against Pakistan, but eventually, as the fan would find out, the bowling didn't.
Despite making all of 127 - and that's about it - thanks to an Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik special, the fast bowler and spinner claiming half of wickets, Australia came up with an ace during their defence of a paltry total.
But, how? It was a Shaun Tait special with his remarkable 3 for 13 off 4 overs with 18 dots off the 24 deliveries he bowled, 18, let that sink in, sealing the show for the remarkable force that is Australia.
Steven Smith and Shane Watson, too, chipped in with 2 wickets apiece.
131 vs India in Melbourne, 2012
Back in 2012, when the level of favouritism, biasness in Indian cricket wasn't perhaps all that prevalent as what some hardcore cricket nuts observe to be the case today, the hosts were smashed by Team India in that series' second T20I.
Despite being powered by the likes of Bailey, Warner, Finch, David Hussey and the Marsh brothers, the Aussies masters at sledging and at playing crooked games, managed 131 and that's about it. In front of a fantastic display of bowling, medium pace attacking in tandem with a potent spin attack, the Aussies were rendered clueless?
How? One of India's most genuinely effective swing bowlers, Praveen Kumar took 2 for 21 off his 3, whilst Vinay Kumar, so often over expensive, but also committed to India's cause, would concede just 25 runs off his spell with a wicket. While Ashwin would go for under 6 an over off his full spell, Ravindra Jadeja claimed 16 runs off 3 overs with 1 wicket.
Even Virat Kohli bowled an over on that occasion, conceding just 7 runs. But Gujarat's great gift to India, Ravindra Jadeja emerged the most economical going for 5.3 an over with 1 wicket from 3 overs.
His would be a spell that would really tighten the grip on Australia's scoring, his colleagues, Gautam Gambhir, current coach of Team India (Men's) and then, a useful presence up the order would score a vital 56 off 60 deliveries. A strike rate of 91 in a T20I was still very much important in the context of the tricky wicket during the chase. While Gambhir, who true to his name, played seriously holding onto an end, Sehwag during the chase got off to a flier scoring 23 off 16.
Kohli, then perhaps all of 25, steadied the ship, playing a few gorgeous strokes from number 3 with MS Dhoni, the then captain, remaining on one end to see his team emerge the winner. What was interesting, and may give the fanboys of Indian cricket who do nothing else other than rage-baiting, was that both Gambhir and Dhoni were batting together to see India home.
133/8 vs Sri Lanka at WACA, 2010
This is the lowest T20I total ever by Australia when playing the Sri Lankan side. In 2010, the usually mighty and hugely competitive side succumbed to 133 for 8 at the WACA in Perth. While Sri Lanka would win the contest by 7 wickets and 21 balls remaining, Australia, despite batting first, saw only 4 batters in double digit scores. Notable contributions from Sangakkara and Dilshan helped the tourists to an easy run chase in that tour's only T20I, a day nighter that didn't go well at all for the Kangaroos. What didn't particularly help was Steven Smith, then also deploying his 'useful' leg spinners; the New South Wales cricketer going for over 13 an over in his spell!
FAQs
What is Australia's lowest T20I score ever at home?
They were 111 all out in the 2022 T20 World Cup against the BlackCaps in pursuit of 201 for a win.
What is Australia's lowest ever T20I score vs India at home?
Recently, in the noted suburb of Carrara in Australia, the hosts stumbled to 119 all out versus India while chasing 168 in the fourth T20I, courtesy Axar Patel's brilliant all round show.
